Workmate 79-001 Replacement Feet
Please note that I do not receive any commissions or other compensation for the recommendations or links on this site. Also, if you have other options that you can recommend (preferably that you have actually tried) I would love to hear them.
Leveling (Screw-in) Feet for Type 1, 2, 4, 6, 7
These five Types of the Workmate 79-001 use one or more screw-in feet with Imperial thread 5/16-18. The Type 1 and 2 have eight screw-in feet, the Type 4 has five, and the Type 6 and 7 have only one. The original screw-in feet on the Type 2, 4, 6, and 7 were all the identical part, with a round rubber disk pad on the end. The original feet on the Type 1 were slightly different, with a cone-shaped pad, but they are physically interchangeable with the later ones. In either case, the original feet have an overall length of 1-7/8", including the height of the pad which is about 3/8" on the Type 1 and about 1/2" on the others. The pad is 1-1/8" in diameter for the Type 1 and 1" for the others.
The feet for the full-height position are quite easy to replace; almost any foot with a 5/16-18 thread will work. The pad can be significantly larger in diameter if you wish, and the threaded post can be much shorter.
For the sawhorse-height feet, replacements are more limited. This is because when the legs are extended for the full-height position, the holes in the legs must clear the sawhorse-height feet. This means that the overall length of the sawhorse-height feet must be no less than 1-7/8" and the diameter of the pad is limited to about 1-1/4".
Unless otherwise mentioned, the options below will work for either foot position.
Leveling (Screw-in) Feet for Type 1, 2, 4, 6, 7
These five Types of the Workmate 79-001 use one or more screw-in feet with Imperial thread 5/16-18. The Type 1 and 2 have eight screw-in feet, the Type 4 has five, and the Type 6 and 7 have only one. The original screw-in feet on the Type 2, 4, 6, and 7 were all the identical part, with a round rubber disk pad on the end. The original feet on the Type 1 were slightly different, with a cone-shaped pad, but they are physically interchangeable with the later ones. In either case, the original feet have an overall length of 1-7/8", including the height of the pad which is about 3/8" on the Type 1 and about 1/2" on the others. The pad is 1-1/8" in diameter for the Type 1 and 1" for the others.
The feet for the full-height position are quite easy to replace; almost any foot with a 5/16-18 thread will work. The pad can be significantly larger in diameter if you wish, and the threaded post can be much shorter.
For the sawhorse-height feet, replacements are more limited. This is because when the legs are extended for the full-height position, the holes in the legs must clear the sawhorse-height feet. This means that the overall length of the sawhorse-height feet must be no less than 1-7/8" and the diameter of the pad is limited to about 1-1/4".
Unless otherwise mentioned, the options below will work for either foot position.
Recommendation
The best choice of screw-in foot that I know of for the Type 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 is from Classic Industries:
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Alternative
Another good choice of screw-in foot that I have tried for the Type 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 is from Grainger: Like the hood bumper above, this has a non-skid rubber pad. It also has what I think is an attractive, sleek, if non-original, look. It has a load rating of 250 pounds each. At almost $5 apiece, some will find it too expensive, but if there's a Grainger location near you, you can avoid shipping charges. |
Other Choices
McMaster-Carr has three styles that will work. All of these are glides, with a plastic pad, not a non-skid rubber pad.
Item #2515T21 Leveling Mount, Nonmarring with 1-1/2" Long 5/16"-18 Threaded Stud To me, these are somewhat similar in appearance to the original feet for the Type 2, 4, 6, and 7, simply because the round pad is so similar. $8.20 for a pack of four.
Item #2284T55 High-Temperature Leveling Mounts with 1-1/2" Long 5/16"-18 Threaded Stud This one has some resemblance to the original feet for the Type 1. However, it has the lowest load rating of any of the rated ones here. At 50 pounds per foot, a set of four would fall short of the 350-pound rating for the Workmate. I'm pretty sure I have never applied more than 200 pounds of force to my Workmates, but I know others have. $3.40 for a pack of four.
