BLACK+DECKER Tough Work Bench Saw Horse, Dual Height Heavy Duty Steel Frame, WM626-XJ
BLACK+DECKER WM626 Workmate Dual Height Tough Workbench
The BLACK+DECKER WM636 Workmate Dual Height Tough Workbench has been designed with keen DIY-ers and their limitless projects in mind. The Workmate allows you to fix the piece you are working on to the workbench, so that you can work on it with both hands without the risk of it moving during the application. This workbench holds securely virtually any materials up to 136 mm in width and weighting up to 250 kg.
Thanks to the ideal solution of dual height, the tool can be used as a workbench, bench tool stand, vice or sawhorse, giving you the ability to work on a number of various projects. Dual clamping cranks and adjustable swivel pegs increase clamping force and offer versatility.
Durable steel frame construction makes the workbench robust and sturdy. In addition, workbench legs have rubber, anti-slip feet fitted to avoid any risk of slippage when force is applied during the application.
The WM626 is lightweight and compact and can be folded flat, making it easy to store it and convenient to transport. It is easy to set up and quick to clean up not requiring any additional maintenance.
Overview
- Working heights: 775 and 595 mm
- Folded size: 742 x 740 x 200 mm (W x H x D)
- Vice jaw opening: 0 – 136 mm
- Maximum load: 250 kg
 |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dual Working Heights | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Folded size (W x H x D) | 63 x 89 x 13 cm | 61 x 74 x 19.5 cm | 74.2 x 74 x 20 cm | 83 x 74 x 20 cm |
| Vice Jaw Opening | 0-11.5 cm | 0-13.6 cm | 0-13.6 cm | 0-20.5 cm |
| Vice Jaw Length | 61 cm | 61 cm | 74 cm | 74 cm |
| Max Table Width – Jaws Open | 34.1cm | 38.4 cm | 38.4 cm | 54.1 cm |
| Vice Jaw Positions | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Maximum Load | 160 kg | 250 kg | 250 kg | 250 kg |
| One Handed Operation | No | No | No | Yes |
| Fully Assembled | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vice Jaw Material | Compressed Bamboo | Particle Board | Particle Board | Particle Board |
| Weight: | 11.6 kg |
| Dimensions: | 70.69 x 75.31 x 16.99 cm; 11.6 Kilograms |
| Model: | WM626-XJ |
| Part: | WM626-XJ |
| Colour: | — |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | Stanley Black & Decker |
| Colour: | — |
| Quantity: | 1 |
Been using a workmate for 40 years. Needed this extra one to keep at my daughters apartment. I just couldn’t do diy without one!
Still as good and useful as the last one I had donkeys years ago. Not as solid as it was, but a good buy nonetheless
I have to say, I’d have been embarrassed to send an item to a customer so appallingly packed. Due to this, the box was in tatters when it arrived.
Thankfully the work bench was not damaged, and all the parts were present.
I’ve assembled the work bench, and everything seems to work, but am yet to use it properly.
I came to this after buying one of the half priced alternatives. I sent that back because it was total rubbish and would not survive a single job. So had expectations. First the weight was a lot more – good. The legs mechanics were already in place – good. So the only issue is adding the two bits of wood to hold onto the item to be worked. What can go wrong…….
So I gave it to my engineer wife to work out….. pictures and stuff in box don’t match. Eventually it’s on and probably how it was intended. Should have looked at reviews and found the YouTube videos.
Message to black and decker. Sack the instructions manager today!!!!!!
To replace old workmate which was at least 35 years old.
eally sturdy and with the step design means you can stabilise the work bench while giving purchase instructions are not the best so ignored them was easy enough withou
Bought this for husband as he was always sawing and spray painting his Hot Wheels cars on my kitchen table :/ ….he says this bench is high quality, stable and versatile, and also folds away easily.
A win for both of us. Although had to buy a new kitchen table.
Excellent sturdy work bench ideal for my work and folds up and hangs on wall easily
Arrived quickly. Some damage to the box but the item escaped harm. Assembly instructions not clear and therefore had to more or less work out how to assemble. The pins enclosed to tap though the handles to keep in place needed much more than a tap. Took a few hefty hits with a hammer to get into position.
I had one of these many years ago and certainly with new lighter wood and plastic Now being used, I wonder wether this will stand the test of time
It certainly does the job for which it is intended
This came on time & was easy to set up, I bought this to go with my old workbench which is the same type, so I can do more woodworking.
