Workmate type benchs

[Eric Werner]

Does anyone have any advice or recommendations for a new B&D Workmate type bench? I have an old cheapie clone that has seen better days and was never too great to begin with. I didnt know if there were other brands out there with better features. I spotted the Stanley Fatmax 93-292 at Lowes and it looks interesting. Unfortunately it was ty-wrapped to the shelf so I couldnt play with it. The reviews for it on Amazon are good. The table is plastic though and I was really hoping for something wood that I could replace if need be. I can always just clamp in a sacrificial piece of MDF I guess but thats another piece to haul around.
TIA
Eric

[Randal Stevenson]

Craigslist and garage sales!

My father picked up his Workmate at a garage sale for $10. After seeing and using it a few times, I kept my eyes out and found a Workmate 225 for $25, and it has been worth it.
Both of us have what is now the 225 model, although the center could be removed from the 425 model (if one were to buy new)

If I hadn't found mine on CL, then I was saving up my change, to put in one of those machines for an Amazon gift card, to get one.

[Bob Noles]

Eric,

I have the 425 from Amazon and love it.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-WM425-Workmate-Capacity/dp/B0000224R9/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1208647980&sr=8-1

[Doug Shepard]

You can pick one up for $20 if you're near me:D Finally got my bench done, so the Workmate's getting evicted.

[Lance Norris]

I got both my Workmates on Craigslist. I dont know if there is anything better than the original. I use them daily, did today. I have all my small machines bolted to plywood with maple cleats so I can clamp them into the WM. The other one is in the barn for working outside stuff.

[Johnny Kleso]

I have one thats about 15 years old and was the better model than the first and it works very well..

Has legs that fold in to lower or raise the hieght, also has these rubber bands that turn both handles at the same time but came off track 10 years back and I never bother to see what was the issue..

All in all its a nice work bench if you dont have space for a full size bench, much better than two trash cans :)

Also this fall I seen some at Marshall,s and TJ Maxx

[Eric Werner]

Thanks for all the replies. Thanks Doug for the offer, that's a great deal but at todays gas prices...:)
I think I'll stop by the Lowes and Borg again and play some more. Oh, I forgot we have a B&D outlet (they say) nearby. That might be worth the trip. Thanks all.
Eric

[Doug Shepard]

Well youre too late anyway cuz it sold already. I was going to list it on CL. Just for kicks this afternoon I put it at the end of the drive with a $20 sign on it. 15 minutes later it was gone. I'm still keeping one of my two though.

[Peter Quadarella]

Doug that was smart, if I had seen that I would have had to stop and buy it, just because.

I still have mine that I bought new for $50 some time ago. The lever that allows you to fold and unfold it easily broke several years ago so I have to fiddle with these levers, and it's really a pain. But I still use it because the darn thing is so sturdy - great value.

[Kevin French]

I found all mine in the dump I replaced two of the tops with 3/4" Plywood.

The last two I found aren't pictured. I've given two away and another is saved for my son as soon as he buys a house, hope it's soon.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g179/sweeper54/shop/Weekend.jpg

[Jim Mims]

Mine was one of the originals. What is that, 30+ years old? Older?
Very high quality plywood, like marine grade.
I still use it constantly.
- Jim

[Mike Heaney]

on a related note, I have a workmate, not sure of the model but it works just fine. I also have a Festool MFT- and was impressed enough with the system that I have drilled matching MFT holes on my workbench. I did this originally to be able to use the Festool stops and clamps on my workbench too- and it works well. But, I always need more stops, and you can't buy them from Festool without buying clamps too. I discovered by accident last week that the orange stops on a Workmate are the same diameter (20mm?) as the Festool so work well for this. But I have lost some along the way- so does anyone know where to pick up more of the orange (or any other color) Workmate stops?

regards

Mike

[Randal Stevenson]

on a related note, I have a workmate, not sure of the model but it works just fine. I also have a Festool MFT- and was impressed enough with the system that I have drilled matching MFT holes on my workbench. I did this originally to be able to use the Festool stops and clamps on my workbench too- and it works well. But, I always need more stops, and you can't buy them from Festool without buying clamps too. I discovered by accident last week that the orange stops on a Workmate are the same diameter (20mm?) as the Festool so work well for this. But I have lost some along the way- so does anyone know where to pick up more of the orange (or any other color) Workmate stops?

regards

Mike

Rockler sells them in blue. They can be found by searching Rockler bench dogs. $5.99 for a pack (four? to a pack)

[Mike Heaney]

thanks Randall, I'll stop hunting through boxes at garage sales now!

regards

Mike

[Bob Noles]

Mike,

Amazon carries the orange ones if you are stuck on that color :D

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-79-010-4-Workmate-Swivel/dp/B000QE7E4U/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_b

[glenn bradley]

I have my dad's old workmate. Like Jim's, one of the originals. Still works great. Original ply tops. Heavy sucker though.

