Now Available: The New Crisscross 14

In the works for a few years now, today we launch our new Crisscross 14.

The Crisscross 14 was developed to expand on the versatility of our Crisscross Solo and Retro. With arms that are 14" long, the Crisscross 14 occupies 5" less vertical space than the Solo or Retro and requires only a 7/8"  wide mortise. It functions nearly identically to our full size Crisscross, and mounts to your bench exactly like the Crisscross Solo.

Made entirely from steel and delivered with a lightly oiled finish, the Crisscross 14 was developed to fit in benches that are shorter than 30" tall, leaving more room for positioning your leg vise hardware. It works flawlessly with our Glide or Classic Leg Vise.

The Crisscross 14 is also ideal for use in the Moravian style workbench popularized by Will Myers. It will fit into the bench as designed by Myers without any modification to the plans.

For those wishing to mount a leg vise to an adjustable height workbench (such as a Noden Adjust-a-bench) the Crisscross 14 is a perfect fit, and allows the bench to be lowered as intended.

The Crisscross 14 is $79, and is also available with any of our leg vises and Benchmaker packages.

We're particularly pleased that with the release of the Crisscross 14 we can now offer our Classic Leg Vise with the 14 for only $289.

Order the new Crisscross 14 here. They are in stock and ready to ship.

Coming soon: Crisscross 14

We're putting the finishing touches on our newest product: The Benchcrafted Crisscross 14. 

This has been on our drawing board for many years, but it was a request from our Chicago showroom (aka, Jeff Miller Handcrafted Furniture) to make it possible to install a Classic Leg Vise into a Noden Adjust-a-bench. We worked up a prototype and Jeff has been using it to great success for several months now. It wasn't long after that that we also sent one off to our friend Will Myers to test in his Moravian bench. Turns out the Crisscross 14 plugs right into this bench without modification. Shorter benches will also benefit from the 14, since its a full 5" shorter than the Crisscross. The mechanism occupies just 14 1/2" of vertical space in a 7/8" wide mortise. Very compact. Performance is nearly identical to the Crisscross, in fact, the average user would not notice a difference. But for us, who live and breathe our vises on a daily basis, there is a slight amount of feel that differentiates the two mechanisms. In use, that is, when you're actually just making stuff, there is no functional difference. 

We don't have pricing quite nailed down yet. But even though the Crisscross 14 is made entirely from steel (not the less costly cast iron) the price will be a bit less than our standard Crisscross Solo. 

The Crisscross 14 will work flawlessly with our Glide and Classic Leg Vise, and will be offered along with both those vises instead of a Crisscross, if you need the extra space. We'll always default to recommending our Crisscross Solo or Retro, but if space is a concern, the 14 will deliver. 

Stay tuned to our Instagram @benchcrafted for more frequent updates. 

New Item: Black Wrinkle Knobs

Our new vintage style black wrinkle aluminum knobs are now available as an accessory for your Benchcrafted vises. You can update any Glide or Tail Vise produced since mid-2012, your shoulder bolts and spacer washers will fit right up (shoulder bolts or spacer washers are not available separately) $16 ea. Purchase on our Glide or Tail Vise pages.

Hi Vise Now Available

Three and a half years ago we made our first "etau" or what we now call our Hi Vise so we could take a prototype to the first Handworks event.

Now that the Hi Vise is officially for sale we can say with a bit of regret: we put this off for too long.

The new Hi Vise is quite the thing. Compact, portable, versatile. But if there's one indulgence we're guilty of with this one, its making something just because its cool. This little unit has a certain charm to it that says "lets make something fun." The other side of the coin is, it's a powerful vise that will give you the opportunity for control and precision that you may not have experienced before.

The Hi Vise is like a blacksmith's post vise for woodworkers. It gets stuff up at chest height where your eyes are closer to the work, you elbows are closer to your body, and your tools can be moved in a more efficient way. I'll never forget Peter Galbert's technique I learned during a class for how to move your body when turning a long spindle. And it sounds counter-intuitive. Begin in an uncomfortable position, and end your movement at a comfortable position. We can't have the perfect body position at all times for every operation. But we can make the best of it, which is why Galbert's technique is perfect. The Hi Vise puts detail work in that zone of comfort that you can't get with regular bench vises. Once you work at chest height when the task demands, you'll never monkey around with anything less. On a personal note, my Hi Vise (yes, I got the first one off the line) is either on the right end of my bench, or sitting below on the shelf, ready to mount at a moment's notice.

