BLACK+DECKER Workmate, Work Bench Tool Stand Saw Horse Dual
BLACK+DECKER Workmate, Work Bench Tool Stand Saw Horse Dual Clamping Crank, Heavy Duty Steel Frame, WM301
- Working height: 760 mm
- Folded size: 630 x 890 x 130 mm (W x H x D)
- Vice jaw opening: 0 – 115 mm
- Vice jaw length: 610 mm
- Maximum load: 160 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: | 3.04 kg |
| Size: | 1 – Pack |
| Dimensions: | 12.5 x 15.5 x 84 cm |
| Brand: | Black & Decker |
| Model: | B/DWM301 |
| Part: | B/DWM301 |
| Colour: | black |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | Stanley Black & Decker |
| Dimensions: | 12.5 x 15.5 x 84 cm |
| Quantity: | 1 |
| Size: | 1 – Pack |
A good bench for diy and with the added feature of downward clamping too.
Spares are available too and from a name you can trust.
I Had to wait till Amazon had stock a few weeks but worth doing and got the price of 59-99 which is great value too.
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.
Decent bit of kit. Strong enough for minor DIY & cycle maintenance.
Only downside is, as others have said, are the instructions but plenty of videos on YouTube. Soon as I looked at one of those it was done in 10 minutes.
Once we found out that one of the fixings was actually a tool for tightening, everything fell into place, So would have been helpful to know. Clearer information would have been helpful
The vertical clamping element is a brilliant feature, plus the workbench area is a decent size.
Many people have mentioned the assembly instructions to be poor, so as a test I asked my wife to assemble as women have more logical mindsets. Suffice to say my wife managed to assemble in under 10 minutes.
I would highly recommend this bench for quality and cost in a heartbeat.
Good product but I nearly smashed it to pieces while trying to set it up. The instructions are useless. There is a video on youtube an official-looking one, and one from a consumer with out these I could not of fitted it all together. Don’t understand why it could not of been supplied without user assembly.
A good number of reviews bemoaning the quality of this item compared to older Workmates and the dreadful instructions.
Having just assembled mine, I feel the quality and weight are comparable with my 30 year old workmate which is only being upgraded because I left it outside over winter and the wooden jaws have swelled. I could replace those but the discounted Amazon price for this Workmate was not much more than the price of the replacement jaws. I do not feel that this is in anyway an inferior product.
As for the instructions, just throw them in the bin or burn them and watch ‘Mrs Ts Top Tips’ assembly instructions on U Tube and save yourself a lot of time and effort. Thanks Mrs T.
It would actually be easier to ignore the instructions completely and just use common sense.
For the price I got this for it should be 5 stars but knocked one off for the instructions.
I finally had to scrap my original workmate that my father bought in the 70’s as one of the legs fell off. I’m not sure this one will last as long but it does seem pretty solid and is better quality than I expected TBH. Also I’m sure it’s now considerably cheaper in real terms than it was then.
It’s a good job there is a YouTube video on how to put the top together because the supplied diagrams are next to useless.
The only other thing I don’t like is the ‘one handed operation’ which consists of a very cheap plastic belt that simply isn’t up to the job which is why it drops a star.
With the help of a video, installation becomes easy and the overall quality is quite good. It is also sturdy and stable. The only downside is that one of the table tops is defective and needs to be replaced. We are still waiting for the seller’s response on how to handle this.
This would have been a 5 star review but the poor instructions let it down. The simple fact is that the instructions assume that some of parts are already preassembled, this is not the case so I spent more time trying to put the thing together than actually using it.
It’s bigger better and was a good price compared to other stores and online sites. The instructions for putting it together are totally useless however loads of videos on YouTube showing you how to, my rating for ease of assembly based on YouTube video not paper instructions. Storage is trickier as it’s bigger the rubber feet sometimes fall off when folding / putting away but it’s sturdy takes decent sized bit of wood and is more useful than smaller one. Price was good
Can’t complain about the price however, the instructions are very poor and I relied mainly on the parts breakdown on the back of the so called instructions. Finding which way the plastic blocks go around onto the bamboo work surfaces. Also the bar which you pull to raise one of the work surfaces was completely out of place and I had to use a 10mm spanner to coax the long nuts into the appropriate grooves so I could just about get the pull bar into the correct slots and reattach the springs. Now all works but not confident at the way the plastic blocks attach to the work surfaces and then engage on the rails. Doesn’t seem very sturdy. Having said all that for the very reduced price I’m ok with it.
Assembly was straightforward following a youtube video.
The enclosed leaflet is pathetic indicating its place of origin.
Quite heavy and sturdy once erected.
