A new cutting surface for my work table - Hydroma.

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

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Mar 19, 2007
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I have gotten tired of the white poly cutting board that I use and really didn't want to keep replacing them as they get scarred and a was never really happy with them to begin with.

So - after searching a bit I found a company called INDUSCO who sells Hydroma cutting mat's by the square inch. I have a relatively small table and I really don't need feet upon feet of cutting surface - so after some thought I ordered a 18x18" cutting surface. These are made for the clicker presses in industry. If they don't jack these mats up - I doubt I can - but hey - I am a Marine - and we can pretty much jack up anything given enough time.

Anyway - when I got it delivered - I then made a frame for it so it would look a little nicer and it would provide some grip to the surface below without adding anything to the cutting surface.

Here is what I came up with:

001_zps90971bfe.jpg


Framed in Poplar and 1/2 inch oak base it stays put on my bench - can be moved easily and is a REALLY good surface. I drilled two holes in the very base so that I could push out the board and reverse it if I ever needed to. My knife sort of skids across the top of it while leaving a minimal 'scar' that certainly heals after use. I think after the Zombies attack at the end of time - this thing will still be in tact. It is bomb proof.

Here is where I ordered it from:

http://www.induscousa.com/cuttingpadapps.htm

I think there is a winner in this board.

TF
 
I like this, I been using the Fiskar mats from Wally World. They claim they self heal but I have not seen it yet.
 
Say what!!!!!? Where is the buy button. Take my money!!!

In all seriousness, that looks great. Not only does it look great, that is a great idea. That would fix a lot of my problems that I have with my white cutting board that I dont' like.

Could you tell me why you went with the red brown one? I need to do this...

What was the price for just the pad?

-Brian-
 
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Thanks for posting this - nice work! I assume you had to call Indusco to order the pad. They don't appear to have any on-line ordering available. How much was your 18x18?

TedP
 
Justa FYI .. but Tandy Leather sells the exact same stuff in 12" X 18" X 1" boards :rolleyes:
.. and could you not just put a piece of 1/4" rubber mat underneath to keep it from sliding? I dont see the need for a pretty wooden frame - outside of personal OCD. :confused:
 
bonafide said:
Justa FYI .. but Tandy Leather sells the exact same stuff in 12" X 18" X 1" boards :rolleyes:
.. and could you not just put a piece of 1/4" rubber mat underneath to keep it from sliding? I dont see the need for a pretty wooden frame - outside of personal OCD. :confused:
Click to expand...

I believe the term I'm looking for is "Professional"

Why do something halfassed when you can produce a nice looking work space in the process. And Tandy's wanting 100.00 for a cutting board is just plain silly.


Pardon my French, but it fits this situation so well.
 
leatherman said:
I believe the term I'm looking for is "Professional"
Click to expand...

They even call it a "professional" cutting board. LOL smh

Why do something halfassed when you can produce a nice looking work space in the process. And Tandy's wanting 100.00 for a cutting board is just plain silly.
.
Click to expand...

.. and I as I stated, that would fall into personal OCD. I, personally, dont need pretty work space for it to be functional and uncluttered. I agree with you on the $100 silliness for a "professional" cutting board - which was the exact reaction I had when I saw it the first time. I picked it up - looked it over and thought, "BS! I'm paying that much for a big piece of hard plastic". LOL
 
That is a great looking board. If you're looking for a good medium sized cutting mat, try olfa cutting mats. You might be able to find them in joannes fabric stores but im not sure. Quite a few sewing retail stores carry them for around $50, I would know because I work in one :D.
 
I'm interested in knowing what everyone else uses ?
I just use packs of thin kitchen cutting boards that are really cheap , and I just throw them away when I'm finished .
When I start a new sheath I start with a fresh board .

0812c498b4ccaf3bc562f30c0ed7a65d_zps0f234986.jpg



Ken
 
I'm sure it isn't the same as what you framed up there, but I found 12"x18" cutting mats for $5.99 at hobbyking. They're just as good as the couple others I've bought from craft and sewing stores in the past, only much cheaper. It does heal, but it isn't an instant thing. Just be sure you order from the US warehouse or shipping is a bunch.
 
bonafide said:
They even call it a "professional" cutting board. LOL smh



.. and I as I stated, that would fall into personal OCD. I, personally, dont need pretty work space for it to be functional and uncluttered. I agree with you on the $100 silliness for a "professional" cutting board - which was the exact reaction I had when I saw it the first time. I picked it up - looked it over and thought, "BS! I'm paying that much for a big piece of hard plastic". LOL
Click to expand...

The point I was trying to make is you came on a little harshly. If he wants to make his work area look better, then its his business (literally ;) ) Look at some of the work spaces of the top makers, leather work in general, and you'll see some very nice set ups. Paul Long is a great example, Stohlman being another that had a super nice shop.

I hold your philosophy, my shop is very no nonsense, and a little cluttered. But I will NOT sneer at anyone for having a sweet set up. I more often than not envy them.
 