Bought as a present for my husbands birthday, he really likes it. Slightly difficult to put together but worth the effort. Definitely getting used a lot in lockdow
Item arrived without Amazon packaging but as I was in that was no issue. The metal frame comes assembled you just have to add the wooden parts and the winder. You would think that would be easy but the instructions are so poor it was difficult to work out what parts went where. The instructions say take part E although they don’t define what E is on the first page. Tried searching the Internet but everyone seemed to have the same issue. Let me just say I would consider myself a competent DIYer and in the end I gave up with the instructions and with a bit of trial and error managed to get it together. Folding and unfolding is fairly easy obviously the product is new so quite stiff, it locks well so feels stable. The wooden pieces certainly do not seem as thick as the original workmates but time and use will tell on that one. I haven’t used it yet so can’t comment on durability. I’ve given 4 stars as once assembled it seems stable and will be great for my projects plus also folds down for easy storage.
To echo what a lot of other reviewers have said, they are not a patch on the strength of previous models. The instructions are poor. I bought 2, it took ages to work out the first one and 10 mins to sort the second.. Top tip: put the threaded bar and white threaded shoe together first, sandwich the black rectangle and put the wooden top on the back jaw first – do this both sides. Then put the handles on with the Pins – you have to give the pins a fair whack. You then have handles and an operating rear jaw. Its then simple to bolt on the front jaw (through the remaining black rectangles) onto the body. If you do it in this order you don’t risk damaging the front jaw if you miss with the hammer..
I bought this B&D 626 workmate to replace my 40yr old one after I had given it to my 21yr old Grandson. Then I was a bit worried having read some of the reviews re – sturdiness and ease of assembly. I need not have worried. Once assembled, which anybody with half a brain could work out from the instructions, it is just as sturdy as my old one. I now feel much better.
Bought this for basic to intermediate level DIY. I went for the brand name due to previous use of this level/style&brand workbench with a family member a good few years ago. I recall it being sturdy and very robust.
My item was well packaged. Prompt delivery. The constituent parts were of a Good quality finish.and individually feel well made.
Assembly was frustrating as some of the parts dont exactly match the picture only instructions. The booklet covers three styles/model numbers of bench. This has been criticised before, and I would agree with some previous reviews on this matter.
Once assembled it is a suitable platform for working on. It appears to be reliable and easy to use.
Based on 3 uses so far, additional grip/jig bits would be helpful.
However as an overall comment, the build quality is a bit less sturdy and less reassuring than when I previously used this brand and level of bench. It was around 20 years ago but this model’s metal structure feels thinner and generally less resilient than I recall. It feels like it twists slightly under continuous pressure of sawing or jigsaw work.
Folds easily and clips/secures well so far.
Ultimatley, would I recommend? Yes.
Has it done what I expected it to so far? Yes.
This has made my crafting so much easier! Very sturdy and great quality.
This workmate replaces a cheap DIY I store one I had and is a vast improvement. It’s a good price for the superior quality. Very sturdy and we’ll designed just like the one my dad had from the 1970-80s. No need to change a design that works. Folds easily when not in use.
Don’t know why other reviews complain about the instructions it took me less than 10 minutes to put together. The instructions seemed ok to me.
Once constructed, a pleasing item and it is useful for the average DIY jobs you might have to do. However, I found the instructions particularly unclear and it took quite some time to actually put it together. It would be extremely helpful if the parts list was numbered or had a letter attributed so that you could follow the picture instructions more easily.
The instructions could have been a little clearer, with several parts looking similar, however once co structed the workmate is ideal for my general diy needs and is well worth the price
Everything was good & just ideal .. does what I want it to.
Just be aware that this is wider than the WM532. This one is 29 inches wide opposed to the latter at 24 inches. Still value for money.
instruction to assemble this product are not that good but you can soon work it out pictures are not that clear and don’t try to hammer the tension pins into the handle as the instructions say line up the holes and use a wide jaw plier or waterpump plier to squeeze the pins home it’s far easier and less stress on the handle.The metal is thinner than my old Workmate but still feels up to the job so all in all not bad for the money spent.
Bought for my son
I’ve had mine for over 35 years without any problems
Wood top not as good as the old type but I’m sure it will last as long
Not as solid as my 40 year old version but a bit lighter to handle and store. The flexible vice clamp on this workbench and dual height is what makes it so useful for DIY. The metal pins that hold the vice handles on needed to be hammered in with a HEAVY hammer.
I bought a cheap and nasty version and it was unusable. This is the real deal, strong, stable and well built. Very pleased with it!
