Do you use a pit mat?

[No Slack]

At the moment I am using a (fleece) towel but there are some nice pit mats on the market. Is it wise to buy one or is the classic towel still acceptable? I like to hear your opinion.

 

[GToddC5]

I found this thing called a Tinkermat In the "Toys and Hobbies" area of ebay, and it's pretty cool. I also use some parts trays with it, and it's a great system. I actually enjoy the process of opening all the bags and sorting them into the trays before I start a build. The Tinkermat helps keep stuff from shooting around and off the work table, and is also great for breaking down an old or dirty model for rebuild since you you just vacuum, rinse or wipe it off. I have two projects going right now and so I moved the Tinkermat off the table with everything still intact - so it's possible to move a WIP project off with all the parts at once. My last build was done on a cutting mat, and while perfectly fine, lacked the organization and also some hardware was able to roll off onto the floor.

Maybe check it out: https://www.ebay.com/itm/285518236908?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=oYzf3Rw_Qca&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=1ogOFlTBTSK&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

And some pics, because who doesn't like pics?!?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[No Slack]

That is a fine mat. Never seen such mat before.

[kevinb120]

I like it but if I had that mine would be more like old Chinese food container with all the screws in it and a few crushed diet coke cans in those nifty curved sections.  Tires off to the side in a Dr Seuss-esque stack.  Plastic nippers ALWAYS under the instructions.

[njmlondon]

Now that is a fine mat! I wonder how must it costs to ship to the UK. Probably same as the time costs, plus customs, plus the pleasure of paying Royal Mail to do their actual job (handling fee). I do like the fact it is rigid enough to move around. As someone without a dedicated work space, I love that.

 

[GToddC5]

6 minutes ago, njmlondon said:

Now that is a fine mat! I wonder how must it costs to ship to the UK. Probably same as the time costs, plus customs, plus the pleasure of paying Royal Mail to do their actual job (handling fee). I do like the fact it is rigid enough to move around. As someone without a dedicated work space, I love that.

 

You might also try direct at: https://tinkermat.myshopify.com

[njmlondon]

30 minutes ago, GToddC5 said:

You might also try direct at: https://tinkermat.myshopify.com

Cheapest shipping to the UK... $53. Meh

[River19]

Yes.  At home I have a large one.

Everywhere we race requires a pit mat and a Lipo bag as well so a second pit mat stays in the vehicle.

[MadAnt]

I don't use a mat, I don't even use a car stand. I just use a dry erase board and a few chalkboard panals.

[SlideWRX]

I use a silicone mat.  Works ok, but got dirty fast.  Silicone shock oils oddly enough pick up the dirt really well...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08V51BPYV?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

Those Tinkermat look great!  Too big for my space though.

[Ferruz]

I tend to set up and use makeshift-everything, but I know I should get a nice mat eventually. That tinker thing looks cool!

[Mad Ax]

For a long time I didn't have a pit mat.  If I wanted a soft surface I'd use an old bath mat, but it tends to pick up swarf and other nasties from the workshop and scratches bodies worse than the hard worktop surface.

A while ago I placed an order with Asiatees and qualified for a Free Gift, so I chose a pit mat.  I loved it and used it a lot.  It's a rubber-backed mat with a fabric top - looks nice but it stains with shock oils etc and also picks up swarf if I don't roll it away before I cut aluminium.

Back in January I won a full-size HPI pit mat in a raffle.  It's fully rubber all over, so it's become my new always-on Workshop Pit Mat.  It's very easy to clean and all the little recesses are very good at preventing screws from rolling away, so I don't have to use my little Ikea organiser pots as much.  That's great because I tend to knock them and catapult the screws into the next county.

That means my Asiatees pit mat is now my always-in-the-pit-hauler mat, so I always have a mat when I go racing.  Mats are a requirement for some clubs.

I call them both Matthew.  Asian Matthew and Rubber Matthew.

[No Slack]

Thanks. I am now convinced that I need a pit mat.

[magnumcyclonex]

At home, I have cutting mats and the car stand to use. The cutting mats have grid lines on them which are helpful for eye balling toe angles (I don't have a setup station). When I go out to club racing, I use a cheap trading card game (TCG) white mat (basically a 24x14 inch giant mousepad) so I can see any dark colored screws or bits on it, and it's not as large as a pit mat so I don't need to occupy the whole table or have one side of it running over the edge. These mats are only a few USD so I don't mind it getting dirty with grease and other things on it. Plus it's easy to roll it up and fit in a backpack.

[Wooders28]

39 minutes ago, No Slack said:

Thanks. I am now convinced that I need a pit mat.

I've just been using a small white towel for nearly 40yrs (not the same one.🙄)...

Screws don't roll off, any shock oil spills are taken care of, and I don't need to wipe my hands on my jeans (just because I don't need, doesn't mean that doesn't happen though....) , but even I'm tempted with a pit mat now!!! 🤦‍♂️🤣

[Re-Bugged]

Very nice set up @GToddC5 👍🏻

Far to organised for me though, every time I have a sort out to anywhere close to that I can’t find a blommin’ thing..

[Re-Bugged]

I find a Pit Mat with one of those green cutting boards on top works best for me now. The first pit mat I had got ruined when I split white spirits on it 😬

I seem to have a knife on the go a lot so it’s handy just to be able to trim stuff with moving a heap out the way mid way through something else as to not slice the fabric mat, or spill on it again. My wife and I used to have an Art Supply shop so I got a good staff discount on the green mat at the time 😃

[GToddC5]

21 minutes ago, Re-Bugged said:

Very nice set up @GToddC5 👍🏻

Far to organised for me though, every time I have a sort out to anywhere close to that I can’t find a blommin’ thing..

Sadly, it's the only area that is close to organized in my life 

[Re-Bugged]

29 minutes ago, GToddC5 said:

Sadly, it's the only area that is close to organized in my life 

I like your priorities 🤣

[guggles]

32 minutes ago, GToddC5 said:

Sadly, it's the only area that is close to organized in my life 

I, for some reason doubt that. As someone whos rc workbench looks like a day care after an arts and crafts day. For some reason my work bench has the magical ability to get parts I have no clue what they go to on it. At the same time, the part I just put down and need had magically disappeared. 

@GToddC5 Those mini tool boxes are just too cool also! Tempting me to have one for tools and one for organizers of hardware, bearings, ect.

 

 

[GToddC5]

1 hour ago, guggles said:

I, for some reason doubt that. As someone whos rc workbench looks like a day care after an arts and crafts day. For some reason my work bench has the magical ability to get parts I have no clue what they go to on it. At the same time, the part I just put down and need had magically disappeared. 

@GToddC5 Those mini tool boxes are just too cool also! Tempting me to have one for tools and one for organizers of hardware, bearings, ect.

 

 

Yeah man, there's something in every drawer - a dream come true - because all that stuff was randomly strewn about in non-organized drawers, boxes, etc. That P.I.T. company also makes a larger small drawer cabinet, and I grabbed that too. Now there's a place for the larger items that don't fit in the smaller drawers, and each of those drawers can even slide up and out, to be completely removed and laid closer to a project if needed. But believe me, the rest of my house, garage and work office are a hot mess. Not the way I like it, but like @Re-Bugged said, priorities! 

[chris.alex]

No, I don't use a pit mat. That's what I use: 

[TwistedxSlayer]

I use a rubber mat thing from hobbyking, bought it years ago. I'm sure I've a picture of it somewhere.

[Rokka]

Yes, a rubber mat for protection on my little hobby-corner:

[Rvl 2]

I use a cutting mat , because I can do a quick setup or measure or compare turnbuckles. I use the pink sheet to prevent screws from rolling away and plastic lid for parts and a small cloth for disassembly. This is also my portable setup