In playing around with material choices that compliment my new found fetish for stainless steel, I stumbled upon black chrome. Black chrome–these two words make no sense together and yet they represent an intriguing combination–kinda like mince meat…
Anyway, as mentioned several weeks back, we are celebrating our 25th anniversary with a limited edition series of essential tools primarily made from stainless steel. The combination square below will be available around Xmas. It shall be known as The Tool Too Sexy for Mass Production.
Although I liked our old CS-12 (it was the most successful new tool in our history) this version CS12 SE, is hot. How hot? So hot that it will have a 9:30 pm curfew–now that is hot! Can’t wait to get mine.
The body will be milled from a solid stainless steel billet and the center section will be black chrome–holy cow is this going to be a beauty.
Actually I am changing the curfew to 8:00 pm–you want a date with this baby there will be only time for dinner–no movie.
The image below is a stereolithography model we made to check out the ergonmic aspect of the tool. The 45 degree leg on this tool is long enough to be a useful reference for checking miter cuts–something we should have dealt with on our first CS-12.
This tool is going to be a beauty in both function and inspiration. We will begin taking pre-orders soon, delivery by the holidays. I love the black chrome aspect because in different lights, the color shifts from black to blue to green–cool stuff.
Oh, almost forgot, The Tool Too Sexy for Mass Production will also be accurate to .002″ over the blade length.
And in case you missed the first Bridge City Essential, here’s a visual reminder–not many left.
–John
Droooolllll!
So does the “SE” after the C-12 stand for “Sex-E”? Maybe it should be 2SE…
– Peter
YOWZA MOMMA!! That is one sexy beast. :o) Alright so let’s get down to brass or black chrome tacks. How much does this baby cost? I am thinking with only .002 across the entire length that we are probably looking like maybe $19. Please let me know if this is incorrect.
John, what a beauty. Is the black chrome only going to be on one side or both? I cannot wait to get my grubby paws on this. :o) As usual it appears to be another home run.
Fred
The entire center section is black chrome which the stainless bosses pierce on each side–in other words, it is symmetrical.
Cost? Don’t know yet. I am still worrying about the curfew.
–John
I’m letting mine out at night – you never know who she might come home with. Perhaps a nice Stainless Steel plane or something…
– Peter
John,
Very nice! Black Chrome, sounds like a great title for a song. I’m thinking the black chrome would look nice on an HP-6, you just can’t have enough HP-6 bodies, I think I’m due for another. Keep the tools coming. Fred and I will keep Peter buying them!
Rutager
So my wife and I were talking about this tool over dinner and a bottle of wine, and she came up with this brilliant idea, John: pair the tool with an exclusive piece of jewelry (maybe in black pearl or something). You’ve got “The Real Mother Goose” (my all-time favorite store) right down the street from you. Why not work with them to match a piece of jewelry with your tool, so that both the husband and wife get a nice treat when they (they!) order your tool? Sort of like a wine pairing.
Might help ensure family harmony, and sell tools all at the same time!
– Peter
Peter- I think you and your wife should go to dinner and a movie because that will NEVER happen with The Tool Too Sexy for Mass Production–no matter how much wine is involved.
Bummer. Seemed like a good idea at the time…
– Peter
John,
I like your thinking as the idea of a gem of any kind marring the looks of my tools is truly heretical. :o)Even the thought of having to buy a piece of jewelery just because I am buying a tool much needed for my work well what’s the point? Oh yeah, I have ex’s not a current. But still, sheesh. :o)
Rutager,
I like your thinking also but let’s expand on that as now that John has put the kibosh on the jewelry look at the money that pfranks is saving that could now be used to buy us our tools. :o)
Fred
John,
Nice looking tool – I want one.
Are you able to offer the blade types as options as opposed to the 3 together?
I have the 6″ slighty sexy stainless saddle square square, and, being a metric guy, the other two blades just sit in my toolbox.
If the world were perfect we would not make Imperial rules–it is so inefficient. That said, our rules are made in quantities of 1,000 minimum. So in order to make metric, (combined with our unwillingness to carry any inventory in this economic climate) we bundle blades.
I am not sure what we are going to do yet with “The Tool Too Sexy for Mass Production” but I do appreciate your feedback–
-John
Hi John,
Could you give us a little info on the black chrome process, I assume it is plated. What metals and chemicals are used, and are there other colors that can be “chromed?”
Rutager
Hi Rutager,
Chrome plating and Nickel plating are the two most common plating processes. Nickel Plating is a little yellower in color than the blue-ish Chrome plating process. You can really see the difference when the parts are side by side.
There is not a broad spectrum of colors available with plating. With the Black Nickel Chrome Process, black nickel is plated over bright nickel to give a black appearance.
