instruments of alchemy

20” Woodworking Band Saw - ‘Powermatic’ Model 81

Steel Frame; Cast Iron Table / Components (1973 | 700 lbs.)

Powermatic, a Tennessee-based toolmaker, has a well-deserved reputation for producing rock-solid tools that tune exceptionally well. Don’t let the saw’s beefy stature fool you - this 2 horsepower behemoth churns out reliably straight, smooth cuts. Many consider the 1970s & 80s to be Powermatic’s pinnacle, producing intuitive, endlessly adjustable machines that are characteristically ‘overbuilt’ - i.e., better than they needed to be, and very much on purpose.

We obtained this tool from a Philadelphia-based industrial shop that was downsizing ahead of a move. Very much by chance, this tool was originally purchased and owned for decades by the undergraduate institution of Hardwood Alchemy’s founder, Chris - Temple University.

10” Cabinet-style Table Saw - ‘Powermatic’ Model 66

Steel Cabinet; Cast Iron Table / Components (1982 | 550 lbs.)

Table saws are often called ‘the heart of the workshop’, and for good reason. They are an endlessly versatile tool that produce straight or angled cuts in all manner of solid woods and plywoods. Paired with Forrest saw blades (a premium NJ-based blade producer & servicer), the saw effortlessly rips or crosscuts materials for a wide variety of uses.

Another example of Powermatic at its prime, Hardwood Alchemy purchased this tool from a retiring cabinetmaker in Long Island. Featuring an extended cast iron table and capable 3 horsepower motor, this meticulously maintained juggernaut plays a central role in every custom build we produce.

87” Split-Top Roubo Cabinetmaker’s Bench - ‘Benchcrafted’ brand hardware & design

Ash Frame & Maple Top (2019 | 350 lbs.)

Based on a popular 18th century French cabinetmaker’s design, this heavyweight bench is Hardwood Alchemy’s most versatile and rugged working surface. The dead flat twin butcher’s block tabletops allow our shop to immobilize, shape, and assemble woodworking pieces and components with unparalleled accuracy, owing largely to the sheer mass of this specialized woodworking tool.

This deeply capable workbench was created in-house, from Benchcrafted hardware and locally obtained hardwoods, following the brand’s blueprints and design.