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What's the workbench of choice these days? Last time I looked at workbenches, Black and Decker were still doing TV adverts for the Workmate!
I see that Bosch to quite a decent looking one (PWB 600) but is it worth the spend (£140 on Amazon) as there is also this...
There is a Workmate for £40 too.
It's just for bike related stuff and the odd bit of sawing.
Lidl £14.99
I've got several workbenches and I still find the small cheapy the most useful.
Mine's bent, rusted and the MDF top has been replaced with bits of decking but I like it.
Macallister collapsible workbench
I have an identical one, different manufacturer/branding, but essentially the same
That bosch does look good though.
Like a more useful workmate.
Anything that uses those caulk gun mechansism clamps things can get to. Stupid useless things.
MFT is where it is at these days.
Can’t see that Lidl one. And how on earth do you search that awful Lidl website?????
+1 for the macalister one. Or whatever branding you get it with.
Contrary to Josh's oppinion, the ratchet/lever clamps are great, just give them a wipe with graphite to keep them slick.
And being plastic it doesn't rust/rot. Mine lives down the side of the shed (just take the clamps off).
Yeah, that McAlister one is dope.
I even take mine camping as it's so quick to pop up and down.
I have a 20 year old Workmate and looking to get the Bosch when they are available
I’ve got a triton super jaws which I find really useful. I use a piece of ply with a rib underneath and clamp that in if I need a work surface instead of a mobile vice.
That Macallister type one looks good value but I want it to hold a wheel axle so I can adjust the bearings etc. Prob needs to have the clamping mechanism like the Bosch/Workmate so I can use it a bit like a vice.
Or could I get the Macallister and fit an actual vice to it temporarily when I need it? Anyone done that????
Not going to spend £140 on the Bosch one from Amazon though. Will wait until they are in stock elsewhere I guess.
EDIT looks like Robert Dyas might have some...
I've been quite happy with this:
The Macalister one comes with two channels on the table, into which you slide the two quick-clamps provided.
You can then clamp say two boards together, clamping your axle. Not as intuitive for that as a workmate perhaps but doable.
They have good edges and so you could buy a small vice, screw it to a bit of ply then clamp that to the edge of the table.
Best of the work-mate-esque benches I've used is the Frame-X (part way down this page)
On one orientation it works like a convensional workmate with the same kind of clamping options but gives you a bigger work surface and its taller so you're not stooping over it. You can also pop the worktop off and have a variant of different heights to support stuff and still have a clamping function
You can also turn it on its side and support doors and full sheets of plywood. Supported this way boards have free space below them so good for stuff like jigsawing
That said I dont really do work that calls for that kind of thing any more so I sold mine and used two of the Keter (MacAsister branded) pop up tables and an old door or a bit of plywood between them
Got an original B&D one from the 80's from my dad. Still fine.