Bench dogs

[dan lemkin]

I finally got around to making a bench. Is there any difference between bench dogs? Any other accessories that would be useful for this bench?



192986 (https://picasaweb.google.com/zargnut/Workshop02?authkey=Gv1sRgCOee897PyPiBJg&feat=directlink)

Album Pics:

https://picasaweb.google.com/zargnut/Workshop02?authkey=Gv1sRgCOee897PyPiBJg&feat=directlink

There are two bench tops in the album. First is my wood working bench. Left over maple was used for an electronics bench top.

thanks
dan

[Erik France]

It doesn't look like you have a whole lot of clearance below your top or much access from below, you're going to need short dogs and hold downs. I have a flip-top planer cart that rolls under my bench in the middle. There isn't much clearance with it under my bench either. I can't use a traditional hold down in my middle area of my bench with the cart underneath.

I have enough room to use the full size Veritas dogs, but getting it out of the hole if I put it down too far isn't easy. You might need the shorter Pups in your case. I'll use some plastic ones I picked up more often now though. Like these from Rockler (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10510&filter=bench%20dogs) or the set I got from Peachtree (middle of the page) (http://www.ptreeusa.com/shop_accessories.htm). I've found a lot of uses for the wide jaws too. They are easier to remove from the top of the bench.

Take a look at the Veritas hold down. It works really well with the optional short post in my tight clearance areas. It is not exactly cheap, but it surely does perform well. I'm looking to pick up a second one fairly soon.

I also like the Veritas wonder dog. It's pretty handy at times. They also produce it in the shorter length.

[Jesse Tutterrow]

+1 for the Rockler.

[dan lemkin]

cool thanks,
dan

[Bruno Frontera dela Cruz]

It doesn't look like you have a whole lot of clearance below your top or much access from below, you're going to need short dogs and hold downs. I have a flip-top planer cart that rolls under my bench in the middle. There isn't much clearance with it under my bench either. I can't use a traditional hold down in my middle area of my bench with the cart underneath.

I have enough room to use the full size Veritas dogs, but getting it out of the hole if I put it down too far isn't easy. You might need the shorter Pups in your case. I'll use some plastic ones I picked up more often now though. Like these from Rockler (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10510&filter=bench%20dogs) or the set I got from Peachtree (middle of the page) (http://www.ptreeusa.com/shop_accessories.htm). I've found a lot of uses for the wide jaws too. They are easier to remove from the top of the bench.

Take a look at the Veritas hold down. It works really well with the optional short post in my tight clearance areas. It is not exactly cheap, but it surely does perform well. I'm looking to pick up a second one fairly soon.

I also like the Veritas wonder dog. It's pretty handy at times. They also produce it in the shorter length.

+1 for the Veritas hold down. I have one on my bench and I use it often. It is nice for situations where the holes do not go all the way through the bench (such as horizontal holes drilled in the legs).

[Mitch Barker]

I use the short bench pups from LV. I never did understand the need for the longer, and more expensive dogs. You can also use 3/4" dowels as a foundation for custom dogs fixtures.

But the best dog hole accessory, by far, is the gramercy holdfasts. So simple, so useful and just 35 bucks for two. A truely amazing device. Worth trying to make some clearance under the bench.

[Charlie Kocourek]

I use square wooden bench dogs on my bench. I drill a hole in the side and install a ball catch to hold it in position. http://woodworker.com/14-bullet-catches-mssu-866-840.asp

A hold fast is great, too. I like Mitch's recommendation of using a 3/4" dowel for a round hole. It is inexpensive, it won't damage your plane blade if you hit it, and you can add a ball catch to hold it in position.

That is a nice looking bench Dan. It looks like you installed retractable wheels on it, how do you like them?

[Terry Beadle]

Since your bench doesn't have real good access from below, I would recommend you make some round bench dogs out of red oak with a 1 inch to 1 1/4 inch head on them. The head can stand proud of the table surface about 1/2 inch to 1 inch for different work piece thicknesses. On one side of the head flatten an area with a slight taper from the tip inward to the center. This tapered face will give you a slight clamping effect. The recommendation of red oak is because it's extremely tough ( hickory might be better but it's more pricey ) and has no compression. Make them just slightly looser in the summer and tighter in the winter so that they can be moved around as needed. Make about 8 of them so that you can use them both in conjunction with that nice end mounted vice and for other custom clamping situations between them using clamps, blocks, and wedges. By the way, NICE bench !

Enjoy the shavings.

[Tim Janssen]

For benchdogs I use some 3/4" dowels and put a short length of vinyl hose at the top to prevent them from falling through. See picture below:
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p209/timwillift/Pic1166.jpg

I store them in holes drilled in the legs of the bench:
http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p209/timwillift/Pic1167.jpg

Has worked fine for me for more then 10 years.

Tim