Hi,

Being only 13 and on a small budget, I am yet to buy a workmate.I don't want
one which is essentially a table, I want like a workmate. Yesterday, trying
to handhold a piece of wood whilst filing it was no fun task. Please can you
give me any recommendations. Also it must be very sturdy.

Cheers,

SB

SB asks:


Being only 13 and on a small budget, I am yet to buy a workmate.I don't want
one which is essentially a table, I want like a workmate. Yesterday, trying
to handhold a piece of wood whilst filing it was no fun task. Please can you
give me any recommendations. Also it must be very sturdy.


WorkMate is Black & Decker's brand name for their folding workbench. It has
several gripping systems, but comes in various cost ranges. There is some
competition here in the States, but I don't know about the UK. You might want
to check your local stores to see which B&D models are available, or what the
competition is. I think the top of the line WorkMate (the 400?) is well under
100USD, if that's any help.

Charlie Self
"If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would
promise them missionaries for dinner." H. L. Mencken

On 14 Nov 2004 09:48:35 GMT, otforme (Charlie Self)
wrote:

WorkMate is Black & Decker's brand name for their folding workbench.

Anyone who has to build or fix houses _needs_ a Workmutt. They're a
very clever piece of design, and a really useful tool as a large
portable clamp.

As a workbench though, they're terrible. Too tall and spindly, too
light and just not stable for work with hand tools. Power tools work
fast, with light forces. Hand tools work slowly, with high forces. You
need a heavier and more stable bench.

Given what I think Sam's budget is likely to be, then he should either
borrow a Workmate or spend money on something else, but not buy one.


You need a workspace and a workbench. They're the basic tools of
woodworking and you don;t get anywhere without them.

If you can't get a workspace, make smaller things. You might end up as
a luthier, but you'll still get to do some woodworking.

If you can't get a workbench, then there are some ways around it.
Japanese techniques use low trestles and a planing beam instead of a
"bench". Carpenters use trestles more than benches, because theyr'e
working on things that are big enough to "become their own bench".
Green woodworkers might use a "shave horse" instead of a bench,


Generally though, you're going to want a bench. This should be as big
and stable as you can manage, and it may need to pack away somewhere.

Best way is to buy one. It's not easy to find them, but S/H benches
are a bargain. Old school woodwork benches can change hands for as
little as a tenner, and that's with a pair of cast iron vices on them!

A bench I used for some time was an old firedoor (solid timber, not
hollow) on a pair of trestles made from metal brackets and some 2x4
rough timber. It's now on its third owner. The idea of a loose top on
trestles has a lot to recommend it. I'm not saying "Go and buy a
firedoor", but when I saw a firedoor going cheap in a sale, I
recognised that it could be a bench and so I bought it. Keep your
eyes open.

Trestles themselves are a good thing, especially if you're working
plywood with a handheld circular saw or jigsaw. Make a pair from 2x4s
and plywood boxing around the ends. If you make one a little longer
than the other, they nest and stack in half the space.

If you're working in a garage, then you might need a bench that folds
away, but can be hung from a wall for support. A simple 2x4 frame and
a plywood top with dropdown legs isn't too hard to build.

Have you got your Axminster catalogue yet ? What about the bench
ideas in there ? There are £50, £70 & £99 benches in Machine Mart
that are a bit flimsy, but they do the basic job, are better than a
Workmate and already have a vice on them. It rarely hurts to have
two, so get one of these, then build something better in a while.

Your first bench will be upgraded before too long. Everyone always
wants a bigger and better bench.


There is some
competition here in the States, but I don't know about the UK.

Really ? There is _no_ competition for Workmates in the UK. B&D
have _ferociously_ defended the brand and the design. There are a
few vaguely similar machines, but nothing gets close. Wolf and Triton
have some large "machinery centres" that are static folding benches
without the clamping, and there are some very minimal Lucky WorkFriend
cheap "trestle clamps" with no worktop space on top. Neither is any
substitute for the Workmate.