Tal, nice looking job and I'm sure you will enjoy the benefits of a cutting board made for hard use. I have been using and have worn out several similar boards over the years.

As far a dressing up the board and creating a nice and uncluttered work space, I endorse that idea 100%. The attitude of a nice, clean attractive work space will reflect in your work. It's subtle, but none the less apparent. Lack of this attitude seems to reflect in the opposite sooner or later.

Paul
 
leatherman said:
The point I was trying to make is you came on a little harshly. If he wants to make his work area look better, then its his business (literally ;) ) Look at some of the work spaces of the top makers, leather work in general, and you'll see some very nice set ups. Paul Long is a great example, Stohlman being another that had a super nice shop.

I hold your philosophy, my shop is very no nonsense, and a little cluttered. But I will NOT sneer at anyone for having a sweet set up. I more often than not envy them.
Click to expand...

Seriously?!?!?! How rude of you to assume my tone was one of conceit. I was in NO WAY being harsh here and now I'm offended by your initial reply, sir. I did not SNEER ... so stop projecting your contempt for me. I do not appreciate it.
 
Yep, this ones about done. TF, there was no reason this got off track, feel free to lock it down and start over.

bonafide, take a deep breath and let it be known, I hold no contempt for anyone here. Ever. Dont let this escalate, its not worth it.
 
Sorry fellas - I was off line for a day or two.

I get totally what both Bonafide and Dwayne was saying. I appreciate Bona's frankness and Dwayne's kind words to my decision to add a frame.

Bona,

I am not totally sold on the frame. I liked the idea of adding a base - I didn't think of a non-skid base that was removable. And, okay, confession time, I just bought a new saw and REALLY wanted to use it to make a frame and see what kind of miters is cut.

Well, okay, I bought two saw's recently and I wondered if my Dewalt Mitre saw was capable of cutting accurate clean 45's without making a mitre sled for my new table saw.

With that confession over (I do feel a bit better - but perhaps you should have me say a few 'Out Father, Al Stohlman, who art in heaven's' as a proper pennance. ;) ) I did plan on making a frame for it from the beginning.

This 18x18 cost me something like 75 shipped - and I could have gotten the 12X18 from Tandy for 100. This was, by far, a better deal for me and it fit my space perfectly. With that said - they cut these out with a table saw with a cut off wheel in mounted in it. The edges are a bit rough. The frame took care of this. But like you said, to each their own. You are right, it certainly didn't need it.

Dwayne and Paul,

I agree with making the space look a little more professional. Paul's work space looks very organized and clean, and he makes a point to stating how this saves him time when working. I watch Nigel Armitage often and have seen how efficient his shop is and am seeking to emulate these ways with my own. I took this small project as a step in this matter but think I need a leaf blower to clean up my shop given its current state.

General answers,

The reddish color mat that I ordered is the same kind of surface used in clicker presses and when I talked to the very knowledgeable sales member there he told me he has filled plenty of these orders in the past, and every person uses the reddish color mat. I simply called the company, left a message for a sales member, and he called me back. It was very simple to order and a very professionally wrapped board was to me within a week. I paid something like 75 dollars for mine, but I know you can order it in your own specific dimensions and the cost was .20 cents per square inch.

Although this is pretty expensive given the alternative poly board being 10 dollars at Costco for the same size, I find that this piece is an heirloom piece and find cutting on it a joy. I still use a very small poly board to do strap end punching and the like as I find no reason to hammer those into this mat. I plan on grinding a head knife or two in the coming weeks and I think that this will work perfectly with my new cutting mat.

The main reason for me jumping over to another mat is that I find the texture on the poly mat's to mar the surface of a pristine piece of leather if I put any pressure on the grain side of leather for any reason. I was hoping that the hydroma mat would alleviate this. As it is slick and the self healing properties superior, I would say that it is much better suited to my tasks.

I managed get a cut off of counter-top granite cut to my specifications recently as well (I used two at 18 x 18 and used construction adhesive to affix the two giving me a 1 inch flat hard surface to do my tooling on) and although I didn't frame that, I did have them bevel and polish the edges to give that a good look.

Mostly, I just want to work on being an artisan as much as being a craftsman, and nearly every one of those that I have seen seemed to have been very methodical in their approach to their work space. We will see... ;)

Thanks for the words everyone,

TF
 
Very interesting cutting board and nice work framing it.
I'm with you on the good looking shop.
I'm better at it at work than home though lol

I didn't see the sizes on the website.
In the studio at work we use Uchida cutting mats (art supply stores carry them too) and when they are too beat up for work I'll take one out of the trash and use it at home.

I wonder what it would cost to cover a 16' x 6' table :)
 
Ebbtide, based on the .20 per square inch quoted above your table would cost $276.48 before shipping, which for that size and shape would be considerable.

Paul
 
Considering that is a MASSIVE cutting table that would essentially never wear out. 300 dollars isn't bad. Overkill, yes, but not bad at all. ;)

TF
 
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