A bit of a fiddle to assemble, but basically straightforward.
It is a bday gift for my boyfriend, he loves it! He has now used it for two weeks, it is very stable and handy, doesn’t take much space.
As for delivery, it was timely but the box was torn and holed in a number of places – fortunately the contents were not damaged.
he frame is very lightweight metal, so not as sturdy/heavy as the old design……….just need to put one foot on it!
Suggest you lubricate/grease all moving parts, and laquer the black frame against bumps/knocks etc. (including leaving it out overnight)
Now 6months on and all still fine used 3/4 times a week.
Bought this for my wife to mount her two Addi sewing looms on, the loomers will know what I mean.
You really can’t beat a Black and Decker Workmate. True, the quality has dropped slightly over the years but it is still a solid platform and the dual height is very useful.
Doing up a new place and this made it so much easier.
Not as heavy as older ones but it seems just as robust.
I found that his was offered at a slightly higher price in a local DIY shop, so ordered the Amazon one. Delivered promptly. for the price, it is a good, sturdy build, quite adequate for the DIY enthusiast. I have little doubt It will last me a good while.
I had an original. Lasted 40 years. This appears mostly to be comparable though the old one. But has got plastic locking clips on leg extensions, have to see how long they last. But have to say really good product.
No problem, it’s great – just as good as the 40 year old Workmate I replaced. Sure the bits you had to assemble needed a bit of thought but with a little bit of thought it was easy.
So, to save you fellow tall people the heartache, and continued back pain, of thinking that B&W have solve you woes with these dual-height benches – save yourself 50 by buying four breezeblocks for your existing bench. That being said, these B&W Workmate benches continue to be a great buy (especially at 50) and remain pretty-well built (not quite as study as previously, as others have stated) should your old bench be fed up with you leaning on it for the last decade or so.
Never had one of these before – very useful when you have many small jobs involving a workbench, but no space to put one up permanently: it’s very quick to set up just for a small task, then put away till it’s needed again.
Good, strong workbench, this. Unlike most modern workmates, this is made of steel and has a heavy and solid construction. It’s rated at 250kg maximum loading, and I could believe that. It doesn’t fidget and flex when you put something heavy on it, and I trust it to hold big components when I’m working with power tools. Someone said theirs was bent and they straightened out the metal with their bare hands. Well, that couldn’t have been this WM1000 model. I have no doubt I could stand on this thing if I needed to.
Solid piece of kit, but the instructions were terrible – got there in the end, but it would have been so much easier had the listed parts been identified by matching numbers or letters as they were in the assembly instructions. Many parts looked similar and it was hard to figure out which ones went where.
Once assembled though, I am pleased with it.
4 stars ? wm is great BUT ! assembly instructions are useless. bin them or you will end up as crazy as I am
Looks good but the fixing diagram was slightly confusing as it showed a different model to the one purchased. I have not used it yet but, it looks strong and ideal for general DIY tasks.
Upholds the reputation of the Marque.so far.
My son has borrowed my original well-used version, which has seen some hard and sometimes unfair/demanding work over the last 15 years or so. I don’t expect to see it again because I feel that one of his friends, DIY active, will borrow in due time “to do a little job”. After all the work it has done for me, my son and doubtless his friends to come it will be due a rebuild.
I had an original workmate, dating back to the 70’s and still perfectly usable. Unfortunately, it was left behind in a house move so needed a replacement. Bought this model as reviews put me off the larger model’s single handle adjustment.
This is a bit smaller than the original and lighter built. However, it has proved practical and strong enough for all my normal DIY use. Assembly did not tale too long, once I recognised which way round the slides had to go.
Having had one many years (decades?!) ago, a few jobs for my elderly mum (new curtain poles, mainly) meant I needed something better than trying to hold the curtain pole on the kitchen worktop 😉 Some have said intrsuctions poor, the only area I tripped up on was the black plastic blocks that the wooden tops sit/slide on….that was possibly me rushing.
I was quite concerned when reading reviews over the instructions to assemble this workmate. I looked up on youtube and found that it was not rocket science to assemble. I agree with the comments that the instructions are poorly written, however I completed it within 20 minutes.
Overall a great bit of kit. Would strongly recommend.
Never had one before, had a DIY project, and this fitted the bill. Very happy with it. Not perfect, a few wider settings may have helped, but, very good for my tasks.
Great workbench for the price, got another Black & Decker to replace my tired one of twenty years, think this will still be here after I’m gone.
