On Monday, June 1, 2020 at 3:00:31 PM UTC-4, michael adams wrote:
<stuff deleted>
> What's equally surprising, given that all this is relatively recent. is the
> lack of any authoritative or definitive history of the Workmate and its
> development;

If there are still some Workmate fans here, you'll be happy to know that my website "H-frame" is the comprehensive Workmate site you're looking for:
https://h-frame.weebly.com/

I started it in January 2020, focusing on the 79-001, the original U.S. model from 1974-1982. Since then I have expanded it immensely. It has so many features that I'm not going to try to list them all; you can explore. Since I'm in the U.S. it still concentrates on U.S. models, but I have done significant research on UK models as well. For example, try:
Early UK and European Workmates — https://h-frame.weebly.com/uk--european-workmates.html
Mate Tools Ltd.—The Workmate Before Black & Decker — https://h-frame.weebly.com/blog/mate-tools-ron-hickmans-workmate-before-black-decker
Workmate Manufacturing History — https://h-frame.weebly.com/blog/where-was-the-black-decker-workmate-made
More Workmate-related documents than you can imagine, including a few from the UK — https://h-frame.weebly.com/documents.html

I had one for many years, Made of steel except for the four extension legs
with the levelling feet. Its one issue was that the catches under each edge
could cause a trapped bit of skin on a finger as the springs were very
strong when you needed to fold it flat.
Mine was Black and Decker and took some serious abuse and never complained.
It had a lot of paint on its wooden bits when I gave it away, but still
function fine. I used to spray paint front panels etc, and never bothered to
mask the wood. I gave it away as DIY on large scale and soldering was too
dangerous as I lost my sight.
Brian

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The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
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"Chris Wolf" <hframe79001@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:fceb0504-7b32-48b2-88b2-03cd944d64e9n@googlegroups.com...
On Monday, June 1, 2020 at 3:00:31 PM UTC-4, michael adams wrote:
<stuff deleted>
> What's equally surprising, given that all this is relatively recent. is
> the
> lack of any authoritative or definitive history of the Workmate and its
> development;

If there are still some Workmate fans here, you'll be happy to know that my
website "H-frame" is the comprehensive Workmate site you're looking for:
https://h-frame.weebly.com/

I started it in January 2020, focusing on the 79-001, the original U.S.
model from 1974-1982. Since then I have expanded it immensely. It has so
many features that I'm not going to try to list them all; you can explore.
Since I'm in the U.S. it still concentrates on U.S. models, but I have done
significant research on UK models as well. For example, try:
Early UK and European Workmates -
https://h-frame.weebly.com/uk--european-workmates.html
Mate Tools Ltd.-The Workmate Before Black & Decker -
https://h-frame.weebly.com/blog/mate-tools-ron-hickmans-workmate-before-black-decker
Workmate Manufacturing History -
https://h-frame.weebly.com/blog/where-was-the-black-decker-workmate-made
More Workmate-related documents than you can imagine, including a few from
the UK - https://h-frame.weebly.com/documents.html

On 29/12/2022 10:32, Brian Gaff wrote:
> I had one for many years, Made of steel except for the four extension legs
> with the levelling feet. Its one issue was that the catches under each edge
> could cause a trapped bit of skin on a finger as the springs were very
> strong when you needed to fold it flat.
> Mine was Black and Decker and took some serious abuse and never complained.
> It had a lot of paint on its wooden bits when I gave it away, but still
> function fine. I used to spray paint front panels etc, and never bothered to
> mask the wood. I gave it away as DIY on large scale and soldering was too
> dangerous as I lost my sight.

I still have a B&D Workmate (inherited from my F-I-L), but it is rarely
used, as I also have a much cheaper and simpler generic version
(basically a folding A-frame tressle, with a step across one pair of
legs and the guides for the wooden clamping surfaces directly on top).
The cheap version is so much quicker, easier and safer to put up and
down, that that is the one normally used.

Mine had a step too, and was easy to put up and down as well. Maybe they
over complicated it later on. It was heavy though, being mostly steel, but
that made it all the more stable when in use. I'd certainly not want to hang
it on the workshop wall like you used to see in the adverts, if it fell off
it could do some serious damage!

Brian

--

--:
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"SteveW" <steve@walker-family.me.uk> wrote in message
news:tojujn$a0tl$1@dont-email.me...
> On 29/12/2022 10:32, Brian Gaff wrote:
>> I had one for many years, Made of steel except for the four extension
>> legs
>> with the levelling feet. Its one issue was that the catches under each
>> edge
>> could cause a trapped bit of skin on a finger as the springs were very
>> strong when you needed to fold it flat.
>> Mine was Black and Decker and took some serious abuse and never
>> complained.
>> It had a lot of paint on its wooden bits when I gave it away, but still
>> function fine. I used to spray paint front panels etc, and never bothered
>> to
>> mask the wood. I gave it away as DIY on large scale and soldering was too
>> dangerous as I lost my sight.
>
> I still have a B&D Workmate (inherited from my F-I-L), but it is rarely
> used, as I also have a much cheaper and simpler generic version (basically
> a folding A-frame tressle, with a step across one pair of legs and the
> guides for the wooden clamping surfaces directly on top). The cheap
> version is so much quicker, easier and safer to put up and down, that that
> is the one normally used.
>
>

On 30/12/2022 08:36, Brian Gaff wrote:
> Mine had a step too, and was easy to put up and down as well. Maybe they
> over complicated it later on. It was heavy though, being mostly steel, but
> that made it all the more stable when in use. I'd certainly not want to hang
> it on the workshop wall like you used to see in the adverts, if it fell off
> it could do some serious damage!
>
> Brian
>
I've got one of the early heavy ones with the step, wouldn't be without
it. Hangs on the wall and has done for the last 40 years or so. Made a
simple wooden bracket which the workmate plywood top slots into and it
has never moved.

