13. 5 More Awesome WorkMate Mods

5 More Black and Decker mods that will make DIY easier.
Workmate Mods No:6-10 | Skill level: Easy | Time needed a few hours each
Here i describe 5 more simple modifications/hacks/accessories that any tinkerer can make to their Black & Decker Workmate so that it is even more useful than it already is. My Workmate model is an 800, but these modifications should work on any model such as the 125, 225, 400, 425, 536, 825 etc.
6) 00:10 Painting station - storage for lining paper to protect your workmate from splashes when painting
7) 00:43 PowerMate - a mains extension lead that is integral to the workmate.
8&9) 1:54 Bench Puppies and Softjaws - both protect finished surfaces from being scratched when clamping.
10) 3:25 Woodwork Vice - If you don't have a dedicated wood work bench this will make up for it with the addition of a wood vice to the workmate.
Let me know in the comments any modifications / hacks or customisation you have done to your workmate.
Other Workmate Mods:
1-5) • 4. 5 Awesome but simpl...
6) Painting Station • 3. Black and Decker Wo...
7) PowerMate • 11. Workmate modificat...
8) Bench Puppies • 8. One Minute Black an...
9) Soft Jaws • 1. Black and Decker Wo...
10) Wood Vice • 5. How to add a wood w...
Related Playlists:
Tool Mods and Restorations: • 9. Restoration of the ...
Workshop Tool Reviews: • 7. Triton Oscillating ...
Workmate Mods: • 4. 5 Awesome but simpl...
#Workmate #DIY #Woodwork

[@harrycaul2494]

Great video and very useful modifications - I look forward to giving some (maybe all) of them a go...thank you!

[@DIYTinkerer]

I'm glad you like them, 👍

[@ronankelly4471]

Concise, competent cheerful. Creativity, well done. Thank you, sir.

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks for your kind words 😀

[@RobWhittlestone]

Inventive, practical and helpful mods! Hats off to you! I especially liked the 'Powermate'. All the best, Rob

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks for the feedback, be sure to subscribe so as to not miss any of my other workshop videos.

[@PeterRattenbury]

Very clear and brief, leading to further detailed videos if construction details are required

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks I'm glad you liked it.

[@arbutaland4075]

i gasped at the lining paper reveal. well done!

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks, glad you liked it

[@duncanhurst2888]

Great stuff! So simple but so effective - well done and thank you.

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks for you kind comments, be sure to check out my other workmate mods! :-)

[@roberthardy2013]

Good idea with the extension!
My workshop has an electrical socket in the centre of the ceiling. I plug an extension into that then clip it to a rafter so that Ican pull it down to use - no trailing leads on the floor.

[@DIYTinkerer]

That's an awesome idea, I've considered this a few times but never got round to doing.

[@Venomator.]

Cracking mods to your Workmate and seriously clever to have them built to not interfere with the everyday use and also the fold, which is some achievement... 👏🏻
Thank you for sharing these, a couple of which I have attempted on mine (the easier/more simple ones first!) and others I will be keen to add when we finally move into our new home and I can properly sort the garage into a workshop... 👍🏻
I will look forward to seeing the further mods you mentioned and have sub’d already... 😉

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks, good luck with the move and your new workshop :-)

[@xlfive]

excellent,well thought out modifications

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks Gaz, I appreciate your feedback.

[@enushalu2548]

Awesome upgrades to the workmate...!

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks, I'm glad you like them 🙂

[@HickeyTyson]

Very quick and to the point. Thanks for making this video.

[@DIYTinkerer]

You're welcome!

[@linang2211]

Great product. Easy to carry, setup, very sturdy and easy toctake down. Worth the extra couple of dollars.

[@DIYTinkerer]

Couldn't agree more!

[@robinpeets915]

Very well done, your workbench modifications, and your video.

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thank you very much!

[@parson8582]

Good job. Very thoughtful and applicable

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thank you, I'm glad you like it, thanks for letting me know!:-)

[@nitanice]

brilliant. I bought a house that strangely has three workbenches. But I love my little workmate to take outside and make garden beds, etc. it's just too handy! Thanks for those tips because I've never really had a solution for the bench dogs or tools. :-)

[@DIYTinkerer]

I'm glad you liked it. It's worth checking my whole series on workmate modifications.th-cam.com/play/PL3WIBjRzYExe8rur9uJkQzrz0GY4dM428.html

[@STICKYBOY214]

Thank you very much!! I needed this video👍👍

[@DIYTinkerer]

Glad it was helpful!

[@clippo111]

B&D need you as an advisor...

[@DIYTinkerer]

Ha, I could certainly offer a few updates:-) thanks!

[@tpobrienjr]

Good ideas, sir. Thank you for sharing.

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks Thomas, glad you liked them.

[@smickster]

Damned clever. Well done, sir!

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks, glad you liked it 😀

[@Y4k407]

These are awesome mods, very glad you made this video

[@DIYTinkerer]

Glad you like them! Be sure to checkout my other workmate mods

[@colinellicott9737]

Cool stuff thx!

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks, Manny more mods on my channel, be sure to check it out of you haven't already :-)

[@dark-matters]

Great video I'm off to the shed now..??? Oh must buy this work bench cos my old one is beat. Looking forward to watching your other videos. Cheers

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks 👍be sure to subscribe if you haven't already!

