Second Prototype Workmate

Second Prototype Workmate Second Prototype Workmate Second Prototype Workmate Second Prototype Workmate

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Second prototype workbase, predecessor of the ‘Workmate’ combined vice and workbench, built by Ron Hickman, 1967.

In 1967, Ron Hickman began work to commercialise the idea which became the Workmate. This workbase could be disassembled to pack flat, but once assembled took up a great deal of storage space. The next bench had to be folding. The sketches shown below are Ron’s first ideas for a folding base.

The biggest problem was that, sold with a vice, the bench was too heavy and too expensive. But how could he do without the vice? It was at this point that Ron was struck by the visual resemblance of the two vice jaws with the two beams that formed the work surface.

‘It had been a kind of miniature workbench or double topped sawhorse. Suddenly it became the world’s biggest and most versatile vice standing on legs!’ [Ron Hickman]

Details

Category:
Hand and Machine Tools
Object Number:
2020-115
Materials:
steel (metal) and wood (unidentified)
Measurements:
overall: 540 mm x 702 mm x 519 mm,
type:
workbench