Customer Reviews

Black & Decker WM425 Workmate 425 550-Pound Capacity Portable Workbench

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(55)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Don't be confused but the WM425 = Workmate 550 Project Center is the latest top of the line. The design of the table is excellent, but its minor construction flaws merit it only 4 stars. First, do consider the problems folks had with shipping damage. This is due to minimal padding in the Black&Decker box. If UPS ships this product without additional protection, there is a good chance it will get damaged. Second, at the store you'll have a choice of which box to select. Even at HomeDepot, some were badly bruised. My unit had a spring that popped off but was easily fixed. What took a little tweaking was the main clamping shelf was not installed parallel to the other boards. I fixed it by making sure the bolts were aligned properly and synched with the sprocketed drive belt, but if you read the assembly directions first, you might get away with fixing this by getting the handles to click, which disengages the sprockets and allows the cranks to be operated independently to fix a misalignment. After these minor fixes, the table worked flawlessly. The book 25 Essential Projects for Your Workshop describes some simple extensions you can build for the Workmate. Don't worry that the benchdogs are plastic, they work fine. You can build stronger ones if you like. The main drive mechanism is plastic, so don't over-torque your work. The only other glitch I couldn't fix was cosmetic. The neato grid did not line up across all three boards because the pre-drilled holes for the support blocks were a little off. I also didn't find that the vertical clamping strength to be very strong, but its adequate, and the one-hand operation works well and is slick. I plan to use my workmate to support some heavy table tools, and clamp some work that I route or carve. My final word to B&D is, you've got a great product, don't blow it with poor packaging and hurried assembly.

Likes: The Workmate is a tremendously good idea. I'm finding all kind of uses for it. I like Michael Edelman's idea to use it as a tool stand. It clamps my DeWalt framing saw upside down so I have an el cheapo table saw. My Bosch Progressor jigsaw (another purchase based on an Amazon user review) works that way too. (And my belt sander.) This is a good buy. I'm lovin' it to pieces. Dislikes: It arrived via UPS in bad shape. Looked like they dropkicked it all the way here. The particleboard top was broken in 2 places. And these boards are heavy...as is the steel frame. This old girl ought to go on a diet. That particleboard top might hold 550 pounds but it had better be distributed over the whole thing. Overall: Black & Decker sent me the replacement pieces quickly (and the lady I talked to was very courteous and apologetic about my problem...wish I remembered her name Black & Decker. She's the type person who's keeping people coming back to you.) I'd say that it was overwieght, overpriced, but I like it anyway.

I have two Workmates; the second I purchased last year, and the first, over 15 years ago. Both get regular workouts. I use them for sawhorses, tool stands, clamps, drying stands and more.

The tool stand trick is great for working in restricted quarters, or in the field. I have a number of power tools mounted on a piece of plywood with a cleat screwed to the bottom so I can clamp them on the Workmate for a quick-change tool stand.

The folded metal construction and particle board tops of the current models makes them look more like hobbyist gear than serious tools, but they last. Owners get attached to them, too. Funny, but I've never seen a used one for sale.

Deserves a spot in the design hall of fame, this well-constructed foldable bench is responsible for saving thousands of dining room chairs and picnic tables from their accidental scaring and destruction. No longer will you drill through your wood project and into the kitchen countertops, gone are the days where you very foolished used you knee to balance the board you were cutting with the radial saw. The vise is very useful for clamping small glue jobs -- though often not wide enough anything larger -- and serves and an extra pair of hands when you need them most.

The extra 40 bucks (vs the WM225) buys you slightly sturdier construction (though I haven't had a problem in 10yrs) and the ability to create a vertical vise/grip. It's not a bad feature to have for certain kinds of fine wood working projects -- but at that point I suspect you're better off getting a permanent work bench. At the same time, I've rarely longed for it.

No, I don't work for BD, nor does anyone I am related to. I have NO stake in the company. I'm just a mechanically inclined person who likes tools, knows how to use them, and probably spends too much time thinking, reading and opining about them. And, here I go again...

Regarding all the comments about the drive belt slipping, IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO THAT, you morons!! Oops, did I say that out loud? Anyway, the belt WILL NOT BREAK from this slipping. The original Workmates didn't have that feature, which made the user crank both handles, everytime, ALL the time. The SLIPPING plastic belt is there to speed up the process by homing both sides of the vise jaws against the workpiece, so you THEN can TIGHTEN both vise screws USING TWO HANDS. It's a speed and convenience feature, not a way to torque both sides with one handle. All of the people who complained about the poor instructions were coincidentally the same people who did a likewise poor job of reading them, I guess. Certainly, it can't be any fault of theirs the darn thing doesn't work exactly as they misconceive it should!

