A soft spot for my planes.

About 15 years ago, I ran across some hospital mattresses at a local surplus depot.  I couldn't have designed a better item for preventing bench rash.

Over the years I've kept an eye out and occasionally pick some up. 

The ones I've found come in 33" to 36" x 72" and 2" to 4" thick.  The dang things are convoluted.... that's what they're called - Convoluted Foam Pads.

This is a 4" thick one, but I use the 2" thick ones the most.

No more bench/hangar rash.

  I cut one in half to use on a regular basis, and use the larger one when I am working on something with lots of parts I want to spread out.

And..... I never have to worry about a small part or screw ending up on the shop floor or getting lost. 

They just fall right into the dimples.  (That includes those teeny tiny itsy bitsy control arm screws from micro servos.)

I paid $10 each for the ones I got, but they are worth it even if you have to get one from a hospital supply.  Search around.  Price ranges from $18 to $80.

VAL-MED and Amazon have various ones.