Item # 62805K33 Heavy Duty Leveling Mount with 1-1/2" Long 5/16"-18 Threaded Stud $2.20 each.
Lee Valley has two styles that will work as full-height feet for the Type 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7, but are too short for the sawhorse-height feet. I have not tried these. They are described as glides, so the pads are probably not non-skid.
Item 00H5001, Levelling Glides No load rating given. $7.70 for four.
Item 00S1951, 5/16-18 Self-Levelling Glide $3.20 each.
Leveling (Screw-in) Feet for Type E, 3, 5
These three Types of the Workmate 79-001 use screw-in feet with metric thread M8-1.25. The original feet for all of these have a cone-shaped pad, but there were slight differences between them. The Type E has screw-in feet at the four rear positions, both upper and lower, while the Type 3 and 5 have eight.
Of the four options below, I have tried only the second and fourth ones, but I have verified that the dimensions of the others are compatible with the Workmate. All of the options below will work for either upper or lower foot position.
Recommendations
JW Winco has a metric-sized foot that has a passing resemblance to the originals:
GN 343.4 Leveling Feet Steel, Plastic Base, Threaded Stud Type, with or without Rubber Pad $6.44 and up.
To order this one, make sure you select Base diameter of either .98 or 1.26, Thread M8, Stud length 1.57, and With Rubber Pad. The base diameter of 1.26 is closest to original for the Type E. For the Type 3 and Type 5, the .98 is closest but slightly smaller than original , so I would choose the 1.26 for use on those Types also.
Another that works is the metric-sized version of the alternative one I recommend just above from Grainger:
Item #20KK54 Leveling Mount, Fixed Stud, 250 lb. Load Capacity, 2-1/4" Height, Clear Zinc $5.45 each.
Like my Grainger recommendation above, it has a non-skid rubber pad.
Another good choice is from McMaster-Carr, also with non-skid rubber pad:
Swivel Leveling Mount, Zinc-Plated Steel with Cushion and 32 mm Long M8 Threaded Stud $6.20 each.
The base part of the foot on this one swivels, to always stay in contact with irregularities in unlevel ground.
Alternatives
If you want to spend less, McMaster-Carr has one that will work, but it is a glide, with a plastic pad, not a non-skid rubber pad.
Item # 62805K51 Heavy Duty Leveling Mount with 38mm Long M8 x 1.25 mm Threaded Stud and 30mm Diameter Base $2.13 each.
Fixed Front Feet for Type E
The original front feet on the Type E, both upper and lower positions, are different from the rear feet. They are made of solid rubber with an unthreaded post that is about 5/16" in diameter (probably 8mm, but the difference is almost nil) and is only about 9/16" long. There is a metal core that stiffens the post. They simply press into a hole and are held by friction. As you might recognize, this was not a good design, because it's much too easy for the feet to fall out and get lost.
The upper holes in the front corners of the frame, for sawhorse height, have a closed hole, so any replacement foot should have the same 9/16" long post or it will stop before it is fully seated. The holes on the front lower legs, for full height, are through holes so replacements for them can have longer posts.
There is a quirk to the holes on the front lower legs. The bottom part of the hole is unthreaded and provides a nice snug fit for the rubber post of the original foot. However, the upper quarter-inch or so of the hole is threaded M8-1.25 like those for the rear feet. It looks as though they may have first tapped the entire length of those holes for M8-1.25 screw-in feet and then drilled them out from the bottom for a partial distance to the full 8mm diameter to fit the press-in feet. If you remove one of the press-in feet and try to re-insert it from the top of the hole, you will find that it won't fit because of the slightly smaller diameter threaded section remaining there. You can also usually see the threads at the top.
In my experience the threading in the legs is long enough to hold an M8-1.25 screw-in foot (like those I describe above) reasonably securely. If, for some reason, yours is not, you could easily drill out the hole to 5/16" to eliminate what ever threads might be left, and then use one of the feet recommended above with a nut installed on its upper end to secure it.
That leaves the question of what will work as a replacement for the press-in feet for the front corners of the frame (sawhorse height). My best answer is a suggestion I saw from another owner. Find a threaded foot you like with either a 5/16-18 or M8-1.25 thread and cut its post off to about 9/16". Cover the threaded post with a short length of heat-shrink tubing and shrink it to fit. You should get a good press-in fit for the sockets in the frame. If it's still too loose, apply a second layer of tubing.
An alternative to the heat-shrink method is to use a small dab of a weak or reversible adhesive to keep the foot from falling out of the hole. Something like a caulk, a liquid hide glue, or perhaps a hot glue. Another option would be to wrap its post with a layer or two of tape until it has a strong enough friction fit in the hole that it won't fall out in use.
If you have another suggestion, please contact me!
Casters for Type E, 1, 2, 3, 5
If you'd like to be able to roll your Workmate around and then lock it in place to use it, you need some casters. I haven't tried this myself, but a member of the Garage Journal bought these casters for a Type 3 and reported that they worked great:
AAGUT 4pcs 2" Swivel Stem Casters with Brake Lock
That link includes the M8 size for the Type E, Type 3, and Type 5, as well as the 5/16-18 size (with choice of wheel diameter) for the Type 1 and 2. It seems possible that the casters might hit each other when you fold the legs under, but I haven't tried to find this out.
Boot Feet for Type 1-9
The 79-001 Type 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 came with slip-on rubber boot feet on the ends of either three of the folding legs (Type 4, 6, and 7) or all four of the legs (Type 8 and 9). These boot feet also fit on the legs of the Type 1, 2, 3, and 5, even though those originally had screw-in feet on the legs.
The original part is no longer available, but the boot feet for later models will work even though the fit isn't perfect. I bought them from eReplacementparts.com where the part no. is 242393-00 and the price is $2.99 each.
https://www.ereplacementparts.com/product_info.php?products_id=95587
The first photo shows the original foot on a Type 6 , the second shows how the replacement foot fits, and the third shows a view of both of them.
McMaster-Carr has three styles that will work. All of these are glides, with a plastic pad, not a non-skid rubber pad.
Item #2515T21 Leveling Mount, Nonmarring with 1-1/2" Long 5/16"-18 Threaded Stud To me, these are somewhat similar in appearance to the original feet for the Type 2, 4, 6, and 7, simply because the round pad is so similar. $8.20 for a pack of four.
Item #2284T55 High-Temperature Leveling Mounts with 1-1/2" Long 5/16"-18 Threaded Stud This one has some resemblance to the original feet for the Type 1. However, it has the lowest load rating of any of the rated ones here. At 50 pounds per foot, a set of four would fall short of the 350-pound rating for the Workmate. I'm pretty sure I have never applied more than 200 pounds of force to my Workmates, but I know others have. $3.40 for a pack of four.
Item # 62805K33 Heavy Duty Leveling Mount with 1-1/2" Long 5/16"-18 Threaded Stud $2.20 each.
Lee Valley has two styles that will work as full-height feet for the Type 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7, but are too short for the sawhorse-height feet. I have not tried these. They are described as glides, so the pads are probably not non-skid.
Item 00H5001, Levelling Glides No load rating given. $7.70 for four.
Item 00S1951, 5/16-18 Self-Levelling Glide $3.20 each.
Leveling (Screw-in) Feet for Type E, 3, 5
These three Types of the Workmate 79-001 use screw-in feet with metric thread M8-1.25. The original feet for all of these have a cone-shaped pad, but there were slight differences between them. The Type E has screw-in feet at the four rear positions, both upper and lower, while the Type 3 and 5 have eight.
Of the four options below, I have tried only the second and fourth ones, but I have verified that the dimensions of the others are compatible with the Workmate. All of the options below will work for either upper or lower foot position.
Recommendations
JW Winco has a metric-sized foot that has a passing resemblance to the originals:
GN 343.4 Leveling Feet Steel, Plastic Base, Threaded Stud Type, with or without Rubber Pad $6.44 and up.
