The Compass Rose Sawyer's Hooks
Accurate crosscuts can be a challenge. Tenon shoulders and other small cuts are often done in the vise, with the work held at an awkward angle. Most of us adapt to sawing this way, but it’s not ideal.
For centuries, woodworkers have performed crosscuts and other small jobs in a 'bench hook,' a clever wooden jig that hooks onto the edge of the workbench and holds the work flat while it's sawn or chiseled. Bench hooks are simple, and an experienced artisan can make a set from scraps. Unfortunately, bench hooks need to be flat and square to work well. Many beginners simply don’t have the skills to make good bench hooks, and commercial bench hooks are either expensive or poorly made.
Compass Rose Toolworks is solving this problem with our new Sawyer’s Hooks; an affordable DIY kit that lets you make your own bench hooks in about an hour. Our hooks are CNC machined from cabinet-grade birch plywood, so they’re straight and square. They also won’t cup or twist like solid wood can.
Assembly is fast and easy. Place dowels in the pre-drilled holes, add glue, clamp the parts together, and let everything dry. All the parts are clearly marked, and we’ve positioned the dowel holes so the Sawyer’s Hooks can only go together one way—the right way. Our free digital Assembly Guide has clear instructions with plenty of pictures.
The completed hooks have a recessed fence to guide your back-saw during delicate cuts. If you’d rather have a fence that goes all the way to the edge, just flip one hook over. In the flipped position, the hooks can be used for shooting the end-grain of your cuts. Your plane rides on your benchtop, and the hook’s integrated fence prevents blow-out. The Sawyer’s Hooks might even replace your dedicated shooting board.
Many bench hook designs use a single, wide hook for all jobs, but we’ve created a pair of narrower hooks. With two bench hooks, you can hold any length of wood. Place one hand on the work between the hooks and push forward to hold the wood in place while you work. You control the pressure, so you can instantly flip or rotate the workpiece. No need to undo a clamp or vise. If you’ve never worked this way, you might be surprised by the flexibility and solid grip of good bench hooks.
Use our hooks for a year or two (they’ll last much longer), and you’ll have the skills to make your own, and we bet you will. Once you get used to working with bench hooks, you won’t go back.
Kit includes:
• 2 Base Boards
• 4 Fences
• 14 Dowels (2 extra, just in case.)
• Download the Assembly Guide here.
Made in USA.
Accurate crosscuts can be a challenge. Tenon shoulders and other small cuts are often done in the vise, with the work held at an awkward angle. Most of us adapt to sawing this way, but it’s not ideal.
For centuries, woodworkers have performed crosscuts and other small jobs in a 'bench hook,' a clever wooden jig that hooks onto the edge of the workbench and holds the work flat while it's sawn or chiseled. Bench hooks are simple, and an experienced artisan can make a set from scraps. Unfortunately, bench hooks need to be flat and square to work well. Many beginners simply don’t have the skills to make good bench hooks, and commercial bench hooks are either expensive or poorly made.
Compass Rose Toolworks is solving this problem with our new Sawyer’s Hooks; an affordable DIY kit that lets you make your own bench hooks in about an hour. Our hooks are CNC machined from cabinet-grade birch plywood, so they’re straight and square. They also won’t cup or twist like solid wood can.
Assembly is fast and easy. Place dowels in the pre-drilled holes, add glue, clamp the parts together, and let everything dry. All the parts are clearly marked, and we’ve positioned the dowel holes so the Sawyer’s Hooks can only go together one way—the right way. Our free digital Assembly Guide has clear instructions with plenty of pictures.
The completed hooks have a recessed fence to guide your back-saw during delicate cuts. If you’d rather have a fence that goes all the way to the edge, just flip one hook over. In the flipped position, the hooks can be used for shooting the end-grain of your cuts. Your plane rides on your benchtop, and the hook’s integrated fence prevents blow-out. The Sawyer’s Hooks might even replace your dedicated shooting board.
Many bench hook designs use a single, wide hook for all jobs, but we’ve created a pair of narrower hooks. With two bench hooks, you can hold any length of wood. Place one hand on the work between the hooks and push forward to hold the wood in place while you work. You control the pressure, so you can instantly flip or rotate the workpiece. No need to undo a clamp or vise. If you’ve never worked this way, you might be surprised by the flexibility and solid grip of good bench hooks.
Use our hooks for a year or two (they’ll last much longer), and you’ll have the skills to make your own, and we bet you will. Once you get used to working with bench hooks, you won’t go back.
Kit includes:
• 2 Base Boards
• 4 Fences
• 14 Dowels (2 extra, just in case.)
• Download the Assembly Guide here.
Made in USA.
Accurate crosscuts can be a challenge. Tenon shoulders and other small cuts are often done in the vise, with the work held at an awkward angle. Most of us adapt to sawing this way, but it’s not ideal.
For centuries, woodworkers have performed crosscuts and other small jobs in a 'bench hook,' a clever wooden jig that hooks onto the edge of the workbench and holds the work flat while it's sawn or chiseled. Bench hooks are simple, and an experienced artisan can make a set from scraps. Unfortunately, bench hooks need to be flat and square to work well. Many beginners simply don’t have the skills to make good bench hooks, and commercial bench hooks are either expensive or poorly made.
Compass Rose Toolworks is solving this problem with our new Sawyer’s Hooks; an affordable DIY kit that lets you make your own bench hooks in about an hour. Our hooks are CNC machined from cabinet-grade birch plywood, so they’re straight and square. They also won’t cup or twist like solid wood can.
Assembly is fast and easy. Place dowels in the pre-drilled holes, add glue, clamp the parts together, and let everything dry. All the parts are clearly marked, and we’ve positioned the dowel holes so the Sawyer’s Hooks can only go together one way—the right way. Our free digital Assembly Guide has clear instructions with plenty of pictures.
The completed hooks have a recessed fence to guide your back-saw during delicate cuts. If you’d rather have a fence that goes all the way to the edge, just flip one hook over. In the flipped position, the hooks can be used for shooting the end-grain of your cuts. Your plane rides on your benchtop, and the hook’s integrated fence prevents blow-out. The Sawyer’s Hooks might even replace your dedicated shooting board.
Many bench hook designs use a single, wide hook for all jobs, but we’ve created a pair of narrower hooks. With two bench hooks, you can hold any length of wood. Place one hand on the work between the hooks and push forward to hold the wood in place while you work. You control the pressure, so you can instantly flip or rotate the workpiece. No need to undo a clamp or vise. If you’ve never worked this way, you might be surprised by the flexibility and solid grip of good bench hooks.
Use our hooks for a year or two (they’ll last much longer), and you’ll have the skills to make your own, and we bet you will. Once you get used to working with bench hooks, you won’t go back.
Kit includes:
• 2 Base Boards
• 4 Fences
• 14 Dowels (2 extra, just in case.)
• Download the Assembly Guide here.
Made in USA.