If you ever get the chance, snap up an old cast aluminium H frame
Workmate - a bit nicer than the pressed steel versions.

--
Smert' spamionam

SB wrote:

Hi,

Being only 13 and on a small budget, I am yet to buy a workmate.I don't
want one which is essentially a table, I want like a workmate. Yesterday,
trying to handhold a piece of wood whilst filing it was no fun task.
Please can you give me any recommendations. Also it must be very sturdy.

Cheers,

SB
Andy Dingley gave good advice as always but if you really have your heart
set on a workmate, B&Q were selling their copy for about £10 each. Two of
them and Andy's fire door to go on top when needed would give you a very
flexible system for holding stuff and as a bench.
--
Geoff Beale
Extract digit to email.

"SB" wrote in message
news
Hi,

Being only 13 and on a small budget, I am yet to buy a workmate.I don't
want
one which is essentially a table, I want like a workmate. Yesterday,
trying
to handhold a piece of wood whilst filing it was no fun task. Please can
you
give me any recommendations. Also it must be very sturdy.

A workmate is a good starter, until you can graduate to a real workbench. A
pair of sturdy sawhorses is also an option. You can build a clamp on the
top of your sawhorse using a wedge principal. I'm sorry I don't have a
link - I've seen one somewhere but cannot find it at the moment.

Woodworkers for centuries made ingenious of various shapes of wedges to hold
wood. I'd suggest you read up on that.

Before I got a workbench, I had a large metal vice bolted to a piece of
plywood. I clamped it to the top of a sawhorse with two F-clamps.

Bob

Andy Dingley notes:

There is some
competition here in the States, but I don't know about the UK.

Really ? There is _no_ competition for Workmates in the UK. B&D
have _ferociously_ defended the brand and the design. There are a
few vaguely similar machines, but nothing gets close. Wolf and Triton
have some large "machinery centres" that are static folding benches
without the clamping, and there are some very minimal Lucky WorkFriend
cheap "trestle clamps" with no worktop space on top. Neither is any
substitute for the Workmate.

If you ever get the chance, snap up an old cast aluminium H frame
Workmate - a bit nicer than the pressed steel versions.

I'd love to have one of the old versions, but I've only seen ONE.

Sears and Wolfcraft put out competitive models some time ago. There were enough
differences that no patents seemed to be infringed--back in '78 or so, B&D was
getting ready to sue Sears over their then model. I don't know what because of
that suit, but my guess is it was settled out of court. When you look at the
time span, you realize that for the U.S., the patent dates are long past.
Direct copies of the older versions would be dead legal, I'd guess.

Charlie Self
"If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would
promise them missionaries for dinner." H. L. Mencken

On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 08:47:03 -0000, "SB"
wrote:

Hi,

Being only 13 and on a small budget, I am yet to buy a workmate.I don't want
one which is essentially a table, I want like a workmate. Yesterday, trying
to handhold a piece of wood whilst filing it was no fun task. Please can you
give me any recommendations. Also it must be very sturdy.

Cheers,

SB


A couple of years ago, I found a kit with a pair of sawhorses and a
bench top that fit on top of one sawhorse. The top had a built in vise
with several movable dogs. It is all plastic, and wouldn't stand up to
heavy use, but is fine for basic hand and Dremel carving, cutting
light wood with a jigsaw or drilling. Mine has lots of scratches from
my X-acto razor saws. I think the package was about US$20 at Sam's
Club. I see similar kits at Lowes once in a while.

I have a mini-workmate, the B&D version that clamps to the edge of a
table or workbench. It's also for light duty work. If I had room, I
would either get the full sized Workmate, or build a full workbench,
but that's not in the cards for my current house. Maybe after I
retire, if we do move to Arizona, . . .

I also check Big Lots occasionally for discounted tools. Most of them
aren't worth carrying home, but occasionally there are some real
bargins on brand name products. It all depends on whose warehouse they
cleaned out last month. I once found a PanaVise that works very well
for holding parts from my grandchildrens' Tommy Tank sets while I put
them bck together. That ball mount is very convenient.

