Converting a Black & Decker Workmate to a Portable Loading Table

[Dave Markowitz]

After a recent experience with having a gun fall over and get damaged, I made up a couple inserts that allow you to turn a Black & Decker Workmate or cheap Harbor Freight copy into a portable loading and cleaning table. I used scrap wood, drill, saw, and some drywall screws.

In my HF knock off:

In a B&D Workmate 225 I found on Craigslist last week for $15:

The guns are my Cossack rifle by Steve Krolick and my friend's Euroarms Kentuckian carbine. It was very stable.

 

[SOLANCO]

I will bet it is stable. I rummaged and found mine in the basement corner where it has been undisturbed for years. I'd trade it in a heartbeat for a hearth and anvil.

My experience has been that it was the rare project that merited hauling that hunk out of the basement and up into the light of day. Every time I give serious thought to my outfit I concentrate most on what I can eliminate. Powder, shot, ball, flint, cap, water, iron rations, cel phone because I am a 75 YO foolish optimist.

 

[Jaeger]

A Workmate is one of the more useful things you can have in your garage or shop! I've used mine to work on shaping a gunstock out on the patio when I didn't feel like being inside on a beautiful day.

 

[Whitworth]

Great idea, they're really handy. I clamp my electric lead pot to mine when casting bullets.

 

[SOLANCO]

A wise old man once taught me to avoid combination tools. Of which the Workmate is one.
He said: They will perform several functions poorly, instead of performing one function well.

 

[SOLANCO]

A caveat: I do have a heavy, old fashioned, workbench inherited from a furniture maker ancestor. It took six guys to move it into my basement.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Definitely a thumbs up idea. I have been watching my old, very old, shooting bench rot away to where it is no longer usable. I do have a Workmate and wood, need to 'steal' yer idea. Thanks.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

A wise old man once taught me to avoid combination tools. Of which the Workmate is one.

IMHO what an ignorant reply! Of which you cannot take offense at ... provided you know the real definition of the word of course, LOL!

Now you might just have that heavy, old fashioned, workbench inherited from a furniture maker ancestor down in your basement - but we here were discussing the option for outdoor range use! And this past Summer up (down?) in Maine at the New England Flintlock Championship there was a good dozen to few dozen modified 'work mate' type benches setup on the shooting line, as that range in Limington had no shooting benches provided.

In addition, when not shooting BP, I work on OB motors.When doing gearcase and lower unit work, like full waterpump replacements/service, the workmate type benches are SUPERB for holding the LU securely whilst standing up like a man and working on it.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

A wise old man once taught me to avoid combination tools. Of which the Workmate is one.
He said: They will perform several functions poorly, instead of performing one function well.

Apples. Oranges. I have an 8 foot long by 30" deep workbench that I built in my shop. It has a top and a shelf, both made from 3/4" plywood, and has six 4" x 4" legs held to the horizontal surfaces by 5/8" bolts. I weigh over 200 lbs. and I can walk on it without it moving or flexing noticeably.

It would make a lousy portable loading table.