One application of the Hi Vise we haven't touched on much during development: as a permanent leg vise in its own right. It's 5 -1/2" capacity between jaws is more than enough for typical furniture making requirements. And it's robust construction (overbuilt, as we like it) means it can hold its own in more demanding situations. Although we don't recommend it for a full-on bench build, we can't think of a better leg vise for a small detail bench, or even a children's bench. The Crisscross Nine's diminutive size would also allow the Hi Vise to be built into short assembly benches as well, or even height-adjustable benches like the Noden Adjust-a-Bench.

Two Ways To Buy

The Hi Vise can be built in a number of ways (see our  assembly and construction notes for all the details) but for purchasing purposes, we're offering it two ways: The Hi Vise and The Hi Vise with Mounting Screw. The  Hi Vise can be built to mount your bench with clamps, holdfasts, in our Tail Vise, or in a traditional moving-block tail vise. If that's how you'll use the vise, simply purchase The Hi Vise for $189.

Here's what you'll get in the Hi Vise box (plus a few fasteners and Crubber):

All you need to complete your build is wood.

If you'd like to build the version that allows you to quickly mount the vise to any surface without tools, clamps, holdfasts, etc. you'll purchase the Hi Vise with Mounting Screw for $259. You'll get a box with the Hi Vise, plus another, separate box with this inside:

The fasteners needed to assemble the Mounting Screw are included in the hardware kit in the Hi Vise box. Again, all you'll need to complete your build is wood.

To read more about the Hi Vise, see our Hi Vise page.

To download the assembly and construction notes, click here.

To order your Hi Vise, see our store page.

Fall Update

We apologize for not updating the blog as frequently, but it's been quite busy here this summer what with all our new products coming down the pike. Here's what's happening at Benchcrafted.

Swing Seat 
The patterns are done and on their way to the foundry. Next week we hope to get some video of the first pour. We always run samples to check gating (how the metal flows) and such, so this won't be a production run. If the sample run looks good we'll go right ahead with a production run so we can get these produced asap. The goal on these is to have some ready for Christmas delivery.

Planing Stop
We've got the first run finished and ready for packaging. Once we update the website you'll be able to buy one. Price: $24. Includes everything you need to put one in your bench, except for the wood stock. Watch for these in the next few weeks.

Classic Workbench Plans
The plans are finished (thanks Louis!) All we need to do now is sit down and write the instructions, take some pictures and update the website. Christmastime is our goal.

Hi Vise
We've finished our first mass run of Hi Vises. This week we'll begin packaging them up. We've still got a bit of stuff to do with instructions and website copy, but we're close. We're also building the portable version this week, so look for updates on that as well.

Turbo Ecabulator
This never gets old

Moxon Vises Now Shipping With Crubber

For some time we've experienced increasing difficulty sourcing suede on a regular basis. The problem isn't so much supply, as there are plenty of cow hides out there, but rather finding a supplier who is consistent and wants to do business. Must just be the industry.

So we've looked for other options. And we found it in an unlikely place. Over the winter we fixed up our '69 Volkswagen Beetle and even went so far as to rebuild the engine from scratch. When we opened the gasket kit we found this corky-looking material that seemed to grip to any surface. After a fair amount of research we've sourced this material--a blend of natural cork and natural rubber, chopped up and reformed under great pressure into a dense roll of grippy material that's sliced--rotary veneer-style--into 3/32" sheets of grabby goodness. We've replaced all the suede in our shop with Crubber and we're loving it.

We'll also be offering Crubber ala carte so you can line your other vises or clamp heads. It should also work on holdfast pads, although we haven't tested that yet.

Eventually, when we run out of our stock of suede leather, all vises will ship with Crubber.

Watch for ala carte Crubber on our website this fall.

Say it one more time....Crubber!

