Black & Decker Workmate 79-005
The Workmate 79-005 was developed exclusively for the Canadian market and never sold in the U.S. but shares all of its parts with the U.S. model 79-001.
When the Workmate made its North American debut in 1974, it was sold in both Canada and the United States as the 79-001, with, as far as I can tell, identical configurations through the first few Types, all using the aluminum H-frame. When Black & Decker made the cost-cutting decision to drop the aluminum H-frame from the 79-001, a split developed between the U.S. and Canadian markets. For the U.S., they simply switched the H-frame to steel on the 79-001 in December 1977 during the middle of the production run for the Type 4—no change in model number, no change in Type. For Canada, they took a completely opposite approach, discontinuing the aluminum-H-frame Model 79-001 and replacing it with the steel-H-frame Model 79-005. I haven't documented a lot of 79-005s but the earliest of those has a production date of September 9, 1977, three months earlier than the first steel-H-frame 79-001. So, unlike the U.S. Workmates, I don't believe there was ever a steel-H-frame 79-001 sold in Canada.
The timing of this would suggest that the first 79-005's are similar to the 79-001 Type 4, and that is what we find. They restarted the Type numbers from 1 for the 79-005, and produced it up to at least a Type 4.
With the Workmate 79-005 taking on the role of a less-expensive, steel-H-frame model for the Canadian market in late 1977, Black & Decker re-introduced the aluminum H-frame in 1979 on the more-expensive Jobmate 3980, just as they did with the 79-004 in the United States.
When the Workmate made its North American debut in 1974, it was sold in both Canada and the United States as the 79-001, with, as far as I can tell, identical configurations through the first few Types, all using the aluminum H-frame. When Black & Decker made the cost-cutting decision to drop the aluminum H-frame from the 79-001, a split developed between the U.S. and Canadian markets. For the U.S., they simply switched the H-frame to steel on the 79-001 in December 1977 during the middle of the production run for the Type 4—no change in model number, no change in Type. For Canada, they took a completely opposite approach, discontinuing the aluminum-H-frame Model 79-001 and replacing it with the steel-H-frame Model 79-005. I haven't documented a lot of 79-005s but the earliest of those has a production date of September 9, 1977, three months earlier than the first steel-H-frame 79-001. So, unlike the U.S. Workmates, I don't believe there was ever a steel-H-frame 79-001 sold in Canada.
The timing of this would suggest that the first 79-005's are similar to the 79-001 Type 4, and that is what we find. They restarted the Type numbers from 1 for the 79-005, and produced it up to at least a Type 4.
- The Type 1 has components that can also be found on the 79-001 Type 4: double-layer jaws, 3 slip-on feet and one screw-in foot on the legs, 4 screw-in feet for sawhorse height, spring-steel catches for the legs, either metal or plastic top-release levers, and the same style of label on the jaws.
- Components for the 79-005 Type 2 correspond to those found on the next 79-001 from Brockville, the Type 6: single-layer jaws, bumper feet for sawhorse height, plastic top-release levers, and friction hinges for the legs. It differs in having 4 slip-on boot feet, although one of the legs is threaded for a screw-in levelling foot as is used on the 79-001 Type 6..
- The 79-005 Type 3 is similar to the 79-001 Type 7, with the single-layer jaws, bumper feet, the friction hinges, and the return to steel top-release levers. It keeps the four slip-on boot feet. One example pictured below has double-layer jaws.
- The 79-005 Type 4 corresponds to the 79-001 Type 8, using single-layer MDF jaws, steel top-release levers, four slip-on boot feet, corner feet for sawhorse height, pebbled plastic handles, and the small white-on-black sticker with the Type number.
- Unlike the Workmate 79-001's with steel H-frames, the 79-005 Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 display their Type number on the crossbar label.
With the Workmate 79-005 taking on the role of a less-expensive, steel-H-frame model for the Canadian market in late 1977, Black & Decker re-introduced the aluminum H-frame in 1979 on the more-expensive Jobmate 3980, just as they did with the 79-004 in the United States.
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