Rockler Silicone Project Mat XL, 23'' x 30''

Works great for soldering guitar amps and guitar pedals. I needed a work mat for soldering printed circuit boards, turret boards and eyelet boards. This mat works awesome. Pros: this mat is tough against heat. I keep my soldering iron set to 820 and I can place to soldering iron on the mat for at least 10 seconds and there is no permanent damage to the mat. I love it! I have always been able to clean the mat back to good-as-new condition. However, cleanup of small bits of wire can be a little bit of a pain, see “cons” below. I like the size of the work area. The mat is tough and I love how thick it is. I haven’t had the sharp edges of an amp chassis poke through the mat and damage my table, so that’s awesome! Please note, you should not use this mat as a cutting mat. A razor blade will go right through this mat. I haven’t cut through mine, but I know others who have this mat and they have accidentally gone right through it. All adhesives come right off the mat, just let them dry before you try to take them off. Cons: Cleanup might appear to be a little bit of a pain at first. The small wire clippings and other small little pieces can fall between the little cracks in the mat’s surface. First off, I’ve never had anything get stuck down there like a new resistor or a new LED, so don’t be afraid of losing anything in the cracks. But when cleaning up I always vacuum up all of the small bits of wire clippings, wire strippings, cutoff resistor/cap/diode leads. I once tried to flip the mat over and shake it out. It worked okay, not everything came falling off, but most of the stuff did. It just made a huge mess at my desk, so I don’t recommend this method. And if you’re thinking, “I can shake this mat off into the trash can.” Unless you have a huge trash can, good luck with that. Do yourself a favor and grab the vacuum. The mat looks great after cleanup. This is not a big enough issue for me to take off a star. In summary, it’s a great mat for soldering in general. It holds up great against the heat of an iron. It protects the surface it is sitting on. I highly recommend it. Use a vacuum to cleanup any small clippings.

This mat is a lot pricier than other options, however, it is worth the extra money. I have been using one of the larger size models for the past 9 months on an almost daily basis. I use it in my workshop for epoxy and wood glue-ups, as well as wood working tasks. The glue pops right off and is as clean as new. Does not stain. The extra thickness (1/8") and softness provides excellent grip for holding workpieces in place for sanding and hand planing - no clamping necessary. I have been abusing the hell out of the one I purchased and no damage so far. I am purchasing three more today to provide a durable work surface for larger projects on my 14 foot work bench. Great for soldering electronics as well. If a rubber mat could be considered an heirloom, I would call this mat heirloom quality. Super useful and highly recommended.

I don't have the availability of a work bench or a table for my Projects so my Table Saw has to substitute as one. I used to spread newspapers (when they were affordable and before the internet made them obsolete) or cardboard. The newspapers/grocery flyers always ripped, and cardboard was never the right size. Then I found this Rockler Mat... this was a great idea. Heavy enough to stay in place, glue cleans up easily and it rolls up to be stored when not needed. A little pricey but saves on aggravation and time trying to protect your work surface.

This mat is a perfect addition to our woodworking setup. We use it for glue-ups, staining, and general workbench protection, and it handles everything really well. It’s especially helpful on surfaces that have minor dents or imperfections—the mat gives us a nice, flat working area. Cleanup is super easy. Dried glue peels right off, and it doesn’t absorb anything. We ended up buying a second one since they can be joined together for larger projects. Durable, flexible, and easy to store when not in use. Highly recommend for anyone working in a shop or craft space.

Rockler really outdid themselves with this Silicone glue mat. I’ve owned a couple of mats throughout the years and Rockler really outdid themselves with a mat that is large enough to handle some big projects. This mat covers a large portion of my workbench and stays in place once I lay it down on the surface. It has a textured top surface just in case you’re doing a glue-up and spill any glue or epoxy it stays contained in a small area. This mat provides great protection against any dust, glue, glue or any unwanted substances from ruining your workspace. Protect your investment and get yours asap!