Silicone soldering mat with magnetic inserts. Silicone Soldering Mat with Magnetic Inserts Silicone Heat Resistant Protective Mat

The quality of any work depends on the conditions under which it is carried out. The presence of a soldering mat greatly simplifies the process, making it convenient and enjoyable.

Such products appeared on the market relatively recently. It is made from modern high-quality materials that ensure soldering safety.

The main requirements for a desktop mat are heat resistance, non-slip, and hygiene. There are several types of materials that can provide the necessary conditions. After testing, it turned out that silicone rubber was the most suitable for soldering.

Silicone refers to organosilicon polymers. They have a combination of properties that have made the material extremely popular.

The silicone soldering mat is characterized by the following advantages:

resistance to high temperatures;
convenient density for use;
no surface slip;
high wear resistance;
chemical inertness;
crease resistance;
easy cleaning;
product dimensions acceptable for work.

There are several standard sizes of soldering pads on the workbench. Typically, the thickness is 4 mm or 5 mm. Smaller sizes are available, for example 28x20 cm.

A slightly larger heat-resistant soldering mat with dimensions of 35x25 cm is in demand. Each manufacturer can vary the geometric parameters.

Heat resistance

The response of the mat material to local heating delights users. Manufacturers indicate a permissible temperature of 500 °C.

Practitioners test heat resistance in their own way. It is reliably known that touching with a hot soldering iron does not leave marks on the coating. There is no smoke or smell; no smoldering centers are formed. The heat-resistant material is not subject to deformation under the action of a heated soldering iron tip.

Some particularly enthusiastic testers heated the material with an industrial hair dryer, bringing the temperature to 600 °C. When soldering, powerful thermal effects are excluded. This is higher than the maximum value allowed by the manufacturer.

The rug withstood such heat. After cooling, no deformations were found in this place, only a light spot remained. I was able to easily wipe it off with my fingers.

Cleaning

It’s nice that the mat does not slip on the table surface. The hand of the master is well fixed on the mat, which allows him to concentrate and accurately perform delicate work.

When soldering, it is impossible to exclude drops of solder, flux, and molten metals from getting onto the working surface. All this is easily washed off with water after finishing work.

Cleaning must be carried out after the work has been completed and all drops have cooled. It is advisable to use warm water.

The antistatic mat does not attract dust particles and is not electrified. Soldering can be done on synthetic or wool clothing. The antistatic layer prevents the appearance of sparks and crackling as the sleeves slide over the surface.

Additional details

Varieties of mats with cells for small parts and screws are convenient. The depth of the niches is 3 mm. They are numbered, which makes soldering very easy. There are cavities on the sides for storing large parts. The depth of these niches is usually 2.5 mm. Along its entire length there is a visible ruler with a division scale that is convenient for visual perception.

Soldering is a responsible job. Poor connection of one part will make the operation of the equipment as a whole impossible. You should focus on completing the process and not be distracted by trifles.

This can be done with a high-quality soldering mat purchased from responsible suppliers. The purchase must be made after checking the documents from the manufacturer.

There are many fakes on the market that are similar in appearance. A counterfeit product will not be able to demonstrate the properties required for soldering.

I welcome everyone who stopped by. This review will focus, as you probably already guessed, on a very convenient heat-resistant silicone mat designed to protect the workplace during soldering or other operations involving heating. The review will include a description and direct testing of the mat using a soldering station, so if anyone is interested, you are welcome under cat.

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General view of the silicone mat:

Brief technical characteristics:

Type - substrate
- Dimensions - 400mm*350mm
- Thickness – 2.7mm (3mm maximum)
- Maximum temperature – 500°C
- Material – silicone (silica gel)
- Availability of sections – yes (large and small)
- Magnets in sections - no
- Weight – 442g

Appearance:

The heat-resistant silicone mat is supplied rolled up in a regular postal bag with a bubble wrap. Additionally, it is wrapped in plastic film:

Without the shipping film, the mat looks like this:

There are no complaints about the appearance: there are no swellings, cuts or scratches, there is no foreign smell and does not appear when heated. As they say, cheap and cheerful, especially considering the rather large dimensions of the rug (40cm*35cm).