Would have been 5 stars but was disappointed with instructions, worth the tutting and fusing though, kept wife entertained.
Very useful bit of kit. Mine was not quite as illustrated in that only one half had a ruler marked on it. It was a bit fiddly to put together initially as the instruction sheet was diffucult to decipher but got there eventually.
Just what you would expect, very stable at both height settings, very easy to assemble, folds down for easy storage. I think it will be very versatile being able to clamp very wide objects and also clamp from the vertical.
Replacement for 40yr old B&D Workmate. Great piece of kit. Strong, sturdy and well made. A little surprised that you now have to assemble it yourself, however the instructions were very clear and it only took 15 minutes. Looking forward to many years reliable service.
Got this to replace a very old and battered workmate style bench. Other reviews suggesting this wasn’t as robust as earlier versions were a concern, but actually I’ve found it to be ideal.
Comes in parts and takes about 10 minutes to assemble – instructions could be better.
I did need to read the instructions a couple of times before assembling the Workmate but found it relatively easy. I don’t know why I didn’t buy this before. It makes life easier when doing various jobs.
Unfortunately it has been modernised/Chinese’d.
The frame is now constructed of stamped sheet metal, it is sturdy and tight out of the box but has a cheap feel to it.
All the jaw mechanical parts are made of plastic with the exception of the winding screw, metal on plastic moving parts won’t last????.
I wanted to see just how much grip power was in the jaws but I just don’t dare clench the jaws with much pressure just in case the plastic parts snap/crack.
The wood surface seams strong, not as thick or hard wearing as the old one’s, kind of reminds me of a kitchen chopping board, 3 ply lamanate,
Wouldn’t leave it out in the rainall the markings on it are useless and have been sanded off.
I ordered the duel height model because I’m tall, unfortunately this bench is still low, almost too low to be useful as a work bench without going on my knees or sitting on a stool, But it’s not going to be moving around so I can weld extensions onto the legs.
I hope it serves me well but I can’t see it lasting long, the original model bought back in 1980 still works to this day, I doubt this will make that kind of milage
But i may be wrong, it is perfectly funictional for now.
Perfect for DIY, only downside was assembly instructions are rubbish, some words would be good in conjunction with the pictures hence the 4 star rating.
Good bit of kit. Only bizarre thing is the wood jaws keep going mouldy….. Bit weird; maybe they aren’t treated properly? Besides that, it works really well. I wish I had bought one years ago!
Its a workstation and it does just that, unless you use it loads for the money and the average diy person this is a good buy.
Bought to replace original workmate purchased in 1978! This has seen a lot of service and now has poorly joints (much like the owner!) Pleased with appearance of the new one and ease of setting up. We will see how this one lasts
Great for the money and doing jobs around the house, can’t really fault it, loses a star for particle board top, low density and brittle so need to be a bit nicer to it than the wood type and would replace if lugging it about but retired now so it’s fine for my home DIY needs.
Great product, great price and Black & Decker do exactly what it say on the tin, I bought this to replace a work zone type product, I chucked the work zone type product away as this is far far superior.
This is no where near as solid and well made as the old and worn out WorkMate that it is replacing.
However it is a lot cheaper as well.
It works fine, folds and unfolds and the step gives additional control when using it.
It is definitely an economy model, and the instructions for building it are worse than useless.
But, would I buy it again?
Yes.
Firstly, the instructions. Yes, they are very poor, but not beyond the realms of human intelligence. After a bit of trial and error and thought I was able to figure out which bit went where and to be honest I enjoyed the problem solving exercise.
Secondly the plastic. Yes, it’s got plastic bits and plastic is not as good as metal. But it’s not cheap plastic, it’s the better quality kind that is fit for purpose providing you’re careful and remember that it is plastic. It’s cheaper and cheaper is ok if it works. And it works.
Thirdly, the metal. It’s not thick, but it’s sheet steel pressed into load bearing shapes. This makes it lightweight but sturdy. It easily supports my weight sitting on the bench top (I’m 6’2″ with a 52″ waist and I wear 4XL so I think it’s fair to say I’m obese) and there are no razor sharp edges. Some of them could be a little better finished and are a bit on the rough side but none that you’d really be touching for any reason.
One reviewer mentioned the leg springs on the four legs being dangerous. Mine has no leg springs, just 4 moulded plastic guides that use a bit of gentle friction to keep them open or closed.
The top is made from bamboo. Very strong and hard. One surface is marked and the other isn’t. The ruled surface might come in handy if you don’t need anything too accurate.
