Tormek Rubber Work Mat RM-533

[Ken S]

I have been using the new Tormek Rubber Work Mat (RM-533) It is available from Affinity Tool in Troy, Michigan. (Affinity Tool is the US importer of Tormek.)

The mat is well made of thick black rubber. As with other Tormek products, it has the sturdy look and feel of quality. It is the same mat which is supplied with the TS-740 Tormek Sharpening Station. Sized at 533mm x 343mm (21" x 13 ½") it provides a generous size non-slip mat for either model of the Tormek. The rubber side walls easily contain any water spillage. In fact, I would feel comfortable using my Tormek anywhere in the house with this protective mat.

A Tormek with rotating base placed on this mat is a formidable machine. There is plenty of space surrounding the Tormek for jigs, accessories and sundry necessities such as honing compound. No mess and nothing falling off the table. Clean up is a snap.

When I finally get around to building a sharpening station, I will size it to include this Tormek Rubber Work Mat.

One of the things which impressed me about the Stumpy Nubs online woodworking program was Mustache Mike's review of the Tormek BGM-100. Mike's review was thorough, perceptive and fair. He rated the BGM-100 for design, quality and price. He gave the BGM-100 five "mustacios" (top marks) for design, five for quality and four for price.  Mike was impressed with the BGM-100, but thought it a little overpriced. I can understand his thinking. He and I are about the same vintage, old enough to remember when a dollar in our pocket would cover most of a week's morning coffee costs.

At fifty nine dollars, I would not call the Tormek Rubber Work Mat underpriced. I believe at that price it is an honest quality value. It just doesn't seem like a bargain.

While a cheaper alternative would suffice in the shop, I would feel quite comfortable using the Tormek Rubber Work Mat anywhere. It is a trooper with the T7 and a go anywhere delight with the T4.

Ken

[Rob]

I have to say that on this Ken I feel quite the reverse.  $59 for a rubber mat!!

There's a saying here......."are you having a laugh?"

If I had $59 to spare for tooling, my priorities would be different than what seems to me the single most expensive piece of rubber in the history of the universe :-)

Is it gold plated by any chance?

[Herman Trivilino]

I have to agree with Rob on this one. C'mon. $59!

I can pick up a cafeteria tray for a lot less than that, and spray it with that rubber coating stuff. I'll admit to being a cheap thrifty Yank.

My homemade Tormek work station has a scrap piece of vinyl flooring glued to its surface and it's wrapped with some thin scraps of pressure-treated wood that stand proud of the surface to catch any spilled water.

[Rob]

Being a cheap investment conscious Yorkshireman, my Tormek sits on an old towel folded several times over. (Not a spongy one.) Dampens vibration while soaking up spills :-)

I could contemplate spending that $59 on a nice bottle of chilled Bollinger while I come up with other ways of securing the bench from Tormek water spills :-)

[thats sharp]

My setup is a low profile stainless roasting pan with a cooling rack (think baked goods) inside it. The pan acts as a water reservoir, collecting any water from changing out the trough etc. and the rack keeps my Tormek elevated and out of the water. When I all done I simply remove the water trough from my Tormek and leave it in the roasting pan and then slide my setup out of the way allowing more room on my work bench. Simple but effective.   

[Ken S]

I think I touched a nerve. My thrifty New England ancestors have probably disowned me.

I agree, fifty nine bucks for a rubber mat does not appear to be a bargain. Rob, when my ancestors left England, ox carts and wagons were the fashion. Have those new fangled horseless carriages with rubber tires arrived yet?

In defense of the allegedly overpriced rubber mat, it is very well made, as one might expect for "the single most expensive piece of rubber in the history of the universe".  Also, I use the rubber mat every time I use my Tormek. I can't say that about any other Tormek jig or accessory.

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

All Tormek products are well built and usually induce sticker shock. I've pondered each Tormek purchase, in some cases for years, before making it. I'm sure the rubber mat will serve well for many many years and in the end will be worth the investment.

Ken, having visited the land of your ancestors several times in recent years, I can attest that they have indeed adopted use of the rubber tire.  And while the horseless carriage has caught on, they still have the same old carriage houses that are now too small, leading me to suspect that the transformation has occurred only recently. A small fraction of the lifetime of their country, but a large one of ours.

[SharpenADullWitt]

Anyone else still hand wash dishes?  Seems to me the mat for the dish rack, is the way to go here, if you need one.  I was given a stainless steel counter section, that is basically designed for one appliance in a portable kitchen.  I am building a stand for it and won't worry about water overflow.
For me, the lazy susan they sell was more worth it, due to its low size, locking and stopping me from picking up the Tormek when my back is tweaked as it has been all week.

[Dakotapix]

The dishwashing mat is a good idea, Witt. I voiced my disapproval of that Tormek $59 price tag in another thread here a few months ago. Meanwhile I've wandered through stores looking for a reasonable substitute but couldn't find one. The mat never occurred to me. Yup, we hand wash our dishes. No room for an auto unit.

[jeffs55]

The first thing to come to my mind would be an oven cooking sheet with a rim. NOT a cookie sheet which has no rim. You could even get non stick if you felt the need. The metal would be nearly indestructible in this application. The dish drainer is tilted and open on one end to allow and direct water into the sink that it is placed next to.

[SharpenADullWitt]

Three sides tend to tilt up towards that end, where you keep the towel, and that keeps you putting it in the same place.  I figured in most cases, once through a bit of learning, you shouldn't be getting water everywhere, it seemed like a logical thing to me.

[Herman Trivilino]

The ubiquitous cafeteria tray is just the right size.

[Jan]

For me, the lazy susan they sell was more worth it, due to its low size, locking and stopping me from picking up the Tormek when my back is tweaked as it has been all week.

Because I am clumsy and lazy I also bought the new Rotating base. That is the only way I am able to turn the machine quickly without water spillage. It works fine, it locks automatically in the two desired positions.

The only problem I have with the "lazy Suzan" is, that the escaping water is collected in the lowest corner of the Rotating base and stands here after the session. Small perforation would help to let the water drain.   

[Ken S]

My rotating base was part of the deal when I purchesed my second T7 ("included free"). I confess I thought it was somewhat superfluous until I started using it. I agree with Jan that it keeps the water spillage down. It also makes life easier for my back.

Ken

[Jimmy R Jørgensen]

I have to agree with Rob on this one. C'mon. $59!

I second that. i would say, for a rubber mat 4.99$