Anybody know what these are ?

[John Ziebron]

A couple of years ago when I was starting the plans of building my first bench (after 25 years of woodworking) I bought a new front vice from a fellow on CL. Along with the vice and it's instructions he handed me a small, heavy box and said "I think this goes with it". I looked at the 2 identical items when I got home and thought they don't have anything to do with the vise as far as I knew.

So now that I've moved and have my new shop almost set up and I'm ready to actually build my bench I'm looking at these things in the box and trying to figure out exactly what they're for. As the pictures show, each consists of 2 cast parts and the one is secured by a cotter key. The smaller, "L" shaped piece has 2 small countersunk holes, presumably for mounting. I'm thinking a number 8 screw would be the largest that would fit and that would indicate to me that, if these pieces are used to hold something, like a piece of wood, not much pressure could be applied. The heavier part, with the slightly tapered dowel shape, has about 110 degrees of rotation.

If anyone knows what these are I would appreciate the enlightenment. And if anyone has a picture of them in use that would be great.

[steven c newman]

That long tapered dowel part go into a dog hole on the bench. Items can pass under the curved arm. The rotating part, by adding a wood fence with two screws, can adjust to the width of the part you are working on.

They can also be used in a bench's Deadman hole. The rotating part becomes a rest for a board to sit on. Rotate it around to the other direction.

Just a guess....

[Jim Koepke]

They look like a metal version of this:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...Without-A-Vise

jtk

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Similar to Jim's thoughts, but I'm thinking more like these...
http://benchcrafted.blogspot.com/201...edge-dogs.html

[Jim Koepke]

One thought is they are more likely made for metalworking than woodworking.

jtk

[Stew Denton]

John,

Those are called edge dogs. That exact model, or a model very much like it, is shown on page 109 of Landis's "Workbench book."

I have typed this reply now for the 3rd time, and the site has shut down or something and I lost the post the previous two times, so this will be very very brief.

They trap the board with the edge of the board facing up. The board sets length wise down the front of the bench, the edge facing up, the face of the board flat against the front side of the bench, with the rotating pads of the edge dogs clamping against the ends of the boards. As was pointed out above, there are other uses for them, but this is the normal use.

As mentioned above, the round rod portions of the dogs go in the dog holes, one in the row of holes along the top near the front edge of the bench and the other in the tail vise dog hole. The curved parts then swing out over the front edge of the bench, and the rotating pads face toward each other with the board trapped in between the two pads. Thus the edge of the board can be planed or what ever. As the tail vise is tightened, the curved part of the edge dog rotates back, and as it does so it draws the board tight up against the edge of the bench. Thus, in use the curved part is orientated back and away from the end of the board.

As you tighten the tail vise, the pads squeeze together trapping the board.

I tried to find pictures on the net, but could not find any. However, if you go to pages 108 and 109 in the "Workbench Book" by Landis, you will see the exact model you have and also some home made wooden models.

The board thus trapped on the front of the bench is in the same orientation it would be if the end were clamped in the face vise and the other end was trapped with a hold fast in the post of the bench that sets neat the tail vise.

Thus edge dogs work in kind of the same fashion as bench dogs. Bench dogs clamp a board to the top of the bench, the clamping power supplied by the tail vise, and edge dogs clamp the board to the front of the bench, again the clamping power supplied by the tail vise.

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

Those are called edge dogs. That exact model is shown on page 109 of Landis's "Workbench book."

I have typed this reply now for the 3rd time, and the site has shut down or something and I lost the post the previous two times, so this will be very very brief.

I was wondering about the text variant mutation at the end of your previous post.

So much for my idea of metal work. The countersunk screw holes had me thinking of mounting wood blocks.

So the guy on Craig's List was right, they do go with the vise.

jtk

[Stew Denton]

Jim,

No, you WERE correct, the countersunk screw hole are, just as you guessed, for mounting wood blocks. The photo in the book even shows them set up with wooden blocks to cushion the ends of the lumber.

Thanks Jim I did not see the fouled up first note, so when you pointed it out I deleted it.

I think they are a better accessory to a tail vise, but the book has one photo that looks like a single edge dog is holding one end of the board and the other end is in the face vise, but I am not certain how you tighten in place. Maybe whack the end in the vise with a mallet to drive it into the edge dog? I don't know, but again one photo looks like it is being used that way. That photo was not very well done, and you could not see the end of the board that was away from the bench dog much, but that is what it looked like to me. So you could very well be right the guy may have actually been right that they do go with the vise. He certainly could have bought them for that exact purpose.

Stew

[Stew Denton]

John,

I looked on the net and on Ebay for edge dogs and found absolutely nothing. You may have some very useful edge dogs that are no longer made or that are very hard to come by.

You may have done extremely well.

Stew

[Jim Ritter]

I have a pair that came with an Ulmia bench that was given to me., I can take a pic in use if need be.

Jim

[Karl Andersson]

benchcrafted blog showed these homemade ones - looks like they'd be a great addition for casework

bbpups.jpg
Looks like for yours you'd rotate the screw-on bracket 180 degrees or so and attach wood pads
nice find
Karl

[Reinis Kanders]

I made those a while ago and they definitely come in handy for leg tapering /chamfering or for finish planing like in the picture you attached.

benchcrafted blog showed these homemade ones - looks like they'd be a great addition for casework

bbpups.jpg
Looks like for yours you'd rotate the screw-on bracket 180 degrees or so and attach wood pads
nice find
Karl