LTT Mod Mat - we want your feedback!

[RILEYISMYNAME]

Hey there you incredibly smart individuals! 

 

We’re looking for some feedback from anyone who has used a mod mat before.

• What do you look for in a mod mat?
• What do you like and dislike?
• What’s your favorite mat, mod or otherwise, and why?
• What are some key features you think are missing from mod mats currently on the market?

Please go into as much detail as you want! We've got all day! 

[FlynnBrowning]

Linus mentioned magnets. What about a m2.5 thumb screw with a magnetic attachment point. So when starting a build, being able to screw in a thumb screw that makes that metal to metal connection, then just, attach the coiled ground cable to the mat. 

[OS_dirk]

Just ordered a Weller branded high temperature soldering/ESD mat for use in the man time, so interesting timing (to me) that this topic comes up for me only a couple of days after receiving it.

 

It's a bit wider than the desk, so I have about 6" of it hanging off of the edge

 

#1 - Would be surprised if this isn't already on the spec list, but would definitely want to see them in the same range of sizes as the LTT desk pad.

 

#2 - Would absolutely want to see a magnetic screw/part patch with a strong magnet. - (Probably more of an accessory panel, if not the entire mat itself)

     a - Would want to see it come in a bright white, or a bright fluorescent base color to make it easier to see the small parts stuck to it

     b - Would want the surface to be markable. (Dry erase? Wet erase? Grease pencil? Pencil?)

     c - Would want to have grid lines for reference, preferably two sets, to make it easier to use relative position of the part to keep track, even in lieu of the marking. (Inset/scribed into the surface? One set thick/one set thin?)

     d - Foldable cover? 1/2 of an accessory tray as "white-board" with captive marker and the other half magnetic? Close the lid, and parts can't fall out of the "tray"?

 

#3 - With the larger mat, would suggest magnetic "hot points", and/or a magnetic edge border. (I'm imagining using to keep the cheap steel soldering iron holder from knocking itself over by accident, because it sticks to the mat and/or keeping a cheap set of helping hands secured the same way)

 

#4 - Would want high temperature resistance, of course.

 

#5 - I would love to see pin-out references to common connectors and/or the resistor color code right on the mat, but unlike the GN Mat (for example) don't need a GPU ghost/watermark, or silhouettes of M.2 drives.

 

I hope that helps. I'm not terrible experienced with board level soldering and hardware hacking, but am trying in the process of slowly upgrading both my tech bench and my soldering skills. - Just thinking through what i would love to see in something like this, if I was going to make it myself.

 

In the off change my random thoughts in the form of bullet points don't make full sense (but enough to actually want to ask for more detail), willing to elaborate if needed.

 

 

[whitevamp]

would love to see

magnetic screw / parts holder ( and if a modular section would be heat resistant.)

ESD safe.

Heat resistant.

pin out of connectors.

must have 2 grounding points one snap , and one a snap to connect to your grounding point hub that goes off to a ground grounding copper rod in the ground.

now the magnetic grounding point I see a real problem with it, and that is you can easily loose your grounding and not notice it. EG: say I am working on a computer and have the strap connected, and with out even realizing it I twist/ move the computer and off comes the strap. or something like that. ( concept sounds good but in safe practice it don't sound like it would work correctly. )

cut resistant. ( to a point  say cut resistant level 3 or 4 )

backing is slip resistant.

[RedRoosterRanches]

I think a removable magnetic parts try is an excellent idea. I like the built in measurement guide but I think when ever they have added a grid it has been smaller and I would like it if they grid took up the majority of the mat with maybe more subtle designs. Another idea besides making it more heat resistant for soldering is it would be nice if it was made of a more scratch resistant durable material, like all other LTT merchandise, it should be another item that is built to last!

 

 

**edited to add another idea that came later**

 

Cable management might be something that be good as well as some sort of spool holder for solder 

 

[sub68]

1 hour ago, OS_dirk said:

Just ordered a Weller branded high temperature soldering/ESD mat

I use one from weller too for school awesome one.