Mid Summer Update - Hi Vise

Right now the giant fireball is roaring outside and the heat index is 116. But our test shop window air conditioner (circa 1995!) is pulling overtime and keeping it a crisp 68 degrees. In this environment of extremes the first production version of our new Hi Vise was born.

First off, we've decided to ditch the French name and stick with something simple. Hi Vise. It's a mix of sappy happy greeting and functional description. Besides, when you work at Benchcrafted you end up saying Crisscross, Glide, and Moxon about a bazillion times a day. I'm not saying "ehtoe" any more than I have to (apologies, Mr. Punchinello.)

Pricing
Okay, we still can't be 100% on this, but here's a solid ballpark. This shouldn't change much, but don't hold us to that. When we began developing this vise we touted it as having nearly all the functionality of our carver's vise, plus a couple distinct advantages over the carver's vise. That vise cost $379. The Hi Vise base model (no mounting hardware) should come in somewhere around $165, and the deluxe model (mounting hardware included) should add about $75. We're trying some new processes with this vise that give a more worn-in look such as wheelabrating. Combining this technique with precision milled surfaces makes for a sweet classic look. Our mini Crosscross arms (see above) use this process.

Base Model
The difference between the base model and deluxe model is in the mounting. The base model can be mounted in a variety of ways depending on how you build the vise. So far our favorite way is to build a bracket into the rear leg that slips down into the jaws of our Benchcrafted Tail Vise. This thing is so rock solid in this configuration you'd think the vise was part of the bench. And it mounts and dismounts nearly instantly.

Another way to mount the vise is with a simple stick of wood across the back of the rear leg. Dirt simple and quick, you can hold this vise down to your bench with a pair of holdfasts or a couple clamps. Both of these mounting blocks are attached to the rear leg of the vise with two 5/16" flat head cap screws--the mounting bracket is tapped to receive these machine threads--a technique we've long recommended.

Capacity
Typical builds will yield about 5-1/2" between the jaws at full extension.

You may notice a new material lining the jaws on this vise. For some time we've experienced increasing difficulty sourcing suede on a regular basis. The problem isn't so much supply, as there are plenty of cow hides out there, but rather finding a supplier who is consistent and wants to do business. Must just be the industry. So we've looked for other options. And we found it in an unlikely place. Over the winter we've been fixing up our '69 Volkswagen Beetle and even went so far as to rebuild the engine from scratch. When we opened the gasket kit we found this corky-looking material that seemed to grip to any surface. After a fair amount of research we've sourced this material--a blend of natural cork and natural rubber, chopped up and reformed under great pressure into a dense roll of grippy material that's sliced--rotary veneer-style--into 3/32" sheets of grabby goodness. The good thing is, it's less expensive than suede and the supply is much more reliable. As a result we'll also be offering this material, which we're tempted to call Crubber, as an item on its own so you can buy it and line your other vises or clamp heads. It should also work on holdfast pads, although we haven't tested that yet.

Look for the Hi Vise to be available this fall.

And in case you were curious about the outcome of our little VW engine experience....

What We're Working on in 2016

Its been a couple years since we came out with a new product. Here's everything we're working on, and hoping to produce in 2016. We're a small company, but we've got lots of ideas for new tools. Cranking out new stuff isn't difficult. But nailing it is. And we won't make something unless we've put our guts into it, and make sure its something we'd be delighted with in our own shop.

First up, the Etau.

Funny name, great vise. Here's why. The etau (which simply means "vise" in French) is a bit like the carver's vise we produced as a limited run in 2013, but is more versatile and handy since it can be clamped to almost any bench or table in just a few seconds. It's a great high vise, and a great portable vise. We wrote about the vise almost three years ago when we produced a one-off for the Handworks event in Amana. Since then, that prototype has seen a fair amount of use in the Benchcrafted test shop, and for the past year it's been mounted on one corner of planemaker Ron Brese's shop, where he uses the etau to shape plane totes and accomplish lots of other close work that the etau is well-suited for. If you've never used a vise the raises work to chest height, you will love the etau.

