'Rubber' topped workbench?..

[FloWolF]

Since small/light but hard objects bounce further off hard surfaces, I was wondering if anyone here used a rubber topped workbench area? - I've lost or come close to losing many small pieces after dropping them onto workbenches/tables from only a few cm height, and now building a new workshop I was considering topping some bench space like this - we used to use similar for electronics workbench coverings, for similar reasons, but looking at countless jeweller's benches/workshops I've not found any examples...

I suppose I'm wondering if there are any out there, and if not what the 'cons' are?

Cheers folks, and be well.


Shaun/FloWolF

[Ebo Von Gaz]

My first thought is heat! And the fact that it would get bashed and scraped quite a lot. It's a nightmare dropping fiddly little bits though. I have an apron which is velcroed to the underside of my workbench, that I wear to stop bits going for a wander at an inopportune moment, it's handy for sweepings too.

[Dennis]

Hi Shaun,

Since work tops quickly succumb to burn marks and divots, I have always used a large cutting mat, which is cheaper and can be replaced when it looks too tacky. They can also be blue on one side and green on the other for choice.

The secret of not loosing small parts by bouncing is to abandon tweezers and use a wax cone, or BluTack whenever it is likely to happen and also to make sure that your skin or drawer are in place. Dennis

[ShinyLauren]

Love your drawer idea Dennis!

[FloWolF]

Thanks for the helpful replies - I can see how it may be subject to too much punishment, although I had planned on doing any heavier work on a different bench.


As for tweezers I really don't use them much outside of soldering and certainly not for stones - rather I tend to use my huge and untweezer-like fingers but have used bluetack as well, and even polymorph for some cabs - mostly it's bit's of silver and other small metal pieces I tend to drop, usually whilst trying to transfer them from fingers to a more appropriate grip LOL!

The workbench is a home-made, rough cobbled, standing height double-bay affair, so I suppose I could consider 'rubbering-up' one half only and keep that as the 'clean' job section, the other half for all the bashing and burning.

Thanks again,

Shaun.