[Fgtfv567]

I love how GN's modmat has pinouts and to size RAM silhouettes. The problem I have with it is that there isn't one that spans from DDR1 to DDR5. I also work with laptops regularly so in ADDITION to desktop DDR1 to DDR5, I would also like silhouettes for LAPTOP DDR1 to DDR5.

[darkg]

If a section (or sections) of the mat can be made to accept inlays, visible through the top layer. You'd be able to keep personally helpful or delightful printouts; lookup tables, cool logos or other art, various reference. If you'd rather not customize, there'd be nice default cards included. Templates and assorted useful or fun cards to print out can be provided free to download. 

 

If there is a way to do this robustly, the entire thing maybe should be modular.

 

Actually, this may be a separate product? I guess it better be stiff, and rollable seems to be in demand.

[GEHORC]

Just want to comment about the magnet idea brought up on the WAN show.

 

Please keep the industry standard button interface for grounding.
Make adapters instead that can be plugged into that button.

- A bar to attach alligator clamps that itself pluggs into the button.

- A two part magnetic connector that pluggs into the button on both ends (mat and wrist strap). This could even be a separate product, to be used with any other brand mat/strap.

[yesiamzach]

I have only used cheap sticker-on-the-wall ones but I'm sure there's a way to make a durable, flexible, whiteboard surface. I envision just a small a4 or a5 patch in the top right corner or something but some note-taking space is nice without having to hunt down some paper. I know having to keep a whiteboard pen nearby would be annoying, a magnetic pen or something is way over-engineered too but you're the geniuses you figure it out. perhaps just a magnetic-backed whiteboard as an add-on like a fridge magnet one.

[Senzelian]

I would want it to be in a relatively light color. If it's black it's hard to find screws and other small dark objects.

[OmerPhilo1205]

Make a windows shortcut key map

[OS_dirk]

Just thought of something else, but this might be more of a departure

 

What about being able to magnetically mount something like a bread board, Raspberry Pi, or Arduino to the to the surface temporarily? I know various single-use plastic bases/frames already exist as stand alone items, but what about a magnetic "foot" that is threaded to M3 (or whatever standard PCB stand off's are) to be stuck surface of the mat in whatever pattern, to make it easy to keep those temporary items out of the way while working on the larger project?

 

If it helps, I'm envisioning (the kludgey version) as an M3 nut, welded to a washer, with a magnet glued to it for sticking to a ferric underlayer in the mat. In turn, nylon standoffs could be threaded into the bread board/arduino/whatever to keep stuck to the mat, but hopefully far enough away to keep the magnetic feet from creating ghost signals.

 

I've been working on an Arduino based project to automate filtration, heating, and lighting in my aquarium. Wouldn't mind something like this to help keep some of that stuff mounted, without having to use a ton separate, plastic, accessory boards or VHB tape.

[ToboRobot]

There are some great mod mats for dedicated technicians and tinkers.

But what about the enthusiast who rarely needs one, but occasionally for a built or repair it would be useful?

Is there a way to make a mod mat dual use, and function as an anti-vibration mat or desk mat (double sided)?

[Kasper Svanberg]

On 3/9/2023 at 7:28 PM, RILEYISMYNAME said:

Hello as a technician an antistatic mat would be amazing.

 

[Valodore]

I would love a modular mat where you could clip on add-ons, like a bit holder, with the LTT screwdriver mount, maybe an optional USB hub/charging station, or maybe a mount for a 7" screen to use for testing. Something on top of the mat where you could basically stick optional accessories onto. Whether it would be a dock, clips or magnets to hold it down, it could also inspire people to 3D print options for the mat.

I think one of the main thing current modmats miss are optional connection points for accessories.
Having the option to stick a small display onto the mat to connect a USB microscope for micro soldering or locating bent pins on a motherboard could be amazing. Having to use extra space on the desk for those, while at the same time have em just moving around since they aren't mounted somewhere can become a pain to work with.

Having options with colors could also be good.