Right now we're working out a few minor bugs and tweaking the design to make this vise really sweet. It will incorporate some features from the carver's vise, and some from our Classic Leg Vise. The etau will be a regular item, not a limited run like the carver's vise. We think it's just about the perfect auxiliary vise for doing close work that requires more control. Let's not forget the cool factor. This thing looks great hanging out at the back corner of your bench.

One thing we're not 100% on. The name. "Etau" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. We'll get this sorted eventually.

The Benchcrafted Planing Stop

This is something that's been cooking on the back burner for a while. But our upcoming set of Classic Workbench Plans forced us to kick this little guy to the front of the line.

The Benchcrafted planing stop is a dirt simple thing. Could you make one in your own shop during an episode of Magnum P.I.? Of course. But we're hoping to make this one cheap enough that you can spend that hour making the wood parts and chopping a big mortise in your bench instead. Right now the only commercial planing stops available are made by blacksmiths. Those are quite nice (and we recommend them) but we needed one of our design for the Classic workbench. Obviously it will work with other benches too.

Figuring out a way hold a planing stop securely to the wood block without it eventually wiggling loose or rotating was pretty easy. We borrowed the idea from our own barrel nuts. Doubling up the bolts prevents the stop from rotating, and keeps it securely cinched down.

These are just about to go into production and should be ready to purchase by the time the tulips start emerging.

M Series Moxon Vise

Sorry, we don't have any pictures of these yet, since we haven't made any. We've long wanted to do a run of fully machined Moxon vises, not only because they would look outstanding, but also because we've have a few requests for them. These will use the same fully machined handwheel as our Tail Vise M vise, only machined to run on the acme screws of the Moxon vise. We can imagine a Moxon M made with rosewood or richly finished mahogany. Maybe a little overkill, but we can't resist. These won't be cheap since our M series handwheels take forever and a day to machine to a high level. And there are two of them. Expect these to be a little less than double the price of a standard Moxon.

These won't be a regular item, but only a one-time run. And this will likely be the first item we make where we take pre-orders before we do the run. If you're interested, drop a note in the comments section. It will help us gauge how many we produce.

Classic Workbench Plans

Read about these here.

New Tool - The Benchcrafted Paring Skraper

At long last the Benchcrafted Paring Skraper is ready.

We've been talking about this tool for some time now, so we're pleased to announce that we'll be selling it at Handworks in Amana, IA on May 15 and 16. We eventually plan to make the tool available through our store page, so look for online ordering sometime this summer. But for now, it's only available at Handworks.

So, a simple tool, a simple explanation. For those familiar with our Skraper, the Paring Skraper is nothing more than a narrower, longer version that's capable of finer work, and getting into places that the Skraper can't venture.

Think dog holes. The square kind of course. This tool makes it easy to scrape away glue squeeze out (slightly cured of course) in deep, narrow recesses.

The Paring Skraper's business end has a finely ground carbide strobe, brazed onto a steel blank. All edges are finely surface ground so each 90 degree face terminates in a sharp arris. Not only good for general scraping duties, the Paring Skraper excels at scraping dense hardwoods, plastics and some softer metals. You can touch up the flats (to make new, sharp arrises) with diamond hones.

The tool is much more deft in the hand for finer detail work, and can easily take a shaving from denser woods with much less pressure than the standard Skraper, which means you can do similar work with less effort, and thus gain more control.

The handle is simple too. A rubberized, textured grip that slips right over the chrome-plated steel handle. You can even remove the rubber grip if you wish, but this really is the perfect handle material for this tool.

The Paring Skraper is just over 8" in length, with a 5/8" wide, 3/16" thick carbide tip. The tool costs $24. We'll have a limited number of these in our booth at Handworks, so if you want one, make sure you stop by first thing Friday morning.

Tail Vise C Now Available

We're very pleased to announce that the new Benchcrafted Tail Vise C is available.

Here's a little background about the vise. A few months ago we released the Glide M leg vise, and with improvements came a price increase due to the added components. We immediately decided we needed to offer a lower cost alternative with the same performance as the Glide M. The Glide C was born. Naturally we realized folks would want a Benchmaker's Package with all C series vises, thus the Tail Vise C.

