Black & Decker Workmate

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ChrisNeilan
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Black & Decker Workmate

Post by ChrisNeilan »

Dusty posted a while ago about a Black & Decker Workmate. That got me wondering where I had put mine. Looked for it for a while and found it hiding behind my furnace covered in dust webs- don't remember putting it there. He is right, a great tool. Mine is pushing 20 years old and none the worse for wear. I could have put it to good use recently! He was referring to the good quality of the original Workmate. I don't think mine is an "original", but it is well built! Still available from Amazon and elsewhere-

https://www.amazon.com/WM225-Workmate-4 ... r+workmate
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Time to clean it up and put it to use!
Time to clean it up and put it to use!
Flipped.jpg (36.61 KiB) Viewed 5987 times
Chris Neilan

Shopsmith Mark 7, Shopsmith Mark V 1982, shortened, Shopsmith 10 ER; Craftsman table saw (1964); Powermatic 3520B lathe
garys
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Re: Black & Decker Workmate

Post by garys »

I bet you could make it into a great stand alone router table for a big router. I had an old Hirsch saw table sitting around unused so I mounted my 2.5hp router in it. It works great for making raised panel doors.
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dusty
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Re: Black & Decker Workmate

Post by dusty »

The picture you posted makes me think that maybe, just maybe legs for a new one would fit on mine (which is definitely an earlier vintage).

It works well as an adjustable height outfeed table as well.
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reible
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Re: Black & Decker Workmate

Post by reible »

My Workmate shows up from time to time here when I show projects and have it set up for use or for being a table or for what ever. In this thread you can see it pretty well. So far as I recall this is an original of this version.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/begin ... t6007.html

I don't know how close the new is to the old but the general idea has remained the same.

Ed
{Knight of the Shopsmith} [Hero's don't wear capes, they wear dog tags]
thunderbirdbat
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Re: Black & Decker Workmate

Post by thunderbirdbat »

Interesting that they have 3 different models now WM125, WM225-A and WM425-A. I never got one but looked at them a few time.
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ChrisNeilan
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Re: Black & Decker Workmate

Post by ChrisNeilan »

dusty wrote:The picture you posted makes me think that maybe, just maybe legs for a new one would fit on mine (which is definitely an earlier vintage).

It works well as an adjustable height outfeed table as well.
Are the legs broken on yours or the leg catches? Leg catch is available:
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-242 ... e+255+legs
Chris Neilan

Shopsmith Mark 7, Shopsmith Mark V 1982, shortened, Shopsmith 10 ER; Craftsman table saw (1964); Powermatic 3520B lathe
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dusty
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Re: Black & Decker Workmate

Post by dusty »

Thanks Chris. Those don't look like they would work on mine but I'll check it out.

What I know I need is a replacement leg. Mine somehow got bent. I actually picked mine out of a dumpster some twenty years ago. Should have looked for a leg then.
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ChrisNeilan
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Re: Black & Decker Workmate

Post by ChrisNeilan »

dusty wrote:Thanks Chris. Those don't look like they would work on mine but I'll check it out.

What I know I need is a replacement leg. Mine somehow got bent. I actually picked mine out of a dumpster some twenty years ago. Should have looked for a leg then.
Slow day at the office, try here!

http://www.ereplacementparts.com/black- ... _4342.html
Chris Neilan

Shopsmith Mark 7, Shopsmith Mark V 1982, shortened, Shopsmith 10 ER; Craftsman table saw (1964); Powermatic 3520B lathe
Gene Howe
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Re: Black & Decker Workmate

Post by Gene Howe »

Went to a divorce sale about 10 years ago. The ex wife was selling his tools. Got two work mates for $3 apiece. She thought they were worthless because one side of the table came off when she was moving them.
I've still got them and, I never fixed those tables. ;)
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robinson46176
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Re: Black & Decker Workmate

Post by robinson46176 »

I believe that my oldest one is the original style. The later ones were all steel frame. My old one has a cast aluminum center frame.
My old style B&D workmate.jpg
My old style B&D workmate.jpg (58.26 KiB) Viewed 5859 times

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