I promise this is a real story. Back in 1979 my friends and I did a KISS show at a talent show lip-syncing to maybe 3 KISS songs. My dad used a Black and Decker Workmate as the drum riser. He took a piece of plywood, 4' x 6' I'm guessing, nailed a 2x4 in the middle in the bottom of it then clamped it down in the workmates Vice like grip. Worked like a charm. A few years back I was without a large enough workspace to do some wood word. Wow, I remembered what my dad had done all those years ago and did the same thing using a 3' x 6' piece of plywood with a 1x2 on the bottom, clamped it down, Boom work bench. You can also clamp a saber/jigsaw upside down, Boom table saw! That's the last Boom I promise. Cheers!
I have 3 Workmates. Wouldn't be without them. Used to have 4, but I sold one. My biggest one is the WM425 and the 2 other ones are the WM200.All of them have bamboo tops. All are extremely sturdy and solid.
Great review, thanks. As a beginner woodworking hobbyist, I recently purchased my workmate 425, from Home Depot. I plan on using it for small diy furniture projects, and as a mount to wax my skis, or cut down my hockey sticks. I mentioned this to my dad, and he told me about the work mate his parents gifted him in his 20s, in the early 70s, and it’s still in working order.
I inherited one of the models from the 1970s from my father. He was a plumber and used it professionally. The table tops were chewed up, so I made new ones, and I added new rubber feet.
I have an older model a Workmate 00-791 I think this is before Black and Decker bought Workmate. I couldn't figure how to get the top to lift up until I watched your video. Although you didn't specifically say how, I was able to figure that I needed to open the two wood top piece to access the buttons on either side. Thanks for the video
Finally found one like in the video with the aluminum h frame! Definitely made better than the other 5 I have. So yeah, now I’m up to 6…. But these are the best tool stands money can buy…. Lol…. I think I have a problem…. My wife sure thinks so…..
The Workmate you show in your video is not a WM225; it's a 79-001 Type 2, made in the first half of 1977. The U.S. model WM225 that you are familiar with did not come on the market until 1996. There were several other full-size dual -height models that were sold between those two. Black & Decker has sold almost 40 different models of Workmate benches of all sizes since the original 79-001.
Oh nice! Well thank you for your information! I have recently purchased a second one that seems to be a in between model after this one but before their new model as well! Thank you for commenting!
Very good review❤ Just saw one on Marketplace to far for pickup $40.00. Ill be looking. Liked that you conpaird the metal fram and welds!! Not worried about a piece of wood. Ill be hunting one. I was originally looking at making one from running machine pars but at $40 and more compact... I always thought these looked flimsyMy bad!! Great review!
I really enjoy mine and have been thinking of getting another one myself, and the spring catchers are nice. If your handy with a welder I would say you could use a resistance spring for a fan clutch or the like, and cut some small pieces to weld in their place? Thanks for commenting!
Just got the WM 425 'Plus' today. When I looked at your 70's/80's model. I thought it was from a different planet!! The new one is flimsy, and the metal is thin. It wobbles..(a bit) . When the wood is clamped, the clamp adjusters wobble?? So much I could harp on about. It's just darn horrible that the company merged with Stanley just to save a few lousy pence. I hope B&D's company executives see this video and it humiliates their manufacturing 'pride'.
Don't forget the 100 level workmates. I have 2 of them from the 70s. They are taller and you don't knock your shins on the lower step. I was shocked by the resale of the old ones until I purchased the current model 125. My project list includes replacing the bamboo tops with Baltic birch plywood. I have my bench top tools mounted on plywood with a board on the bottom to clamp onto the workmates.
Hey guys, Ive got the OLD Black and Decker Workmate as shown at the start of the video. It was abandoned so i refurbished it and have been using it for maybe 5 years now. Its been awesome. However one of the screws that go into the alloy support frames has stripped the thread in the die cast pot metal frame. I don't think its actual aluminum. Ive tried heating it and using alu weld rod to fill the hole but the mapp gas torch cant heat it high enough to penetrate and raise the temperature inside the hole without localized melting so that didn't work. I'm now thinking if JB Weld or some other 'Putty Metal' that you mix and fill the hole with that but would love to hear your thoughts.
You may be able to retap the hole bigger and use a different sized screw/bolt to match. If that's not an option your idea to putty would be good, then you can retap the hole in the original size. It might be in the cast or steel category instead of aluminum.
My grandad has an all aluminium model. Everything is ali, not just the h frames These things are so handy For some reason i think they look brilliant too
If you are needing something for more stable and level then I would go for a hardwood. If you plan on possible drilling and sawing on it, then I would just use basic pine of store bought wood! As for thickness I would use the same thickness as they come with unless the boards you have are thinner and you mainly want a level surface. But if your drilling and cutting on it. I would go about 2x6
Haha trust me if I had the time/space/materials I would have made it larger. Or maybe not, the wife wasn't crazy about it in the first place when I started building it!
