Actually the "ironing pad" is to cover the hole that the original machine would have sat in so can use cabinet for this machine. My machine will not fit down in there and did not want to cut on an antique cabinet to make it fit. It does also help with any vibration. When I use machines at my Mom's house on her dining table, I put a swatch of the rubbery cabinet material (that stuff you put in cabinets to put dishes on) underneath the machines and that helps keep them in place.
The whole project probably took a couple of hours.