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 ... Read more

Features

• 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

Reviews (16)

Very nice workstation!
I really like this bench. It takes up less room than my previous table and it's extremely sturdy. I tried standing on it just to see if it felt sturdy (this is NOT recommended, by the way). The specs say it holds 550lbs and i believe it. I have sawed wood with a hacksaw, drilled holes in wood, and made keys on this workbench (I'm a student locksmith, which is why I bought this item).

The bench has these posts that stand up high enough to rest boards and other flat items on it so that there's space between the item and the bench. This makes it good for drilling. The three table-top pieces can be used for clamping, but i have not used this feature yet. They are easily moved however, with the hand cranks on the front. My unit came mostly assembled, but the box had been opened so I'm not sure if that's normal or not. (I bought this from Lowe's, not Amazon, for $90.) I think this is best for people who don't need too big a table surface, but need the sturdiness of a larger workbench.

solid bench
I bought the Workmate WM425PS project center from a local home center (their price for the Workmate 425, which included a 25 ft. extension cord and multi-outlet power strip was $25 less than Amazon's). I was expecting to spend an hour assembling it but, surprisingly, it was almost completely assembled right out of the box. I only had to put on the plastic handles which took only a minute to install. The stand sets up easily and intuitively and is quite sturdy. For such a stable stand it is not heavy at all, and I could easily carry it from one end of my basement to the other. The owner's manual is almost useless. Illustrations and instructions for assembly and usage are very poor. If it had not come preassembled, figuring out how to put it together would have been difficult. Black & Decker's web site will be of no use for this. However, using the Workmate is fairly intuitive and not that hard to figure out. The Workmate will be a handy work bench for small tasks, and the clamping is acceptable for simple things like holding boards for sawing. The clamp is too flimsy to use for any serious clamping. The stand is solid enough that it could be used for most any portable bench tool like a miter saw, planer, etc.

Overall, I'm glad I purchased this product and will find it useful over time. I suggest that you price around before purchase. I was quite surprised to see that Amazon's price was substantially higher than the local home center.

Great portable workbench
This is not a quality cabinate makers work bench. But using this bench you could build one. I got one because I have no room to store a real bench. Besides I like being able to bring a bench to the job vs taking the work back to the garage/shop.

On mine the belt which drives both handles is plastic, but the clamps are steel screws. What this means is that when I start to tighten both handle turn until one starts to skip. That means its time to grasp both handles and tighten. When its skipping it means the plastic belt can't drive the steel screw tighter. Oh well.

It is heavy but on the other hand it holds the work firmly. I'd like a way to one hand open/set it up when lifting vs the two hands and foot I use now.

Anyway I agree after you buy a drill get this.

Great idea for small to medium projects
It's strong, sturdy and well-made. It will do just about anything, BUT don't try to use the vise to hold anything that doesn't run the length of the table (length of the vise).

This is what happens when I try to clamp something smaller, or if what you are clamping needs to overhand either the left or right side:

- I was clamping a 2 foot item to enable my saw to cut of the very edge
- opened up clamps, put in item, start cranking to close the clamps
- the clamp on the right side tightened, as expected, but the left side start "skipping"
- the left and right cranks are geared and use a nylon runner to attach the two together. Crank either one in either direction and they both crank.
- this works great when you're clamping something in the middle, or something very long, but in my case, the right side tightended and the left just clicked.
- no big deal I guess, but I was wondering when the nylon runner\belt would break. I stopped before that happened.

So, in summary, I love the table, and I love what it can do. I just feel like I might be limited with it's clamping ability.

Jeff

Heavy Safety Hazard
I have had this workmate 425 for a year and a half. In that amount of time the center part has fallen out on somebody's foot
Three times.You have really tighten it down to prevent this from
happening. Also the short legs on the bottom have collapsed twice
causing it to fall on my foot. This needs to be enginered better.
It is to heavy. Other than those problems it work's ok.Don't stand
on top of this table because of the leg problem. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The Workmate 225 might be what's missing from your home shop. 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; when the job's done, you can quickly break it down and store it out of the way. (Try that with a regular workbench!) Its portability is no small advantage: essentially, the Workmate lets you move your shop wherever you need it. The Workmate's legs fold under to provide the lower height and stability needed for use as a base for bench tools. Its all-steel construction and rubber feet ensure a stable, strong work surface that supports up to 450 pounds. And its independently adjustable jaws have two swivel pegs each, allowing you to hold almost anything. The Workmate 225 is Black & Decker's intro model. They also offer the Workmate 550, which is a little burlier, has a nice clamping device, and is more expensive. For light-duty, home shop use, though, the Workmate 225 is an excellent choice. --Tim Block ... Read more

Features

• Two year home use warranty
• Folds easily for storage and transport
• Exclusive clutch design makes clamping easy and allows for fine tuning
• Durable steel constructions holds up to 450 pounds
• Dual height--bench and sawhorse--for multiple uses

Reviews (12)

A great tool!
This is one of the most useful tools that I have owned in my 20 yrs in the carpentry trade.Most of the woodworking that I do is on-site and the Workmate is indispensible.A quality product!