Unfortunately, the mat does not have restrictive edges around the perimeter (only on the side of the sections). Perhaps for some this will be a minus, but in my opinion, the presence of special sections solves this problem at its root:

Resistance to cuts is minimal, so it is advisable to avoid various types of work with sharp tools on it. Small cut with a knife:

The main thickness of the mat is about 2.7mm, which is enough for most jobs:

It is worth noting that the thickness has a greater influence on the convenience when working with a soldering gun, because... The “air bubble” forms there much more slowly. For soldering with a regular soldering iron, 2mm of normal heat-resistant silicone is enough. The current thickness reliably protects the material under the mat from heating.

The main advantage of such a mat is its flexibility, which makes it very easy to roll the mat:

The mat does not have a memory effect, i.e. when straightened out from a curled state, the ends do not bristle and the rug does not try to curl up to its original position. Although one drawback should be noted, namely, the accumulation of static charge. Unlike cheap crafts, which crackle from static when rolled up, this rug is simply “white and fluffy,” so you shouldn’t skimp on matches. There is no cracking sound, but dust accumulates a little. Everything can be solved by treating the surface with a household antistatic agent.

I can’t say anything for sure about the material used to make the rug, but most likely it’s made from silica gel. Thermal resistance is declared at 500°C.

As I mentioned earlier, the dimensions of the mat are 400mm*350mm, which is quite enough for most tasks (working with a soldering iron and hot air gun, heating any parts, etc.). According to tradition, a comparison with a box of matches and a thousandth banknote:

And also a comparison with some working elements:

There are not many small compartments, but they are enough to group various elements and protect them from falling somewhere under the table:

They don't have built-in magnets, so you shouldn't sneeze on the mat :-).

Testing:

For testing, I will use a simple stand made from a YIHUA 995D soldering station and a piece of Soviet POS-40 solder:

Since the solder contains 40% tin and 60% lead (melting point 238°C), the soldering iron temperature was set to 400°C, the piece of solder itself:

The solder melted, no “haze” or “holes” were found underneath:

For greater effect, I also moved the sting along the rug:

The solder does not stick to the mat at all, and no heating of the elements under the mat (table) was detected. There are small traces of rosin slag left on the mat:

Take a cotton swab and wipe everything off. There is only a small mark left in this place, which does not affect the performance of the rug in any way:

Another small demonstration of how it works:

I’m adding a small thermal conductivity test, soldering iron temperature 480°C:

As it turned out, only when holding the soldering iron for a long time does the temperature approach a hundred. Usually they solder at a temperature of 300-350°C and rarely put the soldered parts on a substrate. Although this is also worth taking into account.

Total what we have in the bottom line:

A heat-resistant mat perfectly fulfills its duties, namely, it allows you to organize your workplace and protects the elements located underneath from the effects of temperature (the surface of a table or cabinet)
+ the dimensions of the mat (40cm*35cm) are enough for any task
+ the mat is soft, flexible and perfectly adapts to any surface topography
+ it does not slip on any surface of the table or cabinet, and also does not allow parts placed on it to slip
+ easy to clean under running water after finishing work
+ a little “greasy” to the touch, so it’s suitable for working with adhesive compounds (nothing sticks to the mat)
+ does not smell, does not emit odors when heated

± the mat collects a little static, so I don’t recommend repairing “sensitive” boards or elements without treating them with an antistatic agent. Another option is an antistatic bracelet, but antistatic is much more effective.
± working surface thickness of 2.7 mm – affects only the rate of formation of an “air bubble” when working with a hot air gun. 5mm mats are very stable, but cost twice as much

The rug is not cut-resistant, so I don’t recommend cutting or picking anything on it (a problem with all rugs)
- no restrictive sides

Conclusion: The heat-resistant silicone mat left a pleasant impression. I understand that there are more budget-friendly solutions in the form of plywood or a stack of unnecessary newspapers, but believe me, this is not the same. These mats benefit from both versatility and heat resistance. After work, you can simply rinse it under running water, which is unacceptable with plywood. In addition, a sheet of plywood cannot be rolled up and placed on a shelf, and when working, it slides quite strongly on the table and, without an appropriate backing, can easily scratch the surface. Everyone chooses for themselves whether they need this device or not. I recommend it for purchase, the thing is really useful and convenient...

Don't forget about discount coupons. The discount coupon still works" elec", reducing the cost by 10%.

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