Features of Black & Decker WM425
Two year home use warranty Includes insert to convert vise into a workbench Exclusive one handed clamp system Folds for storage Holds up to 550 lbs
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
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Black & Decker WM425 Customer Review(s):
Summary: Correcting misconceptions about this great product
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Comment: 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?
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Summary: Indispensable workshop tool
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Comment: One of the most valuable tools for the workshop is a Workmate. This tool allows the craftsman to do so many things so much better than is possible without it. Too many people think it is only for the occasional job but it is useful in many ways and for all levels of craftsmen. I wouldn't be without it.
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Summary: Would Get Five Stars if Black & Decker Fixed the Flaws
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Comment: The packaging/shipping problem still exists; the single-ply box and scant packing material still present a problem. The box mine was in at Menards was so ratty that I had the guy helping me take it out of the box before I purchased it so I could inspect it for damage. I couldn't believe there wasn't any.
Second, the so-called one-hand turning system with the nylon belt was so annoying that I snipped the belt off and threw it away. So what if I have to use two hands? It works smoother, and now I can clamp uneven objects.
With these and the various plastic handles and parts aside, the Workmate 425 is a great product, sturdy and well designed. The top is still made out of plywood, and won't chip or crack from normal use like some cheap competitor brand-x stuff I've seen. The body will hold 550 lbs. ; I didn't stand on it, but I pressed down on it, and found it to be quite strong, and well suited for building furniture, cabinets, and various other projects.
It won't replace a good cabinetmaker's bench, nor will the clamping abilities replace, say, the Lee Valley Veritas Tucker Vise, but it will definitely help you get most woodworking jobs done, and it doesn't take up much space. Like some of the other reviewers, I plan to use it as a base for various power tools, as well as my general all-around workbench...until I get the space to build a full-size one. And I'll still use it after that.
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