Bench Cookies?? Yes, Please!

Article - July 27, 2009

Its not often that I get to recommend something that’s useful, effective AND cheap! So I wanted to make sure you all knew about Rockler’s Bench Cookies. If you followed the AWFS news recently you probably heard enough about these little puck-shaped doo-dads. For those who haven’t, they are little “puck-shaped doo-dads” with a bit of soft gripping rubber on each side. The idea is to not only elevate your work off the bench for sanding and routing tasks (with no clamps), but to also stop the workpiece from sliding. Now we’ve had router mats for a long time now and I used to buy a similar material in big rolls at Costco. But I found that the rubbery material always left its pattern behind in the wood and it would take forever to sand it out again. But so far, I am not having that problem with the material on these little guys. And to answer your first question before you even ask it, dust doesn’t ruin their gripping power. Just knock the excess dust off and you’re good to go! I’ll be anxious to see how they hold up over the course of time. FYI, the links below are our Rockler affiliate links.

Rockler Bench Cookies: Lifts, Grips and Protects!

With high-friction rubber surfaces and a durable core, Bench Cookies are the most
exciting, versatile accessory to hit wood shops in years. They keep projects from
slipping while routing, sanding,..

Rockler Bench Cookies: Lifts, Grips and Protects!

Discussion

Todd A. Clippinger July 27, 2009 8:38 pm

When I saw the bench cookies the first thing I thought was, “I wonder if they will leave an oily residue like the router mats?” The imprint/residue crap is horrible to get rid of. I imagine it is the same sort of mark that the rubber faces of clamps leave behind.

Anyway, if you get some let us know. I don’t want to buy any until I get the good word that they are OK.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer July 27, 2009 8:56 pm
  
  So far so good Todd. But I have some more sanding to do tomorrow. Ill report back.
  
  Reply
Zach July 27, 2009 10:52 pm

I just ordered a set. I can’t wait to put them to work.

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Derek July 28, 2009 6:35 am

I picked up some bench cookies about a week or so ago. This weekend was my first time using them. Overall I’m pretty pleased with them. I had a bunch of parts to sand for a small hanging cabinet I’m building. For the most part they gripped the larger/thicker pieces fine for sanding.

However, I did have a little trouble with some thinner panels. A couple of panels I had were around 1/4″ thick, and the cookies tended to slide around due to the vibration of the orbital sander. Other than that, they definitely make sanding a lot easier, and I didn’t notice any residue from the rubber pads. Haven’t tried them with the router quite yet.

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Peik July 28, 2009 7:14 am

Hmm, what do they taste like? Maybe a bit chewy :D

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Bill Akins July 28, 2009 7:39 am

I’ll have mine double stuffed with a glass of milk please.

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Andrew Ford July 28, 2009 7:51 am

“puck shaped doo-dads” Is that technical jargon?

They do look pretty cool, I may have to get a set when my wife tells me I can start spending on myself.lol

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Don Dean July 28, 2009 7:54 am

Received mine a week ago. I found that one of the cookies only had the pad on one side. Called Rockler and they responded quickly and sent me a replacement cookie. Have not used mine yet but I am about ready to make four end grain cutting boards a la Woodwhisperer and will then be able to give them a work out.

PS. Ordered wood for cutting boards from Bell Products who sell packages for the Woodwhisper cutting board. The wood is outstanding and strongly recommend them.

Reply
Claude Stewart July 28, 2009 6:58 pm

Hey Marc;
Do this cookies use Gecko feet technology to keep from slipping? Gecko feet tech. also used on the new Palm Pre induction charging unit.

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- thewoodwhisperer July 28, 2009 9:41 pm
  
  Not that I know of Claude.
  
  Reply
- Mike December 7, 2009 4:02 pm
  
  I doubt it geckos use hairs on their feet which are so small they actually create a Van der Waals force with the molecules of whatever material they are climbing on at the time, Van der Waals force is essentially any attraction between molecules or atoms not caused by either covalent or ionic bonds. And A one doctor Dinojawa (Think I’m spelling that right if not sorry doctor) At the university of Ackron ohio has used carbon nano tubes to recreate that effect its really cool stuff.
  
