Black & Decker WM425 Workmate 425-550 Pound Capacity Portable Work Bench

by Black & Decker

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

The Black & Decker Workmate Project Center might just be the item you need to make your home shop complete. Its versatility makes it an especially ideal choice for those with limited shop floor space: use it as a workbench, a bench tool stand, a vise, or a sawhorse, then quickly break it down and store it out of the way. Because it's lightweight and portable, you can move it conveniently wherever it's needed. The one-handed vise clamp system, with its exclusive clutch design, provides quick and easy clamping. The Workmate also features an extra block to expand your work surface, four swivel pegs, and an adjustable front jaw that swings up for vertical clamping. Its legs fold under to provide the lower height and stability needed when you're using it as a base for bench tools, and its all-steel construction and rubber feet ensure a stable, strong work surface that supports up to 550 pounds. All in all, we were pretty impressed. With features like these, it's no wonder the Workmate is a popular choice for light-duty and home shop use. --Tim Block

Product Description

Advanced, One Handed Clamp system with exclusive clutch design for easy clamping. Front jaw swings up for vertical clamping. Folds for easy storage and carrying. Vise jaws angle to hold wedge shapes up to 8 5 16" wide. Swivel pegs hold shapes up to 18 3 4

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 29.2 x 8.9 x 29.5 inches ; 46 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 36.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0000224R9
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: WM425
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (119 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #695 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

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  Home Improvement > Building Supplies > Material Handling > Workbenches

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

116 of 120 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not just for hobbyists, March 6, 2000

By	Michael J Edelman (Huntington Woods, MI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Black & Decker WM425 Workmate 425-550 Pound Capacity Portable Work Bench (Tools & Hardware)

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.

101 of 104 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great tool, but minor fixes required, June 14, 2001

By	Phillip P. Schmidt "philschmidt" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Black & Decker WM425 Workmate 425-550 Pound Capacity Portable Work Bench (Tools & Hardware)

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.

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Overweight and overpriced but very sexy anyway., September 26, 2000

By	Robert J. Murrell (PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Black & Decker WM425 Workmate 425-550 Pound Capacity Portable Work Bench (Tools & Hardware)

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.