About Shopbenchguide

Why I Built This Site

I've spent too many mornings standing in my shop staring at a table saw that vibrates like a washing machine, wondering why the "5-star" reviews failed to mention the fence drifts 1/16th under pressure. I started Shopbenchguide because I was tired of review sites written by people who can't tell a rip cut from a crosscut. After three decades of making my living with these tools, I know which benchtop router can survive a production run and which workbench will rack itself out of square in six months. This site exists to save you from buying twice.

About Ray Donaldson

I spent thirty years as a finish carpenter and custom cabinetmaker before retiring to build my dream shop. That wasn't hobbyist tinkering on weekends—that was showing up at job sites at 6 AM to install kitchens that had to pass a client's exacting eye, and building heirloom furniture that families would argue over in wills. I've run miles of trim, hung hundreds of doors, and built enough cabinets to fill a lumberyard.

I learned this trade the hard way. I remember the week I spent wrestling with a cheap biscuit joiner that couldn't hold an alignment, and the morning I threw a $40 block plane against the wall because the iron wouldn't seat flat. I've felt the difference between a chisel that holds an edge through ten dovetails and one that folds over on the first cut. When I tell you a sander's dust collection is useless or a drill press runs true, I'm speaking from the kind of repetition that builds muscle memory, not from reading a spec sheet.

Now I work out of my personal shop—a 1,200 square foot space I've built up over years—testing the tools I wish I'd had access to when I was starting out. I don't romanticize the craft; I respect what these machines need to do under real working conditions.

What We Cover

We focus on the gear that actually matters when chips are flying. Here's what you'll find:

This is for anyone who's tired of guessing whether that Amazon review was written by someone who actually plugged the tool in.

How We Test & Review

I don't unbox tools and take photos. I use them.

When a table saw arrives, I spend three weeks cutting hardwoods, softwoods, and sheet goods. I check if the fence locks down square every time or drifts when you lean into it. I run the motor until it heats up to see if thermal protection actually works or just trips when you need it. For hand planes and chisels, I'm testing edge retention through actual joinery work, not just shaving pine.

My criteria are simple: does this tool do what the manufacturer claims, and will it keep doing it after a year of use? I look at dust collection efficiency on sanders because breathing protection matters. I check trunnion alignment on band saws because a blade that won't track is useless.

I am an affiliate for many of these products. If you click a link and buy something, I earn a commission. That relationship doesn't change my scores. I'd rather you buy nothing than buy garbage, because my name is tied to this shop. If I recommend a dud, you'll know where to find me. I pay for most tools myself; when a manufacturer sends a review unit, I tell you up front, and it gets the same brutal treatment as everything else.

Get In Touch

Have a question about whether that router can handle raised panels? Want to argue about my take on your favorite hand plane? Or just want to talk shop about bench heights? I'm here for it. Drop me a line at info@shopbenchguide.com. I read every email and answer the ones that don't try to sell me SEO services.

Questions? Reach us at info@shopbenchguide.com