Bob McConnell
N2SPP

Hi,

Are you in the UK?

If yes check out
http://www.index.co.uk/rf/navigation...rtial&Np=1&N=0
....

That's where I got mine


-----------------

"Charlie Self" wrote in message
...
Andy Dingley notes:

There is some
competition here in the States, but I don't know about the UK.

Really ? There is _no_ competition for Workmates in the UK. B&D
have _ferociously_ defended the brand and the design. There are a
few vaguely similar machines, but nothing gets close. Wolf and Triton
have some large "machinery centres" that are static folding benches
without the clamping, and there are some very minimal Lucky WorkFriend
cheap "trestle clamps" with no worktop space on top. Neither is any
substitute for the Workmate.

If you ever get the chance, snap up an old cast aluminium H frame
Workmate - a bit nicer than the pressed steel versions.

I'd love to have one of the old versions, but I've only seen ONE.

Sears and Wolfcraft put out competitive models some time ago. There were
enough
differences that no patents seemed to be infringed--back in '78 or so, B&D
was
getting ready to sue Sears over their then model. I don't know what
because of
that suit, but my guess is it was settled out of court. When you look at
the
time span, you realize that for the U.S., the patent dates are long past.
Direct copies of the older versions would be dead legal, I'd guess.

Charlie Self
"If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would
promise them missionaries for dinner." H. L. Mencken

Not yet having a dedicated workshop, although that's in the offing
shortly, I do all my work using a B & D Workmate which I've had for years.
Very sturdy but, of course no replacement for a permanent workbench if
you have the space even at the back of the garage.

Malcolm Webb

Recommended because you're 13...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47078

$19. They OFTEN put it on sale for $10.

Not necessarily very sturdy as you put it, but save up your money for a car
or something.

Jay


"Bob" wrote in message
hlink.net...

"SB" wrote in message
news
Hi,

Being only 13 and on a small budget, I am yet to buy a workmate.I don't
want
one which is essentially a table, I want like a workmate. Yesterday,
trying
to handhold a piece of wood whilst filing it was no fun task. Please can
you
give me any recommendations. Also it must be very sturdy.

A workmate is a good starter, until you can graduate to a real workbench.
A
pair of sturdy sawhorses is also an option. You can build a clamp on the
top of your sawhorse using a wedge principal. I'm sorry I don't have a
link - I've seen one somewhere but cannot find it at the moment.

Woodworkers for centuries made ingenious of various shapes of wedges to
hold
wood. I'd suggest you read up on that.

Before I got a workbench, I had a large metal vice bolted to a piece of
plywood. I clamped it to the top of a sawhorse with two F-clamps.

Bob

FriscoSoxFan writes:

Recommended because you're 13...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47078

$19. They OFTEN put it on sale for $10.

Not necessarily very sturdy as you put it, but save up your money for a car
or something.


He won't have any money to save. That 10 buck item is going to be a bank
breaker to ship to the UK.

Charlie Self
"If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would
promise them missionaries for dinner." H. L. Mencken

On 15 Nov 2004 14:34:43 GMT, otforme (Charlie Self)
wrote:

FriscoSoxFan writes:

Recommended because you're 13...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47078

$19. They OFTEN put it on sale for $10.

Not necessarily very sturdy as you put it, but save up your money for a car
or something.


He won't have any money to save. That 10 buck item is going to be a bank
breaker to ship to the UK.

Charlie Self
"If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would
promise them missionaries for dinner." H. L. Mencken

Is the free shipping for $50 orders only for the US?

mac davis asks:


Is the free shipping for $50 orders only for the US?

I dunno, but the item was supposed to be 20 bucks on sale for 10 bucks. I don't
think SB wanted 5 of them.

Charlie Self
"If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would
promise them missionaries for dinner." H. L. Mencken