The big thing modmats lack atm are optional accessories/options. Options that might expand the height within the mat is better to have than outside of the mat, as they can often fill out a desk depending on the size option. So if you could for example get an alternative shelf or drawers on the top of the mat, you could reduce desk space needed when working, as you'd build it into the mat essentially.
LMG have people smart enough to think of good options for their workflow, so I hope we can see accessories like a monitor/tablet mount for example. Or maybe tripod mounts on the edges to mount lights or maybe even a camera.

There are so many nice accessories that could be brought to this, so I hope we see some useful mounts, instead of just a basic modmat.

[Lebon14]

Listening to the WAN show right now and the discussion popped up.

 

Not necessarily for a mod mat in particular but what about a L-shaped mat for L-shaped desk?

 

Cheers.

[Godlygamer23]

2 hours ago, Kasper Svanberg said:

 

Why did you quote Riley?

[Skiiwee29]

8 minutes ago, Godlygamer23 said:

Why did you quote Riley?

Looks like he quoted but changed the text in the quote to be their response. 

[pyral]

I guess I'm use to working on old stuff, but built in magnets seems it could be problematic. They should be removable if you might be handling an HDD or other magnetic sensitive component.

 

Linus idea about built in screw holders is basically describing what a locksmith mat is. They are rubber mats used by locksmiths when repinning locks, they have numbered recesses for holding the key pins. They're more designed for hard use and aren't a smooth surface

[James Fin]

Linus mentioned a magnetic area where you could attach screws, sort if like a parts tray. I work on a lot of cameras, with dozens if not hundreds of teeny screws and, even though i use a working mat, I have had multiple smaller screws go missing cause i dropped them and they jumped away. This might be a dumb question, but would it be possible to make the entire working area slightly magnetic, so that if I drop a screw, it might stick, or at least jump less far away? Or would that be dangerous with electronics? The only issue I can see is that it might affect hard drives, but as far as I know, less strong magnets shouldn‘t be strong enough to start degaussing, and a lot of electronics already have some magnets in them.

 

EDIT: Spelling, sorry, it‘s 2 AM here

Edited March 11, 2023 by James Fin

[DeerDK]

Write a top 5 common mistakes in the corner. 

* Did you apply thermal paste

* Did you remove the plastic cover

Ect

[Magto]

Please make it as allergy friendly as possible (i.e. latex free). 

[Guest]

These things are sweet.
The rectangles on the left are slightly concave AND magnetized.

Paintball guns have o rings and are mostly standardised (except like 2 companies )

so it's nice to have a sizer on the right.

The top left is for your allen wrenches.

 

Grey ridges are so you don't lose screws and they can't roll away.

Spoiler

 

I think "sub mats" like seperatable part holders would be cool cuz sometimes your stuff is really big and it sucks when you're knocking your screws all about.

 

Other times, I need the thing I'm working on on the left & it'd have been nicer to have put the part holders on the right.... Yes, I CAN flip the mat around, but ... sub part trays would be cool.

If I could just pull/rip them off and put them to the side if I need to,  that'd be awesome. ... if my screws don't go flying that is haha.

Also... I think covers for the parts holders would be nice.
Just like a plastic lid that I can put on top of them as a small tupperware.
Then also, it would double as additional parts holders.

 

PCs don't have a lotta screws but the ability to hold like multiple types of screws in the large holders incase I need more other screws would be cool.

 

In PCs theres...

Side panel sccrews

DVD drive screws/HDD screws

NVME screws

standoffs

motherboard screws

what else?

 

Cool slots that are big ish are awesome.

I hate having to slot things in super nicely when working; I prefer to be able to more or less "toss" parts into a bucket ish and have them be collected there.

 

 

You prolly don't do much hammering/drilling, so I guess I can skip that kind of stuff.

PC focused, not general workmanship applicable.

 

Fire/melting resistance is cool if you use a lighter to do stuff.
If you know, you know, don't judge.

[AnonymousTechTips]

I have a GN modmat but I don't use it. It's not easy enough to clean. Thermal paste and bits of solder are impossible to get out completely, no matter how much I scrape, vacuum, or soak/scrub with hot soapy water. I've reverted to a plain smooth silicone mat. If an LTT modmat were easier to clean than a GN modmat then I'd use it.