Warning/Rotating mats
 

Went to use my rotating mat and it wouldn't rotate because the cutting mat was bowed just enough where it wouldn't sit on the round bottom piece.Store your mat flat and not on it's side like I did to prevent that.Hope this helps.........

oh, what a sad lesson ;-(

Had the same thing happen to my UK Creative Grids rotating board but my Japan made Clover rotating board pivots on a central anchored point and it is absolutely fine!!

So sorry that you have a warped board, do you think if you warmed it with a gentle heat hairdryer and then put a heavy weight on it.......worth a try, what do you think?

thanks for the info, I just purchased a rotating mat and have it stored on its side, after reading board will find a new home for it. Sorry yours no longer rotates

I stored mine on its side too, for the first few months I had it. I kept bumping it when I would get out other rulers, and it would come apart in two pieces, which I had to put back together. So, I slid it under an easy chair here in my room, which means it is not stored flat. I was afraid I might have warped it, but I just tried it, and it is okay. I've only used it twice. Glad I will be able to use it again.

Mary, thanks for the warning on this. I probably should have stored mine flat from day one. :)

Dina

Opps, I mean to type it is now stored flat, not "it is not stored flat." Guess I should proofread BEFORE I push reply...

Dina

Thanks for the warning I will go put mine flat right now!!!!!

Oh no, I made my own out of a lazy susan turntable and store it sideways all the time, not a problem...I think it works better than the ones you buy.

rats, i have two and store them on their sides. i must find room for them to lay flat.

Rushing off to my sewing room to get my rotating mat off the shelf and lay it flat. Thanks!

I guess I am joining the others and off to put mine in a flat place.

Just by chance I have been storing mine flat and will continue to do so. Lessons learned at someone else's expense tho - hate that. Too bad - hope you can get the bow out of yours!!!

Thank you for the heads up. I own two and one is stored side ways. I will need to change that. Sorry to hear yours is broke. They are not cheap!

Thank you for the warning. Off to check mine.

I just checked mine. It has been stored for months on it's side and it still works like a charm.

Tanks for the heads up--I just went to my sewing room and layed my mat flat.

Another way to store them is to hang them on the wall on peg board if you have space for the peg board. I have peg board on parts of 2 walls in my sewing room & hang all kinds of sewing/quilting equipment on hooks there. I love the convenience of the peg board. Wouldn't be without it!

Me too. hope it isn't too late.

piney

Boy was I glad I read your post I have put one on my Christmas list and sure hope I get one. But now for sure
I will know how to store it. Thanks and thanks again.

Thank you for the warning, I just bought one, and I will store it flat. Sorry yours is not OK.

The ones that I am not currently using are stored on a hardwood floor under the rug.

This happened to my Fiskar rotating mat also, but I put it out in the sun (then the hot garage) and put hand weights on top of it, it made it flat again and it works fine.

Mine keep falling apart. Do other people have the same problem? I do store it flat on shelf under my cutting table.

Thanks so much for the info, moving my mat immediately.

Just call the company and they will replace it for free. I called and they said they would without a problem. Good luck.

The best rotating mat I have is homemade.....a wooden lazy susan the size of an olfa mat. I found that the olfa mats were difficult to rotate anyway. Found the homemade one at a quilt show at a very small quilt show this summer...love it.

Thanks for the heads up!

Well thank you for the info, after reading your post I looked at mine that was actually standing on its side so changing it right away :D

thanks for the warning - i just got mine and thanks to your posting if this info i will store it flat.

Sorry to hear about your rotating mat. Thank you so much for posting the warning! I also rushed to my on-it's-side rotating mat and now it's safely laying flat.

I have all my larger mats stored on their sides next to the refrigerator. A nice little spot there and out of the way. No problems there. But once I put a hot coffee cup on a 24 inch mat. Big warped corner :-(
Then I read about how to fix it. Put it on a piece of plywood and put a heavy piece of glass over it. Lay it in the hot sun all day. (We had a lot of that last summer.) Carefully bring it inside and let it cool off naturally. That took care of my warp. You can still see where it was because it had been there for years, and the color changed where it was higher, but it is now usable.
Now, don't you all have a piece of heavy glass just lying around somewhere? ? ? We used to have Clear View windows in our house. They used pieces of plate glass that slid open. So I have a few of those that aren't broken.
I would think an ordinary piece of glass would work, too. It's the heat you want.

Thanks for the warning, too expensive an item to ruin.

Thanks for the warning. I too have mine stored on its side.

I have mine hanging on the wall with a pushpin in the hole. also have one of my rulers hanging with it. never had any problems.

Thank you for your warning. I just love my rotating mat and would be really upset if it was ruined!

Thank you for sharing this, Mary. I just ordered myself one from Amazon. Will store it flat - Happy Holidays!

Thanks for the heads up.

I just had to smile as I envisioned hundreds of board members rushing from their computers to their sewing areas to check on their rotating mats. lol

Thanks for the warning. I just bought two-one for my sister for Christmas and one for me! (I have been very good!)

Great idea to put under a rug