I saw one of these for sale at Penguin and thought it looked great. Then I suddenly realized that I had some thick rubber sheeting (1/4 inch) that I bought for another project some time ago at home. A quick trip to a fabric store got me half a yard of black felt for $1.50. Half an hour later, with the aid of a glue gun and scizzors and a little satin ribbon that I stole from my wife, I had a beautiful presentation pad of my own.

Very nice ! I've heard about people going to staples to get something they sell to use as a close up pad substitute, but yours sounds very nice ! got any pictures ?

I started making close-up mats for my cups and balls customers. I use automobile headliner material. I use a rotary cutter and a straightedge to do the cutting. It makes for a really clean edge and a sharp corner.

The initial investment is a bit high, but once you have it, you have a resource that you won't need to replace for a while.

We renewed our carpet. I used the opportunity to scan through the catalog for some close-up mat stuff. What I found is beautiful: Not flashy, equally smooth in all directions. The lot I purchased will hold a lifetime.

Some indoor/outdoor carpeting is excellent for this purpose. There is also a fabric that is used to cover speaker cabinets which will work very nicely.

I'm with Bill on this one. Headliner material is a great way to go. The padding is built right in, it's pretty durable and if you're willing jump through a few hoops can be co-ordinated with your performace attire since it comes in just about any color you can think of. Try autobody repair shops, they might cut you a deal on the end pieces that are too short for them to use. I've seen closed cell PVC foam ( the kind used to flip-flop sandals) about 1/4-1/2 inches thick used by a few guys out here.

I found headliner material at a local fabric shop for about $7.00 a yard. A half yard will give you enough for two or three pads, or even one large pad and a couple of small ones.

Just use a really good, accurate straightedge when you cut it. I saw a fellow at a gun show who was making liners for display cases out if this stuff. He used a single edged razor blade and a straightedge to do the cutting.

As I mentioned earlier, I use a rotary cutter and a straightedge. The rotary cutters are a bit pricey, but they do a great job. You also need a cutting mat when you use one.

The biggest advantage of the headliner material is that it is already bonded together -- and it doesn't fray.