differences between workmate models?

[chuck]

Anyone know the diffs between a workmate 425 and a model 550? Is it just the single-handed vise crank?

[Rob]

Black and Decker's web page -

not list the 550 model. Perhaps it is discontinued?

[Sprog]

[JGS]

[George]

So "the identical item" will not be available elsewhere at a cheaper price....

[LRod]

Yep. When my son worked at HD several years ago, I listened in on a PK (product knowledge) session, wherein a manufacturer's rep comes in and talks to department sales associates about one of their products. This particular one was a pressure washer (actually a pretty nice one and an interesting presentation). One of the points he made was that the model number was unique to HD for the specific puropose of dodging price matching.

- - LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

[chuck]

Thanks all, that's pretty much what I figured, what with HDs penchant for 'in-house' brands and models, etc, etc.

I'm assuming here that the Workmate is still the 'class' of the portable bench industry. Just about everything else I've looked at are el-cheapo units. Even the WMs need to have their particle-board tops replaced with some decent hardwood planks to be really useful.

Any alternatives out there to the WM that I should be looking at??

I'm trying to re-create a home workshop I had about 15 years ago before a job moved me overseas. Tools are (almost) a no-brainer but the niceties like benches and lights and such like are giving me fits at the moment.