Original Black and Decker Workmate

[pedrobedro]

I had two but I gave eldest grandson one of them when he was joinering. The remaining one is presently holding one end of a steel bench top up and if I need to do any work I'm using a Triton Superjaws

 

[Cobbler]

I have one of the very early Workmates, with the lower legs in aluminium & the step in aluminium & wood. I inherited it from my father, must have been about 1970ish when he bought it I would guess. I must order some new adjustable feet for it sometime, only had it about 35 years, can’t rush these things though.

 

[Hitch]

My Grandad had an early version with the ally legs. It had a few broken bits, so ended up in the metal bin

 

[Welderpaul]

Test printed in PLA, fits perfectly. Broke first use.
Needs more 'springiness'.
What is the better material to 3D print from?

 

[Laurie Tedcastle]

est printed in PLA, fits perfectly. Broke first use.
Needs more 'springiness'.
What is the better material to 3D print from?

View attachment 406435

Just buy them - cheap enough. I use partshopdirect.co.uk come as a pack of 4.

Laurie

 

[DAPPH]

est printed in PLA, fits perfectly. Broke first use.
Needs more 'springiness'.
What is the better material to 3D print from?

View attachment 406435

Doing one one for one dimensions on a printer to the exact sizes might not be the right answer .
I suggest you re do them several times recording what you are changing till you get one that works ? Then tell us all about it .

I found this the case when I was making a rubbing strip for a disabled persons toileting support arm .

There was not enough external clearance 3 thou too big and the internal diameter of the tubular part was 1.6 thou too small
De rust the anvil and lubricate the print rubbing face with Vaseline or graphite grease , you might also try shaving a few thou off the print on the bowed part to give some spring capacity on the bridge

 

[Welderpaul]

Just buy them - cheap enough. I use partshopdirect.co.uk come as a pack of 4.

Laurie

But where's the fun in that

I bought a roll of ABS and a roll of Nylon. Had a bit of a faff with changing the material settings because it resets all the defaults as i've only ever printed with PLA, but soon sorted.

Perfect in ABS, tough but enough spring to do the job.

A success.

 

[Laurie Tedcastle]

But where's the fun in that

I bought a roll of ABS and a roll of Nylon. Had a bit of a faff with changing the material settings because it resets all the defaults as i've only ever printed with PLA, but soon sorted.

Perfect in ABS, tough but enough spring to do the job.

A success.

Ah! Didn't appreciate you were only doing it for fun. I thought you just wanted it fixed. Perhaps the link will help someone else.

Laurie

 

[Welderpaul]

Ah! Didn't appreciate you were only doing it for fun. I thought you just wanted it fixed. Perhaps the link will help someone else.

Laurie

I'm sure it will.
I wanted it fixed so it's back to its former glory but it's also good to learn a few things on the way too.

 

[jonclancy]

I have a couple of the Ron Hickman Mate Tools models. Rather fond of them, so can’t help myself if they pop up on the ‘Bay at a decent price, and near enough to swing pastand bung in the boot. Cracking tools - love the older ones.

 

[DAPPH]

Just buy them - cheap enough. I use partshopdirect.co.uk come as a pack of 4.

Laurie

Defeatist .......

 

[Laurie Tedcastle]

Defeatist .......

Not at all. Paul has a printer - I don't. Oh and you need a CAD system as well. My CAD system is cardboard based.

Laurie

 

[brightspark]

at 1st i thought they were diy being crap and decker and never had one got one given and there quite versatile and handy to have .it knacked in and b and q had them on offer 25 quid so bought it last year

 

[Robotstar5]

Thought I'd add mine to the thread, just a couple of foot covers missing after many years of service.

 

[Keithmac]

I've got an early one too, needs a couple of leg locking "springs" so nice to see they are available!.

Think mime is all steel construction?.

 

[Dilkris]

If anybody is interested I have an original (all aluminum?) work mate suitable for spares - may have some bits on it you need to fix yours. I eventually found it as I was looking for the aluminum (?) angle casting for the front tread plate and also the locking lever thing under and to the sides of the working platform - it took me ages to find these spares (this model seems to be super rare) and I so wanted to fix mine as it belonged to my late father so it must be some 55 years old.

I'll post again later in the day with some pictures - which I now realize would be helpful

 

[jenki]

I have 2 of the all aluminium (with a bit of galv.) ones. One I bought in my 20's (now in my 70's) and still in use and another I swapped a later Steel version for; there was a height difference between the steel and alloy versions which was really annoying when cutting up sheet material. I also have a Triton Superjaws but find it really heavy and awkward in comparison.
Dilkris if you have a usable alloy jaw handle I would be grateful for it.

 

[armalites]

I've got one of the one when they first introduced the vertical clamping and it always has the one handle winding.

Many years a go I replaced the plastic drive nuts and it was always really tight and never bedded in so the one handle winding didn't work. A couple of years back I looked into it again and found and had the wrong pieces, once I got the right ones it exactly like it did when I got it.

Still a very useful tool but I've recently added a pair of Toughbuilt C700 saw horses which are also excellent

 

[Micklemus]

at 1st i thought they were diy being crap and decker and never had one got one given and there quite versatile and handy to have .it knacked in and b and q had them on offer 25 quid so bought it last year

Please do you know what the acme threads are on the winder mechanism. The latest are plastic and are not fit for purpose. They slip..... I'm used to tightening loads of threads but I am not a professional when it coms to those special threads They seems much courser than Whit worth.

 

[Dilkris]

I have one of the original ones for spares.