How to turn 1" Dog holes into 3/4" dog holes

[Alan Lightstone]

I have a Sjoberg's Elite workbench. One incredibly annoying part about it is that it has 1" dog holes, instead of 3/4" dog holes. Now they make 1 type of hold down for them, and nobody else does, so all of those neat accessories for dog holes aren't usable.

What would be the best way to reduce the hole size to 3/4" to make them more usable? I've thought of metal bushings, but I wonder about other ideas.

[glenn bradley]

I have restored failed dog holes by drilling to a consistent 1" size, epoxying in a hardwood (oak, ash, maple) dowel piece and re-drilling. No failure to date and being wood, you can enlarge by drilling or fill later if desired.

[Mike Henderson]

I have restored failed dog holes by drilling to a consistent 1" size, epoxying in a hardwood (oak, ash, maple) dowel piece and re-drilling. No failure to date and being wood, you can enlarge by drilling or fill later if desired.
I agree. That's what I'd do. Fill the holes - use good glue - and redrill.

Mike

[Mac McQuinn]

If you have access to a lathe, I would pick up a long, straight length of 1" hardwood dowel, cut it to length matching the thickness of your bench, leaving a bit more to face off square to the correct length. Chuck this into the lathe and drill out the center to .75" with a 45 degree chamfer at one end. You should be able to make a dozen or so pretty quickly and then glue in place with chamfer facing up.
Mac

[Mike Hollingsworth]

If you have a lathe, you should make face grain plugs.

[Alan Lightstone]

No lathe, unfortunately. Sounds like a good game plan.

Any pre-made solutions to this? I thought about steel bushings, but don't know if they would be too tight for bench dogs.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

plug cutter. Use contrasting lumber. Decorate your mistake.

[David Ragan]

To me, only way to go is fill w dowel and redrill
i have lusted after sjoborg bench- but i really dont like it when mfg makes u buy their accessories

[Alan Lightstone]

To me, only way to go is fill w dowel and redrill
i have lusted after sjoborg bench- but i really dont like it when mfg makes u buy their accessories

I could almost deal with that if they made accessories. But they make just one.

[Larry Frank]

One way would be a sleeve. They make some the right size and 1.5" long.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Make it a contrasting color and it will look like an intended detail.

[Jon Nuckles]

If you want to use holdfasts, I'd glue in a dowel and redrill at 3/4" (maybe offset a bit from the current holes). I don't know if the wedging action necessary for a firm grip would work with a sleeve.

[Alan Lightstone]

If you want to use holdfasts, I'd glue in a dowel and redrill at 3/4" (maybe offset a bit from the current holes). I don't know if the wedging action necessary for a firm grip would work with a sleeve.

I don't use holdfasts (especially since I couldn't), so don't think I'd miss them.

Things like planing stops, clamps, etc.. would be nice.

I kinda like the idea of contrasting woods. Which hardwoods would be hard enough for a drilled out dowel? Would any contrasting hardwoods do?

Unfortunately, I don't have a lathe, so I might have to deal with sleeves / steel bushings which are far, far more costly. Are they the same thing?

Anyone know of any good reasonably priced sources for bushings / sleeves?

[Alan Lightstone]

Actually, maybe I'm asking the wrong question.

Should I just drill multiple new 3/4" holes in the workbench / vises? That bushing that Lee Valley sells for that looks pretty nice. I'd have a boatload of holes in my workbench, but would that present a problem?

[Wayne Hendrix]

Actually, maybe I'm asking the wrong question.

Should I just drill multiple new 3/4" holes in the workbench / vises? That bushing that Lee Valley sells for that looks pretty nice. I'd have a boatload of holes in my workbench, but would that present a problem?

Just drill holes as you need them.

[Joe A Faulkner]

Is this bench roughly 6' long with two rows of dog holes that are spaced about 6" apart? If so, why not drill 3/4" holes 6" on center in line with the 1" holes - giving you a dog every 3" of alternating size? Fill every hole with a round dog, add 3 or 4 3/4 inch holes in the center of the bench spaced 18" apart for holdfasts, battens and other 3/4 accessories. Use the bench for a while and if you find that you don't like the 1" dogs, then plug those holes.

[Mark Carlson]

My sjoberg bench holes are square or rather rectangular:) Wonder when they switched over.