We plan on using the Black Nickel Chrome process which, I believe, is not as bad of a process for the environment as straight Chrome Plating.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrome_plating
Michael
Here is a link to a podcast that describes black chrome;
http://www.finishing.com/podcast/070305.mp3
When the player appears, the actual discussion about black chrome is just a bit shy of the half-way mark on the slider control-so you can skip almost the entire first half of the content.
It is a viable finish in certain applications for furniture designers too–hint, hint…
Here’s a snippet from one of my lessons on design;
Remember, 100% wood, 100% of the time, is likely 100% wrong–what if your wardrobe was 100% plaid?
–John
Hi John,
Love the CS-12 SE, but I have to ask if you’ve given up on using wood inserts in your designs? I’ve been wondering what a stainless CS-12 with curly maple inserts would look like!
– Scott
Scott-
The CS12 SE is very customizable. We have no plans for wood inserts in the arms of this tool, but you certainly can mod one.
If you follow some of the techniques we propose for the HP6 Mini multi-plane, one such example is creating a “V” groove to receive a corner molding.
The arms of the CS-12 are created with a 90 degree cutter which means you can inlay a wood of choice, and sand flush on a stationary belt sander (or draw file). We are certain this will interest some of our customers, but the tool “plain” is just gorgeous.
Once we deliver this tool, we are going to open a forum for the customized versions–a show and tell forum basically.
That said, we have not given up on brass and rosewood, rather we are evolving to embrace new materials that allow us more latitude for our designs–we would like our tools to reflect contemporary values. It is exciting times here at BCTW.
–John
John,
First a quick question and that is when might we expect to have the KerfMaker in our grubby little hands?
Secondly and of far more importance. Aside from the fact that there are many of us that would very, very much like to see/meet you out here on the Correct Coast in October. Some of us would also like to see pfranks get off of his duff and show his face out here as well. On our forum, I received a very devilishly clever suggestion for ensuring that pfranks winds his way out here. However, the suggestion can only be implemented with your help. What we need is between now and October any of your tools that pfranks purchases be shipped to me. 😮 Of course Natasha and/or Marissa would have to be in the loop so as to not accidentally ship it to him.
Thirdly, what in the world can we do to get you out here for the October Hand Tool Event. Those of us on this side of the country do not normally hve the opportunity to meet you and discuss your tools and what may be coming out. Unfortunately, I do not have any devilishly clever scheme to get you here. I cannot begin to tell you that there will be x number of sales but I do know that it is much easier, at least for me, to buy from someone I have met. I am pleading here man, down on my knees. Okay, I was installing some baseboard but still. 😮
Fred
Fred;
Regarding the Tool You Want Real Bad… we are on track for late Sept. delivery.
Oct WIA conference; If pfranks is buying the beer (he only bought one Kerfmaker mind you) I will be there–Michael too.
–John
John,
I am very much looking forward to meeting both you and Michael. The beers are on pfranks and he is now officially trapped as he said that if you would be there, he would be there. 😮
Thank you for the timetable on the Kerfmaker.
By the way, I have been trying to get my hands on a Flushing Chisel without paying ten thousand dollars as they seem to keep costing on eBay. If you come across one that is for sale please keep me in mind.
Fred
You guys are all too clever for me. Guess I’ll have to cancel my class that day, book my flights, and save up my beer money. This could be quite a trip: meeting John Economaki and Fred West (in the flesh) for the first time. Beauty and the Beast. The yin and the yang. Kerfection and Infection.
– Peter
Peter: There’s something about Fred in the flesh that is disturbing–Michael is easily scared…
That said, we should plan on a BCTW dinner one night, so spread the word.
–John
I know what you mean, John. I’ve only seen Fred over Skype and I still have nightmares! Perhaps we should keep Michael otherwise occupied.
I love the idea of a BCTW dinner. Make sure it’s not Sunday, as I have to travel back here (left coast) that day. So Friday or Saturday.
– Peter
Gentleman???,
First let’s put something in perspective. Me – 3 kermaker’s, pfranks – 1 barely, me – HP-7 new, pfranks – HP-7 blem, etc. I think you can see where this is going, so, frightening well I can be as scary as can be but look in your wallet and THEN let’s talk. 😮 😮
Friday or Saturday dinner sounds good to me as well.
Fred, the troll 😮
Is the “Combination Square Too Sexy for Mass Production” still going to be coming out around Christmas? When we pre-orders be taken?
The Combination Square Too Sexy for Mass Production is coming soon–before Xmas? Not so sure…we are devoting all of our energy at the moment to both the Jointmaker Prov2 and the Jointmaker SW (swingle wing). Oh, and a couple of other new tools that I can’t wait to over hype on this totally awesome and professional blog.
One thing is for sure, you will read about here first!
–John