Anti-Fatigue Mats

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We do use those, but I like my $10 wood stool much better. I can bend one leg and sit on it, looks like I am standing up, but easier on the back.

FWIW

After reading Skippy, is this for your shop or at shows???

In my shop, I let the sawdust accumulate and stand on it.
 
LOML bought the ones from Woodcraft. When on sale, 16.00. The screwed up and hadn't unrolled (3 to a bundle) and charged her for one. I didn't complain one bit. Helps my legs greatly.
 
Woodcraft ever so often has their green rubber mats on sale. I have been using the ten that I bought 5 years ago and they are showing very little to no wear at all. Sure does save the feet when otherwise I would be standing on concrete.

I had several packages of the foam interlocking type, but they just didn't hold up around my table saw or lathe. Besides that, the edge would unlock and I was subject to stumbling when it caught my toe. Imagine falling at the table saw while ripping long stock! These foam pads now line my walkway in the garden between the raised beds.
 
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At shows I bought the ones from H/F I think they were 9.00 3 to a package on sale with the jig saw ends. My shop has wood floors and I have a stool.
 
My entire shop is covered with the cheap ones that Skippy referred to. Haven't had foot or back pain from working all day in the shop since I put them down. These are a great investment and if you ruin one with chemicals or paint, just pull it up and replace it.
 
Horse stall mats from the local feed and tack. Heavier than a SOB, but I'm told it cuts easily; haven't tried or needed to myself. Will outlast me I'm sure. I've heard that some people will cover the whole floor, and butted up together the seams are tight enough to wheel machinery all over the place.
 
Wheaties said:
If you use an Anti-Fatigue Mat, which one do you use? I want to get one that will make a difference, but spending $100 for a 2'x3' mat is insane. I don't need it that bad. Here is what I was thinking:
http://www.matsmatsmats.com/commercial-industrial/anti-fatigue/supreme-fatigue-mat.html
Click to expand...
I visited the site you linkled to and couldn't believe the prices they charge. I guess some folks have more money than sense!

Like several others I have the "puzzle edge" mats sold at Harbor Freight and find them satisfactory but don't like the way stool legs sink into them.

I have some I like better and they are thicker and have grooves the entire length of the mats which are about 5' long. I can't remember where I got them but do remember it was over 25 years ago so they are holding up well!
 
Got mine at Lowes 3' X 5' roughly . Don't remember the price but pretty cheap , or I wouldn't have one . :biggrin: After all these posts , you should be able to fnd one .
 
My entire work area of my shop is covered by the jigsaw edge mats from Harbor freight and then I have several of the green Wood craft mats over them in my high use area like my lathe, saw or sander.
 
Juts happened to think of another advantage to using these maps other than as a back saver, etc.

Have you ever dropped a workpiece you have worked on for hours only to have it get mangled rather badly when it bounced on the cement floor?

These 'softer than cement' mats really help along these lines as well.

Maybe I need one on my wall for the times I bang my balding head as I bend over to get something I dropped.

Ah ha!, yet another use!
 
One of the buildings I visit as part of my day job has the most insanely awesome anti-fatigue mat I've ever felt.

It's at least an inch thick, SOFT, and CUSHY. Where it it? At their urinals. Seriously. And it's closed-cell, so the liquids won't soak in. So far, I haven't been able to find where they bought it... but if I do, I'm buying some.
 
Add another to the list that use the ones from HF. I've had back surgery that didnt go well, and standing can be a chore. An hour or two on concrete <basement shop> can screw me up for days, but since getting these things, I have to remind myself to sit down every now and then so I dont stiffen up. Well worth the 10 bux I spent on two sets of them, and have them strategically placed in the shop.
 
I was able to use one of those $100.00 specials, and believe it or not, there is a marked difference if you are going to be at your lathe for 8 hours.

Since most of us don't, I agree, and use both the green Woodcraft model in parts of my shop and the puzzle piece one in other areas.

The other thing that might help is to make sure you have a good set of footwear with a good set of inserts.
I tried a set from my company shoestore, they cost $25.00, but I don't even need the mat any more. I still use the mat, because changing the height of my oneway can be a pain, and I am at the right height for me with the mat.
The insole is made of the same stuff as some of the better floor mats, but with enough stickyness on the bottom, to not slide in your shoe like some of the more readily available commercial ones. The first pair I have is almost two years old, the odor block works good (I don't have the EPA coming to the house when I take my shoes off), and they still have alot of cushion to them.

Talked a friend in to trying a set, he has a bad back and hip replaced, and he says they are fantastic, and he can work at his lathe longer.

Just my .02

Jerry
 
JerrySambrook said:
I was able to use one of those $100.00 specials, and believe it or not, there is a marked difference if you are going to be at your lathe for 8 hours.

Since most of us don't, I agree, and use both the green Woodcraft model in parts of my shop and the puzzle piece one in other areas.

The other thing that might help is to make sure you have a good set of footwear with a good set of inserts.
I tried a set from my company shoestore, they cost $25.00, but I don't even need the mat any more. I still use the mat, because changing the height of my oneway can be a pain, and I am at the right height for me with the mat.
The insole is made of the same stuff as some of the better floor mats, but with enough stickyness on the bottom, to not slide in your shoe like some of the more readily available commercial ones. The first pair I have is almost two years old, the odor block works good (I don't have the EPA coming to the house when I take my shoes off), and they still have alot of cushion to them.

Talked a friend in to trying a set, he has a bad back and hip replaced, and he says they are fantastic, and he can work at his lathe longer.

Just my .02

Jerry
Click to expand...

Hey Jerry, can you tell us which brand? I'll take any relief I can get,and I'd love to be able to spend more time in the shop. The mat's are nice, but might even be better with these. Thanks!
 
I got half of mine at Sears and half at Harbor Freight. They both got it right finally... nice cushy, durable mats at the nice price!
:):):)
 
I caught some at a Big Lots store, the kind with the jigsaw puzzle ends. There were 4 pieces with edges for $5. I bought 4 packs and wish I had bought 10. If you find cheap ones, put two in front of the lathe if necessary.
 
I must be the cheapest meiser of you all! I went to the carpet store. I drove out back, lifted the lid on the dumpster, pulled out some big pieces of foam padding and a carpet. Oh..but the guy in the store said, Hey...that carpet is shag...that's not going to work so great. Hold on...so he went in a grabbed a short roll of tight woven brown carpet and gave me that. cost..$0. He was right too..the shag would be too difficult to clean. The tight weave vacuum's up pretty good.
Moral..go talk to the carpet people. If they don't have some they want to just get rid of for free, well the installers will. They generally come tear out you carpet and have to get rid of it, so they bring it back to the carpet place and toss it in the dumpster. It's fine. I wouldn't put it in my house, but on the shop floor, heck ya!!! It's more comfy than those mats too. I find those holes in the mats wear on my feet.
 
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