The bench dogs are plastic. They have useful grooves in them for supporting round objects. They’re not amazing but they are handy and will clamp short pieces of wood solidly enough for planing.
I’ve managed to plane wood on mine and cut mortises and tenons to make a 6′ by 3′ dinner table. Would a proper work bench be more sturdy? Yes. But if you’re creative with how you support the wood and use your body weight to keep the workmate from wobbling a little then it’s actually fine. Sharp tools help as well.
It’s been perfect for my needs and space limitations. My one regret is that I didn’t get the slightly longer one as there’d be a little more room for working on smaller projects and bits of wood while straddling it.
I have an original B&D Workmate from when they went on sale in the 1970s and it’s as solid today as it was them. This one is good but it’s only 2/3rds of the size and the product of design ‘efficiency’. Side by side it’s quite amusing.
Not always easy to set up but once setup I find it a very useful addition to my ‘diy armoury’.
– The jaw lines up fine, but the adjustable plank does have some give side to side before you tighten it in position. That’s my only explanation regarding those five photos on one review depicting the misalignment. That said, the holes for the orange pegs don’t line up to the millimetre. I can’t see this personally causing me any problems, but it’s worth taking into consideration.
– Can’t see the issue with the quality of the metal at all. Again, it seems perfectly sturdy. Not much else to say about that.
– The instructions aren’t the simplest to follow, due to some peculiar choices made in how to depict certain actions and steps. To say they’re the worst ever is an overstatement. They are useable.
In conclusion this is a very basic WM for light work and at the price it is Okay
My old workmate bench needed updating so I was pleased to find this Dual Height Workmate Bench which I was able to assemble quite quickly.I find it useful that the wooden shelf at the back can be tightened to quite a large angle instead of being more or less straight with the front shelf.
This is a very useful addition to my equipment.
Needs to be a higher for me other than that it’s great. I do however wish it would be more vicelike.
I would give this five stars, but the instructions were incomplete. I contacted Black & Decker who emailed me the complete instructions.
Well made and as expected. Interesting that it is about a third of the weight of the same product I bought about 35 years ago. Its called “value engineering”. Still it does the job.
This product is the best amazon purchase I have ever made. The Workmate is fantastic, I found it to be incredibly helpful when recently making some gates and it is currently supporting a sculpture I am constructing. The clamp jaws are sturdy, and the pegs allow you to clamp irregular shapes. I have used this Workmate to saw, chisel and sand wood it proved to be a sturdy platform which held the work piece securely.
The framework is made from robust powder-coated steel and the bamboo jaws seem very durable. There are a few plastic parts (the bits for clamping irregular shapes and the ends of the handles) but even these seem very solid and the plastic clamps are less likely to leave marks on softer materials when you secure them.
I was in two minds about purchasing this product after reading the mixed reviews, but I am very glad I did. I generally don’t leave reviews but I felt that the one-star reviews were very unfair and this motivated me to post this. At 35 (although the price does seem to fluctuate up to 50) this product is incredibly good value, especially when you consider the durable steel construction and how useful it is. I found this product to be so useful that I asked for another for Christmas, and was very happy and grateful when I received it.
The Workmate arrived promptly with all parts in the box even though the top of the package was a bit battered. No damage to the workmate. It looks good and wasn,t too bad to assemble.but have not used it yet as only just retired
Versatile and useful as ever, the workmate is invaluable. As with many things the current product doesn’t seem as substantial or sturdy as earlier models, but it does the job.
Black + Decker WM536 Dual Height Workmate
Paid 35.99 when purchased, and to be honest, its a bargain when you’re trying to install decking, cuts here cuts there….
Anyway product review. Yes you have to put part of it together, and the parts are cheaper components to the last one I had, which was well over 6 years – in that more parts are plastic, but it works all the same. Just don’t put too much pressure when tightening / clamping things, otherwise the threads will pull through the plastic. So to that extent, yes cheap – will it last as long as my old one – I doubt it.
Why did I get rid of the old one? the wood on top had rotten away to nothing.
With the new one, I am going to apply several coats of a strong external varnish, just to water proof them a bit, as I do store these outside, so have to give them some chance of surviving. Also, give a little spray of grease to the moving parts once a year, just to keep them fresh feeling
Cons- The red plastic things that hold things on place move out of the bench as you tighten and they are not directly opposite each other.
