B&D workmate

Dad gave me a B&D version in the early 70s, I've still got it. It doesn't get used a lot, but when it is used it's invaluable. Wonderful piece of kit!!

cheers

Bill

I am restoring my fathers workmate. It has a couple of circular black plastic locking devices (locks the unit solid when the workmate is unfolded.

Unfortunately one of these plastic locks is missing, if anyone has a defunct workmate that uses these locks, I would love to buy one!

I will try and get a picture of the bit I need.

Andrew.

Until it was stolen by the 'builders', I had one of the original versions (mid 60s), with the thick beechwood clamps. It was one of the first 'tools' I bought after getting married and I recall part of the instructions contained a warning, something like -

" When using this device while sitting astride, be VERY cautious when closing the jaws !"

... manufacurers with a sense of humour are, regrettably, rare !

rgds

Bill

I still have one of these. Bought in the early 70s. The diagonal bracing makes it much more stable than the modern ones.

The bench top is high quality 13 ply, doubled up at the clamping edge. None of your MDF here!

Russell

My Workmate was bought in the early 1970s. I thought long and hard about buying it as they were relatively expensive, about £30 I seem to remember. It was one of the best £30 I have spent, still use it regularly and would not want to be without it. Is it me or were they really better built in those days.

Peter

On a similar theme, today I dug out my old B&D Lawnraker. Can't remember when I bought it but I reckon it's 40 years plus. Anyone else got one and knows history. In these days of cordless its a bit of a pain dragging a cable around but it does the trick.

Bill D.

MichaelG, the article is pretty accurate. I worked at B&D Spennymoor for many years and know the design guys involved with the workmate development. B&D rebuffed his approach many times until in the end B&D decided to carry out a market analysis using a batch of prototype units. Some were given to employees to report back on. Needless to say there was very good feedback and as they say the rest is history. He was certainly persistent and confident in what he had designed.

Alan.

Edited By alan ord 2 on 26/04/2021 19:43:14

I have one of the 70s versions, ply top and an alloy frame. Very useful piece of kit. Over the years I have managed to put a twist in the alloy frame probably due to overloading. Still use it but I wonder has anyone tried to take the twist out of one of these frames? I had thought of putting it in a vice and trying to straighten it but rather feared it might snap. Anyone any better idea?

I also need to drill out and rethread one of the bottom brackets on the frame as the twist has now allowed the retaining bolt to oval the thread in the bracket. I was thinking that the best solution might be to drill the bracket out and fit a mild steel bush threaded to the correct bolt size. As I have said before I am no engineer but a wood turner so any advice is gratefully received.

Allen

I bought my workmate in the mid-80s so I could build a bench for the garage in my then new house.

I still use it from time to time - especially outside for dirty jobs that I would NOT want to do in my shed-workshop.

My Workmate has many battle scars but still works fine, it is ideal as a base for using my portable thicknesser. I use it outside almost exclusively especially when a mess is likely. A sweep up and hoover with the shop vac soon tidies things up, I have even hoovered the lawn when shavings have strayed but still easier than cleaning the workshop.

Mike

Hi, I bought mine in 1980 when I had my first house and needed some DIY jobs doing. I been using a lot just lately while doing some alterations in my garage/workshop, but I had to take the folding bottom height adjusters off some years ago when most of those plastic spring clips broke, so it's on permanent low level at the moment and all the rubber feet have long since gone, need to get around to getting replacements.

Regards Nick.

Both of mine are 1980 vintage........there are some poor design features especially the tapered legs so the plastic feet are forever sliding off to get lost etc,.....however, I have lots of 'previous' with my workmates including using it for an engine rebuild,....setting fire to the chipboard jaws while welding bits of Volkswagen and using to form my first clock spring barrel by squeezing the brass strip around a steel former using the jaws.

We used to take a small group of kids down to Enfield Foundry to watch some of the dads moulding up and pouring the aluminium into the moulds. The school was given one of the early ones Which was destroyed in a fire many years later. We always came back with bags of new greensand as we did a lot of casting.

pete

Not actually a Workmate, but an accessory that Ron Hickman suggested I could to fasten to my workmate.

I met Ron a few times a Lotus related car shows and he sometimes carried a briefcase that contained a stock of plywood plaques and packets of small woodscrews.

Ian P