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Thread: Building a bench but have tons of dog hole questions

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Building a bench but have tons of dog hole questions

    I'm building the $110 workbench from Jay Bates plans but using Oak instead of Home Depot wood. This is my first bench and I am a newbie woodworker so I am absolutely puzzled with everything involving the holes for bench dogs. Pretty much the only thing that I do know about them is that I'm going to want them LOL

    At first I was really worried about the spacing now I still don't know what spacing I should use but I'm not as worried about it because it seems it's very subjective, now I'm wondering how to even make the holes since I have a few options. My tabletop will consist of glued up 2x6x6 for a 6in thick top. To make that happen with the tools I have and the limitations of my jointer and planer I will have to do the top and three or four sections before gluing those sections together.

    I'm worried that if I try to drill the dog holes in each section with the drill press before gluing them up I will end up screwing the pooch and they won't line up right but on the other hand I don't have the slightest idea how I would make it work trying to drill them all in the top after it is complete without having them angled Every Witch Way.

  2. #2
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    I drilled mine with a 3/4" spiral cutter in a plunge router to guarantee they were straight. Do it after your top is finished and align the router with a straightedge clamped to the top.

  3. #3
    A 6in thick top? I would carefully think about that decision. 3in or 4in (max) is plenty of mass, and increasing size likely leads to diminishing returns. I think you are creating unnecessary problems for your future self. Fewer dog holes the better. I might have like 5 on my bench. It's easier to add holes than remove them, so start with the bare minimum and work on a couple projects. Over time you will figure out where you need to add additional holes. Here's a good starting place: https://www.popularwoodworking.com/w...hey-be-located

    I add holes using an ultra smooth wood owl bit. That really helps to produce clean cut holes. I just drill them freehand and might use something like a sliding bevel to ensure the hole is relatively straight. You can also make a simple wood drill guide. It doesn't have to be perfect.

  4. #4
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    For tips on drilling straight vertical holes you might watch this quick YouTube video from Richard Maguire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtayvNvIa6E

  5. #5
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    Lee Valley sells a dog hole kit that works simply. http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/pag...02&cat=1,41637
    Space your dog holes just less than the jaw opening of your vise- so if the vise opens 12", make them 11" apart or less. That way you are sure to have clamping force and always have a dog hole no matter what length of board you are clamping (to a limit of the length of bench).

  6. #6
    Make a hole in a scrap piece of 2x4. If you don’t own a drill press, drill in from each side after carefully marking. You then use this block as a drill guide for your dog holes.

    I would invest in a 3/4” Forstner bit. It will give you clean holes.

    To make it cut more efficiently, I start the hole in the bench with the forstner then drill all the way through with a 1/2” twist bit, then finish with the forstner.

  7. #7
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    I don’t have a lot of holes in my bench top...four across the back. I use battans and clamps when needed and it seems to work just fine. So as suggested above, you may want to start with just a few and see where you might want more later.

    Check out a youtube video by Mike Siemsen...workholding on viseless bench. It may not be the same bench design as what you are building, but gives some good ways to hold work without a lot of bench holes.

    For me, the fewer holes, just means less sawdust, etc., falling through onto the shelf/floor.

  8. #8
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    I'm with Jason on the benchtop thickness. I think 6" will be a heavy top to move around during assembly and I can't see how it would add any to it's final function. Besides that, you will probably want to rip off the rounded edges of the 2x6. 6" thickness could cause issues with holdfast use, but that is only a guess on my part. My split tops are 12" wide by 8' long by 4" thick each and they are all I want to pick up. I suppose there could be two types of dog holes - some for using in conjunction with a tail vise and others for use with holdfasts. If you are going with round dog holes for your tail vise (of whatever type you choose) use, then both kinds can be (and best done so IMO) drilled after final bench construction. As stated above, many folks start with a router or forstner bit and finish with a longer spade bit or a brace. It is easy enough to draw a straight/square-to-the-world line from your tail vise dog location out along the length of the bench, but I would drill them at a minimum spacing of 1/2 of the travel of your tail vise and a 3"-4" spacing is nice to use. Holdfast holes can be put in later when you start seeing where you will work, but I took care to locate mine so that the sweep of the holdfast (around 7" or so) from hole to hole would just meet.
    David

  9. #9
    Dittos on the thickness. Spacing is quite subjective. If you have a quick release vice, it is less important. Mine are 4 1/2".

