Growing up, these things always seemed to be the mark of the amateur woodworker or hobbyist, not a serious tool. And they were not cheap. But having had one donated to me a few years ago, I've got to grudgingly admit that they are a very handy thing to own. But does it fit in the category of "one of my vices..."?
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Having been in tool sales for 44 years I always figured they were kind of gimmicky, but after we had an open house at the tool supply I worked for the B&D rep left one behind that he used for demos and never came back to pick it up, I took it home and realized that it does have a use around the house. That was 25 years ago now and it still works fine.
I would say the benchtop version qualifies as one of your vices:
https://images.proxibid.com/AuctionImages/4548/156055/74-1.jpg
It's a mini WorkMate on a ball joint that clamps to a benchtop, kind of like a plastic carver's vise. I have one and get a lot of use out of it; it's good for gluing up small parts and I use it as a stitching pony to quickly stitch together pieces of leather. It's not strong though, by any means but if I ever come across another one I would buy it.
My WorkMate itself sees more use as a work table; I screwed a piece of 1x1 to the bottom of a 3/4 in plywood offcut and clamp it with the WorkMate to make a tabletop. It's probably just that mine is old, but the WorkMate is too wobbly for me. Have you ever folded one and almost lost a fingertip?
Bought the then-girlfriend one for a present when they first came out sometime around 1977(?) I still use it regularly. She be long gone...
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