BLACK+DECKER Workmate Dual Height Adjustable Workbench, WM536-XJ

Im giving 5 stars for the assembled bench. BUT, putting it together was a pain. The instructions are very vague. Only pictures to go by, and not very detailed. Trial and error, but eventually got there.

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.

I have written hundreds of reviews in regards to items sold through Amazon. The good, the bad and, sometimes, the ugly This review is based on my personal opinions gleaned as a result of decades of experiences in a professional occupation, using firearms for close to fifty years, outdoor pursuits, DIY, as a consumer, a property owner and raising a family. REVIEW This Black and Decker 536 is sold As a prime item through Amazon at a cost of £39.40 (August 2017) Includes delivery for prime members Prime items come with a promise of next day delivery. You cannot rely on the next day delivery promise. There is no indication as to any potential additional postage charges for non prime members. The bench was delivered quickly. The instructions with the bench are useless. The diagrams do not have enough detail to make it at all easy to work out what is what. Fortunately, I have had a number of such benches over the years and a lot of practical experience in assembling all manner of equipment. It is not absolutely essential to have a third hand but it will make assembly substantially easier. The bench itself is reasonably well made although the finish is not as clean as I would like it to be Several of the parts of the metallic legs are deeply scratched and have sharp edges. The springs on the closing part of the bench are very thin, lightweight and I have NO confidence that they will last. I believe they will be the first item to fail on the bench. The "legs" which make the bench dual height snap into place firmly but are reliant on plastic components which are also likely to fail due to wear and tear. The "vice" will do it's job to hold some items. The plug in plastic holders are also of a lesser quality than those I have had with B&D benches in the past. Bear in mind that they are a hardened plastic which have No padding and likely to mark wood and the design is such that work, unless very shallow will not be held in place for anything rigorous. Sanding or planing as examples, especially with power tools. The bench is however stable enough to use with appropriate clamps to allow completion of such jobs. Overall, the bench will do its basic job. The adjustable height is handy if you want to work on a taller item but not starting at floor level. This, at Amazon was the best value I could find. I hope that this review has been of assistance to you the potential buyer. If so please click on the useful review Thank you. DD

I bought this as something to help me with some basic joinery. I simply don't have space for a proper workbench and woodworking vise. Having read some of the other reviews and researched a lot I was expecting something of very poor quality but was happy to pay the discounted price and risk it. I'm glad I did as it's actually exceeded my expectations. I wanted to post this review to challenge some of the points that others have made. 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.

Arrived quickly and in good condition. The assembly instructions leave a lot to be desired

Really pleased with this workbench – it’s one of those tools you don’t realise how much you need until you have one. First off, it’s very versatile. You can use it as a workbench, sawhorse, or even a vice, which makes it great for all sorts of DIY jobs around the house. The dual height adjustment is genuinely useful too – nice to have the option depending on what you’re working on. The clamping system is excellent. The adjustable pegs and dual crank handles hold wood (and even awkward shapes) really securely, so you can work safely with both hands. Build quality feels solid as well. It’s got a sturdy steel frame and doesn’t wobble when in use, plus the anti-slip feet help keep it stable. Another big plus is how easy it is to store. It folds flat in seconds, so you can tuck it away in a garage or even behind a door without it taking up much space. Overall, this is a brilliant bit of kit for DIYers. Strong, practical, and really convenient – especially if you don’t have space for a permanent workbench. Would definitely recommend 👍

I've had Workmates in the past, and this one is similarly based on the traditional principles. The materials used in its construction are relatively inferior to my old ones, but this makes the Workmate lighter to carry around and relatively cheap to buy. As many others have observed, the instructions are largely incomprehensible but actually with a little common sense it's pretty easy to work out how it fits together. Overall, I think it's a good buy at sub £60 and well up to handling the modest DIY jobs that I have on hand.

