I build a lot of custom workbenches.
But sometimes the best person to build your custom bench is… well… you.
Benchcrafted will soon be posting a workbench kit on their site. It appears to offer everything you’ll need in the way of materials for your bench. And you know they’ll be happy to provide some excellent hardware. If you have the skills, or maybe just enough confidence, you should buy one.
Those of you who have been around from the beginning will know that bench kits are where I started with Plate 11. They were also my first failure. Maybe the idea was ahead of it’s time. It came from Chris Schwarz, after all. More likely I just wasn’t smart enough or patient enough to figure out how to sell them.
I’m certain Benchcrafted will have a different experience. The Abraham brothers are intelligent and I don’t think they’ll need the patience. I’m betting there are a lot of dusty hardware boxes hiding in dark shop corners. Their gleaming contents waiting to meet some freshly milled maple. I know this because customers sometimes send them to me to install in their benches. No, Benchcrafted will sell plenty of bench kits and they’ll sell them fast.
If you’re a fan of Plate 11, you might be wondering, “Why the hell are you talking about this? This is direct competition for your class!”
It’s not. Not really.
We’re both trying to remove some of the barriers that keep people from building an awesome bench. But I’m not interested in making kits.
I want to make woodworkers. I’m in the woodworker business.
Sometimes that means building a beautiful workbench that will last for generations. Or a shave horse that will allow a budding chair maker to begin building their legacy. Other times it means giving you some solid coaching, a good head start and then cheering you on as you cross the finish line.
Maybe you need more than a workbench kit. Maybe you're interested in building a solid foundation in hand tool woodworking and a solid workbench at the same time.
If this is you, learn more about my upcoming Workbench Class At Home.