To order this one, make sure you select Base diameter of either .98 or 1.26, Thread M8, Stud length 1.57, and With Rubber Pad. The base diameter of 1.26 is closest to original for the Type E. For the Type 3 and Type 5, the .98 is closest but slightly smaller than original , so I would choose the 1.26 for use on those Types also.
Another that works is the metric-sized version of the alternative one I recommend just above from Grainger:
Item #20KK54 Leveling Mount, Fixed Stud, 250 lb. Load Capacity, 2-1/4" Height, Clear Zinc $5.45 each.
Like my Grainger recommendation above, it has a non-skid rubber pad.
Another good choice is from McMaster-Carr, also with non-skid rubber pad:
Swivel Leveling Mount, Zinc-Plated Steel with Cushion and 32 mm Long M8 Threaded Stud $6.20 each.
The base part of the foot on this one swivels, to always stay in contact with irregularities in unlevel ground.
Alternatives
If you want to spend less, McMaster-Carr has one that will work, but it is a glide, with a plastic pad, not a non-skid rubber pad.
Item # 62805K51 Heavy Duty Leveling Mount with 38mm Long M8 x 1.25 mm Threaded Stud and 30mm Diameter Base $2.13 each.
Fixed Front Feet for Type E
The original front feet on the Type E, both upper and lower positions, are different from the rear feet. They are made of solid rubber with an unthreaded post that is about 5/16" in diameter (probably 8mm, but the difference is almost nil) and is only about 9/16" long. There is a metal core that stiffens the post. They simply press into a hole and are held by friction. As you might recognize, this was not a good design, because it's much too easy for the feet to fall out and get lost.
The upper holes in the front corners of the frame, for sawhorse height, have a closed hole, so any replacement foot should have the same 9/16" long post or it will stop before it is fully seated. The holes on the front lower legs, for full height, are through holes so replacements for them can have longer posts.
There is a quirk to the holes on the front lower legs. The bottom part of the hole is unthreaded and provides a nice snug fit for the rubber post of the original foot. However, the upper quarter-inch or so of the hole is threaded M8-1.25 like those for the rear feet. It looks as though they may have first tapped the entire length of those holes for M8-1.25 screw-in feet and then drilled them out from the bottom for a partial distance to the full 8mm diameter to fit the press-in feet. If you remove one of the press-in feet and try to re-insert it from the top of the hole, you will find that it won't fit because of the slightly smaller diameter threaded section remaining there. You can also usually see the threads at the top.
In my experience the threading in the legs is long enough to hold an M8-1.25 screw-in foot (like those I describe above) reasonably securely. If, for some reason, yours is not, you could easily drill out the hole to 5/16" to eliminate what ever threads might be left, and then use one of the feet recommended above with a nut installed on its upper end to secure it.
That leaves the question of what will work as a replacement for the press-in feet for the front corners of the frame (sawhorse height). My best answer is a suggestion I saw from another owner. Find a threaded foot you like with either a 5/16-18 or M8-1.25 thread and cut its post off to about 9/16". Cover the threaded post with a short length of heat-shrink tubing and shrink it to fit. You should get a good press-in fit for the sockets in the frame. If it's still too loose, apply a second layer of tubing.
An alternative to the heat-shrink method is to use a small dab of a weak or reversible adhesive to keep the foot from falling out of the hole. Something like a caulk, a liquid hide glue, or perhaps a hot glue. Another option would be to wrap its post with a layer or two of tape until it has a strong enough friction fit in the hole that it won't fall out in use.
If you have another suggestion, please contact me!
Casters for Type E, 1, 2, 3, 5
If you'd like to be able to roll your Workmate around and then lock it in place to use it, you need some casters. I haven't tried this myself, but a member of the Garage Journal bought these casters for a Type 3 and reported that they worked great:
AAGUT 4pcs 2" Swivel Stem Casters with Brake Lock
That link includes the M8 size for the Type E, Type 3, and Type 5, as well as the 5/16-18 size (with choice of wheel diameter) for the Type 1 and 2. It seems possible that the casters might hit each other when you fold the legs under, but I haven't tried to find this out.
