About Grainvaultlab

Why I Started This Site

I've spent 25 years bleeding money into tools that talked a big game and couldn't hold an edge. Back in 1999, when I was apprenticing under a master furniture maker in Portland, I learned quick that specs on paper mean nothing when you're trying to flatten a table top and your plane's blade chatters like a chainsaw. Over the years, I've watched the internet fill with "reviews" written by content farms and marketing teams who've never touched a chisel. Grainvaultlab exists because I got sick of watching good woodworkers waste money on garbage. This is the resource I wish I had when I was building my first shop—a place where every recommendation comes from actual shop time, not press releases.

About Bill Hartley

I started in this trade the old way: sweeping floors and sharpening other people's tools until I earned the right to use them. For the past 25 years, I've worked as a professional furniture maker, building everything from Federal-style cabinets to live-edge dining tables that sell for five figures. I've also spent the last decade teaching woodworking at the community college level, which means I've watched hundreds of students struggle with the same tool failures I've faced—band saw blades that wander, router tables with fences that won't lock square, and "premium" chisels that roll over after three dovetails.

My shop is a 2,400-square-foot space where I've made every mistake possible. I've had a table saw fence shift mid-cut and ruin $300 worth of walnut. I've spent entire weekends flattening vintage planes I bought at estate sales just to prove they were better than new imports. I've tested lumber storage solutions through humid summers and dry winters, watching which methods actually prevent warping versus which ones just look organized on Instagram.

You should trust my judgment because I've got skin in this game. When I recommend a tool, it's because I've used it to pay my mortgage. I'm not an influencer looking for free stuff—I'm a furniture maker who needs tools that work. If I tell you a hand plane is worth your money, it's because I've sharpened it, used it for a week of heavy stock removal, and checked the sole with an engineer's straightedge. If I say skip something, it's because I've watched it fail in the middle of a commissioned piece.

What We Cover

Grainvaultlab focuses on the tools and systems that actually matter in a working shop. I don't waste time on gadgetry that collects dust. Here's what you'll find here:

This site is for the woodworker who values accuracy over hype. Whether you're setting up your first shop or upgrading a 20-year collection, if you care about tools that cut true and last decades, you're in the right place.

How We Test & Review

My review process is simple: every tool spends a minimum of two to four weeks in active use before I write a word. When I test a table saw, I'm not just checking if it turns on. I'm verifying the fence locks parallel to the blade using dial indicators. I'm ripping 8/4 hard maple to see if the motor bogs. I'm testing the dust collection while making cuts that matter for actual client work.

I judge every product against three non-negotiable criteria: precision (does it measure true out of the box and stay true under stress), durability (will it still perform in five years, or fail when you need it most), and real-project performance (does it solve actual problems in a working shop, not just test conditions).

Full disclosure: Grainvaultlab uses affiliate links. When you click through and buy something, I earn a commission at no cost to you. But here's my promise—those relationships never influence my scores. I've trashed tools from major brands that pay generous commissions, and I've recommended obscure hand planes that don't even have affiliate programs. My loyalty is to your project, not my commission check. If a product is junk, I'll tell you it's junk, period.

Get In Touch

Questions about a specific tool? Want to argue about bevel angles or share photos of your shop setup? I read every email. Reach me at info@grainvaultlab.com.

Questions? Reach us at info@grainvaultlab.com