    Distance from the edge is also a consideration. I suggest 2 1/2".

    I recommend not drilling a bunch of holdfast holes until you've started using the bench. One or two locations may be all you need.

    Sans a drill press, I would use a drilling guide such as this.

    A sharp spade bit will do an good job in hardwood. Try in some scrap first. The quality of finish of the hole is not critical. Drill the holes before the final planing.

  10. #10
    Spacing and placement is subjective, but this is what works for me:
    - Keep your dog spacing less than the full travel of your vise. IMHO, the more the merrier, because it means less opening/closing to get where you need to be.
    - I like keeping the dogs 2" from the front edge. This keeps me from having to reach too far in when planing.

  11. #11
    The only thing I would add is clamp a sacrificial board to the underside when you drill the holes. It helps preventing the splintering or blowout on the underside. Admittedly not seen but pride of accomplishment even if you are the only one that knows of it. If you use a different species or colour of wood you know when you are through.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Mueller View Post
    I don’t have a lot of holes in my bench top...four across the back. I use battans and clamps when needed and it seems to work just fine. So as suggested above, you may want to start with just a few and see where you might want more later. Check out a youtube video by Mike Siemsen...workholding on viseless bench. It may not be the same bench design as what you are building, but gives some good ways to hold work without a lot of bench holes. For me, the fewer holes, just means less sawdust, etc., falling through onto the shelf/floor.
    Phil, thanks for that tip. I just watched the video and I think I want to build my bench viseless now. Its like any part of the bench can be made to hold down the workpiece. After being away for 17 years I am in the process of cleaning out thegarage and setting up a new shop. This seems like a perfect bench for me as I want to blend hand tools and power tools in my work.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jason Baker IX View Post
    A 6in thick top? I would carefully think about that decision. 3in or 4in (max) is plenty of mass, and increasing size likely leads to diminishing returns. I think you are creating unnecessary problems for your future self.
    can you elaborate on why the thick top would be an issue?

    I kind of worded that wrong anyway. The 6in would be the starting dimension of the rough cut Oak and it is a give or take a half inch measurement. After ripping the wider boards to the same size as the narrow boards and cutting off some defect I'm already down to 5 1/8". By the time I joint, plane, square up to glue into a few sections, I expect to lose at least another inch bringing us to 4.25 in. And after gluing so sections into one solid top and using a hand plane to flatten the whole top together God only knows how much I will take off their with my lack of skill. I'm expecting to finish what's close to a 4-inch top. I saw it bigger and heavier was better. I have been looking forward to having some Goliath of a bench that doesn't move and wiggle everytime I try to hand plane, chisel, or saw on it.
    Last edited by Brandon Hanley; 01-10-2018 at 9:28 PM.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Rush Paul View Post
    For tips on drilling straight vertical holes you might watch this quick YouTube video from Richard Maguire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtayvNvIa6E
    Simple and clever! Thank you for the link

    I don't think a bench dog hole needs to be perfectly vertical to an engineer's degree of accuracy. Would an 89 degree bench dog hole fail to function the same as a perfect 90 degree hole?

  15. #15
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    I used a 3/4" simple spade bit with an electric handheld drill in my 2 1/4" Ash bench top and the holes were no problem. If anything they drilled too fast. So fast that I had a problem keeping the the first couple holes perpendicular. So practice in some scrap before you do it so you can perfect your process.

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