In case you're wondering, "M" denotes machined and "C" cast. These terms don't refer to the way the handwheels are manufactured (since both are cast and machined), but rather describes the final surface finish. The Tail Vise with machined handwheel will now be called the Tail Vise M. Below you can see the difference between the Tail Vise M (left) and Tail Vise C (right.) Both are made of cast gray iron, poured locally.

Aside from the obvious cost savings (our original motivation for producing the vises) the C series vises with their sand cast finish have a distinct vintage and traditional look. As a hat tip to the old toolmakers, we outfitted the C series vises use beech (acrylic infused) knobs. If you're into the vintage aesthetic, the C series nails it. I have a C series Tail Vise and Glide on my Ash bench at home at the moment. I love the understated look. The texture of the cast wheel on the Tail Vise also makes for great ergonomics, since I like to grasp the wheel itself for small adjustments.

Aside from the handwheel and knob, all other components of the Tail Vise C are identical to the Tail Vise M. It also installs and performs exactly like the M.

The Tail Vise C will be shipping shortly, and you can order now through our store page. You may need to refresh your browser.

Price for the Tail Vise C is $295 plus actual shipping.

Price for a Benchmaker's package with C series vises (with Crisscross Solo) is $699.

For those using a Classic Leg Vise in their Benchmaker's Package, the default Tail Vise choice will be the C. We will gladly sell you an M with your Classic, but you must request it via email.

Now In Stock - The New Glide and More.

Here at Benchcrafted we're always tweaking our designs to make them as sweet as we can. Of course the dilemma in all this is that we risk slighting past customers when we change a product. Here's how we see it. Our past offerings were the best we had to offer at the time. There are companies out there (big ones usually) where planned obsolescence is part of day to day business. Not us. Here, we design and build for the long run, but now and then we get ideas that are genuine improvements and we can't sit on them. Our motivation is to make great stuff, and share it with our fellow woodworkers.

About a year ago we started experimenting with a Glide Leg Vise in our test shop. I've always been intrigued by ship's wheels, and the ergonomics and physical dynamics of why they work. A large wheel gives lots of leverage, and the handles provide an efficient way for a human  to transfer their energy into turning the wheel. If the wheel were without handles, one would have to grip a rather thick section of wheel and use enormous amount of energy just maintaining that grip. My Northfield 16" jointer adjusts by means of a large cast iron ship's wheel. I can rotate it with a single finger on one of eight handles as it moves hundreds of pound of cast iron.

We had a reject bronze Glide wheel from a previous run so we drilled and tapped the rim of the wheel to accept six of our rosewood (now Dymondwood) knobs. We were immediately struck by the improved ergonomics of this arrangement. Spinning the handwheel for gross adjustments was simply of matter of flicking one of the knobs. The wheel, as usual, would spin for several revolutions. We also noticed another improvement. With no knob mounted to the front of the wheel, the entire vise was lower profile--no more bumping a leg into the knob or catching a pocket as you walk by. With knobs oriented symmetrically about the perimeter, the wheel was also balanced, allowing it to spin more smoothly.

But as cool as the six-knob bronze ship's wheel looked (batten down the hatches!) and functioned, we found a problem. Six knobs was three knobs too many, so we removed every other knob. Bingo. This placed a knob at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock or any point in between. In other words, there was always a knob within easy reach at the top of the vise. Perfect.

But we weren't finished. On the heels of releasing the Classic Leg Vise we decided to swap out the standard single-lead screw (that we've always used on the Glide) for the double-lead screw we use on the Classic. The results? A turbo-charged Glide. One revolution of the wheel now yields 1/2" of travel, vs. 1/4" of the previous Glide. And there's no change in the feel of how the vise holds, due to the effect of the larger lever when adjusting the vise with the knobs (I still grab the rim from time to time.)

The Glide M features our fully-machined cast iron handwheel that is designed, cast, and machined entirely in the USA. The handwheel is outfitted with three Dymondwood knobs turned and finished to a high level in the USA, and mounted with our proprietary fasteners. The Glide M automatically includes a Crisscross mechanism (choose Solo or Retro.)

Price is $439 with a Crisscross Solo, and $479 with a Crisscross Retro.

With the added costs of the additional components, we weren't comfortable with the higher price of the Glide M.

