Walko in the Workshop

Do you have the perfect workshop?  All the space in the world? Or are there factors in play denying you a decent working space? Need a more portable work station?

Do you need a Walko in the Workshop?

Walko 4 Workbench Professional

The bench can be configured in all sorts of ways, and that is where it really starts showing up its versatility.  In the A Frame orientation shown here, it looks like a pretty normal workbench with a gap down the middle.  This gap is ideal when handling larger sheets as you can run a circular saw through the board, down the middle of that gap without cutting into the tops.

The tops are regarded as being sacrificial and can be purchased as a consumable, although I’d be unlikely to want to go down that route, at least not deliberately.

Replacement Brackets

The brackets that allow the tops to be located into the A Frame can be purchased separately. You can make your own tops, but I think more interestingly you can use these to make your own jigs.  I’d probably use butterfly nuts so the jigs can be swapped as required.  The original bamboo tops are laminated, but still have a significant level of water resistance (max 24 hours).  They have 20mm dog holes drilled in them for a variety of clamping setups, and particularly the rather clever low-profile Walko surface clamps.

Walko Surface Clamp

The Walko clamps have 2 parts – a stationary dogged side (and in some cases that is all you need), and a extendable side that uses a cam to tighten the clamp on the workpiece.  You can also use F Clamps to really hold items to the surface, with the fixed jaw inserted through a dog hole.  (Even quick-action clamps with a removable head can be used).

Horizontal Panel Cutting

By removing the benchtops, the A Frame can be opened out providing a large platform for breaking down sheet goods with a circular saw.  The black plastic strips are also consumable (and replaceable), which a saw can easily cut through without damage to the blade.  It is estimated by the company that these strips will last 1 1/2 – 2 years of use by contractors.  I haven’t checked the actual fit, but these strips are just over 3mm wide, so I’d be very tempted to see if they can be replaced with 3mm MDF strips.

If you would prefer breaking sheets down in a vertical orientation, the Walko can be wall mounted, and there are brackets to support the material.

Panel Saw

Using a saw-rail system such as the Festool Guide Rail to turn it into a panel saw

Festool Guide Rail

Now while the system is wall-mounted, you can convert it back to a workbench, with one bench being a working surface, and the second for tool and materials storage.

Wall Mounted Bench

It is this orientation that lead me to a setup that would work particularly well in my workshop.  I don’t have sufficient wallspace for the Walko to be wall mounted (wish it was), so having the setup as an A Frame works best for me.

A Frame Alternate Setup

The material support brackets can also be used to support an item during assembly, or for supporting odd-shaped items for cutting such as pipes.

Transporting the System

For on-site work (particularly contractors, or woodshows……. 😉 ) the Walko bench easily fits inside a Station Wagon.

To give an extra level of functionality, I am quite interested in seeing if a traditional bench vice can be fitted to the bench.  I’ve purchased a basic one to try it out.  Now to add some wooden jaws.

Wooden Bench Vice

Update – Video added here