Pros- Easy to assemble, pretty high quality and half the price if I bought here in Belgium. I use this to hold my bike wheel in place during maintenance and the fact that you can drop the height is a nice touch. The prize be on the handles will not always go in (same has happened to others who e seen).
Better than many of the cheap workmates and clones out there but not quite as solid as my 20+ year old workmate I still have but now use on allotme
Bought this to replace my very very old, at least 30 year old original dual height B&D work mate. Not much has changed except you now need to assemble it, not a big issue. The instructions are not 100% clear but with a little study and looking at the pictures it all goes together.
Very happy with this. It’s an excellent fold-away design that doesn’t weigh too much. Folded up, it could be mounted on hooks in a cupboard easily enough, or leant against a wall in the back of a cupboard. It suits my garage-free storage-challenged London flat perfectly.
I also bought a clamp-on vice, and together the two held my curtain rails (hollow metal tubes) steady enough to cut down to size.
I chose this model over the cheaper one so I could put my weight on the step for extra stability, and this did indeed prove useful.
Parts appeared to be missing initially but contacted seller who helped sort out different contents manual Happy with purchase Keeps hubby busy in his shed for hours.. Thats the best bit !!
Good strong bench. You have to put the top part together using the diagram type instructions but it’s not rocket science. I had a few small parts missing but Black and Decker were very good and posted these out. A good price as well compared to some I saw for sale.
This B&D workbench is a replacement for one given to my son.
It is not as good as the original bench – but it is stable which is probably my main reason for buying it.
I did purchased a much more expensive bench than this B&D, but sold it just because it was very unstable when you tried to saw anything.
The vice part of the top on the new B&D does open wide, but is not as flexible as the original B&D bench.
On the original B&D bench the back jaw could be detached and moved to another slot on the frame giving a large gap for clamping work.
I’m not sure how the bamboo top will last only time will tell.
The frame may be lighter than the original workmate but it still provided a firm base.
Assembly instructions appear to have given other reviewers problems but my only issue was fixing the vice screw and handle to the frame without checking the actual instructions – usual problem assemble unit then read chart.
I just hope this bench lasts as long as my original and I’d never given the first one away
I just bought this for my husband. He decided his 30 year old one was clapped out enough to use to stand his band saw on. Plus the price of this, well I bit their hand off. He says… Easy to use, sturdy, not too heavy. Better than the old one because it’s easier to put up, old one had 2 buttons and plastic slides to stop from collapsing, new one has 2 spring loaded levers. Once up wont come down. Easy to put together new from the box. Only one of the bamboo jaws has the black scrolling and sizing detail. So what I say. New one has rubber feet, not plastic. Does exactly same as the other, so not losing out. We would recommend. Great all rounder DIY workmate. Also very handy to stand your planters on in spring to plant up, on the lower height.
Looks every bit as good as my 35 year old workmate that came with a chipboard top which I replaced recently with hardwood. The top on this looks like laminated bamboo which should be better. The design of the orange pegs has changed a bit. I bought this for my son who hopefully will get as much use out of it as I have had. At this bargain price (39.99) I’m almost tempted to get myself a new one too but I’m too attached to the old one to let it go, and have just bought some new rubber feet for it.
This is a replacement for my original which is over 35 years old. The work surface and frame are not as robust as the original. Having said that I have no doubt it will be adequate for my purposes.
Assembly more complex than necessary as instructions and photographs clearly generic rather than related to the specific model…. In fact I’m not totally convinced about which version I got. But it works!
Very poor packaging. Appeared to have been wet at some point (perhaps flood damage?), sellotape for outer box ‘fell’ off and inner Black & Decker box unsealed due to wet warehouse conditions. However product was undamaged & my son was delighted with it.
I bought this to replace my old workmate that I had had since 1972. I looked at other makes but the B&D version seems to be a bit more sturdy in its construction, even though it costs more. Purchased in Sept 2012, and used regularly, it is a great piece of kit. If this lasts as long as my first one, I’ll be leaving it to one of my kids!
The assembly instructions leave a little to be desired because you need to experiment with some of the plastic parts. An enlarged version of the pictures page would make it clearer which way round the black mouldings under the wooden sections should be fitted. Also, two of the bolts which attach the fixed wood to the frame are proud of the recessed holes, but this doesn’t affect the performance at all.
I have had a B & D workmate for many years and found it very useful for many jobs but unfortunately I left it out in the rain and this ruined the Jaws.I tried unsuccessfully to purchase some new Jaws and as it is an essential item of my toolkit I was forced to buy a new one, this was the best deal I could find.