My current workmate bench is now 15 years old, and showing it, so I'm
after a new one.
Do I just get another similar Workmate, or are there some other better
or cheaper ones out there?
Thanks
Alan.

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On Thu, 17 May 2007 18:20:15 +0100, (A.Lee) wrote:

My current workmate bench is now 15 years old, and showing it, so I'm
after a new one.
Do I just get another similar Workmate, or are there some other better
or cheaper ones out there?
Thanks
Alan.


I've been using Workmates (in the nicest possible way) for over 30
years and I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that the
Black & Decker WM825 Dual Height Workmate is the one to go for.
I've used lesser "copies" and they're utter crap.
I've bought and used the newer "improved tech" versions and they're
crap too (were talking opinion here not science).
The beauty of the original style is that you can cut a panel with a
handsaw running in a line between the jaws without the saw fouling
metal. Might not mean much to you but it mean a lot to me.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

On 2007-05-17 18:20:15 +0100, (A.Lee) said:

My current workmate bench is now 15 years old, and showing it, so I'm
after a new one.
Do I just get another similar Workmate, or are there some other better
or cheaper ones out there?
Thanks
Alan.

I had one of the original blue Workmates for donkey's years until it
eventually reached the end of its useful life after about 20 years.


It was replaced by one of the newer WM series ones, which frankly, was
junk in comparison. Plastic pieces broke and threads stripped and so
on. In the end, I threw it out.

For some while I then went without but then bought a Wolfcraft Master
800. This one is pretty good and solid and I particularly like the
speed of the pedal operation for the jaws.

On Thu, 17 May 2007 18:40:03 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

On Thu, 17 May 2007 18:20:15 +0100, (A.Lee) wrote:

My current workmate bench is now 15 years old, and showing it, so I'm
after a new one.
Do I just get another similar Workmate, or are there some other better
or cheaper ones out there?
Thanks
Alan.


I've been using Workmates (in the nicest possible way) for over 30
years and I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that the
Black & Decker WM825 Dual Height Workmate is the one to go for.
I've used lesser "copies" and they're utter crap.
I've bought and used the newer "improved tech" versions and they're
crap too (were talking opinion here not science).
The beauty of the original style is that you can cut a panel with a
handsaw running in a line between the jaws without the saw fouling
metal. Might not mean much to you but it mean a lot to me.

I have the original cast alloy version of this and it is still
performing well. Most versatile tool I ever had.

A.Lee wrote:

My current workmate bench is now 15 years old, and showing it, so I'm
after a new one.
Do I just get another similar Workmate, or are there some other better
or cheaper ones out there?

I have a Wickes jobby, not too many features but it is solid as a rock.
And you can cut down the middle without hitting metalwork. It's easier
to cut straight with a handsaw if the angle isn't too steep anyway ;-)

Peter

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www.the-brights.net

In article ,
EricP wrote:
I have the original cast alloy version of this and it is still
performing well. Most versatile tool I ever had.

Same here - mine predates B&D making them. It was pretty expensive then,
though.

--
*We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Fri, 18 May 2007 01:07:57 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
EricP wrote:
I have the original cast alloy version of this and it is still
performing well. Most versatile tool I ever had.

Same here - mine predates B&D making them. It was pretty expensive then,
though.

Wasn't it worth it though? )

I would like a new top for it and the four plugs that go in the holes
on top. Have not seen any suitable spares for years. Will probably
have to make a nice one to cheer it up sometime.

"A.Lee" wrote in message
...
My current workmate bench is now 15 years old, and showing it, so I'm
after a new one.
Do I just get another similar Workmate, or are there some other better
or cheaper ones out there?

Sir might look at http://tinyurl.com/yv6sec for a choice

Also on that page are the plugs and catches from various people

On Thu, 17 May 2007 19:55:37 +0100, Andy Hall wrote:

On 2007-05-17 18:20:15 +0100, (A.Lee) said:

My current workmate bench is now 15 years old, and showing it, so I'm
after a new one.
Do I just get another similar Workmate, or are there some other better
or cheaper ones out there?
Thanks
Alan.

I had one of the original blue Workmates for donkey's years until it
eventually reached the end of its useful life after about 20 years.

I thought the diecast ones pre-dated the blue, folded metal ones. (?)

On 2007-05-18 07:21:16 +0100, nog said:

On Thu, 17 May 2007 19:55:37 +0100, Andy Hall wrote:

On 2007-05-17 18:20:15 +0100, (A.Lee) said:

My current workmate bench is now 15 years old, and showing it, so I'm
after a new one.
Do I just get another similar Workmate, or are there some other better
or cheaper ones out there?
Thanks
Alan.

I had one of the original blue Workmates for donkey's years until it
eventually reached the end of its useful life after about 20 years.

I thought the diecast ones pre-dated the blue, folded metal ones. (?)

This was tubular steel and diecast parts - perhaps not the first model,
but certainly predated the folded metal rubbish.

On 17 May, 18:20, (A.Lee) wrote:
My current workmate bench is now 15 years old, and showing it, so I'm
after a new one.

Workmate is still the best. Old Workmates even better than new ones.

You can still buy good quality robust Workmates in folded steel, but
it's the "trade" range rather than the DIY sheds. Avoid gimmicks like
vertical jaw clamps or chain drives, but the dual height feet are
useful. You can even buy new ones with plywood tops if you look hard
enough, otherwise MDF is OK until it gets damp but chipboard is
useless.

If you've got a cast aluminium one, look after it and replace the tops
if needed.

Narrow-based HoLeeFuk WorkFriend copies(sic) aren't worth carrying out
of a skip.

In article ,
Andy Hall wrote:
I had one of the original blue Workmates for donkey's years until it
eventually reached the end of its useful life after about 20 years.

I thought the diecast ones pre-dated the blue, folded metal ones. (?)

This was tubular steel and diecast parts - perhaps not the first model,
but certainly predated the folded metal rubbish.

I've never seen one with tubular steel. I thought the first B&D one was a
mixture of ally castings and pressed steel - painted blue. My original non
B&D is bare ally.

--
*Some days we are the flies; some days we are the windscreen.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.