On 31/12/2022 00:45, John Miller wrote:
> On 30/12/2022 08:36, Brian Gaff wrote:
>> Mine had a step too, and was  easy to put up and down as well. Maybe they
>> over complicated it later on. It was heavy though, being mostly steel,
>> but
>> that made it all the more stable when in use. I'd certainly not want
>> to hang
>> it on the workshop wall like you used to see in the adverts, if it
>> fell off
>> it could do some serious damage!
>>
>> Brian
>>
> I've got one of the early heavy ones with the step, wouldn't be without
> it. Hangs on the wall and has done for the last 40 years or so. Made a
> simple wooden bracket which the workmate plywood top slots into and it
> has never moved.

I also have one of the early ones and was surprised a few years back
that I could get some spares for it on Ebay (plastic clips that held
the bottom legs in the open position and a long spring that retracted
the lever that allowed the workmate to open up). I did have to order
two packs of the plastic clips as I cracked one when drifting back the
metal pin that held it in place.

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

In article <k1a7ekFmv39U1@mid.individual.net>,
alan_m <junk@admac.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
> On 31/12/2022 00:45, John Miller wrote:
> > On 30/12/2022 08:36, Brian Gaff wrote:
> >> Mine had a step too, and was easy to put up and down as well. Maybe
> >> they over complicated it later on. It was heavy though, being mostly
> >> steel, but that made it all the more stable when in use. I'd
> >> certainly not want to hang it on the workshop wall like you used to
> >> see in the adverts, if it fell off it could do some serious damage!
> >>
> >> Brian
> >>
> > I've got one of the early heavy ones with the step, wouldn't be without
> > it. Hangs on the wall and has done for the last 40 years or so. Made a
> > simple wooden bracket which the workmate plywood top slots into and it
> > has never moved.

> I also have one of the early ones and was surprised a few years back
> that I could get some spares for it on Ebay (plastic clips that held
> the bottom legs in the open position

Mine has metal clips, so it's probably older

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4té
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 4:15:11 AM UTC-5, charles wrote:
> Mine has metal clips, so it's probably older

Most of you are probably describing the Workmate model WM625, which has a blue-painted steel frame with a pair of pivoting cast-alloy H-frames in the center that accomplish the folding. It was made from 1975 to 1980, with some available on inventory closeouts into 1981 and 1982. The components used on it changed throughout the production run, with the change from metal to plastic leg clips coming on the WM625 E06. You can see the progression of the WM625 from E01 to E07Z here:

https://h-frame.weebly.com/workmate-wm625.html

Its replacement, the very similar WM626, came on the market for Christmas 1979 with the main differentiator being the replacement of the cast alloy H-frames with painted stamped steel matching the rest of the blue frame.

--Chris

Check out H-frame, the site for vintage Black & Decker Workmates
https://h-frame.weebly.com/

On Sat, 31 Dec 2022 04:57:06 -0800 (PST)
Chris Wolf <hframe79001@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 4:15:11 AM UTC-5, charles wrote:
> > Mine has metal clips, so it's probably older
>
> Most of you are probably describing the Workmate model WM625, which has a blue-painted steel frame with a pair of pivoting cast-alloy H-frames in the center that accomplish the folding. It was made from 1975 to 1980, with some available on inventory closeouts into 1981 and 1982. The components used on it changed throughout the production run, with the change from metal to plastic leg clips coming on the WM625 E06. You can see the progression of the WM625 from E01 to E07Z here:
>
> https://h-frame.weebly.com/workmate-wm625.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://h-frame.weebly.com/workmate-wm625.html
>
> Its replacement, the very similar WM626, came on the market for Christmas 1979 with the main differentiator being the replacement of the cast alloy H-frames with painted stamped steel matching the rest of the blue frame.
>
> --Chris
>
> Check out H-frame, the site for vintage Black & Decker Workmates
> https://h-frame.weebly.com/

I thought I was given mine before 1975.
I was using it today and will be again tomorrow.
Fantastic value for money.

Alan

--
Mint 20.3, kernel 5.4.0-132-generic, Cinnamon 5.2.7
running on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition processor with 16GB of DRAM.

On Saturday, December 31, 2022 at 1:59:00 PM UTC-5, pinnerite wrote:
> I thought I was given mine before 1975.
> I was using it today and will be again tomorrow.
> Fantastic value for money.

The two dual-height models that were available in the UK before 1975 were the all-aluminum WM325 and the blue-all-steel WM525.
https://h-frame.weebly.com/workmate-wm225wm325.html
https://h-frame.weebly.com/workmate-wm525.html