Boot Feet for Type 1-9
The 79-001 Type 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 came with slip-on rubber boot feet on the ends of either three of the folding legs (Type 4, 6, and 7) or all four of the legs (Type 8 and 9). These boot feet also fit on the legs of the Type 1, 2, 3, and 5, even though those originally had screw-in feet on the legs.
The original part is no longer available, but the boot feet for later models will work even though the fit isn't perfect. I bought them from eReplacementparts.com where the part no. is 242393-00 and the price is $2.99 each.
https://www.ereplacementparts.com/product_info.php?products_id=95587
The first photo shows the original foot on a Type 6 , the second shows how the replacement foot fits, and the third shows a view of both of them.
You can see from the photos that the newer boot wasn't made for these legs. The original foot is rectangular in shape, made of thick rubber, and fits the leg very tightly. The newer one is slightly angled, making it seem at first that it won't fit. However it's made of thinner rubber, and is flexible enough that it can be made to work.
Bumper Feet for Type 6, 7, 8, and 9
For support at the lower sawhorse height, the 79-001 Type 6 and 7 have rubber bumper feet that mount with self-tapping 10-32 screws into 11/64" holes near the tops of the legs. When the legs are folded under, the Workmate rests on these bumper feet. It seems as though many owners never installed these feet, so it's common to find them missing. The original feet are no longer available, but there are replacements that will work.
The Type 8 and 9 use plastic corner feet for sawhorse height, which are also no longer available. It was also common for owners not to install the corner feet. However, the Type 8 and 9 have the same legs as the Type 6 and 7, so they have the necessary holes to mount the same bumper feet.
The original bumper feet are contoured on their bottom side to fit the curve of the surface of the leg where they mount. The replacements I suggest are flat on the bottom, but they seem to work fine. They don't come with self-tapping screws, so I would recommend tapping the holes for the 10-32 thread.
Here are two alternatives from McMaster-Carr:
Threaded-Stud Bumper SBR, 10-32 Thread, 7/8" OD, 3/8" High
Unthreaded Bumper SBR Rubber, 3/4" OD, 9/16" High, 5/16" Surface Height
They are sold in packages of 10 for $8.79 and $5.17 respectively. The first style includes the screws for mounting. For the second style, you supply the 10-32 screws of 1/2" to 3/4" length.
The following three photos compare the replacement feet to the original feet, with the original in the middle of each photo, the bumper with screw on the right, and the plain bumper on the left.
For support at the lower sawhorse height, the 79-001 Type 6 and 7 have rubber bumper feet that mount with self-tapping 10-32 screws into 11/64" holes near the tops of the legs. When the legs are folded under, the Workmate rests on these bumper feet. It seems as though many owners never installed these feet, so it's common to find them missing. The original feet are no longer available, but there are replacements that will work.
The Type 8 and 9 use plastic corner feet for sawhorse height, which are also no longer available. It was also common for owners not to install the corner feet. However, the Type 8 and 9 have the same legs as the Type 6 and 7, so they have the necessary holes to mount the same bumper feet.
The original bumper feet are contoured on their bottom side to fit the curve of the surface of the leg where they mount. The replacements I suggest are flat on the bottom, but they seem to work fine. They don't come with self-tapping screws, so I would recommend tapping the holes for the 10-32 thread.
Here are two alternatives from McMaster-Carr:
Threaded-Stud Bumper SBR, 10-32 Thread, 7/8" OD, 3/8" High
Unthreaded Bumper SBR Rubber, 3/4" OD, 9/16" High, 5/16" Surface Height
They are sold in packages of 10 for $8.79 and $5.17 respectively. The first style includes the screws for mounting. For the second style, you supply the 10-32 screws of 1/2" to 3/4" length.
The following three photos compare the replacement feet to the original feet, with the original in the middle of each photo, the bumper with screw on the right, and the plain bumper on the left.
The views below show what they look like installed, with the original on the left, the bumper with screw in the middle, and the plain bumper on the right.