GOTTA HAVE ONE
My wife just sold my original workmate in a garage sale! This meant I needed to get a work horse fast! The work mate is the most convenient portable tool bench available. The newer models work well but don't have the excellent glue-lam tops that the original model had. Both the old and new models are easy to use, allow a single worker to hold difficult materials for cutting, sanding, mitering, and gluing. It is the next best thing to an extra set of hands. My first workmate lasted through 4 house remodels. I expect the new one to last through 4 more!

Great until I broke the worm gear follower
My father has had a workmate for years. It had provided about 5 years of faithful 'moderate' to 'light' duty service. It's a must for space starved garages or workshops, and is fantastic for clamping. One of its drawbacks is its unwieldy center of mass when it folded up and placed on its side. It has a tendency to want to tip over if bumped, and in a confined garage that can be a problem. Alas, about a month ago it fell over and broke the plastic worm gear follower. It is a shame that they selected a thermoset plastic for this part. Because of its lack of ductility when it hit the deck it shattered into a several pieces. At first pass for the designers to make a part of this complex geometry out of plastic was the obvious choice, however, a die casting of the same part would have been much better.(...)

B&D and Amazon - Great Combo
I have wanted one of these most of my adult life, especially when I needed it and didn't have anyone to help me. I always assumed (correctly) that it was more expensive. When I "stumbled" across the WM 225 at the Amazon price with FREE shipping on this fairly heavy object - it was a done deal. Mine arrived in perfect condition much faster than the Super-Saver option allowed for. Wood, PVC, hacksaw, circular saw, glue - I have found my WM to be a new best friend. My wife sees me carrying it between garage and basement and knows that I'm finally attacking my "honey-do" list. Wish I'd bought it years ago. Thanks Amazon for a great price on a great product delivered.

indispensible!
My husband loves this. It stores easily in our New York apartment. It works just as they say it should. No complaints. Very durable. Easy to calibrate and set. ... Read more

Features

• Folds flat for easy storage and convenient portability
• 350 pound weight capacity provides a sturdy work surface
• Quality steel construction for durability
• Durable wheels for easy mobility
• Opens and closes easily with one motion

Reviews (1)

Truly is Foldable Using One Hand.
One of the best clamping tables. Get it and you'll like it! ... Read more

Features

• Hand Truck supports up to 125 lbs.
• Allows tools and materials to be transported
• Damage and stain resistent;easily wiped clean to protect work material
• Folds for easy storage
• Heavyweight steel construction supports up to 350 lbs.

Features

• Made from heavy-gauge steel and work surface supports up to 450 pounds
• Hand Truck and portable work surface in one
• Rugged steel-frame construction holds up to 200 pounds as a hand truck
• 9-inch toe plate locks in place
• Stows neatly when not in use and folds flat for compact storage or hang on a wall

Features

• Built in paper towel holder and garbage bag holder makes clean up easy and a tape holder keeps tape easily accessible
•   Elevated painting project organizer and storage system that moves with you while you paint inside or outside your home
• Special wet brush storage compartment keeps brushes and rollers fresh for up to 48 hours
• Paint tray is removeable and accepts standard 9" liners, Also a second tray is designed to hold 4" trim roller trays for trim work and dual color faux finish painting
• Positive locking legs fold under for convenient storage

Amazon.com

Those who have Workmates will tell you they won’t part with them. It’s an indispensable extra pair of hands in the shop, a spare work surface when the workbench is too cluttered, a stand for benchtop tools, extra clamping surface and a hundred other uses. The tough steel X-shaped frame makes this model sturdy yet lightweight at just 15 pounds, a great improvement over the older versions, yet sacrificing nothing in terms of stability and strength. The jaws open at the turn of the handcranks and can be angled for odd-shaped gripping or clamping. Bench dogs hang onto your workpiece for you, offering up to 10-3/4 inches of clamp space. It folds nearly flat, taking up virtually no space at all. No shop, home or professional, should be without one of these.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Includes swivel pegs and integral retention grooves in jaw
• 350 pound weight capacity provides a sturdy work surface
• Workmate original jaws resist warping and swelling
• Quality steel tube construction for durability
• Opens and closes easily for simple set-up and clean-up