[Jerome Hanby]

I like the Workmate 425 also. I kind of hate to endorse a Black and Decker product these days, but that guy does exactly what it's supposed to do, does it well, and is pretty cheap.

[Charles Trout]

This may seem to be an odd question so please forgive me. I am quite new to woodworking.

What do you use your workmate benches for?

I have one I inherited from my grandfather, but so far I is just a place to sit stuff...

[Randal Stevenson]

This may seem to be an odd question so please forgive me. I am quite new to woodworking.

What do you use your workmate benches for?

I have one I inherited from my grandfather, but so far I is just a place to sit stuff...

That is the first use. Miter saw bench (I have a miter saw stand as well, but the planer could be on it).
Clamping to either saw something, or plane something.
Step stool (NOT A TALL LADDER)
I rigged up my pocket hole jig to fit into it, handy when you bench is covered.
A LOT of people get started with these as their workbenches. Then use these to build their workbenches.
My shop is in the basement, and I am building a bench for my outside work (lawn mowers etc), but this is/was useful to take outside and work on stuff.

[Jerome Hanby]

Mine gets a lot of use for clamping, both with it's "vise" and with f clamps. It also follows me outside to hold tools, papers, and such when I'm breaking up plywood or MDF; or when I'm painting/finishing. A buddy of mine rigged his miter saw so he could use the Workmate as a miter saw stand, just drops bolts through and spins on the nuts and washers.



This may seem to be an odd question so please forgive me. I am quite new to woodworking.

What do you use your workmate benches for?

I have one I inherited from my grandfather, but so far I is just a place to sit stuff...

[Wayne Cannon]

I've had the 225 for many years and got a 550 (looks and functions like the 425, except that the top is black-painted MDF instead of plywood) simply because that's the only model my local Ace Hardware had in stock at the time. I much prefer the 225, primarily because it is light and easy to move around, yet still very strong and stable. The 550 is very heavy, yet has no convenient place to grip it -- you have to hold it by the thin edge of a piece of steel angle-stock that cuts into your hands.

While the 550 has ganged cranks, a three-piece top, multiple positions for the top pieces, and the ability to tilt half of the table up to make a vertical clamp down against the other half of the table, my primary use for them is as stands for tools mounted on plywood bases with cleats clamped into the WorkMates -- for which the 550 is way overkill.

I also have the Stanley "FatMax Mobile Work Station" which is pretty convenient -- primarily because of its wheels and handles which make it very easy to move around despite its size and weight. It's a bit higher than the WorkMates with no vertical adjustments -- but it's a convenient height for hand work. I use it for projects that are outside of the shop. Unfortunately, it cannot be stored flat against the wall when folded because the wheels roll out from under it. You have to tilt the bottom out from the wall a fair bit so the wheels lift off the floor and won't roll.

[Ethan Sincox]

I just agreed to buy an old workmate for $20. It was a Craig's List find. The woman said it was her father's, and he passed away 19 years ago.

I asked her what the model number was and she said 70-001. I'm not sure what that means and how it relates to the 225 series or the 550 series, but... it looked to be in good condition. Thought it would be worth the $20 gamble and might be useful in the garage, since I've moved my workbench into the basement.

Anyone have any useful information on that model type?

[Johnny Kleso]

What do you use your workmate benches for?

I have one I inherited from my grandfather, but so far I is just a place to sit stuff...

They can be used as hand planing bench..
To use bench planes you need a bench with a stop or vise and this fits the bill for holding short boards under say 24"=36" max

It also work well as a clamp for gluing small panels up

My first use was a stand for a router table I designed
https://home.comcast.net/~rexmill/projects/routertable/images/routertable3.jpg

Really nice extra bench, the 4 small legs fold up to lower the bench 6" if needed for use as a saw bench..

[Louis Rucci]

I have an old Workmate I believe is over 25 yrs old. I could be wrong. Still going strong, but I left it outside last winter for a few days and it got rained on.

If any of you remember the old pressboard made with the coarse wood chips, you know what I mean. It started to fall apart.

Easy enought to save the hardware and use 2x8's to make a new top.

I'll post a picture when I get home.