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B&D Workmate

raybrowne | Posted in Tools for Home Building on January 15, 2004 02:49am

Anyone know if the Black and Decker workmates rust up real bad in outside weather? Would a tarp over one do the trick to keep from that occuring enough so that it was unusable? I’m considering picking up two of the heavy duty model to use as sawhorses, currently carry around 2 metal sawhorses(great small super sturdy) and two folding plastic ones but the miter saw stand idea I heard of for the workmate sounds intriguiing. My wood sawhorses take up too much room and are used far too much in the shop to start taking them to jobs every week.

-Ray

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  1. User avater
    Sphere | Jan 15, 2004 03:53am | #1

    mine lives outside..PT for the new jaws, an white spray lithium grease on the joints, s'all it takes. Going strong 20 yrs?

    1. raybrowne | Jan 15, 2004 03:59am | #2

      Cool, sounds good 'cept I'll go cedar or redwood for the jaws maybe, being a sap for aesthetics. I'm one of those open-bed pickup truck guys too so I try to have outdoors friendly stuff in the back, which explains why the miter saw has been riding shotgun. Need to get around to replacing the diamond-plate crossbed toolbox with a greenlee job box(not sure they make one that'll fit the s10..) or building a box for it and chaining it to bed.

      -Ray

  2. ravenwind | Jan 15, 2004 05:13am | #3

    I had one years ago when they were made with aluminum frames and metat parts  and you could stand and jump up and down on them,  they were rugid and worth the money.the only thing i didnt like was the pressed fiber top  it had.  and when i left it out in the rain under a leaky tarp it swelled up. so i replaced it with some rock maple and it was good for years until somone grabed it .    well i bought a new one 3 years ago to ( you guessed it ) use it for my chop saw  and it worked fine as long as i didnt tighten the top to much as the threaded rods /metal/ were replaced with plastic .   bad move black and decker.    now it gets used very little and never for chop saw.   its too heavy too.  well im not saying its not for every one but the new ones are not like the old ones. i have a miter saw stand now that cost three times as muchand sets up quick and easy. Trac rack  type for my dewalt 12in saw and the rigid miter saw stand for my bigger dewalt 12in slide saw    to my both are a better investment

                                                             dogboy 

    1. FastEddie1 | Jan 15, 2004 06:02am | #4

      I alos use the TracMaster for a 12" dewalt, and it works very well.  Sturdy, easy to set up, doesn't weight much.  My only gripe is that the second support arm is optional for $50.

      Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!"  Then get busy and find out how to do it.  T. Roosevelt

      1. ravenwind | Jan 15, 2004 07:59am | #5

        ya i know  but bite the bullet and get it , it only compleats it . and only makes it better .  for anyone that doesnt have one of the track rac you can get them at clearence 160.00 at most H.D. now ever sense the DeWalt came out. I also got the router table attachment for it and its pritty damm good and quick to set up.

                        dogboy 

        Edited 1/15/2004 12:01:11 AM ET by dogboy

        Edited 1/15/2004 12:01:42 AM ET by dogboy

      2. ravenwind | Jan 15, 2004 08:04am | #6

        oh ya,   when people ask me if i can do somthing i allwas say yes then go read or ask how and if i cant do that i find somone that can .

        1. steve | Jan 16, 2004 12:54am | #7

          the tracrack workstation is marketted in canada by hitachi

          beats the heck out of workmates and sawhorses

          just got one last week, its a marvel of design, just wish it had adjustable legs for rough areascaulking is not a piece of trim

          1. ravenwind | Jan 16, 2004 05:47am | #8

            I like mine a lot for my 12in dewalt.   you can get a ajustable leg to replace one of the legs for around 50.00 its expensive but helpful it should work for yours.

                                                 dogboy

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