WorkMate top upgrades?

[Monte Milanuk]

A little off the beaten path here... I have a B&D WorkMate 425 that I've gotten a lot of use out of off and on over the years. As a result, the tops are pretty weathered and/or chewed up, and probably past due for replacement.

I've been looking around a bit for ideas on replacements... found a couple videos on YouTube discussing replacing either with ones made from pieces of 2x12 and lots of dog holes / clamping slots (an idea I really like), and another mentioning a place in Texas that can make custom replacement tops that look pretty good quality (priced accordingly).

In looking through the forums here, I've seen enough references to WorkMates that I would imagine *someone* has to have replaced or upgraded the work surface tops on their WorkMate... anyone care to share? Any neat, clever or just handy ideas?

[Keith Outten]

I expect most people would automatically use plywood to replace the tops of their Workmates. I own three of them and they are all candidates for new tops so i have been thinking about using Corian. I have plenty of Corian scraps in my shop left over from sign projects so the cost isn't an issue. Even though Corian isn't a good material to use for hammering types of projects it would be so easy to clean up glue spills and sand it with an ROS if it had paint overspray that needed to be removed.

I also do a lot of wet sanding so Corian would be the hot setup for this even though both my shop benches have stainless steel tops.
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[Frank Pratt]

I think they're 1" thick, so I'd just laminate 2 layers of 1/2" Baltic Birch ply & use the old tops as templates for drilling holes.

I have one I bought almost 40 years ago & still use it regularly, but the tops are getting a little ratty.

[Garth Almgren]

I think they're 1" thick, so I'd just laminate 2 layers of 1/2" Baltic Birch ply & use the old tops as templates for drilling holes.

I have one I bought almost 40 years ago & still use it regularly, but the tops are getting a little ratty.

I have the frame of one that I saved from the scrap pile that was heavily used and abused in a former life, then got left out in the rain one too many times so the MDF top completely disintegrated. Does anybody know where to find a template or plan for a replacement top?

[John McClanahan]

I have a workmate that has a plywood top. It has a second strip of plywood laminated along the clamping edges, and plenty of dog holes. It came new this way.

[mark kosse]

If you can find some flooring, new ones are made from bamboo and it works great. Less prone to delamination.

Hopefully you still have the mounts. Dimensions are 24" X 4 13/16" 4- 3/4" holes on the jaw edge, 13/16" from the face and 13/16" and 6 3/8" from each end. on the opposite side, 2-3/4" holes, 1 1/16" from the edge and 3 9/16" from each side. Mounting holes to match yours. Newer tops are 3/4" and older tops had a extra lam to make them 1.5 at the jaw. They both have a v-groove centered in the face running the length of the jaw.

I might add that unless you have dogs the holes are useless.

[Keith Outten]

Does Black and Decker still sell the plastic pieces that hold the legs up?

[Lee Schierer]

Check out ereplacements.com, they have a pretty good selection of workmate parts.

[Mike Kees]

I have fixed up tops on two workmates in the last year. I should say my employees replaced two tops. Any how baltic birch plywood on one and one inch fir plywood on the other. I just quickly looked in my garage(third workmate) has factory baltic birch three quarter inch with a double thick edge at the jaw. For me we just kept the standard layout. But hey we are woodworkers do whatever you want/need.