A new possible TT mat material....on the cheap!

Wayner · « **on:** 4 Aug 2010, 06:28 pm »

The wife and I had some shopping errands today and one of the stops was at Joann Fabric. It's usually boring there for me, the only thing I buy there is my plasticlay, but there I was going up and down the isles, while she was getting what she wanted.

There it was, for $1.49, a 3mm X 12" X 18" foam sheet, made by Darice called "Foamies Sheets". The only acceptable color was blue, but there was an empty shelf that I think black might have been.

At any rate, it's 3mm thick (.118"), has some memory but not like a sponge gasket material and I think it can be dented with a blow, but it is nice and absorbing, light and somewhat stiff. It is also real easy to cut. Also leaves no residue on the record.

I haven't listened to it much, but it so far sounds like the other mat that I have. Maybe you want to give it a try.

Wayner

Jeff K · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 Aug 2010, 06:40 pm »

Michaels/Spotmat version?

http://www.theanalogdept.com/spotmat_10.htm

Wayner · « **Reply #2 on:** 4 Aug 2010, 08:14 pm »

I'm on my third LP and I likes it!!! We have some nice bass lines going on, but still isolating any king of mechanical energy from the TT.

Wayner

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #3 on:** 6 Aug 2010, 01:36 am »

Ha! I was in Home Depot over the weekend and saw 12" round cork and foam sandwich platters, for picnic table plates I think. Almost bought a couple, but I don't play with mats since I bought a VPI table. I did love playing with homemade mats and have a couple dozen around still. My favorites were variations of the Spot Mat that Jeff linked above. Happy listening Wayne.

AudioSoul · « **Reply #4 on:** 7 Aug 2010, 04:47 am »

Say Wayner, I was following you AR TT. thread several months ago when you started building a new plinth. I can partially see from your photo that you have made some drastic improvements. Care to share some pics of the whole TT? It looks really good............

Wayner · « **Reply #5 on:** 7 Aug 2010, 01:03 pm »

I had some wood panels on the end caps, then I found some nice brushed aluminum.

Wayner

Delta Wave · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Sep 2010, 06:58 pm »

That's quite spiffy.

95Dyna · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Sep 2010, 12:33 pm »

Quote from: Letitroll98 on 6 Aug 2010, 01:36 am

Ha! I was in Home Depot over the weekend and saw 12" round cork and foam sandwich platters, for picnic table plates I think. Almost bought a couple, but I don't play with mats since I bought a VPI table. I did love playing with homemade mats and have a couple dozen around still. My favorites were variations of the Spot Mat that Jeff linked above. Happy listening Wayne.

I'm glad to hear you say that. I have a new VPI Classic and the manual states that mats are not recommended so I've just been throwing the records right on to the cold hard metal wondering if I'm doing the right thing.

Scott F. · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Sep 2010, 04:21 pm »

Nice find on the foam Wayner

I'll have to pick some up for my old AR ES-1 and my Dual 1229. The Dual still has that old, hard rubber mat. My AR has a ~4mm acrylic platter mat i use on it. That seems to work fairly well at damping the 'ring' from the platter but I'm always on the lookout for a cheap, effective mat.

lazydays · « **Reply #9 on:** 3 Sep 2010, 04:40 pm »

Quote from: Wayner on 4 Aug 2010, 06:28 pm

The wife and I had some shopping errands today and one of the stops was at Joann Fabric. It's usually boring there for me, the only thing I buy there is my plasticlay, but there I was going up and down the isles, while she was getting what she wanted.

There it was, for $1.49, a 3mm X 12" X 18" foam sheet, made by Darice called "Foamies Sheets". The only acceptable color was blue, but there was an empty shelf that I think black might have been.

At any rate, it's 3mm thick (.118"), has some memory but not like a sponge gasket material and I think it can be dented with a blow, but it is nice and absorbing, light and somewhat stiff. It is also real easy to cut. Also leaves no residue on the record.

I haven't listened to it much, but it so far sounds like the other mat that I have. Maybe you want to give it a try.

Wayner

I tried that trick a few years back, and even went so far as to build it up in layers. Helps slightly, but also found that it was a good static magnet. Another issue I found with it (no this is just a theory) is that there was too much of a bearing area on the bottom side of the record. With that being said, I'd had a plan in the back of my mind to build another off the same stuff, but sorta remove about half the material in the middle. Then there is a second idea I also have in mind that uses the stuff as you use it, but with cork rings placed in stratigic places to create a three point location for the LP.

Then there is the stuff they sell at Walmart and Lowes that has the pebble like surface. I this might be the ticket.
gary

Wayner · « **Reply #10 on:** 3 Sep 2010, 04:53 pm »

Gary,

This stuff isn't really affected by static electricity like other materials. It really helps take out the darkness and noise of hard rubber mats, but still supports the low end.

Wayner

lazydays · « **Reply #11 on:** 4 Sep 2010, 04:52 pm »

Quote from: Wayner on 3 Sep 2010, 04:53 pm

Gary,

This stuff isn't really affected by static electricity like other materials. It really helps take out the darkness and noise of hard rubber mats, but still supports the low end.

Wayner

I made all my compairisons to a basic Ring Mat. The material I used came from Hobby Lobby in three different thicknesses. One real problem I encountered was just getting the rubber to lay flat on the surface. But then again my reasoning for using it was not as an isolation device. I wanted to use it to actually raise the surface of the record to reduce the VTA. That I achived.
gary