Today in the shop "lets talk bench cookie stuff"
Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2019 6:44 pm
This is not as such a review of the Rockler Bench Cookie stuff. It is more of a review of what they have and what can it do, that includes using it a bit differently then some people have though of using it.
So lets get started with a few details about bench cookie's. You can read about them at rockler online if you wish but save that until you finish this thread and decide if you are interested or not.
When these first came out I liked the idea and made my own out of hockey pucks, that post is here:
https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/gene ... t4540.html
They are still used and still work just fine but things have advanced and the rockler ones have a few features which sold me on get a few. The cookie has a top side and a bottom side. The bottom side has a threaded insert which makes a world of difference in usefulness.
The threaded insert now allows a number of attachment possibilities. I got the t-track risers first since I had their t-track table system. I then went with the sawhorse clips, they allow you to clip them to 1-1/2" material. Along the way I got both the finishing cones and finishing bridges. Later I added the risers. We will look at all of this stuff before the thread is finished.
Let's start with the risers. This is collection of them that I have, the shortest one is the 1 or 3 cookie height one, yes the unit of measurement is cookie height. The middle one in the picture is the t-track version, by contrast it is measured in inches, 2". Then there is the 2 or 3 cookie height one.
Starting with the t-track version, like I did, you can see that it has t-bolt and then a plastic barrel. A word of caution here, these cookies and hardware are for 5/16" hardware. If you have t-track that is not made for 5/16" hardware it isn't going to fit as is. Rockler t-track will take either 1/4" or 5/16". You will also notice that I have a 5/16" bolt, I keep a set for different applications.
Now lets look at what this allows us to do. For one thing you can attach a cookie to each end of the risers, this allows you to have a cookie just setting on the bench or raised up. One cookie high allows you to do some edge routing with out the bearing touching the bench, but if you wanted to use say a jig saw will it would need to be higher. You might also want to make sure the cookie stays where you put it as you move work pieces on and off. The rubber pads do a great job of this but sometimes you want or need to have a more robust setting, we will get back to this. Here is a picture showing the risers in use.
Now lets look at the intended reason for what these parts look like. They are designed to fit in dog holes, in particular 3/4" dog holes. By way of showing the parts as they might fit in a table with dog holes here are a couple shots, first with them upside down showing the hardware and then insert in to bench dog holes.
Now remember that I mentioned this was for 3/4" dog holes? Well how about when your table is full of 20mm holes? We will start that conversation in the next post.
Ed
So lets get started with a few details about bench cookie's. You can read about them at rockler online if you wish but save that until you finish this thread and decide if you are interested or not.
When these first came out I liked the idea and made my own out of hockey pucks, that post is here:
https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/gene ... t4540.html
They are still used and still work just fine but things have advanced and the rockler ones have a few features which sold me on get a few. The cookie has a top side and a bottom side. The bottom side has a threaded insert which makes a world of difference in usefulness.
The threaded insert now allows a number of attachment possibilities. I got the t-track risers first since I had their t-track table system. I then went with the sawhorse clips, they allow you to clip them to 1-1/2" material. Along the way I got both the finishing cones and finishing bridges. Later I added the risers. We will look at all of this stuff before the thread is finished.
Let's start with the risers. This is collection of them that I have, the shortest one is the 1 or 3 cookie height one, yes the unit of measurement is cookie height. The middle one in the picture is the t-track version, by contrast it is measured in inches, 2". Then there is the 2 or 3 cookie height one.
Starting with the t-track version, like I did, you can see that it has t-bolt and then a plastic barrel. A word of caution here, these cookies and hardware are for 5/16" hardware. If you have t-track that is not made for 5/16" hardware it isn't going to fit as is. Rockler t-track will take either 1/4" or 5/16". You will also notice that I have a 5/16" bolt, I keep a set for different applications.
Now lets look at what this allows us to do. For one thing you can attach a cookie to each end of the risers, this allows you to have a cookie just setting on the bench or raised up. One cookie high allows you to do some edge routing with out the bearing touching the bench, but if you wanted to use say a jig saw will it would need to be higher. You might also want to make sure the cookie stays where you put it as you move work pieces on and off. The rubber pads do a great job of this but sometimes you want or need to have a more robust setting, we will get back to this. Here is a picture showing the risers in use.
Now lets look at the intended reason for what these parts look like. They are designed to fit in dog holes, in particular 3/4" dog holes. By way of showing the parts as they might fit in a table with dog holes here are a couple shots, first with them upside down showing the hardware and then insert in to bench dog holes.
Now remember that I mentioned this was for 3/4" dog holes? Well how about when your table is full of 20mm holes? We will start that conversation in the next post.
Ed