Bridge City Tools

[Stewie Simpson]

The cost to produce a fine product is always considerably higher at a tiny manufacturer.

Brian; I have my doubts that Harvey Industry Co. Ltd; Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, would qualify as a tiny manufacturer.

https://harveywoodworking.en.made-in-china.com/

Bridge City Tool Works & Harvey Industries

In 2013, John met Jack Xu, owner of Harvey Industries, a China based manufacturer established in 1999, that successfully sells woodworking machinery in over 100 countries worldwide. John created the Chopstick Master and looked to Jack to manufacture this product for him at the highest quality for retail sale. As a result of that collaboration, Harvey Industries began producing the Chopstick Master and later became the officially licensed manufacturer of Bridge City Tools.


https://bridgecitytools.com/pages/about

[Brian Holcombe]

They list 20M in export, that is small business territory. Small companies making a complex product for a limited audience are going to need to charge more to make it viable.

[Derek Cohen]

I dont personally have a need, or even a "want" for Bridge City Tools like these. But finely crafted stuff really is nice, and if that's what you work for, I get that.

And "expensive" can be an eye-of-the-beholder thing. Plenty of retired guys here laugh at us for buying "just" LV or LN tools, let alone BCT stuff.

(Full disclosure: I did buy one teeny tiny BCT pocket square from LV for $23. I keep thinking about sending it back because the "magnet-mounted sliding steel fence" is just chintzy sheet metal.)

Just my $0.02.
Fred

I purchased a 2" x 2" saddle square many years ago. It is a go-to tool. I'd buy another if they sold it still - it's been out of production for a decade. Hopefully, with the new owner and manufacturer, plus tools sold via Lee Valley and Carbatec (in Oz), we might see these again.



That is the saddle square on the left (with a dovetail marker I made all that time back). The saddle square was about $50 (or less) at the time.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Rob Luter]

That saddle square is a little gem. While a much higher priced alternative to others out there, I could almost rationalize one of those. Alas, my Lee Valley version will have to do.

[Jim Matthews]

DO you think BCT buyers USE their planes?

[Frederick Skelly]

I purchased a 2" x 2" saddle square many years ago. It is a go-to tool. I'd buy another if they sold it still - it's been out of production for a decade. Hopefully, with the new owner and manufacturer, plus tools sold via Lee Valley and Carbatec (in Oz), we might see these again.

That is the saddle square on the left (with a dovetail marker I made all that time back). The saddle square was about $50 (or less) at the time.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I've always admired that saddle square of yours in other pics you've posted Derek. Plus that sweet little dovetail square you made. (I always loved the dovetails on the dovetail square - clever and attractive.) For $50 US, I'd buy a saddle square like that if it comes back into production. For $100, it would be a "splurge tool". For much more than that, I'd admire it from afar.

Fred

[Jim Matthews]

That's hilarious.

"Bridge City" is in China?

[Frederick Skelly]

DO you think BCT buyers USE their planes?

I always assumed BCT owners were just fans of finely crafted "things" and that they kept their BCT planes in a display case. But it would sure be interesting to hear from actual owners.

[Rob Luter]

The cost to produce a fine product is always considerably higher at a tiny manufacturer.

Very true. To add a bit of perspective, I have occasion to purchase production tooling, gauges, fixtures, etc. for manufacturing. These are usually one-off tools made by a local or regional tool shop. In that context, $1,000 for one of these planes is what we call "almost free".

[Jack Frederick]

Cost, value & resources. I thought it rather extravagant when I was just beginning woodworking that I would buy LN planes as I traveled on business in Maine, buying one or two/year. I think they are beautiful, paid the dough and am happy with them. I wish BCT the best, but they are out of reach here. I look at the cost, appreciate the value and am only short on resources these days

[ken hatch]

Interesting works of art but as Brian H. has shown what's important is a sharp iron and what's holding it makes no never mind. A simple block of wood can work as well as or better than the most highly engineered hunk of metal. That's my next question who is going to sharpen the iron after it is dull because at that point the ~$1000 USD BCT plane is a paperweight

ken

[Bill White]

Old western saying: It ain't the arrow. It is the Indian.
My proverb for the day.

[Brian Holcombe]

Interesting works of art but as Brian H. has shown what's important is a sharp iron and what's holding it makes no never mind. A simple block of wood can work as well as or better than the most highly engineered hunk of metal. That's my next question who is going to sharpen the iron after it is dull because at that point the ~$1000 USD BCT plane is a paperweight

ken

I can appreciate it from a manufacturing perspective, I think it’s neatly built.

It doesn’t fit my needs as it doesn’t have a double iron, with a double iron I find no reason for high bed angles.

[Mike King]

I have a few bridge city tools. They are finely crafted and I appreciate them for their art as well as function. An acquaintance has several of their planes; he is a very skilled woodworker and marquetarian and he loves his planes. That being said, I think all of their stuff is for aficionados. There are many ways to skin a cat. Not everyone appreciates a Ducati or Ferrari.

[Jason Kamery]

Jeeze. Definitely a nice plane with nice features but like any new plane, I would get too worried about damaging/dinging it. I wouldn't be focusing on woodworking, just making sure my expensive pretty item doesn't get damaged. It would be fun to try it one day.