Black and Decker matrix. Don't scoff just yet.......

[woodywoodwood]

Black and Decker matrix system. I know we've seen this sort of thing before; I kinda remember a cordless kit with a table saw(with a single, swappable, drill motor driving attachments etc)
Now, I use hilti drills, and such, so am not suggesting I am going to cash in all my tools and buy this, but its an interesting idea, and an obvious improvement on the previous efforts. How long before one of the major trade tool manufacturers releases a kit with a switchable motor? I am no engineer, but I know a bit about tools, and I can see it coming.
There was a time when cordless tools etc came with a built-in battery!
Anyone entering ' the matrix'?
WWW

 

[custard]

Anyone entering ' the matrix'?

There used to be loads of silly accessories that fitted onto electric drills, supposedly changing them into fully functioning spindle moulders, lathes, dovetail jigs, or saw tables. Useless stuff like this example,

Looks pretty comical today, but back in the day lots of people fell for it.

I guess B&D think they'll fall for it again...and they're probably right!

 

[Rorschach]

I see this drill powered tools every week at the car boot, they always terrify me.

 

[woodbrains]

Anyone entering ' the matrix'?

There used to be loads of silly accessories that fitted onto electric drills, supposedly changing them into fully functioning spindle moulders, lathes, dovetail jigs, or saw tables. Useless stuff like this example,



Looks pretty comical today, but back in the day lots of people fell for it.

I guess B&D think they'll fall for it again...and they're probably right!

Hello,

It looks pretty comical with the fence on upside down, that is certain!

My dad had a device that turned a drill into an orbital sander. He eventually built a lawn mower out of it?! :roll:

Mike.

 

[Richard S]

They've done it before, it's just an updated Quattro.

 

[Lons]

Old hat stuff from B&D except that it's now cordless.

When I was 12 in 1961 I used all my odd job and paper round money as well as Christmas and birthday requests to buy a B&D drill complete with a boatload of accessories all powered by that one drill, ( which didn't last long )! The drill chuck needed to be removed for all but the drill stand.

* Lathe
* Orbital sander
* Jigsaw
* Circular saw
* Right angle drill adapter
* Drill stand

I think there were others available as well which I didn't buy but can't remember.
It's cheaper these days to buy throw away self powered tools from China.

Bob

 

[woodywoodwood]

Quattro, that's right. Some of the tools used one, some two of the cylindrical batteries. I agree- it looks plastic, but I did watch ten secs of the video to see how the cordless router looked ( yeah, not good).
Even so, I think there will be more attempts at this, and I'm not sure its a dead horse. This one in particular, sure - its bad enough.

 

[woodywoodwood]

I'd have loved to see the lawnmower! My brain is telling me there used to be something called 'workshop eight' or something like that. I think ten year old me would have loved it!

 

[Geoff_S]

Horses for courses?

I think this is aimed at the really casual DIY'er. And I haven't checked, but maybe it's cheaper to buy the accessory than it is the whole machine.

Mind you, with the price of batteries on standard cordless power tools, the body only is starting to become the accessory to the battery!

 

[Jacob]

Back in the 60s the B&D drill with accessories!! was the bees knees and the low cost start of the road for many including me. I had the 720 (?) drill, drill stand (excellent) the circ saw (OK but not a deep cut) , a jig saw I think (can't quite remember and suspect it was useless) and a sander (smaller than half sheet, can't remember the details). And of course a variety of sanding discs.
They were for a generation who had never owned power tools before, in fact my grand parents didn't even have electricity. Masonry drilling was by hand (star bit or rawlplug) until the very limited B&D hammer drill came in.
Not to be scoffed at!
Maybe the Matrix system will supply a need - just depends on how good the design is, as there's nothing wrong with the principle.

 

[Harbo]

My father had a Stanly Bridges drill with all sorts of accessories including a lathe. He made all sorts of small items using that.
I made these with it when a teenager:

Rod

 

[Lons]

Mine started me on the road to turning Rod and I eventually made up a headstock using plumber blocks and a threaded shaft that would take the B&D faceplate and drive centres.

Along with many other items I made a full size standard lamp on the original lathe powered by the drill as O had a long hole boring attachment ( still have the shell cutter ).

They really were limited and I remember the end float on the drill being a problem but a great way to start as proper lathes were very expensive in those days.

Bob

 

[graduate_owner]

We had the B&D D 500 single speed drill with circular saw and orbital sander attachments, and horizontal and vertical stands etc. There was no way my dad could have justified buying separately powered units so our B&D was actually pretty good in that the saw did cut ( with a new carbide blade) and the sander did sand.as has been said, it felt like the bees knees at the time. My friend's dad had a hedge cutter attachment, and again, it worked.
Some years later I acquired a lathe attachment. Now that was a piece of rubbish - noisy and fiddly, but the worst bit was the draught of cooling air blowing in my face.
I have a decent amount of kit now and I wouldn't dream of using stuff like we used to, but at the time it was actually very useful. Except for that awful lathe

K

 

[Stanleymonkey]

I remember those attachments - we had the sander and the circular saw. They were stored away in a purpose made wooden box - all exciting stuff.

I watched the Matrix video - quite surprised at how small and compact it all is. Probably will sell at the price. A lot of maker site and videos out there. Doesn't take up too much space for a lot of tools.

Very cheesy advert though

 

[Blockplane]

Anyone entering ' the matrix'?

There used to be loads of silly accessories that fitted onto electric drills, supposedly changing them into fully functioning spindle moulders, lathes, dovetail jigs, or saw tables. Useless stuff like this example,



Looks pretty comical today, but back in the day lots of people fell for it.

I guess B&D think they'll fall for it again...and they're probably right!

Don't knock the Woden quicksaw - for those of us with small cars and small budgets one of those(bought for a couple of quid) and a cordless drill provide the means of breaking down sheets of plywood to get them home.

 

[Jacob]

As well as B&D plus attachments there was a whole culture of DIY machinery made possible by "Picador Spindles" and others - plummer blocks, shafts , belts/pulleys etc. All you needed was an old washing machine motor and an ammo box.

 

[Droogs]

My father had a Stanly Bridges drill with all sorts of accessories including a lathe. He made all sorts of small items using that.
I made these with it when a teenager:

Rod

That pic gave me flashbacks to Michael Bentine and the Potty men - ah good times

 

[custard]

All you needed was an old washing machine motor and an ammo box.

What could possibly go wrong.

 

[Jacob]

All you needed was an old washing machine motor and an ammo box.

What could possibly go wrong.

:lol:
My first "table" saw was the B&D drill attachment upside down in an ammo box.
Second was a Picador spindle much like the above, in the same ammo box, plus washing machine motor.
Still got all my fingers!

I seem to remember the ammo box as being 12" x 18" x 24" which made it a really useful bit of workshop or site kit - very sturdy, you could sit on it, or turn 3 ways for three height settings, to use it as step up, or supporting one end of a door or something in the vice. Plus a lid and rope carrying handles, for carrying your tools, flask, meat pies etc.
In fact they were so good I might make myself another one - call it a "systainer" or something stupid!

The washing machine for motors was this below. It was one of the very first post war machines. Built in mangle.
Previously we had dolly tub, dolly and huge freestanding mangle outside.

 

[DTR]

My father had a Stanly Bridges drill with all sorts of accessories including a lathe. He made all sorts of small items using that.
I made these with it when a teenager:

Rod

Harbo, they're brilliant :lol: