Stall mat under power tools???

[petebucy4638]

Farm supply stores carry a product called "stall mat." As its name suggests, it is used in animal stalls. It's about 3'4" thick, some thinner, and made of a very dense and nearly indestructible rubber compound. As a builder, I used to put stall made under washing machines that were in wood framed laundry rooms. Stall mat is very good at absorbing vibrations and noise. When talking to an out-of-state friend about my new Sawstop cabinet saw, he suggested that I place the machine on stall mat. He said that he has been using for for years under his cabinet saw, shaper, planer, and jointer. He claims that it reduces noise, even on a concrete floor, and helps to level out any minor imperfections in the floor that can cause machinery to wobble. He claims that the mat reduces vibration producing better cuts too.

Have any of you used stall mat or a similar product under your cabinet saws or other woodworking machinery? If so, how did it perform?

Pete

 

[sawman101]

I put a scroll saw on a thick floor mat. It did absorb vibration and make for quieter running. I wood recommend the stall mats, as long as they are not a tripping hazard in your shop.

 

[old-delta]

Great Idea. I never thought of that mainly due to all my machines being on mobile bases. I have a concrete floor but it sounds plausible. I bet they may work well to use at the lathe.

 

[Mike Davis]

My whole shop floor is covered with stall mats. Much easier on the feet and back and chisels don’t get hurt when dropped.

 

[Fishbucket]

My whole shop floor is covered with stall mats. Much easier on the feet and back and chisels don’t get hurt when dropped.

Are your tools on them too, or did you cut around?

 

[Mike Davis]

Tools, bench, sawdust, everything. Only wish I had glued the edges down and together.
Maybe will move everything out and redo at some point. And wheels roll just fine.

 

[Bear Republic]

chisels don’t get hurt when dropped.

Maybe you shouldn't juggle so many at a time.... :wconfused:

Did you glue the bottoms down?

 

[Mike Davis]

How else you get three projects done at once if you don’t juggle tools?

No I didn’t glue the mats, I will if I rearrange.

 

[JohnW]

Mike, what thickness did you use and where did you purchase? Tractor Supply has 1/4" thru 3/4" rolls 25' long. The 1/4" run about $1.50/sq ft.

I put the cheap foam interlocking mats from Harbor Freight, just in my walking/working areas, about 6 years ago. They are OK for traffic areas but don't think you could put a heavy machine on them or roll them around on the light foam. And they are starting to get torn up.

 

[Mike Davis]

Mine are about 5/8” hard rubber and 4’ by 5’. They came from Tractor Supply and cost about $40 each.

 

[smallboat]

FWIW I use the same ones Mike mentions. They are extremely durable. One side is grooved and the other has a shallow diamond plate pattern. I like the grooved side underfoot, but it does collect sawdust etc. machines on wheeled bases don't seem to care which side is up.

My machines tend to be on the lighter side. No cabinet saw or 8"+ jointer in my world.

 

[Pop Golden]

​I'm on the cheap side. I used the pads from Pep Boys. They are 2 ft. square. They interlock and I'm taping them together on the underside. They are on my walking area around my new workbench. I've used them before and when they tear up (about 4 or 5 years are so) I throw them away and buy new. I don't roll machines other than my shop vac on them.

Pop

 

[Jim M.]

I have two stall mats in my work area but never considered putting them under my machines, I might have to play around with that.

 

[Phil S]

I use these under my stationary tools that are on concrete, the tools on a wood floor do not seem to need them.

Vibration isolation pads

 

[petebucy4638]

I went to Tractor Supply today on my way home from picking up a blade that I had sharpened at Klingspor. The had to remove about six inches of snow from the stack of 4x6x3/4" stall mats pull one out for me. I cut a 24" square piece and put it under my Sawstop Professional cabinet saw. I was surprised that I was able to walk the saw onto the stall mat with relative ease. When I was looking on the internet for people who had used stall mat under their shop tools. I was amazed at the number of people who said that they had difficulty cutting it. It cuts like butter with a saber saw and a coarse wood-cutting blade.

Pete