Rockler Woodworking & Hardware

If you’re like me and love the smell of fresh wood in the morning and live in the OC, Rockler and Woodcraft are pretty much your only choices. I will admit that I purchase most of my tools and consumables online these days but Rockler is always good in a pinch. I especially like that they are a distributor for General Finishes, which is MUCH better than the stains and coatings you will find at your local big orange or blue home center. Staff have seemed knowledgeable and helpful the handful of times I have been here so no complaints there. I do wish that the prices were more competitive with Amazon and the like, but overall I am pretty satisfied with Rockler.

Jay waited on me and he had very little people skills, answering «maybe», «sometimes», with no consultative approach I didn’t want a guessing game. I have been in woodworking for 42 years and he didn’t even trust my answer that the piece in question I came to buy something for was solid wood, until he saw it for himself. Jay needs to go, this is not the store it used to be. When it came time to pay, instead of saying «do we have your name on file», he asked me «have you ever been in our store before»? Given this bad tasting customer service experience and the fact that the identical Diablo 10″ miter saw blade was $ 60 at Ganahl Lumber and $ 80 at Rockler, I plan to stay away from Rockler. I hope Jay vaporizes along with the brick and mortar retail operation he is a part of…

They seem to have it all. I have needed special router bits and they have them in stock. I have needed special wood and they have it in stock. I have needed fancy hinges, latches, handles, etc. and they have them in stock. When I need to build something I just go there at lunch and find all the hardware I need. They have things I didn’t even know I could purchase. I think they are a little pricey BUT where else are you going to find all this stuff, in a nice store, and all under one roof? People ask me where to get this or that and I always tell them «go to Rockler on Tustin Avenue».

These guys are awesome and really know what they are doing. I walked in with a broken cabinet bracket. Within two seconds, the man told me they don’t have those in stock and directed me to another place that had them. He even gave me a short history on those brackets and why they break. I was disappointed they didn’t have it in stock but quite impressed with their knowledge of their trade and customer service.

I’m a woman and walking into these places scares me usually. I was reviewing library ladders online and called the store to see if they have a floor sample to see. They said they have one. I drove there and was looking at all the different library ladder accessories. The man who worked there asked me which options I liked and I was so confused because I thought the sample is the only option you can get. I didn’t know you can change the ladder to metal steps vs. cherry wood vs. oak wood vs. black metal v. s brushed nickel. I pointed to what I like and he said he can build it online for me. I had no idea how much it costs and after I pointed to this and that, he was able to email me an online quote of the options. He said he didn’t have a few of the items in the store and suggested I order it online. After I received the email quote, I was easily able to place my order online. The staff there was extremely helpful and knowledgeable of their products.

Lost a weekly customer! Wanted to buy a Rockler Dust Right Dust system. I first went to the Torrance location and they were out of stock. I showed them the price on the website of $ 59.99 on sale and the matched it on a rain check order. I was near this location (Orange, CA) and saw they had it in stock. So I showed my rain check receipt for $ 59.99 and they said the price is still $ 79.99. I told them it is still on sale on the website for $ 59.99 and they could look it up. The guy at the register went back to speak to the manager and no deal. They don’t match the website price. Huh?
Oh and the Torrance store called these guys when I did the rain check to see if they had the item in stock and they told them no. This box was fairly old and worn a bit so it was in stock. Hopeless!
Btw, I had already had him ring up several other items in excess of $ 200 and had the receipt from Torrance. They told me I had to go back to that store if I wanted the lower price. And Torrance is out of stock.
I’ll be going to woodcraft from now on.

Great little woodworking store. You can wander around here for an hour and find all sorts of new tools you didn’t know you needed. They’re worth it though because they can save you some serious time, hassle, and screw-​up costs on your projects! They’re a bit understaffed so I found it quite difficult to get someone to help me, but once I did he was very very helpful. Fully explained how one thing would work more effectively than the other for specific projects. Small but beautiful selection of exotic hardwoods for projects.

This is a very fine example of what a Rockler store should be. They have a large well lit store that is well stocked. The staff was very friendly, and obviously enjoyed working in the store. It is a great stiore to go to for your woodworking needs.