Aside from being stamped steel instead of cast aluminum, this modern version is every bit as functional as the originals, if not as cool. Yes, they cheaped it up, but the same parts are there, doing the same jobs, just for less money. If they were still cast aluminum, they'd probably be $200 or $300 these days.

You don't fully appreciate the brilliance of the Workmate until you read about it and it's inventor in the book "The Workbench Book" by Scott Landis. It sounds silly, but it is truly a riveting story of a young English guy living in an apartment, who needed a workbench, and then persisted when everyone turned him down, to create one of the best selling, most unique, long-lived tools ever. It's genius! And you'll see pictures of many of the various versions of the Workmate that have existed. The first few prototypes are a riot. Hard to believe he went from those to this, but he did!
Check your local library for a copy of the book, or buy it right here on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1561582700/103-9694295-6840628?v=glance&n=283155&s=books&v=glance

In conclusion, the Workmate 425 is an amazing tool. I'm less enthustiastic about the smaller versions, and versions with idendity crises like the WM525, but the 425 and older models that look the same are awesome. And it's a great tool stand.

When I was younger, I used to think the Workmate was the dumbest thing I'd ever seen. I wouldn't have been caught dead using this Father's day nightmare gimmick of a gift. But after reading The Workbench Book, I bought one. I use mine alot more than even I thought I would or could, and it never ceases to amaze me the things I can do with it, with a little creative thought. After myself, it's the most versatile tool in my shop. In fact, I'm planning to buy another one right now. If only I could find one of those retro-cool cast aluminum jobs! No luck so far! Can't even find one for sale, ebay or elsewhere. And I've been looking on and off for about 2 years. Does that tell you ANYTHING? It should.

Aside from the few walking human safety hazards that have reviewed this product here on Amazon, most of what has been said is true. The box the 425 comes in is HORRIBLE, and falls apart in shipping, or even when trying to get it out of the trunk of the car and into the garage. But you don't use the box, do you? Yes, it can be a little time consuming to put together, but you'll get there. Don't tighten the bolts for the top until you get them ALL on, and clamp the vise screws down tight. Then the table boards will align to each other, and you can final torque the fasteners.

But the guy who keeps dropping it on his foot needs to stay out of the garage before he hurts someone. It's a physical impossiblity for this product to fall down with the extension feet properly extended, which is sure not difficult to figure out. Rotate them outward until they stop! Get real! Not to mention anther comment, "I was dissapointed because the top in the picture looks like some sort metal and mine was wood?" You're a WHAT enthusiast? After reading these reviews, I truly pity people and companies that sell consumer products, don't you?! How can you not?

This is an OK product with several major caveats. Don't buy mail order. It will arrive damaged. The packaging is nonexistent and the plastic fittings on the underside of the boards will break in shipping. I've done it twice. If you must have it, buy from a retailer and check everything before you take it home.
As a product for fixed home use it's OK. For taking to work sites, it's too heavy and awkward to fold, unfold and carry. Also, the plastic fittings that don't make it through shipping may not make it bouncing around in your truck. They are not very sturdy.
A better choice is the Craftsman (the more expensive one). It has telescoping legs and is easier to fold and carry. The top boards are melamine, but you can make your own hardwood boards. The best pegs/clamps for these workstands are the ones that come with the Skil workstand sold at Lowe.

