posted
What are you guys and gals using for a work surface on your vinyl tables?
At past employers, I have had to work on sheetmetal, formica, and the backside of an old flat sign face, and all these pick up cuts from years of work.
Is anyone using the self healing mats?
I am planning on making my work table a 4'x8'.
-------------------- Mark Kottwitz Kottwitz Graphics Ridgely, MD www.SeeMySignWork.com -------------------------- Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein Posts: 746 | From: Ridgely, MD | Registered: Oct 2000
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It's nice and smooth which means no tiny air bubbles between the transfer tape and vinyl.
It won't get scratched or gouged over years of use - I've had mine for 7 years and not a scratch on it. This also means you don't get bubbles when applying transfer tape.
I have lights underneath it for when I need to register layers together.
The lights also make it a great table for tracing artwork.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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-------------------- Tony Vickio The World Famous Vickio Signs 3364 Rt.329 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 t30v@vickiosigns.com 607-535-6241 http://www.vickiosigns.com Posts: 1063 | From: Watkins Glen, New York | Registered: Sep 2001
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Yeah! Glass was the best bench I have ever used. At at the moment I use foam PVC, turn it then toss it, thats it! I looked at self healing mats but were to expensive for what they were... Only problem with glass is that you get paranoid about breaking it.
-------------------- Clinton Cooper General Manager ASGI Posts: 43 | From: St Marys NSW Australia | Registered: Sep 2006
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I had a glass top when I got my first 4B about 22 years ago. Mine got scratches in the glass from the razor knife cutting and I think somebody dropped something on it once and busted part of it.
For the last 11 years we've been using High Molecular Weight Polywallydoodleallday stuff. It's the plastic self-healing material. Ask your plastic supplier; he'll know what it is.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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We've tried glass, wood, sandblast stencil, and the BEST we have experienced is this self healing cutting mat. You can custom order about any size you want. http://www.speedpress.com/products.asp?id=9
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted
If you have a large refigeration supply place locally...order the plastic that they use draped in strips on the doorways, to keep the cold away from the outside. It comes in rolls and is cut and stripped to fit the doorways. You can order the size you need, it is extremely tough and abrasion resisitant.
-------------------- Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA
(714) 521-4810
si.allen on Skype
siallen@dslextreme.com
"SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Never mess with your profile while in a drunken stupor!!!
Brushasaurus on Chat Posts: 8827 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Used glass and self-healing mats... and I much prefer the mats. Especially if you do a lot of exacto knife cutting. Your blades will last much longer...
You can get the mats 4'x8' up to 6'x12'. I like the printed lines also, use them occasionally when cutting a substrate, etc. I've gotten several from these folks... Speedpress
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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We have a 5' x 10' piece of half inch thick tempered glass. Yes it weighs a lot and it gets scratched up but the scratches don't bother us and because it's tempered it's very strong. The table gets used for everything including a light table. I wouldn't trade it for anything else.
-------------------- Stu Friesen Box 99 Estevan, SK S4A 2A2 306-634-5975 Posts: 97 | From: Estevan, SK | Registered: Feb 2006
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Hiya Mark, I prefer glass on my weeding table and the back side of an old sign face for the prod/fab table. I tried the self healing mats and other materials, but they either wore out too quick or required too much maintenance.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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I didn't like the glass, and tried the polyethelene (white plastic) mats and didn't like them near as much as the green OLFA type mats. There was a guy in Washington that ran a company making them into 2x3's and these small sizes we see everywhere, and he sold me what he called the monster mats. These were around 5'x9' with a rough shaped edge from the manufacturing. We'd glue it to a tabletop and trim the edge to fit the table with a router. Wish they'd still sell 'em like that.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6715 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'm a fan of self healing mats here. Mine is about 10 years old and should be replaced, and will be in the spring. I think I paid about $100 for it (2'x8'). So..$10/year is pretty good value in my books.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
I can't agree more with all the others... I worked off glass for years and loved it . Past few years I switched to a speedpress mat also and love it. Blades do last much longer and you won't snap the tips off the blades like you might on glass.
-------------------- Al Checca Kidney dialysis Pt. wizard42171967@yahoo.com Posts: 261 | From: Latrobe just outside Pittsburgh Pa in Latrobe | Registered: Aug 2001
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