Rockler Bench Cookies, New Product

[Neill]

I just returned from my local Rockler store with a 4-pack plastic sleeve of these guys.  The sleeve is priced at $11.99.

They are round and about three inches in diameter and elevate your material about an inch above your work surface.  They have soft, slightly waffled rubber pads on the top and bottom and hold your material very securely without budging.  They would seem to be invaluable for table top routing.  No clamps required. You also don't have to worry about your router bit nicking your top or getting caught up in one of those router mats that are supposed to hold your work without slipping.  Yeah, right!

Just thought I'd pass this along to anyone interested.

Neill

 

[ForumMFG]

Hmm, Rockler said those cookies wouldn't be in stores until Aug 1.

 

[Neill]

Dave,

I saw that too.  But I was in there today and there they were.  The hold is amazing.  I guess it is the same soft rubber that is on the bottom of the guide rails.  Only difference is that they have a slight waffle pattern

Neill

 

[ForumMFG]

Neil,

TalkFestool has a link to a video of a guy using these.  He takes a hand full of dust and wood chips and throws it on a table.  He then puts the cookies on top of the dust and chips.  He then graps ANOTHER hand full of dust and chips and sprinkles it on top of the cookies then puts a large piece of wood on it.  He uses a router and puts a profile on the edge with no problems.  With all that dust and chips the cookies still held up.  I thought it was cool.

-Dave

 

[Neill]

Neil,

TalkFestool has a link to a video of a guy using these.  He takes a hand full of dust and wood chips and throws it on a table.  He then puts the cookies on top of the dust and chips.  He then graps ANOTHER hand full of dust and chips and sprinkles it on top of the cookies then puts a large piece of wood on it.  He uses a router and puts a profile on the edge with no problems.  With all that dust and chips the cookies still held up.  I thought it was cool.

-Dave

Dave,

As Joe said, that was impressive.  Just think how well they will hold if you don't have all that crap in the way.  I'll have to take a look over at TF.

Neill

 

[EcoFurniture]

I ordered a hole bunch of them. They shipped yesterday. will see how much customs will charge me....

 

[jjwing]

I bought these a week ago, the guys at Rockler talked me into it.  They are great, when they get less "tacky" from sawdust you just rinse them off with warm water.  Well worth the 12 bucks. 

 

[Mac]

Hi,

Was wondering how you guys have found these after using them for a while now? Still happy? 

And does anyone know if you can find these from anywhere in the UK yet?

Cheers
Rick

 

[Neill]

Hi,

Was wondering how you guys have found these after using them for a while now? Still happy? 

And does anyone know if you can find these from anywhere in the UK yet?

Cheers
Rick

Rick,

I have found a lot of uses for them and find them to be very helpful.  I am still finding things I can do with them.

You don't have to clamp your work down.  So if you are sanding or routing, you don't have to stop to relocate your clamps.  As I said previously, your tool is also not going to get tangled up with a foam routing pad.

You also don't have to worry about the shape of your material.  With Festool clamping elements and your MFT  for example, if you have routed edges, the clamps may slip.  Also with the clamping elements, they can be at the same level or even taller than your material so you wind up sanding them.

The only negative I can find is that if you put a heavy and / or damp object on them it creates a lot of suction and they stick to your workpiece or workbench.  Of course, they should not be used in place of painter's pyramids to elevate your work.

As far as availability in the UK, I just don't know.

Neill

 

[butzla]

I was at my local Rockler last week and bought these on impulse.  They were near the register and I remember reading about them here.  Here's my take:

First of all, my MFT is almost always covered with junk.  No need to clear off the table, the cookies raise up the work piece over most of the junk.
I'm currently building 3 sysports and before I assembled the drawers/ trays, I thought it easier to sand the tray bottoms beforehand.  15 pieces of 1/2" baltic birch, both sides.  Now I don't know if you've ever tried sanding 1/2" stock on an MFT before, but it's a pain in the arse.  

First of all, the push clamps sit proud of the work piece, so in order to use them, you have to shim the stock with a piece of 1/4 stock.  The shim and the work piece rattle very loudly. then to sand the other side, you turn off sander, wait for it to stop spinning, set it down on table, unclamp workpiece, flip it over, clamp it again, do that 15 times, well, you get the picture.  

With the cookies, ain't no need for any of that.  Throw the work piece on top of the cookies, sand 1 side, this time keep sander running and merely flip the stock over with your other hand.  Plus you have the added bonus of being able to put a micro-chamfer on all 4 edges.  Very easily done with the stock elevated and free of any clamps.  That's a very huge plus.

The rubber dampens vibration so anything you sand on them remains very quiet.  Get yourself a set.  Best 12 bucks I ever spent.  Too bad they don't come in green.

Rockler Bench Cookies

 

[Neill]

I was at my local Rockler last week and bought these on impulse.  They were near the register and I remember reading about them here.  Here's my take:

First of all, my MFT is almost always covered with junk.  No need to clear off the table, the cookies raise up the work piece over most of the junk.
I'm currently building 3 sysports and before I assembled the drawers/ trays, I thought it easier to sand them beforehand.  15 pieces of 1/2" baltic birch, both sides.  Now I don't know if you've ever tried sanding 1/2" stock on an MFT before, but it's a pain in the arse. 

First of all, the push clamps sit proud of the work piece, so in order to use them, you have to shim the stock with a piece of 1/4 stock.  The shim and the work piece rattle very loudly. then to sand the other side, you turn off sander, wait for it to stop spinning, set it down on table, unclamp workpiece, flip it over, clamp it again, do that 15 times, well, you get the picture. 

With the cookies, ain't no need for any of that.  Throw the work piece on top of the cookies, sand 1 side, this time keep sander running and merely flip the stock over with your other hand.  Plus you have the added bonus of being able to put a micro-chamfer on all 4 edges.  Very easily done with the stock elevated and free of any clamps.  That's a very huge plus.

The rubber dampens vibration so anything you sand on them remains very quiet.  Get yourself a set.  Best 12 bucks I ever spent.  Too bad they don't come in green.

Rockler Bench Cookies

Stoolman,

I agree with you > 100%.  I love these things.  I now have 2 sets.  By the way, by push clamps are you talking about the clamping elements?  I do not like them at all.  If you are sanding 3/4" or thinner stock, your sander shaves off the top the clamps.  They also often slip if your edges are not at or about 90* such as if you have done some edge routing.

In my opinion, other than the guide rail accessory kit (taken as a whole)  the clamping elements are Festool's most useless products.

Neill

Neill

 

[mwhafner]

In my opinion, other than the guide rail accessory kit (taken as a whole)  the clamping elements are Festool's most useless products.

While I will concede the uselessness of the Guide Rail Accessory Kit (very expensive clamps and a systainer), I really like the clamping elements for larger projects. 

 

[butzla]

Neill,  Correct-a-mundo, I was talking about the clamping elements.  I still like them for larger tasks, or maybe I'm still thinking how I felt pre-cookies, I dunno.  I  just love how these cookies quiet everything down...  A second set of cookies in my near future for sure.

 

[Frank Pellow]

Thanks for the recommendation folks.  I will definitely pick up at least 8 of these cookies the next time that I am in the USA.

 

[mouppe]

For light sanding work, I place the workpiece on foam sanding blocks. I find they give me enough friction to stop things moving about. I also use them to support the piece when I am applying the finish.

Richard.