[@195dm]

Grande lavoro e grandi idee! Bravissimo!

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thank you so much for your kind words. 😀

[@dscritter614]

Very cool.

[@DIYTinkerer]

I'm glad you like them 🙂

[@qmoonwalker3847]

Awesome!!!!

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks!!

[@Luke-yx5ve]

Really clever to be honest 👌👌

[@DIYTinkerer]

I'm glad you like them 😀

[@caskwith]

Great to find a channel using common UK DIY tools, I look forward to checking out your other videos and those to come.

[@DIYTinkerer]

Yep, just normal stuff the average person has in his shed/workshop

[@michaellionart4841]

Ingenious 👍

[@michaellionart4841]

what @caskwith said

[@joefahr6721]

excellent

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks glad you like them

[@littleshopofsawdust1157]

This is brilliant! I thought I had seen every modification possible for these things, and there you are, you've come up with new ideas! Where do you get the paper of the correct width?

[@DIYTinkerer]

The paper is wallpaper lining paper, I have a full video on the paper dispenser, it's a great mod. Glad you liked it.

[@johnhirsch5923]

Hello, I liked the updated Workmate mods that you did. Your panel supporting the vice, did I see correctly you mounted the metal 'buttons" for locking the panel into the rear slots? Where did you get your metal locking buttons? Thanks and have a good day.

[@DIYTinkerer]

Hi John, glad you liked them, the vice uses M12 bolts, these fit like the locking buttons, the hex head has to be parallel to the slot in the frame, to fit through the wide part of the slot and the shaft of the bolt fits the narrow part of the slot in the frame, they act just like the buttons.

[@victoriamead8213]

I love the powermate! Can you please tell me more, esp about the mounting plate

[@DIYTinkerer]

I've detailed how I made it in this video th-cam.com/video/33PdEesu20E/w-d-xo.html - enjoy

[@frederickwood9116]

Really nice.
I’m on the hunt for an elegant solution for repairing/ replacing a workmate folding leg that’s long gone. If I find anything I like I’ll share but if you happen to do it then I’ll be interested in seeing what your come up with.
Thanks for the material.

[@DIYTinkerer]

Is it the plastic spring thing that holds the leg open? If so these are available as spares on Amazon

[@1976Mrsmith]

Thanks for a great video. Enjoyed seeing all your well thought-out mods. Something to aspire to esp. the power mate attachment.
I couldn't see a link to the clips/brackets you mentioned at the end of the video to holding the long soft rubber clamp covers. Can your reshare the link please?

[@DIYTinkerer]

Hi sorry I must have forgot, here it is www.thingiverse.com/thing:4573155 hope it works for you, mines been on the workmate quite a few years now!

[@chrisward9706]

Really inspiring mods - well thought out. I have a problem with my WorkMate 536, it does not hold steel conduit firmly enough when tapping threads - the conduit rotates. Any ideas on how to fix that?

[@DIYTinkerer]

The main jaw has a v along its length for pipes, if this can't provide enough grip then you could try supplimenting the grip with some thin rubber sheet such as a bit of old bike inner tube, you could try the same with the bench dogs which also have a v on them for pipes

[@chrisward9706]

@@DIYTinkerer yes, neither have enough grip as-is. Rubber sheet is worth a try, thank you.

[@Kyokunek]

Hi! Nice mods! Do you remember what is the model of this workmate when it was purchased?

[@DIYTinkerer]

Hi, it is the Black and Decker WorkMATE 800, how that helps

[@nmssis]

Now, have you any thoughts on how to improve on lateral stability during handplaning?
Thanks

[@DIYTinkerer]

What I do is add some weights to the metal step - this makes a big difference - you can probably spy them in some of my other videos. I've also seen someone who screwed the workmate to a OSB sheet so they stand on the sheet when planing which is also attached to the workmate - but sometimes you just need a woodworking bench...

[@nmssis]

@@DIYTinkerer noted, thank you!

[@WalterMelons]

I wish mine had the flip up front jaw that’s cool.

[@DIYTinkerer]

Cool, but in almost 30 years I've only used them a couple of times!

[@WalterMelons]

@@DIYTinkerer yeah but you have room to easily build those mods into yours. I’ll have to see if I can with my wm300.

[@WalterMelons]

@@DIYTinkerer well I got on Craigslist and just picked up a 425 in good condition for $20! I’ll put my 300 up for $20 too and probably just give it away to whoever wants it.

[@TheYjmfan]

Great mods , what model workmate is that?

[@DIYTinkerer]

Hi, its 30 years old, and a bit beat-up but I'm reasonably sure it is a 425 model.

[@plasmaxer]

In your opinion, do you believe it is practical to drill out all of the rivets holding my B&D Workmates 626 together and replace them with nuts and bolts?

[@DIYTinkerer]

So I've not had any need to replace the rivets, I assume you mean the rivets used on the folding mechanism, having had a quick look, I'd say you need to be careful with the clearance if using nut and bolts, as it looks like the folding mechanism has to pass some of them. Also you would need to consider how you prevent them from coming loose. But the biggest concern would be if it will fold up afterwards, so check those clearances first!

[@JungleRice]

What happened to the other mods?

[@DIYTinkerer]

Hi here is a play list for all of them th-cam.com/play/PL3WIBjRzYExe8rur9uJkQzrz0GY4dM428.html&si=ArXf1tJu3W5pvCPG