My Old B&D Workmate

[Onoff]

I feel a sentimental restoration coming on! Can't remember whether my Mum bought me this pre my apprenticeship or whether I did but I'm guessing mid 80's to early 90's. Somewhere along the line I fell out of love with it. Been kicking around outside in various gardens etc. Did a tip run yesterday but couldn't bring myself to chuck it!

Can't decide whether to strip completely i.e drill out the rivets etc or just down the frame, citric acid bath and then etch prime and paint. Plan is to remake the jaws in black buffalo board.

Can you still get the bits?

 

[gordon stephenson]

Fit new boards but let the frame show it's past service.

 

[bricol]

I fished one very similar out of work skip around 20 yrs ago - the boards were in excellent nick but the rest looked rather rusty.

Turned out to be a very useful piece of equipment in two house refurbs, several engine builds, general fabrication . . . lives in the shed until I need it

 

[Parm]

I had one like that. I very much regret putting it in the skip

 

[octo0072000]

pair here but sit down for new prices

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[jsf55]

Mine still doing sterling service even if it's the less desirable model

 

[MoreWellie]

My dad gave me one like that and I have since passed it on to a son so it has so far survived 3 generations

I always felt that it wanted to take a bite out of my fingers when I was closing it down

 

[p0689109]

I have a few of them and use them quite a bit. I like the ones with the ali frame as opposed to the steel ones. They do, or did, make bigger ones too

 

[Onoff]

Mine still doing sterling service even if it's the less desirable model
View attachment 283641

Is it the ali frame one that is "the" one to have?

Saying that I believe you want the blue one over the later black. I'm reckoning jet wash this one then strip down as much as I can buy leave the rivets in place. Then put into a citric bath.

 

[jsf55]

Supposed to be the ali one is 'collectable' but i found the steel on more practicable, I've tried to find another but no luck !

 

[nickk]

Heard a story of a young lad ,late sixties that designed it ,trawled around a lot of companies,B&D were the only one to take it on!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I bought one off either F/book or G/tree [I can't remember which ] for £15 which looks immaculate. Got a pal to collect it for me but haven't been able to collect it due to Covid [he's in Aberdeenshire].

 

[Dilkris]

Heard a story of a young lad ,late sixties that designed it ,trawled around a lot of companies,B&D were the only one to take it on!

It was designed by Ron Hickman, (who designed cars for Lotus).

 

[Arc Tourist]

I have a couple of them, but now use them as temporary tool pedestals for a chop or table saw; and with a swivel top clamped between the jaws, they make a great portable shooting bench.

 

[pedrobedro]

I gave one of the blue ones to my grandson, I got it as a spare. I still have one and also a Triton tools Superjaw which is very handy.

 

[Dilkris]

The original die cast workmates are becoming quite rare and command premium prices - if you can find one. I still have the one that belonged to my late father that he bought in the mid 60's so it must be approaching 60 years of age now.... !!!!

 

[Onoff]

An interesting amount of spare parts for the "Workmate" to print on Thingiverse.

Ninjaflex Semiflex filament looks expensive for the feet though!

 

[p0689109]

I use two of those diecast ones as supports for a guinea pig double storey hutch!I have one of those Triton too which I use for sawing up tree branches and the like. Super tool.

 

[waldershelf]

I've got one of those, bought in 1081, Its had lots of use over the years but still going strong, great piece of kit.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

B&D Tech department are very helpful.

Parts can be had from them, but for older machines it is a bit Ad hoc.

Last time I needed help, what parts they did not have in stock, they pointed me to an approved supplier.

They are good machines and do stand up well to abuse.