Dog holes placed WHERE?

[Dennis McCullen]

I've just about completed my 1st workbench and I have a couple questions before drilling dog holes. Lots written on how to drill, but I'm asking where? Down the vise centerline or a pair of holes an equal distance from the vise center? I have a split top about 3" thick by 11" wide and a tool well in the very middle. I have 3 vises all quick release that were "collected" over the last couple years anticipating a bench build. I am curious if many folks use the dog in the vise (or a dog in the very middle of the vise chop) and then place holes in the bench inline with that OR....... do folks put two rows spaced an equal distance from the vise center to get three-point holding? It seems I've read about both. If you place a double row, I guess you'd have to drill two more holes in the vise chop in case a board is narrower than the width apart of the pair of holes?????? Any input is appreciated.

[Jim Koepke]

It may be difficult to see with all the shavings:

dd Small Plane at Work.jpg

There are two dog holes in my vise with dogs mounted inside. One is under my left middle finger's knuckle.

The bench top has two rows inline with these. This makes it easy to hold my large shooting board across the bench top as well as holding various pieces to be worked.

The dog holes being relatively close to the front edge allow for a little over hang of a piece being worked to allow for a fence as is used on rabbet planes and plow planes.

This vise is a simple affair and is prone to racking. To counter that a spacer stack is used. This is mine:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...k-Spacer-Stack

That also has images showing a better view of my bench top.

One advantage to using a spacer stack is it keeps the vise from bowing thin stock that needs to be planed.

jtk

[Richard Line]

I put a single line of dog holes in line with the center of the end vise, and have 3 holes in the vise chop (center and about 3 in. to either side of center). My thinking was that would allow clamping a round disc shaped piece with 3 dogs. Of course I've only needed that a couple of times. My end vise is a small one, about a 10 in. wide chop. A number of times, I've wished my row of dog holes were closer to the edge of the bench.

[William Fretwell]

Dennis,
I assume each side of the bench top is 11"? If you intend to install a vice at the end of each side you have several options. If each end vice has a built in dog it makes sense to use it as it's in line with the thread. In this case you install the vises then drill dog holes in line you have a good wide clamping set up.
If you want to plane near the edge of the bench where you stand (as most of us do) you want the dog to be near the edge. How near may be determined by the vice width. Installing the vice right at the corner may be as good as it gets. You have to decide if those positions will work for you. You could use your narrowest vice at the front corner if they are different sizes.

[Tony Wilkins]

A lt dows depend on which vises you put where (and the type though I know you said quick release). Also on how you work and what scale if work you do. Do you plan on using any holdfasts? If so that might affect where you want some of the holes.

[John Crawford]

I put a series of dog holes on center from my face vise, along with a hole in the chop. I have never used them! They are of course right above the screw, so they are no good for holdfasts.

[Dennis McCullen]

Thanks guys, for the tips. Hope to drill a few today with wet and dreary weather predicted. Jim, thanks so much for the effort with pics, etc. I actually have three different vises and the bench is a hybrid of French and English styles. There's a deep apron on one side to stabilize the legs with no lower stretcher and the other long side relies on the 3" thickness of the top and a lower front stretcher for stability. Most of my dog holes are needed along the front of the English side since that side has an end vise as well as a face vise. This end vise has a "throw" of 7" so I'll use 5-6" spacing.
Thanks for your thoughts and I wish you all a safe and Happy New Year!

[Dennis McCullen]

Thanks for the explanation and pics. They helped me to decide!

[Dennis McCullen]

Hi William and yes, you are right on, 11" each side. Just before beginning the build I read a post here on SMC by a guy who expounded the virtues of mounting a vise as near to the front edge as possible to accommodate fenced planes, e.g. rebate planes. Since I was essentially building a 2-sided bench (not unlike a student bench), I decided to cut away the apron on the right end of the English side before mounting that apron in place. This allowed me to mount the tail vise 1-3/8" closer to the front of the bench. I plan a row of dog holes just 2" from the bench front edge matching the hole I drilled in the vise chop. It is another 2-13/16" to the center of the vise (screw), so I will place another row of dog holes in line with the centered vise chop dog hole. Jim's post shows a nifty spacer arrangement that acts as anti-racking so I'll probably make one of those to use with the near-edge line of holes. Unfortunately, what I'm using for a tail vise only has a throw of 7" so I'll space my holes every 5-6". I've read of folks drilling further apart than their vises capacity and relying on scrap blocks to fill the gap whenever they clamp. I like the idea of fewer holes, but it seems like more fuss and suspect the hold may not be as secure. My bench is 6 ft long and described in my blog. I built an English side ( a face and a tail vise), a French side (one huge face vise), and the "English Channel" between the two is 7" wide, accommodating three different boxes that serve both as a tool well and may be inverted to provide more solid surface. This idea was gleaned from the "21st century workbench build by Bob Lang and others who followed and copied the idea.

[Jim Koepke]

Another little bit of advice, drill separate holes for holdfasts further back from the edge if you will be using holdfasts. Mine are drilled so the holdfast pad comes down about an inch from the edge of the bench.

jtk