One of the useful multi-task items in my shop it a 31cm x 25cm piece of plate glass. This particular piece of glass was obtained used from a glass shop. The edges have been beveled and the corners rounded. I have glued 4 rubber feet at the corners to support it and keep if from slipping on my bench.
One of the uses that the glass gets regularly is to be a solid support for the vacuum vise. When working on or disassembling a circuit board the glass allows the vise to clamp solidly. As components are soldered or desoldered the glass provides a place where solder can fall without damage.
One of my habits while soldering is to shake the excess solder from the tip as needed to prevent an accumulation of rosin depleted alloy. The glass provides an excellent target. The large heat sink provided by the glass solidifies the cast off solder almost instantly. When completed that glass is cleaned of solder splatter and excess rosin using a razor scraper and a little flux solvent.
The uses for the glass continued with gluing and particularly with the application of Hot Glue. There is always over run and drips from the hot gun. The glass provides a safe place to place the gun and just like the cast off solder the glue drips are quickly cooled on the glass's surface. Clean up is easy with the razor scraper. Even spilled epoxy and super glue can be cleaned from the glass surface. When not in use the glass can be stored on a shelf under your vise or glue gun or even put on a book shelf between a couple of books for protection.
John
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