The WM425 has lots of ingenious features but they are made so cheaply-- with plastic and thin metal-- that those features are more of a marketing ploy than part of a quality Workmate. My original Workmate, which is probably 20 years old, is working like new. My WM425 is already broken-- one of the handles broke off. The WM425 takes me at least twice the effort to perform tasks that the original Workmate can do because the screw length of the WM425 is so short you often have to remove and shift the back two bamboo platforms in order to clamp wood between them-- going from 1 1/2" to 6". Also you often have to find a place to put the center/rear platform that has to be removed at times. The platforms use plastic parts that slide into notches in the top metal rails. The fit of the platforms to the rails are cleaver but I do not believe they will last long-- especially if you need to clamp down hard or move/change them. Which, brings up the point the WM425 Workmate does not clamp down as well as the original Workmate. And, the one handed tightening feature is poorly made and does not work well. The original Workmate sits well on its side when folded up. The WM425 falls over in the slightest breeze.
I called Black and Decker just after my WM425 arrived because one of the plastic pegs arrived broken. The customer service at Black and Decker is excellent and she sent a replacement peg to me on the spot. I told her that the WM425 seemed cheaply manufactured but I would keep it because sometimes things that look cheaply made actually work fine anyway. I also mentioned to her that I would pay much more for an original workmate if they were to manufacture them again-- since I know they last a long time. Also, although the box looked fine, the Workmate arrived twisted so the pull bar did not function. (By the way, I twisted it back-- the metal is so thin it twists easily.)
Well I've had the WM425 for about 6 months and hardly use it. I am using my original Workmate about 100 times a month and I still could use need another quality workmate. But, the WM425 is such a disappointment that I'm using a sawhorse instead. If you own one of the original Workmates you are most likey going to hate these new ones.
I do not often write reviews, but these are so bad in comparison that I hope to prevent others from making my mistake. At the very least, try one before you buy it.

Like the other reviewers here, I found the Workmate I ordered to be a great product. However, when I picked up the box from where it had been left by UPS on my front porch, I could hear the pieces banging around inside. I immediately remembered what another person had mentioned here about their Workmate arriving in bad shape. Sure enough, there were a couple chips out of the boards that form the surface of the workbench. One chip was severe enough to require a part replacement. B&D is sending a replacement part, no questions asked, but now I have to wait another 7-10 business days before I put my Workmate together. Packaging that didn't stand up well to shipping is my one complaint here. You may not have this problem, and either way I'll end up with a good little workbench in the end, I'm sure.

When I moved two years ago, I decided to donate my Workmate 400 to charity because some of the plastic parts had broken. Big mistake. Overall the two models are essentially the same, but with one exception the 400 was better built. I won't spend too much time explaining the merits of this useful tool. Like several other reviewers, I chose to replace my trusty Workmate 400 with the new model. That alone speaks volumes for the usefulness of this product. The purpose of this review is to explain the pros and cons of the Workmate 400 VS the 425.
The following is a comparison between the Workmate 425 and the 400:
Features: Identical except the 425 has a nylon strap that allows you to turn both cranks at the same time by only turning one of them. I like this feature, but, NO, you cannot tighten down on anything by turning only one crank. That was not the intent of the strap. The 400 included a useful bottom shelf that increased its weight and provided a surface to set down your tools. The 425 has as similar base and you could make a shelf just like the one that came with the 400.
Construction: The 400 had a fiber board table, the 425 has a bamboo table. I would expect the table on the 425 to last longer. There are more plastic parts replacing metal parts on the 425. Did I mention I got rid of the model 400 because plastic parts broke? More on this follows.
Comments about other reviews:
One reviewer wrote that the workbench is too heavy. Actually, any hobbiest and professional would tell you that you need a heavy workbench to be functional and safe. The 400 was a little heavier because of the included shelf, but it was not too heavy to carry around. I plan to make a shelf for the 425 to make it heavier and safer.
Another reviewer wrote about how many times the non-fixed shelf almost fell on his toes. I did not understand this statement until using the 425. The problem stems from Black & Decker's decision to replace the connection between the base and the table with plastic instead metal. The plastic one slides easier. I would be more concerned about the longevity of the plastic connection rather that any risk of it falling on your toes.
In short, if you don't already have a Workmate, I would highly recommend the 425. I would have rated this 5 stars if it weren't for the lower quality as compared to the 400. If you do have a 400, don't get rid of it! If I had to do it over again, I would have replaced the broken plastic parts on the 400. BTW, if you have a 400 with a damaged table, could you use the 400's hardware on the 425's table? I don't know; but, if you can, it might be worthwhile. Also, if you happen upon a fully functional Workmate 400, don't hesitate to buy it.

I had an original workmate for almost 25 years. When I moved a few years ago I gave it to my son who had just purchased his first house. Now 5 years later I really miss that old workmate. So I decided to replace it and purchased a new WM425 from Home Depot. It promised to be everything the old one was and more. WRONG!! What a piece of crap compared to the original. It's built out of stamped metal instead of heavier gauge aluminum and is not at all easy to unfold. The worst feature is the vise action which is not as tight or precise as the original. The 2 handles are joined by a cheap light plastic perforated strap so that both sides tighten (sort of) at the same time. This eliminates the possibility of clamping pieces whose sides aren't parallel. So it's going back to HD and my son and I will be having joint custody of the old Workmate.