BLACK+DECKER Workmate 825 Deluxe Dual-Height Workbench, WM825-XJ

Ok putting this thing together should have taken a few minutes, but after looking at the instruction for 5 minutes I just threw them away and watched a youtube video. The instructions have no bearing on assembling the workmate and may as well be written in Ancient Greek for all the use they were. Sort it out black and decker. As for the item itself it is nice and sturdy. Although the handles seem very wobbly and loose compared to my old workmate. Just another example of using cheaper materials/ fixings I suppose that we`ve come to expect in modern day life. I did have one issue when it was assembled, the plastic strip that runs from one handle to the other (to help with tightening both handles when only one is being turned) was all twisted and not connected underneath. So had to fiddle about with that to get it all lines up and reconnected. Not the end of the world but 5 minutes of fiddling about with a new item which I shouldn't have needed to do.

This is my second Workmate. The first lasted 20++ years which says a lot about its quality. I like its sturdiness with the spread legs when sawing timber. Its ability to clamp items vertically between its jaws for planing. Its solid worktop to which you can hold items with clamps. Minor niggles. The rubber feet come off too easily - cured with some silicone sealant. There are two sharp steel projections at the back - I put some insulating tape on them. Otherwise great product.

The assembly instructions, some pictures without any words, just don't cut it. Go to YouTube and find a video called "How to Assemble the BLACK & DECKER™ Workmate® Plus Work Bench". It's a 3 minute silent video that shows you exactly how to set it up. Only one thing is missing from the video. I finished setting it up and then realised I had a couple of washers in the bag. The guy in the video didn't use the washers. So, do as he does, but when you clip the red plastic bit (the knob) into the black plastic bit (the handle), put a washer between them. That's where they should go and really I should have known that but was following him so closely, I didn't look at what might be left over. If you do make the mistake as me, squeezing the end with a pair of small pliers will allow you to push it back out and put the washers in. Bit fiddly though. Not that they make much difference. It's a washer between two bits of plastic so only really a spacer. The next problem I had was when it was all together, one end of the large piece of wood was about 1 to 1.5mm higher than the rest. B&D provide you with a cheap plastic tool for tightening the bolts. I loosened them, put the plastic tool aside and used a wrench and socket to get them all level. Not that it would make that much difference. It's for gripping things, so a perfectly level surface all round isn't that important, but if you end up in that situation and find it as annoying as I did, that's how you sort it. Oh, another thing. You might find it's not quite lined up. There are lots of reviews here about the thing that makes the handles move together, stretching and not working anymore. To adjust it perfectly safely, hold one handle still while moving the other gently. You'll hear a click. Check to see if it's lined up. If not, repeat the process until it is. Do it slowly and not very fast, one click at a time. Once you have them lined up, then you shouldn't need to do that again. Another note about those dual handles. Having the ability to move both with just one hand is really useful but when they begin to get tight, use two hands to finish the tightening off. That way you won't stretch the piece that joins them. Have had a bit of a play with it this evening. All works good. The dogs that are included are good for gripping all shapes of items. For some jobs, I'll be using some clamps I already have too. It weighs around 15kg, and I'm honestly surprised how little space it takes when you fold it down. I can't complain about the price. I got in the Black Friday sale, and it was only £78.49, so great value for money. It's a superb premium piece of kit. They should have spent more on making decent assembly instructions though. So, a premium workbench with a cheap booklet and cheap plastic tool. Solution: Use a socket and wrench plus watch a video of it being set up.

yes up to standard and easy to use

I spent some time reading these fairly mixed reviews before deciding to purchase the Workmate. It arrived on time, well packaged and well built. The stand is probably much lighter than the originals but it's made from pressed steel with dished stiffeners. As soon as I erected it I knew it would easily deal with anything I could throw at it. The dual height option is great since the lower height is ideal for acting as a stand for my router table. The instructions are terrible... but hey... if your buying it you're probably interested in DIY therefore sure to have at least some "mechanical aptitude". I ditched the instructions and just figured it out, I quite enjoyed the challenge. There's only 8 parts and 4 bolts for heavens sake. The top is thick level and clearly marked. I don't suppose the marked on angles and measurements are accurate to a micron, but as a guide they're great. The much criticised plastic belt that connects the two clamping handles is "clearly" designed for quickly spinning the jaws to the clamping position, and then tightening with one hand on each handle to nip it up. Anyone who expects to put all their weight on one handle and have it transferred to the other by the belt without breaking it is, in my opinion, expecting far too much. It folds impressively flat for its size. Finally two little niggles, but neither hamper its operation. Folding the feet back down relies on a bit of a "plasticy" clicky catch. The release bar that is pulled for the 90 degree clamping option is a bit "rickety" All in all a great purchase! Would easily recommend.

Stadig konstruktion, står still. Bra med två höjder.

Très bon produit !

Top

Bin begeistert. Sehr gute Qualität.

Overall this is a super product, especially for the price. Folds up nicely, versatile clamping options, perfect for my limited work space. I'll highlight three issues: 1. The manual is the most useless manual I've seen in my life. It does not cover all its features and does not show you how to put it together fully. Find a good YouTube video. 2. They describe it as having an 'advanced' feature for having the two vise handles operate together or independently. In practice you have to disconnect a plastic belt from two sprockets on either side, which is difficult as it is under tension as soon as one sprocket is on. It works but it's janky and not 'advanced'. 3. Attaching the vise handles involves banging in two metal pins with a hammer. It takes a lot of force and strikes to get them in, not well designed. I will be keeping it and using it. It does what it needs to and I do recommend it, but must highlight those 3 issues so potential buyers are aware of them.