  Reply
Mick July 28, 2009 10:09 pm

I use Padded Non Slip Shelf Liner Sand 12in x 5ft = $3.50

Great for sanding

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Ben H July 29, 2009 2:12 pm

I’m thinking “bench puck” would be a more fitting name.

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kosta July 29, 2009 4:53 pm

Man if these bench cookies work as good as people say they do someones gonna be making a ton of money.

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Guido ackermann July 29, 2009 11:25 pm

Great Idea, these pucks. Unfortunately I wont be able to by one in Germany in near future.
But I made things like that from peaces of Ply with a rubber in german called “Moosgummi”.
This is used on tools for filling the insert of tiles (hope i translated right). Its cheap, does not leave any marks, doens`t care about sawdust, could bee glued with ordanary woodglue, doesn’t slip at all, even on waxed surfaces. I use this for a long time to make pushsticks, because its thickness of 0,2″ allows me to move is over the blade with only sawing rubber, not pushsticks.

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Frank July 31, 2009 1:52 pm

I’m liking these Bench Cookies. Good call Marc…

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The Flying Staple August 21, 2009 6:01 pm

Just got my Bench Cookies and they seem to work very well. This works for my limited work area where I do not have the bench with the dogs for clamping.

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Ron York October 20, 2009 6:46 pm

Just bought a set last weekend, they were on sale at Rockler. Tried them out and they seem to work well. Better than the traditional router matt.

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walt Lumley September 9, 2010 6:25 am

Just recieved a set of the Bench Cookies Plus. They are drilled and tapped for a 3/8inch bolt. Rockler sells risers but I have found that I can use 3/4 inch dowels and glue a bolt in the end after drilling and get the same effect. And I can have them any size I want.

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Terry McKnight April 23, 2011 10:33 pm

Rutlands sell them in the uk. I bought the XL version that has a tapped hole in the bottom. You can then screw on a riser a put it into a dog hole to aid stability. If you screw on an xl riser you can lift the workpiece off the bench by 3″
These a great little devices and I find I’m using them a lot.

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Matt Cremona May 18, 2011 7:07 pm

just used some when staining a nightstand I made for my fiancee. no complaints here!

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dave F. May 28, 2016 11:29 am

I am working on a project that I need to use this material as part of an isolation platform. Do you know the name of the material is and how I can get a hold of a huge sheet of it to make my prototypes?

Reply
- John Ciccarelli February 2, 2018 12:35 pm
  
  Lee Valley sells the high-friction material in (puck-size) discs and also sheets. They also sell genuine hockey pucks for DIY-ing the bench cookies.
  
  http://www.leevalley.com/us/wo.....3456,43465
  
  Reply
dave F. May 28, 2016 11:31 am

BTW, they work really well for their intended purpose, no dust collecting on them and no residue that I have been able to discern.

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Charles April 16, 2018 10:01 am

Not all Bench Cookies may be created equal. I have the bench dog version and they are terrible! They absolutely stain the wood surface with some sort of residue. I make a round oak top, and (partially my fault here) did all my final sanding on the top surface all the way to 180 grit before stain, but i did not wipe it down with mineral spirits which could have showed me the 3 puck marks on the surface from when I’d been working on the bottom and it was flipped over. I didn’t see the marks until AFTER 3 coats of GF Arm r seal…it took just the right light and at the right angle. I was taking finished shots of the piece and had to delay delivery. I’m sanding it back to raw wood on the top tonight to get started on the process all over again. These things are going in the trash and I’m going to make my own solution for lifting up panels later, or try the Rockler brand ones and cross my fingers. I tested the cookies too, I didn’t get stain on them, I rubbed them all over white paper and can’t see anything they leave behind…but it was definitely there on the wood.

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Bench Cookies?? Yes, Please!

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