Gone to the dogs.

[Derek Cohen]

I was hoping to have finished it all the past weekend, but did not get much workshop time. Too many social events. In all I had about 2 hours, and in that I made the dogs. Now the bench is a working bench.


I will complete the shelf and a few odds-and-ends after this coming weekend, which is the annual Perth LN Hand Tool Event. Chris Vesper is staying over and we are both presenters all weekend.


The old bench has gone to a new home. I offered it to the first person to cart it away. Hopefully it will give them good service for a few more years.


I did take photos of the dog-making procedure and will post them, if anyone is interested.


Here is a picture of the bench with the Jarrah pieces used for the dogs. It may interest some to note the 2 degree angle (facing the tail vise) ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs1.jpg


Here is one of the dogs (they are all identical), with a head dimension of 1" x 1 1/2" x 5" long. They are faced in suede leather.


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs7.jpg


The dogs all recess flush with the bench top when not in use ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs11.jpg


I really like the ability to raise them to a height that is needed ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs12.jpg


The leg vise runs very smoothly. I am waiting on pieces of suede leather for the inner faces as it is a bit slippery and work pieces can be moved. I tested the grip with a temporary leather insert, and this made a significant difference. Anyone with comments here is very welcome. ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs13.jpg


The bench in its new home ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs15.jpg


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs14.jpg


Regards from Perth


Derek

[Peter Pedisich]

Derek,

An instant classic, for sure.
Great color, great dovetails, and a cool looking garter.
It looks very much at home with the brick wall backdrop.

Pete

[Joe Fabbri]

Great looking bench, Derek. The color combination is very attractive, and the angled dogs definitely add an extra degree of craftsmanship.


Nice job, and thanks for sharing it with us.

Joe

[Carl Beckett]

Beautiful Derek!

I read all your posts and learn a lot, so thank you for sharing your trials and tribulations with us.

Enjoy it!!

-C

[Jim Koepke]

Looks great.

Has me thinking about square dogs.

jtk

[Bill Rhodus]

Your bench is awesome. I noticed there are no round holes in the top (I see them in the side) that would accomodate a holdfast. Do you not use them? I would like to have the square stops in the top of my bench but have not yet included them because I use holdfasts a lot and the only solution I see thus far is to have square dog holes and a set of round holes for accessories. Am I missing something?

[Stew Hagerty]

Now that is one beautiful bench Derek. Kudos on your work.

[Klaus Kretschmar]

Very nice, Derek.

I'm a big fan of square bench dogs and am convinced that you did it the best way. Great attention to detail on the dogs, too. BTW, I was surprised when you mentioned the first time that the dogs are tilted about 2 deg. Checked my old Ulmia and have to attest it, they are skewed at about 2 deg. on my bench as well. Never noticed that before.

Regards
Klaus

[Bobby O'Neal]

Color combinations are killer. Great work

[Michael Peet]

The leg vise runs very smoothly. I am waiting on pieces of suede leather for the inner faces as it is a bit slippery and work pieces can be moved. I tested the grip with a temporary leather insert, and this made a significant difference. Anyone with comments here is very welcome. ..

Do it. The difference will be night and day. I added leather to both faces of mine and the grip is out of this world.

I like what you did with the dogs; "next time" I will make an effort to make them flush with the top like that and also fill the whole space. I would hesitate to put the spring on the front however, since that's a load-bearing surface (albeit inside the bench).

Great job, as I'm sure you already know.

Mike

[Eric McCune]

I would hesitate to put the spring on the front however, since that's a load-bearing surface (albeit inside the bench).

Mike

Mike, the spring on the dog is not load-bearing. The spring is below the the surface and the load is on the opposite side of the dog when in use. The spring only acts to provide friction to keep the dog at the right height before vice pressure is applied.

Eric

Actually you might be right. I guess the dog would pivot putting load at the bottom of the spring.

[Derek Cohen]

....
I like what you did with the dogs; "next time" I will make an effort to make them flush with the top like that and also fill the whole space. I would hesitate to put the spring on the front however, since that's a load-bearing surface (albeit inside the bench)...

Mike


Thanks Mike.

But why are you concerned about load bearing inside the top?

A friction fit will, in any event, minimise movement.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Brent VanFossen]

That's a real work of art.

[Derek Cohen]

.... I noticed there are no round holes in the top (I see them in the side) that would accomodate a holdfast. Do you not use them? I would like to have the square stops in the top of my bench but have not yet included them because I use holdfasts a lot and the only solution I see thus far is to have square dog holes and a set of round holes for accessories. Am I missing something?

Hi Bill

There will be round holes for holdfasts. I just have not worked out yet where they will best be positioned.

There are a few other items still be be done before I can say the bench is complete.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Bill Rhodus]

When you have the opportunity to add the round holes in the top I would like to see your thoughts as to placement, perhaps a photo or two of your common use of these holes. Thank you for taking the time to make these entries; I have learned much.

[Archie England]

Beautifully AWESOME!!!!!

Thanks for the motivation...to do a job well.

Arch

[Jonas Baker]

Derek,

What a beautiful, but most of all, useful bench! Another informative and motivating post, by the way. I'm thinking of eventually building a bench, but right now I"m just making do with my two benches with laminated maple tops and metal leg that I got at the flea market. I really think if I were to build a bench, I'd build it with the layout and vise styles that you have chosen.

Can you tell my why you chose square dogs over round dogs? Also, I would like to see more pictures of your dog making procedure.

Thank you,

Jonas

[john davey]

Wow, I am documenting my bench build and I just want to delete all of the pictures after seeing that bench/wall setup. Just fantastic. I'll still post mine so you have something to laugh at :)

[Michael Peet]

I guess the dog would pivot putting load at the bottom of the spring.

Yep, I could have been clearer. ;)

This is how I envision it:

227067


But why are you concerned about load bearing inside the top?

Ha, I don't really know. When I made my dogs I considered this design and my gut made me put the springs on the sides, but then again I am usually over-cautious. Realistically it probably doesn't matter. Can you tell if there is any compression of the spring when you engage the vise?

Cheers,

Mike

[Robert Trotter]

As far as the suede for the vice, anyone, which is better, suede or actual leather? If leather, which side faces out, the rough or the smooth? How do you glue it to the wood. I want to put leather on my LV twin screw 24" wide.

[Jeff Ranck]

Derek, I've loved watching your bench come together. Your bench looks great and I'm sure will work great. So what are the final dimensions? I notice that you pushed the dogs away from the legs.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Jeff

The bench is 75" long, 21" wide and 32" high. It currently weighs 400 lbs, and this should increase to about 425 lbs after the Jarrah shelf is added.

The dogs cannot pass over the legs as they are situated about 1 3/4" from the side.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

...
Can you tell my why you chose square dogs over round dogs? Also, I would like to see more pictures of your dog making procedure.

Thank you,

Jonas

Hi Jonas

The square dogs are easier to plane against, the downward angle holds the work on the benchtop, and it is easier to add a depth stop to them.

The build procedure used a bandsaw and a chisel ..

All the dogs were exactly the same size since the same template was used to rout the holes.


The Jarrah section was milled to fit exacty ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs1.jpg


Here is a template alongside a blank ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs4.jpg


Two cuts were made on a bandsaw, one to remove a 2mm thick strip (to be used for the spring, and the second cut the angle (note that it runs past the mark by the thickness of the spring) ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs5.jpg


The spring was then placed against the fence and the blank sawn. This resulted in the correct width for the hole once the spring was attached ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs6.jpg


Now chamfer the end with a chisel and screw in the spring ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs7.jpg


Regards from Perth


Derek