The Glide C features a cast-iron handwheel that we're leaving un-machined to save on cost. The wheel has the same weight and feel in use as the machined Glide M wheel. Both vises perform identically. The difference is entirely cosmetic.

The Glide C uses acrylic-infused Beech knobs. The combination of the un-machined wheel and the Beech knobs not only mean a less expensive vise, but also a more traditional look. I have a Glide C on my ash Roubo bench at the moment. I love the look.

In case you're wondering, we do have a Tail Vise C in the works, so you'll be able to completely outfit your bench with matching vises. And yes, the Tail Vise C will also cost less than the current Tail Vise (which will become the Tail Vise M.)

A word on the infused Beech knobs. These are incredibly tough. They are as durable as solid acrylic, but with the feel and look of wood. They won't split or move. If you know the infused mallets made by Dave Jeske of Blue Spruce toolworks, these knobs are the same. In fact, Dave turns all of our vise knobs from the same stuff. They are impeccable in every way.

Price is $369 with a Crisscross Solo ($40 less than the previous "Glide Crisscross"), and $409 with a Crisscross Retro.

Retrofitting your bench with a Glide M or Glide C

The Glide M and Glide C components are not interchangeable with previous versions of the Glide. We've never encouraged upgrading parts of our vises anyway, since that relegates the obsolete parts to the recycle bin. To us it makes more sense to sell your current vise, give it to a friend, donate it to a school, or hang it on your mantle as a piece of industrial art (okay, maybe that's going too far).

If you do upgrade to a Glide M or C, and you currently have a Glide and Crisscross installed in your bench, you'll have to attach the new nut, patch your square acetal bushing mortise and cut a new, round mortise for the round acetal bushing. The existing tapped holes on your chop should work just fine with the Glide M or C.

We'll be uploading the new installation instruction (see our downloads page) for the Glide M/C which also include the Crisscross instructions. We're constantly revising and improving our instructions to make your installs as smooth as possible.

Split Top Roubo Workbench Plans

Its been about two years since we did away with the Split Top Roubo's parallel guide and replaced it with a Crisscross. Unfortunately we haven't had a chance update the STR plans to reflect this.Yes, we've been lax on this and it has caused a bit of confusion. Apologies. We do address the changes in the Glide installation instructions, and the STR Construction notes (both of which have been recently updated to further emphasize the changes.) The bad news is we lost our hard drive that contained the plans as we were updating them, and believe it or not, we also lost two backup drives as well. Computers! The good news is we're back on task and working diligently to get the plans totally updated as soon as possible. They will be better than ever.

See our stuff at WIA in two weeks

We had hoped to return to WIA this year, but the location and timing unfortunately did not work out for us. Maybe next year. However, if you're planning on attending WIA, Plate 11 Bench Company will have one of their benches outfitted with a Glide M, as will the Sterling Tool Works booth. If you're in the market for a finely made bench, Mark Hicks does excellent work and will build you a complete bench, or furnish you with a kit of parts ready to assemble. And Chris Kuehn's Saddle Tail is hands down the best dovetail marker I've ever used. Crisp and precise machining, beautifully made. I have the whole set, including the leather holster.

You can order a Glide M now through our Store page. The Glide C is still in production and will be ready to ship in 3-4 weeks. Watch for an announcement here in the next couple weeks. Tail Vise C's are also still in production and will be ready to purchase, we estimate in a couple months.

Later this fall, Glides will be also available through several of our dealers.

A Few Holdfasts

We still have a few of our hand-forged holdfasts left. These are not on our website, but only for sale through the blog. More info here.

The Benchcrafted Hand Forged Holdfast

Based on an extant French holdfast, the Benchcrafted holdfast is hand forged from carbon steel. The holdfast is made in America. 

Made completely by hand using traditional blacksmithing methods, our holdfast grabs quick and releases just as quickly.

Design to work in a 1" hole, the 7/8" diameter shaft is 18" long (13" under the pad)  with a total reach of 8". The pad is 1-1/2" wide. Best used in thick Roubo-style tops.The bench in the video is about 5-1/2" thick. For any holdfast to work properly, the hole must be perpendicular to the top surface.

