Rockler Bench Cookie Plus Work Grippers: Lift a Panel and Keep Every Edge Open

Set a cabinet door flat on a bench and the edge you need to sand is suddenly the edge you cannot reach. The four Rockler Bench Cookie Plus Work Grippers solve that small-shop problem by lifting the workpiece one inch while high-friction rubber faces resist everyday movement. The panel sits above dust and bench clutter, and all four edges remain open without clamp bars crossing the top.

This is the blue Bench Cookie Plus four-pack, not a finishing cone set or a plain puck without the threaded insert. The distinction matters because the Plus version can accept Rockler's optional risers and other accessories.

A one-inch lift opens the perimeter

Each round support is three inches across and raises the workpiece one inch. Place one near each corner of a stable panel and the faces no longer touch the bench. That creates finger room for lifting, gives a sander access to the perimeter and lets a router bearing travel around an edge without running into a clamp.

Four supports are enough for an average panel according to Rockler, but placement still matters. Keep them inside the workpiece footprint, distribute the load and add support beneath flexible or unusually large stock. The Cookies are not leveling feet; a warped panel or uneven bench can still rock.

High-friction faces hold without covering the work

Rubber pads on the top and bottom create friction against both the project and bench. For sanding, light routing and similar operations, that can keep the work accessible while avoiding clamp marks and clamp repositioning. The clean upper face is especially useful when the task moves around all four sides.

Friction is not a mechanical lock. Dust, a glossy surface, a small contact area or a strong sideways tool load can reduce security. Start with clean pads on a clean, dry bench, press the workpiece down to confirm contact and test with a light push before starting. If the piece shifts, vibrates or could become a projectile, stop and use clamps or another positive workholding method.

The threaded insert makes the system expandable

The metal insert visible in the underside accepts optional Bench Cookie Plus accessories. A riser can add clearance for tools or jigsaw blades; Rockler notes that stacking two standard supports can also provide enough height for many jigsaw blades. Other compatible accessories include finishing cones, T-track risers, sawhorse clips and finishing bridges.

Those accessories are not in this four-pack. Buy them only for a specific workflow rather than treating the base set as a complete modular station. A taller stack also increases leverage at the contact point, so stability should be checked again whenever height changes.

Know when a clamp is still the safer answer

Bench Cookies are most convincing during surface preparation and edge work on broad, reasonably flat pieces: sanding a door, easing a tabletop edge, routing a modest profile or raising a panel while finishing its exposed upper face. They also keep the workpiece off chips that could scratch the underside.

They are a poor choice for narrow parts, aggressive cuts, heavy drilling, joinery that needs exact registration or any operation where the tool can drive the work sideways. A round support hidden under a panel can also be forgotten before a cut, so plan the tool path and verify every support location first.

Choose the four-pack when the recurring nuisance is losing access to an edge or trapping dust beneath a panel. The compact supports are easier to deploy than a temporary jig and leave the upper face unobstructed. Keep conventional clamps within reach, though: these grippers improve access, but good judgment about force and workpiece shape decides whether friction alone is enough.