Al Rogers Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 It's odd the things that preoccupy you when you're poised to move to a foreign country with a different language and strange customs. In my case, it's the quality of the current crop of Black and Decker Workmates. I bought one in Canada 40-odd years ago and it still works a treat, albeit with a few scars. I was planning on leaving it behind (because it's a touch awkward to lug around) and getting a new one in France, but reviews of the latest Workmates suggest the build quality has plummeted over the years. If that's the case, I'll take the old one with me. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Definitely keep the old one, the older the better, the ones with the cast aluminium X brace are the best. I stumbled across a B&D WM1000 at a réderie, its really great as it has a removable centre section which when installed makes it into a really large solid workbench 3' by 2'-6" yet folds up as compactly as the others, rare as hens teeth but come up for sale occasionally, well worthwhile, it will support an 8' by 4' sheet while working on it, mine gets used a lot for placo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pomme Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 I've still got one of the original Workmates made for Black and Decker by Mate Tools which I bought in the early 1970s . It is a bit of a beast to move around with those heavy solid beech jaws and metal castings. I used it for a about 20 years but eventually bought a couple of the cheap workmate-style clones which I used for odd jobs when I was renovating the house in France. Annoyingly I bought those cheap ones about a year apart and there was a difference of 2cm in the top surface heights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Rogers Posted May 23, 2016 Author Share Posted May 23, 2016 Thanks for the input, chaps. It'll be coming with me. The movers will be delighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 I am a fan and collector of all things designed by Ron Hickman! https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/8f/79/8c/8f798ceb1c999f3cd950d484dfc80466.jpg [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/jr7man/Cars/Cars/CIMG0452.jpg[/IMG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Our's is blue and pretty old, maybe mid-1980s. I remember buying it fir my husband's birthday and staggering from Argos to my car, a real struggle. Our son bought one recently and it seems very flimsy compared with ours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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