Thread: Homemade workbench - dog holes vs. T-track ... ??

If you make your bench top thick enough I would go with dog holes

Traditional bench dogs work by clamping a piece at its ends and then when tight hitting the dogs down a bit to pull the work tight to the bench top.
Its pretty important to be able to do that secondary hit down because just clamping the first part leaves it with a gap between the piece and the bench top. I don't think a T track would be able to do that.

Thanks @Camelot the benchtop will be 125mm thick

Originally Posted by Ozymandiaz

Thanks @Camelot the benchtop will be 125mm thick

This is too thick to use hold downs. They work best in 65-100mm depth. You could make them work in 125mm if you reduced the depth on the underside (chamfer).

Like Rob, I prefer hold downs. One major drawback to T-tracks is that you would not be able to re-surface the bench top, which you need to do about once a year.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by Ozymandiaz

Thanks @Camelot the benchtop will be 125mm thick

I am in the process of remodeling a work bench to house a couple of 1930's Record vices that I have had in the shed for a few years, the top is made up of 2 Oak laminated and finger joined kitchen type bench tops you can buy from places like Bunnings, here's a link to what I am refereeing to Just a moment...

The 2 tops are glued together to give a 60mm thickness, the Bunning's tops are 32mm so would give 64mm thickness and the density of the Oak really works well for the dogs holding ability without bruising the dog holes through use.

As part of the remodeling I am adding a Jarrah lipping (60mm x 35mm) and because I like Brass and Wood setting out tools I am adding a Brass inlay with corner copper accents between the Oak & the Jarrah lipping, just to make it look a bit more interesting and I guess pleasing when working at the bench.

If you are seriously into hand tools - use dog holes. T-tracks suffer pretty quickly for wear or repeated positioning in the same position. Another and relatively expensive alternatives are the Bessey (dog holes) and Kreg (plate) bench hold down systems.

I use the Kreg units and find them satisfactory for what I do, however the bench mounting plate suffers wear quite quickly. Kreg Bench Clamp System - Kregtool

T track catches everything. Dog holes are the go but at 125mm your bench is too thick for the dogs to bite. If you must have the bench that thick, countersink the underside of the hole so the depth of the actual dog hole is reduced to less than 100mm.

I hear your comments re the thickness of my proposed benchtop. I'm now trying to work out what sort of dogs and holdfasts will/will not work in this depth hole.s-l1600.jpgThis holdfast (bench hook) would surely work in a 125mm hole ....??photo 1.jpegThis sort of dog would work in any depth. What sort of dogs will not work in a 125mm hole ....??

It is not the length of the shaft of the hold down that is important for grip. The deeper the dog hole, the less the hold down is able to cant over and wedge itself. Hence having to countersink the underside of dog holes in thick benches. A long shaft merely lets one hold down thicker work pieces.

Note that there are dogs of 3/4" and 20mm diameter, and you need to choose the correct one for a proper fit. Also, different dogs do different purposes - those for an MFT table are less suited to a work bench, and vice versa.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I have a pair of these, plus I have made my own Cam Clamps that work with dog holes, but I would say 125mm bench will be very heavy my 60mm Oak bench is really heavy, why do you feel you need 125mm?

Heartwood >> Blog Archive >> Record #146 holdfast

You could make this work with a 125mm top, with no need to enlarge the hole from under the bench

Veritas Hold Down | Carbatec

As the masses have said bench dogs give you more flexiblity and better suited to the working style of hand tool woodworking. T-track is good if you plan on using jigs or proprietary work holding things - especially if you use power tools.

My workbench has MFT-style (20mm at 96mm spacings using the Parf system - UJK Technology Parf Guide System Mk2 | Carbatec - its pricey but alternatives like CNC cut templates didn't inspire much confidence in me) and t-track on two sides (obstensibly for a track saw guide rail hinge). The MFT is very flexible using propriertary dogs (especially Superdogs by UJK, findable on the Carbatec site linked above) to create planing stops, to hold down a Moxon vice (an essential), and to use clamps as holdfasts (both the Festool guide rail clamp and the cheap knock offs, even simple quick clamps also work). The disadvantage is that any and all fasteners will immediates drop through the holes (I do put down a sheet of 3mm MDF if I know this will be an issue). Also MFT-style benches work best with thick MDF tops (although others have used hardwood surfaces) but this means that it doesn't have the mass of a laminated hardwood top - tasks like cutting mortises in tough hardwood using only a chisel and mallet become a real chore.

Despite all the fancy schmancy stuff I mention. A dog hole is simple hole cut into a bench made to accept a bench-dog and/or a holdfast, and a bench dog can be a simple piece of dowel (and two bench dogs and a thin strip of timber (or 3mm MDF) is a plane stop).

As well as forums like this, there's a wealth of knowledge in books (I vaguely remember them), online (blogs, magazine articles) and YouTube (but you must apply strong bulldust filters).

Originally Posted by Mobyturns

... Another and relatively expensive alternatives are the Bessey ... bench hold down systems. ...

Absolutely correct. At $251 each, they are relatively expensive.
Bessey Hold Down Work Bench Clamp with Ratchet Clamp | Carbatec

I have and like traditional Grammercy steel hold downs. but my go to hold down is a Quick Grip Clamp. Just slide it off the bar, poke the bar through the dog hole, slide it back onto the bar and its done. And regularly discounted at $7.50 each, I like the price.

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Absolutely correct. At $251 each, they are relatively expensive.

$250 for the love child of a ratcheting clamp and a bench dog, and then $45 to get one to fit your hole.... yeah nah.

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Absolutely correct. At $251 each, they are relatively expensive.
Bessey Hold Down Work Bench Clamp with Ratchet Clamp | Carbatec

I have and like traditional Grammercy steel hold downs. but my go to hold down is a Quick Grip Clamp. Just slide it off the bar, poke the bar through the dog hole, slide it back onto the bar and its done. And regularly discounted at $7.50 each, I like the price.

Expensive for most of us, but some on here have Hammer, Martin etc machinery in their workshops..... so yes relatively expensive.