If you’re a woodworker you’ve probably been to this store. I love it here. The people working at the store are knowledgeable and very helpful. They listen and then they help.
I’ve been to several seminars put on by Rocklers.(free) They usually cook up some hot dogs (free) and provide drinks (free). I like free.
For me, it makes all the difference that these people know what they’re talking about. I’m not an advanced woodworker so getting good advice on a project is worth the visit for me.
Plenty of parking in front of the store.

I’m kind of new to woodworking and have recently started buying good equipment. Love this place. The people here are really helpful and the products are top notch. I’ve never had trouble getting the answers I need or finding the product I need. I’ve also attended one of their seminars on the weekend and it was fun, entertaining, and educational. Two suggestions: 1) When someone asks you for a product in your store, ask them what they are using it for. If they are willing, give them advice on other ways to do the task or some other ideas of products too. I think there are times when I am not sure, ask for a product and just get shown where it is and that is that. Sometimes I would like to hear your ideas since I have little experience. 2. Offer some coffee/​donuts or something during the seminars! You’ll get more people to attend them, and you will reward those of us who spend a sh! tload of money in your store. Definitely will return. The Ontario location is good too.

The staff is knowledgable and friendly. The manager of the store is not. He doesn’t give you the time of day. The prices is full retail plus 20% than Amazon, Lowes, Home Depot. Granted they have specialty items, you can really get them cheaper elsewhere. They make most of their money with jigs. If woodworkers takes a bit more time, you can really save some money. They offer demos to sell their products but not really offer classes for students to build projects. Lumber prices is full retail plus 10−15%. They do have a good variety but not enough to sort out matching colored pieces for large projects. Their turning wood is not cured dried all the way, so they do shift after turning. If you plan to shop at a Rockler’s, I go to the one in Ontario. Cheaper on the taxes than Orange County.

Despite the high prices and gentlemen who work there who may have heard once a lil while ago something in passing that women are allowed to own and use tools, I love it here. The outdated ideals take second place to their friendly, charming, educated personalities and I usually leave knowing something I didnt pre-​visit, with the right stuff I need and a smile on my face.

I’ve been to many specialty woodworking stores in LA and Orange County, and this one is my favorite. Lots of parking, clean store, open layout.
I consider my skill level as a hobbyist /​weekend warrior, and a lot of times I don’t know all the «proper» woodworking terms when describing my needs. Regardless, there is always someone there to field any questions I may have (whether it be about products, tools, or techniques) and point me to the right direction as well as present me with other helpful options.
I always try to stop by when I’m in the area.

Always helpful and always friendly. Well stocked and clean

I recently purchased some cocobolo wood online at rockler, and had some real issues with them not having what I needed in exactly the size I wanted. Whatever, no big deal. Then, when we finally got my order all settled, they sent me the wood (very rare expensive wood!) And they sent me one piece of cocobolo, and one piece of much cheaper indian rosewood after charging my credit card without telling me, and causing me to over draw on my bank account. ANYWAY. I took my disappointingly wrong wood to the actual store, and asked what kind of wood I had been sent. The manager? Knew RIGHT away, and boy did he take care of it! He more than made up for my time and energy by giving mr the right wood and them some. I have always had a FANTASTIC experience in the store, but the warehouse has some real dummies working there. GO TO THE STORE! THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT, AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT YOU ARE GETTING !!! Fabulous establishment. Thanks guys!

Nice place, but prices are retail and not wholesale. So being in the industry, the prices are too high for every day purchases. I only went here because I needed something I couldn’t find anywhere else. The staff is very knowledgeable, but slow. I waited at the counter for about 10 minutes before someone would ring me up. I recently bought a Porter Cable sander at Lowe’s for $ 39 that Rocker had for $ 119.
Check out Austin Hardwoods in Santa Ana for tools, hardware and material, EB Bradley in Anaheim for hardware, or Weber Plywood in Santa Ana for Plywood, hardwood, and veneers. These places will give you wholesale prices or contractors discounts.

People: super helpful. Knowledgeable.
Product: Stuff that no one else has. They seem to thrive ½ block from a Home Depot if that proves anything. Wood prices are high, although the stock is very high quality.
A lifesaver on occasion, seriously.