I believe couple years ago that bench could be innovative, but now is in my opinion poor made, with cheap materials. I am not trying to write will brake in week, but you feel that manufacturer totally focused on a profit. Made research after buying it, and seen in past boards, frame, plastics been made from less materials. Yes, overall weight probably been twice as newer design, but please, you buying a wingman for years not a months. My model had different lengths of boards, frame made squicky sound, extended legs made by very thin metal, brackets or some parts of extension for those legs made by soft plastic... Parts from adjusting axis, same soft plastic, blocks/stands for support boards another plastic, boards made by solid but humidity like material. Generally disappointed. Refunded and ordered 825 deluxe, and you know what? That horizontal/vertical vise worst than model. Kept only because used with renovation job of kitchen. Don't know other brands or models from black and decker, but my imagination expected something better. Light Simple Somehow fictional Always good to have something like that Instruction is a joke Poor quality Poor materials Overrated No place to hide 4 plastic jaws From my research it is not same good as in past No extra shelving for anything what you want place next to job( very simple to do that from plywood, tutorials are available on youtube etc)

- Ottima reinterpretazione, in chiave moderna ed ergonomica di banco morsa d'antica falegnameria. Per stabilità statica, versatilità d'impiego, semplicità di manovra e praticità d'uso è sicuramente il top di gamma in relata a work bench di dimensioni, peso e costo di ben altra classe.

Çok sağlam ve pratik bir ürün

Creo que es una gran compra para quien busca un banco de trabajo básico muy estable, cómodo, muy compacto una vez plegado y de fácil montaje. El mayor inconveniente son las instrucciones de montaje, que sin mínimas. Los materiales parecen ser de buena calidad.

I have a small courtyard so this workbench is perfect for my smaller DIY projects so far. Easy to put together. Nice and sturdy.

Als ich mich auf die Suche nach einer vernünftigen und preiswerten »Werkbank« machte, habe ich selbstverständlich auch bei den diversen Modellen/Marken die Rezensionen gelesen. Am Ende habe ich mich also für die Black&Decker Werkbank WM536 entscheiden, die einen guten Eindruck machte. Der Aufbau der Werkbank ist nicht weiter schwierig und ziemlich zügig erledigt; dazu sollte man die Montageanleitung besser nicht zurate ziehen, denn die ist wirklich als seltsam zu bezeichnen. Mit etwas Geschick und der Fähigkeit auch dreidimensional zu denken, ist die Angelegenheit in 15–20 Minuten erledigt. Entgegen der Montageanleitung benötigt man zur Montage lediglich eine Wasserpumpenzange, um die Sicherungssplinte bei den Kurbeln einzupressen und die bereits vorhandene »Nuss«, um praktisch per Handkraft die Schrauben anzuziehen. Mit einer Ratsche bekommt man schnell das Problem, etwas zu viel Kraft anzusetzen und das Gewinde im Kunststoffteil regelrecht zu zerreißen. Handfest reicht also völlig aus. Ich habe bei den Schrauben zusätzlich noch Unterlegscheiben eingelegt, damit sich der Druck auf einer größeren Fläche verteilt und die Platte bei den Bohrlöchern intakt bleibt. Positiv: - absolut Standfest - Tragkraft deutlich höher als hier angegeben; nämlich 250 kg statt die angegebenen 160 kg - mit etwas über 10 kg auch sehr leicht - die aufgedruckten Maßbänder sind sogar genau - sehr anständige Verarbeitung - ein wirklich guter Preis für diese Werkbank Negativ: - die Arbeitsplatten sind an manchen Stellen eingedellt; jedoch nur auf der Oberseite - die Rahmenkonstruktion ist nicht ganz rechtwinklig, sodass man bei dem Ausrichten der Arbeitsplatten etwas tricksen muss Gesamtbewertung: Die Werkbank WM536 ist für den Heimwerker ganz sicher ausreichend; die eine oder andere Hilfe wie Schutzbacken kann man sich selbst bauen. Wer etwas Talent hat, kann sich sogar Halterungen für Bandschleifer usw. bauen und damit einen stationären Bandschleifer schaffen und Holz wie auch Metall oder Kunststoff in Form zu bringen. Man kann sich auch sehr einfach zwei größere Platten, die auf den vorhandenen montiert werden, herstellen und größere Werkstücke bearbeiten. Ich bin mit dieser Werkbank schon sehr zufrieden. Alles in allem lässt sich dafür auch eine Kaufempfehlung aussprechen, denn das Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis passt schon.