Speed Bench by Tekton

[Rick Potter]

I got carried away at an estate sale today, and bought a Speed Bench, made in USA by Tekton tools of Austin TX.

It looks like something K mart would sell, but it is quite heavy for it's size. Kind of like a Workmate in size, it has an angle iron clamp that you set with your foot. I paid about $15 for it, and will probably give it to a friend, but I just wanted to play around with it first.

Anybody have one, or know about them?

I am a sucker for weird tools.

Anyway, I also picked up half (yup) a Keller jig, a very nice B&D 1/4" router, a box of 9 corner clamps, a router fence extrusion, a bunch of screwdrivers and nut drivers, A nice set of four aluminum clamp holders that you use to hold bar clamps upright on the bench (West Germany), a HD Quick Grip 18" clamp, two small aluminum miter gages from bench top saws, and a nice old Stanley 3/8 all aluminum drill with an aluminum Portalign drill guide attached. Total for everything, including the Speed Bench was $38.

[Ben Rivel]

I cant even find a link or image showing what a "Tekton Speed Bench" is. What is it?!

[Gary Ragatz]

Found these pics on an auction site. As I understand it, that angle iron-looking thing along the back of the bench is a hold-down that is foot-operated using the treadle you can see on the front of the bench in the first pic.

Speed Bench 1.jpg Speed Bench 2.jpg

There's a Tektron Tool Company based in Grand Rapids, MI - anybody know if it's the same company?

[Ben Rivel]

How interesting! It IS like a Workmate and thats pretty cool that it had a unique style of clamping mechanism built into it. Pretty cool.

[Rick Potter]

I spent an hour looking, and that old Ebay pic is all I could find also.

I was hoping someone might have info or a manual for it. Mine is just like that pic. Looks like new too, I just don't know what it is good for. I can't picture wanting to use it just to hold a board tight. Maybe I have no imagination today.

[John Lanciani]

My guess would be it is intended for panel carving.

[Gary Ragatz]

I was hoping someone might have info or a manual for it. Mine is just like that pic. Looks like new too, I just don't know what it is good for. I can't picture wanting to use it just to hold a board tight. Maybe I have no imagination today.

Came up with a tiny bit of info from an article, “Machining Equipment: getting the most for your buck,” in Wood and Wood Products magazine from September, 1991. They billed the article as a “roundup” of more than 100 new woodworking machines.


"The Speed-Bench three-in-one clamping workbench from Tekton Tools Inc. can be used as an instant clamping system, a quick release tool stand and a stand alone workbench. The system is reported to hold materials from thin paneling to 4-in. timbers and has five adjustable settings from 0 to 4 in. The clamp gives 150 lbs of clamping power and is spread out to help marring of soft materials. Constructed of all steel, it weighs 43 lbs for easy mobility."

So, I guess they thought it could be used to clamp down a bench-top tool on a job site, as well as clamping stock. Given the lack of information out there about the product, my guess is that it came-and-went pretty quickly.

[Rick Potter]

Thanks Gary,

Appreciate the info.

OK, I mentioned I just got it out of curiosity, which I am now over, and my friend doesn't want it either, sooo...........

Any creeker local to me that wants it can have it, FREEEEE.

I will put it on the classifieds soon. Same price.