Richard,
Nottingham lists a Spacedeck "heavy kit" that's a carbon-based "mat" for $1000; basically, it's the 3/4 " top-platter from a Nott' Hyperspace. That has always suggested to me that carbon/graphite would be a good avenue to check out--the Mystic Mat (or the Boston mat) seem to be more real-world priced than the official Nottingham mat.
Nottingham lists a Spacedeck "heavy kit" that's a carbon-based "mat" for $1000; basically, it's the 3/4 " top-platter from a Nott' Hyperspace. That has always suggested to me that carbon/graphite would be a good avenue to check out--the Mystic Mat (or the Boston mat) seem to be more real-world priced than the official Nottingham mat.