What Happened to my Turntable Rubber Mat?

[CharlieBee]

I have a Technics SL-D3 Direct Drive Automatic Turntable bought at a Church sale in 2007. I have not used it in several months. Last week I noticed the TT rubber mat (original) was shiny. It was wet with some liquid and the rubber mat was hard and stiff. The mat deteriorated and is useless.
Since 2007 it has been stored in the garage or audio room, normally no hotter than 85 degrees. My other vintage TT mats are okay.

What happened to the mat? Any others have a similar problem?

Charlie

 

[tnsilver]

This is a known phenomenon especially with Technics mats. For some reason, after time and under certain conditions, they expel plasticizers in the form of what appears to be oil. It's a sort of mat decomposition. Get another one.

 

[sfrost]

I saw one like that the other day, hard as a rock, wet underneath and on the aluminum platter. It was like a thick record, if you drop it it will probably break. Must have been some type of chemical reaction, unfortunately there was a small warp in it so was not usable any longer.

 

[Montycat]

Known problem, but not exclusively to Technics. Some get stiff and brittle, others leach.

Get another mat or make one from cork or leather. Even rubber drawer liner.

 

[Condorsat]

What happened? Old age ... just like people ... some age faster than others.

Friend of mine bought a pair of vintage shoes ... I guess you would call them ... at a flea market. The shoes were still in a yellowed box (30 + year old at least) ... never worn w/ rubber soles. They looked brand new.

He was wearing them one day ... at a cemetery of all places and one of the soles literally fell apart into little pieces.

 

[MacNoob]

Oil of wintergreen can be used to restore old hardened car weatherstrip. Maybe it would work on a turntable mat?

Rubber Renue is this kind of product.

 

[kaplang]

D

Oil of wintergreen can be used to restore old hardened car weatherstrip. Maybe it would work on a turntable mat?

Rubber Renue is this kind of product.

Does it really bring old harden weatherstripping back to life? Never heard this before. I may try it.

 

[freQ(*)Oddio]

yes they turn to garbage, need to replace

 

[CharlieBee]

Thanks for the replies. I installed a mat from another lessor Technics. I doubt any treatment would fix the ruined one as it is cracking into pieces it is so hard.

Yes shoe soles, with foam cores and smooth surfaces, of good quality shoes deteriorate after 10 yrs or so. I have a pair over 20 years old of foam rubber without the smooth surface that are just fine.

Charlie