Black and Decker Work Mate. Do you still use one?

[Dave Lehnert]

I purchased the Black And Decker Work Mate years ago because at the time it was the Bee's Knees. Everyone had one.
I never did like it. not that it was bad. Just did not feel right to me to work with. Been in the corner of my shop for years or I guess it's still there???? Maybe I should get it out and give it another try????

I do have a bench-top model and it get used regularly.



Anyone still use one?

[David Powell]

I've had one for over 25 years. As with yours, mine sits in along the wall of my shop. I have occasionally dug it out to use for an outside project; otherwise it gathers dust.

[Mike Kees]

I use one quite a bit. I made a roller ball out feed support that slides in it 20 or so years ago that still gets some use 4-5 times a year. I have a plan for a portable router table that will use a workmate for the base as well.

[Matthew Hills]

Mine is tucked in underneath my tablesaw wing, so I pull it out any time I move my table saw.
I don't use the clamping or other features.
I do use it as a temporary table -- to store workpieces, or set up my portable router table.
(or when I had a lunchbox planer)

I normally use saw horses and a door for temporary table use.

Matt

[Sean Nagle]

My workshop is in the basement. I still use my Workmate in the garage. One of the nylon parts for the vise has broken. I wish they made metal replacement parts for it.

[Marty Gulseth]

I still have mine, 30 +/- years on. Can’t say I’ve been actively been using all the features lately, as I figured out that it is a decent stand for my DeWalt 735 planer.

[Wayne Cannon]

I have and use a couple of them as bases for medium-sized tools that I don't use all the time. I make a plywood base with a 2x2 rail underneath, then clamp the 2x2 in the Workmate. None of the fancy features in the new/expensive styles are useful for this use.

For example, I use a grinder with carbide wheels (augments my permanent Al Oxide grinder), a 1" belt sander, and a heavy metal-working vise this way.

--Wayne

[Carl Beckett]

I have three of these (thrown in with misc deals over the years) and use them all the time instead of saw horses. Could make do with two.

I also have a Rockwell Jawhorse. It gets little use.

[Mike Kees]

What I remember the most about these is the amazing commercials when they were first introduced. You just had to run out and buy one,my Dad did. We used it to sharpen chainsaws a lot,just clamped the bar in and filed away with the saw hanging of the end. Dad is left handed so he did one side and I did the other. It was also the tool of choice when he taught me to run a skilsaw,no worries about work holding,just concentrate on the saw.

[ray grundhoefer]

Got one for christmas many years ago. Have maybe used it once I think.
It sits under my table saw outfeed table . At least its out of the way

[Frederick Skelly]

Mine sits dusty and unused most of the time. Once, for a year or so, I put it on a wheeled base and installed a planer on top. But other than that it very seldom got any use in the years Ive had it. I have seen some u-tube videos where they really trick-out their Workmates. I was not interested enough to try.

Maybe it's a problem solver for folks without space for a permanent workbench though?

[Charles Lent]

I have 3 of them. One was a gift about 40 years ago and two were picked up at yard sales for about $20 each in near new condition. They aren't used every day, but when I first moved into this house and my shop was still in boxes, they were my workbench in the driveway for all of the projects that one faces when buying a new/old house. One held a router table for many years. Another held my planer, until I bought the miter saw.planer stand for it. They have proven handy when building my shop out building, working on the boat, cars, and trucks. Any time that I need a small portable work surface one or two get put to use. I can't remember any time that all three were used at the same time, but it may have happened. The more that you use them, the more uses that you will think of to put them to use. Right now my son has one of them and it's looking like this may have been a long term loan since it's return keeps getting delayed.

Charley

[Al Weber]

I have two of the older styles and one of the scissor leg models. One of the old ones (with the broken latch lock) is used as a permanent sharpening station in a corner to hold my WorkSharp. The other older one I bought at an estate sale and has metal latch locks and is used for assembly, out feed, and other miscellaneous jobs. The new one sits in a corner to be used occasionally as it sits higher than the older ones but it isn't nearly as useful. At the time they were useful for around the house and garage jobs; not so much any more. But I'm one of those people who tries to use anything I ever purchased instead of admitting I screwed up when I bought it.

[Jim Becker]

I have had one for many decades...probably from the 1980s or so. In recent years it spent some time tucked away on our front porch (out of sight/out of mind) and got seriously degraded. Late last summer, I took the time to make new top pieces from MDF so it became usable again. I don't pull it out often but it's a handy thing to have. I'm sure that if I get any on-site installation needs for my business that it will go along for the ride just as my MFT might, depending on the actual need.

[Al Launier]

I've had one for ~ 15 years. It works well as a storage shelf!