Now that the stories over, I can tell it.

I love to complain. Who doesn't? This posting isn't a complaint. I'm holding up Benchcrafted as an example of a good company. I can tell you that if you buy something from them, and something's not right, they'll take care of you.

I'll be building one of those split top Roubo benches soon. I'll be using Benchcrafted hardware in it. I recently ordered the crisscross system from Benchcrafted for the leg vise. I've already got all of the other hardware. But there was a problem with the crisscross. No pivot pin. And no phone number to give them a call. That makes me a little anxious. It's so easy to ignore emails. Well, I emailed. Got a reply the next day (wow, I didn't get ignored) telling me to look in the anti-rust paper around the bearing plates. Nope. Not there. Not anywhere. I rustled through all of the paper, double checked the little bag 'o hardware - no pivot. Sent another email.

They put a pivot pin in the mail. I got it yesterday. They stood behind their product. I like that. It seems to be more common for companies to ignore the end user. I think that's what has made me expect the worst. But not this time. I'm very pleased. Good hardware and good customer service.