Thread: Workbench- homemade dogs and drilling dog-holes

What about a piece of 4x2 hardwood with two holes drilled in it on a drill press at the desired spacing. Clamp to the bench top, drill the first hole, put a long dog through it (hardwood and bench top), re-clamp, drill the next hole. Shuffle along to the next hole. To get the rows parallel I'd probably use a large carpenter's square (because I have one), and reference the 4x2 block off that.

Exactly what Brett said,
But with a piece to over hang the bench.
Then shuffle and slide a long.
Nice row of parallel holes nicely spaced.
Matt

You have done some nice work of those dogs Dom , but have you used that sort of dog set up before ?

They don't look like they will do what a traditional dog does to me, so look like they wont do a good job, maybe ?
At least you can try it out and change it if your planning another bench.
Doesn't the existing bench have a tail vice ?

The great benefit of two traditional dogs set up with the tail vice is , you tighten the work between the dogs and then give the dogs a tap down with a hammer / mallet , this pulls the work down tight to the bench top firmly. Without the tap down there is always a smidge of wobble , which is no good. You tap the dog below the thickness of the timber, and they work on wood from 3 to 4mm thick upwards from that

It doesn't look like you can tap down with what looks like a clamp through the dog ?

The method mentioned above sounds good for the drilling , It just depends on your drill type that you will be using though. It wont be done with a spade bit or a Forstner bit .

Rob

This type of dog is not something I would use much myself, but I guess there are situations where they come into their own. You've certainly done a nice job on them!

Both Rob & I use 'traditional' benches with tail vises, which oppose a single row of dog holes along the front of a bench. These are used principally for holding boards flat on the bench whilst you work your will on them with a plane or whatever. The 'stepped' square dogs used in this system have the great advantage of being easily height-adjustable.

I also have a parallel set of round dog holes perpendicular to the bench front opposing the front vise, which is for holding short, wide things like Windsor chair seats for shaping. I imagine the LV style dogs could be used successfully for a similar role. From my experience with these, I would advise not drilling holes all over your bench, unless you have devised some simple & convenient way to plug the darn things when not in use. It's amazing how many small parts are just waiting to fall through a 3/4" hole in your bench top! I would only drill a few holes where I was sure they would be used regularly, to begin with. You can always add more later if you need them.

Cheers,

The 3/4" version of these is not cheap, but is the lizard's gizzards:
HSS Lipped Brad-Point Drills - Lee Valley Tools

It more or less tells you when it's through because you can hear/feel the disc come loose - it leaves a disc because the lips are quite long.

Just support a backing piece underneath to avoid spelching (aka breakout/blowout). You can do that by jamming a piece underneath the support.

Thanks for the great ideas and suggestions guys. To be honest I've never used dogs at all so I saw what veritas was selling and just thought I'd give it a try. I can see now that dogs with a singular cross section would be useful to allow nearly infinite hight adjustment. I'll make some like this as well.

Yes I do have a bench vice and was planning on using this with dogs to clamp pieces as well. I just figured there may be times when the small dog clamps would be useful, like perhaps long slender pieces running the length of the bench. Plus I wanted to machine something!


I'll probably do a hybrid of what is suggested. I was planning on using a forstner bit (20mm) so will probably make a bushing to ensure I drill perpendicular with my hand drill.

I may get a chance to play with it a bit tomorrow.

Thanks again.

The easiest way to get a row of holes accurately is to use the Festool LR32 kit which mounts a router on their rail and indexes the router along the rail spaced in multiples of 32 mm.

Where in Melb are you as I may be able to lend you the kit?

Originally Posted by Bohdan

The easiest way to get a row of holes accurately is to use the Festool LR32 kit which mounts a router on their rail and indexes the router along the rail spaced in multiples of 32 mm.

Where in Melb are you as I may be able to lend you the kit?

That's really kind of you to offer. Thanks a lot. However, I'd like to figure out a way I can do it without having to borrow tools as I then have the capability to add holes as / when required. I do have a Festool OF1400 router and have looked at the LR32 kit in the past but it just seems a touch too expensive to me.

I suppose with the LR32 I'd also need to purchase a 20mm router bit. I guess a spiral upcut bit would be best but then I'm looking at upwards of $200- just for the bit! Not sure if a standard two flute straight router bit would do well in this application?

Thanks again. I may change my mind if I can't figure out a simple but accurate way to do it without!

Most large router bits don't bore very well, some not at all, which is why I got the Festool 20 mm one when I made my perforated table.

Plain old forstner bits in a drill will do using Bretts suggested drill guide to keep things perpendicular. Remember to space the holes at less then the travel of the vice. I found by trial and error using round dogs that long bits of wood tend to roll around them so a flat holding face helps as does two rows of side by side holes. Nice as your dogs are I would feel nervous using a plane with metal dogs sticking out of the bench. They can be made of scrap wood at no cost but time.
Regards
John

Hi DomAU
I have used the methods described above.

On my main workbench I have half a dozen holes for 19mm dogs. They are located along the lines described by IanW.
I think I drilled six holes in a thick block with my bench drill. I spaced them as equally as I could manage.
Then I used the block like FenceFurniture described. The holes helped me drill the dogs hole straight.


Recently I made another bench and wanted MFT dog holes.
I was lucky to find a generous Forumite nearby with a CNC machine and he made a template for me.
The pics should show you how I used it to rout 20mm holes at 96mm spacing.

Several years ago I bought the Veritas dogs like the ones you made. I found them very helpful until I bought a Twin screw vice. I don't use the screw tightening dogs now because the Vice does the job.

I bought the Dogs for my MFT style table from an Australian supplier/maker. Their lower profile is good. If I could make my own, I think having a few different heights might be handy. Even timber dogs would probably work.

Enjoy playing with your benches.

I had a blackout as I was posting and the pics didn't attach.

Here they are.

Originally Posted by Scally

I had a blackout as I was posting and the pics didn't attach.

Here they are.

I do hope that was an electrical blackout Scally......

Thanks Brett.

I wasn't even "spelching".