BLACK+DECKER Portable Workbench, Workmate Folding Workbench, 550 lb. Capacity with Clamps for Woodworking (WM425-A)

I like this workbench so well, that I have two of them. I bought my first one about 30 years ago, and I'm still using it. Very sturdy and versatile. I love the clamping function and the removal top sections. The workbench can be a challenge to setup and take down, but it folds to a very compact size.

At a good price.

Hey got my Workmate today and I'm really happy I did! I don't do a ((LOT)) of woodwork but when I do finally get on a project, I need TOP-SHELF GEAR to be on hand and ready to go. I don't have TENS OF THOUSANDS to invest in a PREMIUM HOME WORKSHOP, so I get by with something REALLY COOL over here, and REALLY HANDY over there. I needed this bench more than a hog needs slop lol.. Because when I used my router or sander, I never had anything to properly hold the wood steady - till now!!I'm so excited to FINALLY be able to clamp a piece of wood down and just go to work on it - (Be careful not to sand or cut in to the plastic "dogs/posts" holding your work. As long as that doesn't happen you can't beat this for versatility, practicality & usability. The only reason I didn't give it 5-stars was because it's a tad small, and was a little tough to put together. There's 2 pins that have to be hammered into place, and MANNnnnn.... That took some WORK to get those things banged into place and "FLUSH" with the handled.You better hope you don't bend or damage them during hammering because once they get INTO position just a bit, you'll NEVER get them back out. After battling those pins to get them into position, the rest was easy. The instructions are fairly vague and you have to really figure it out on your own. This IS NOT for beginner-level builders because you really do have to figure most of it out as you go - fortunately there's not many pieces for it. Regardless, I DID also stop at the hardware store and pick up 6 washers - I don't understand why they didn't include washers and it likely doesn't matter but (I don't like bolts digging into wood).So ultimately - It would also be cool if it had a height adjustment, better directions, and if it was BIGGER! Basically... Black & Decker needs a FULL-SIZED WORKBENCH with drawers, peg board on the wall and a vice on the side. With THE WORKMATE as an item-companion, WOOWWW!! Now THAT woulda been cool!!! 😉 Other than that, It's actually REALLY well made, solid as a rock, and I'm looking forward to using it and putting it through the paces. 😍

I did not ever own an "original" workmate so I cannot speak to the quality when compared to the 1980's models. i can say however that this thing is AWESOME and plenty sturdy for my needs. I use it for everything from projects around the house, to a tailgating table at football games, even a portable outdoor kitchen counter when I took a Turkey to Thanksgiving and my Dad's wife did not want me to carve it indoors. It easily folds and slides into my trunk and i am tempted to just store it there since I find so many uses for it. I am a shooter and I take it with me to the outdoor range. When I get there I just unfold it and have an instant shooters bench. I have noticed other guys buying one or trying to fashion one. If the cost of an item is how much you paid for it divided by how much you use it, this thing is one of the best purchases I have ever made. Again, it is PLENTY sturdy and easily holds the 500lb weight advertised. I guess it could suddenly fall apart tomorrow but I don't see that ever happening. I will agree assembly was a PITA but that is a one time thing. I wish I had purchased one years ago.

This is a well-built work collapsible and portable bench for residential use. Not robust enough for contractors.I bought it for around the house chores. It is well built for that task and it’s quite handy. A little hard to set up and stand and heavy to carry around but generally an excellent tool. I especially like the right angle option to vice with - very handy. The right angle vice is very useful for large items or awkward sized ones like doors or 4 x 4 cuts.While the workmate itself may be well engineered I can’t say that for the instruction booklet. I would’ve given this five stars for its usefulness and strength in construction, but the instructions that came with it were so terribly I can only give it three. These drawings are so inferior in fact that it made putting it together in ordinately difficult. The booklet calls for the wrong parts in the wrong instruction step and locations for screws as well as poor to follow drawings supplied there in.I recommend that only someone who is handy with tools purchased this just because of the difficulty to assembly. You’ll really have to think through how they actually designed it to put it together and the instructions too little to do any step-by-step assembly. You really get very little help from the confusing and incorrect directions that are supplied.But if you’re handy with tools And mechanically inclined you’ll find the end product quite useful for around the house. Also, use a socket to tighten the screws down - don’t try using the enclosed bolt finger tightener labeled ‘I’ in the parts list.Because the directions and drawings were so inferior to the product I had to deduct TWO stars because of the difficulty in assembling. If you know someone who is assembled one before that would be a big help. But if you’re assembling one in your garage, in Texas at 106° I would really recommend you pass on this unless you’re mechanically inclined.