Note, it is quite bulky when folded so simpler versions might be better option for storage space in a van etc.
The winding handles are not as sturdy as on original earlier models and appear to have a flimsy winding/ tightening belt mechanism; ; we will have to wait and see.
The handles themselves are secured by a supplied pin which required a thinner pin to guide along the hole into the arm and a rubber mallet ( not supplied ).
Loose when eventually fitted because not a bolt and nut which would have been better engineering.
For the price it works well for purpose for securing wooden battens and drilling components.
Good working height when erected fully.
Much preferred metal frame for work, strength and folding simplicity.
Solidly built and sturdy, this Workmate is nicely finished and a versatile aid for all those projects requiring a ‘second pair of hands.’ However the instructions for setting up could be better, as construction proved to be fiddly and long-winded.
Both legs bolt onto the outside with the slot to slide/ adjust bench= also on the outside.
Leg tighteners also on the outside.
The largest bottom plate goes on the widest ( outside) legs
Confusing bit “V” in Diagram 5 is” just a tool” to tighten the nuts!
Why the diagram shows a screwdriver making one think the screwdriver goes “Thru” it god only knows! Or that the bolt goes thru it?
Black and Decker if you want me to simplify your diagram to make putting it together I will.
P.s The photo of the nail is for, the handle if you drop the nail thru the pin it will line up the hole just start to tap then take out the nail.
If you go miss the hole use the nail “head first”to tap it back out.
I am a 67 year old lady if I can do it so can you 🙂
Once assembled this is an impressive workbench. (The instructions are confusing, so recommend you view a YouTube video instead). The quality isn’t up to the standards of earlier models but good enough for my needs as an occasional DIYer. It lacks a lower shelf, so I’ve cut a piece of plywood which fits nicely in place. The day after I ordered it Amazon reduced the price by 10 – GReat!! Overall a good product with minor niggles.
Seems steady to use and easy to adjust once you’ve managed to build it. It also folds up easily and doesn’t take much space up in the shed.
It’s not too difficult to build but the instructions are not very clear. My main issue was the small metal dowels that attach the handles wouldn’t fit thru no matter how much I hammered them. I’ve made do for now with pushing 2 nails thru and bending them to hold them in place. A thin screw with nut would be a better method than the dowels (and my temporary bodge!)
Overall I’m happy with the purchase at the price paid.
It comes in a surprisingly small box, inside which the Workmate is in pieces ready to assemble. Unfortunately the instructions are absolutely terrible – a strip of black and white pictures with no text – and at least one stage left me completely flummoxed. Thankfully a quick look on YouTube found a video showing one of these being assembled step by step and the mysteries were solved.
Once built, the Workmate is a decent height (not adjustable) and has two wooden “grips” which are operated with plastic crank handles, and four orange plastic lugs which can be re-positioned to help you hold your item. Some of the metal feels a bit thin and flimsy, but I managed to complete my project successfully.
When you want to store it, the Workmate can be collapsed a bit like a folding ladder, so it can be leaned against a garage wall for example and not take up too much room.
All in all it’s a really handy piece of kit which makes DIY a little easier, but the build quality leaves a little to be desired and the instructions are awful. On the whole though I’m happy with it.
ASSEMBLY – after looking at other reviews (thanks, everyone), I didn’t even bother to read the instructions – I went straight to YouTube and found this excellent 6 minute video: http://youtu.be/CUPPYknO5Lk, posted by “green stripey paint”. I can highly recommend it, it’s so easy to follow. I kept my tablet beside me and played the video in stages until I had completed the bench. It took me about twenty-five minutes. (Thank you, Mr GSP)
One minor gripe – the plastic feet tend to fall off in normal use. I kept having to look for the odd one, until I glued them all with Araldite, and they’ve been fine since.
USE – All right, it’s very basic and quite light, however, as I’ve said, it’s a lot better and safer than my previous improvisations, and it’s fine for my limited skills/use, such as holding curtain poles for sawing, clamping stuff for drilling, sanding, polishing, etc.
I suspect that Norm wouldn’t have it in his New Yankee Workshop, but then again, I don’t have Norm’s space, so for me, this is ideal – it folds up and stores easily in the shed between uses.
[UPDATE (Oct 2015): In fact, it’s so easy to store, that I’ve bought another one – they are a bargain, and it’s handy to have two – eg one with the mitre saw set up, and one for clamping/gluing/sanding. Both together for tackling those extra long planks – you get the idea.]
So, if you’re a serious joiner/handyman, this is probably not for you, however if you want to upgrade from the table/chair/anyone handy improvisation, this is a great little bench. I like it.