These are different than the holdfast described and illustrated in Roubo. The pad is more of a square shape, and the profile of the arm terminates in an angular facet on the underside. It's a cool, yet time consuming detail to execute. There are certainly less expensive ways to make a holdfast. We made these because our prototype worked so well, and we liked the look. Simple as that.

Many holdfast shafts are sized to be just a smidge smaller than the hole they were designed for. Our's is 1/8" smaller. Why does this work? The extra room allows the shaft to bite easily into the hole instead of just slipping in and out. Loose tolerances here are the key. A quick bite with rapid and free repositioning after a light tap.

As with all holdfasts, a non-smooth surface on the back and front of the shaft  aids greatly in helping the holdfast to hold fast. These holdfasts have one coat of shellac to protect against rust, and as such the surface is a bit slippery. You should remove the shellac with denatured alcohol, and perhaps scuff the surfaces with some medium grit (150) sandpaper before use.

Price: $199 plus shipping.

To order, send an email to info@benchcrafted.com. State how many you would like, include your shipping address, and preferred Paypal address and we'll send you a bill.

Hold Fast

Underhill Nail Cabinet and a Sneak Peek

In case anyone has noticed, its been a bit quiet around here lately. Two reasons. The holiday season is our busiest, and we've been hard at work getting our new leg vise in order. So shortly before the New Year, I set down my drafting pencil, engineer's cap and mug of spiced cider and headed out to the shop to use some Benchcrafted product.

I started this nail cabinet purely on a whim. And I finished it with an equal amount of surprise. I didn't know it at the time, but this little cabinet caused a big change in the shop that I hadn't planned. The wall behind my main bench is not exactly inspiring. Unpainted drywall, steel shelf standards and mdf shelves with eight years of accumulated detritus. I wasn't about to hang my new cabinet in that mess.

This is what the back wall of the shop looked like a couple years ago. I desaturated it for your benefit.

So I tore the shelves out (we've already repurposed one in an adjacent building--you've got to have a little Sanford and Son here and there) and piled all the garbage on the bench. I had two or three empty cans of linseed oil on that shelf. Yeah, empty. Too lazy to throw them out? Nope, the garbage is lower than the shelf. If you have the answers, please, I'm searching.

A call to my local lumberyard ---okay, wait, for you kids, local does not equal Home Depot (even though the words home and depot sound local) and no offense to Home Depot, actually, yes, offense to Home Depot---yielded a couple hundred square feet of prefinished natural hickory flooring, which I nailed to the wall and part of the ceiling. Admittedly, not my ideal look.

My first choice? Wide, unfinished quartered white oak run vertically. Cost: much folding money.

Cost on the hickory flooring: $0. (see kids, I told you to be loyal to your local yard)

The hickory definitely has the cheesy "sawmill office" look. But who doesn't like a cheesy sawmill office? All I need now is a circa 1987 Mr. Coffee with sludge rings in the carafe to complete the ensemble (pronounce that as if you was French.)

Now, lest you think I stopped at sawmill office, think again. I went all the way with it. All. The. Way. (I always wanted to try the single-word sentence, three sentences worth, with periods. Never. Again.) I could have stopped, lived with the cheese. But what is cheese without.......crackers. Yeah, cheese and crackers. The age-old combo that can't be beat. Like a guy walking down the street with an open jar of peanut butter, then unexpectedly bumping into a woman carrying an open-air chocolate bar. Or the Wonder-Twins putting out a forest fire by taking the form of eagle and the shape of water bucket. Yes, I combined cheese with its natural partner and Cracker Barrelled my shop.

I couldn't resist hanging up some of my French workholding devices on my new Dean & Deluca-class cheese-and-crackerized southern wall. Lest you think I went whole hog and installed the track lighting just for this, no, they were already there. But get this, I installed them retroactively in the future, during the past. So they were there already, even before they weren't, in anticipation of them not existing anticipatory-ily.

After I finished the decorating, I called in my shop stylist for a Feng Shui check before hanging the nail cabinet. There are some balance issues with my garbage can and scrap bin, but I think the new cabinet's Qi more than makes up for this slight imbalance.

Oh, and lest I forget, here's the sneak peek: