bench dog question

[Andy Henriksen]

So I just bought a 2-pk of veritas bench dogs, and 1 wonder dog. Now I need to drill some holes in my bench. my bench is a double layer of 3/4" mdf with a hardboard top. I don't have an end vice and only have a VERY cheap face vice (hence my decision for the wonder dog). Anyway, I think I am gonna go with just a single row towards the front of the bench.

so, what is a good distance to place the row from the front edge of the bench?

Right now, the top of my junky vice actually is a bit higher then the bench surface, which was really stupid on my part, but probably easy enough to fix, if it's gonna get in the way.

[Jim Dunn]

I placed mine 10" back from the front edge of a bench in progress. Seems comfortable to me but I'm pretty short too.

[Lynn Sonier]

I placed mine about 6 inches from each end and about 6 inches from the front (I'm short too).

[Andy Henriksen]

I'm not short (6'0")...so what does that mean? Closer? further?

[Steve Cox]

On my bench top which is three layers of PB with Masonite top and bottom, I have four rows of dog holes. I have a Veritas twin screw vise on the end and a Record face vise. The reason for the four rows is so I can clamp anywhere. The first row is 2" from the edge. That allows me to clamp a workpiece down with its edge over the front of the bench for operations like edge routing where a bit extends below the workpiece. The other holes are 7" apart both along and across the bench. This puts the last row 2" from the back side of the bench also. Since my bench is in the middle of the shop and I work around all sides this was important to me. The other two rows are used most frequently by a pair of Veritas hold downs which are in almost contant use. I also have a number of shop made stops that extend across two or more holes for operations like planing or belt sanding where I don't really need the piece clamped down, just prevented from moving. This is much faster when doing multiples like drawer sides etc. The only negative I have found to this many holes was drilling them in the first place and the fact that the area under the bench gets quite dirty from junk falling through the holes.

[Steve Wargo]

On my bench (4 layers of 3/4" MDF and masonite top) I placed them about 6" apart and 5" from the front. I think that a bigger concern would be whether or not 1 1/2" of MDF will be enough support for a round dog hole. I'm 6'-1" but use a lot of hand tools, and often hand plane, where I want my weight directly over the work surface. You may be inclined to fasten a hardwood strip under the MDF for some extra support for your bench dogs.

[Tom Jones III]

My only suggestion is do not place the holes on an even spacing. Make the first one a little odd, like 7" from the end or 11", then you can place the rest of the dog holes 12" apart based on that first odd hole.

Our brains often tend to think in "normal" numbers that tend to be round numbers and multiples of 12" (2, 3, 4, 6, 12) then you'll go to clamp your 24" piece of wood and then realize you started the holes 12" away from the end and then spaced the holes 12" apart, meaning your clamp is closed and is a hair too small, so you have to open your clamp 12" so you can back up one dog hole. It is much more pleasant to open the clamp 1" because you offset your dog holes by one inch.

[Andy Henriksen]

Good suggestions guys. I think I'll go with close to the edge for the edge routing idea - that makes good sense. Also the odd spacing makes good sense too. Probably will end up with a hardwood strip underneath also. Who knows maybe I'll end up with 4 rows before I'm done, but I'll start with the first row close to the edge. Thanks again!

[Norman Hitt]

Good suggestions guys. I think I'll go with close to the edge for the edge routing idea - that makes good sense. Also the odd spacing makes good sense too. Probably will end up with a hardwood strip underneath also. Who knows maybe I'll end up with 4 rows before I'm done, but I'll start with the first row close to the edge. Thanks again!

The distance from the edge is your choice, depending on what you want to do, and what feels comfortable to you. If you do plan to use your end vise in conjunction with the dog holes, I would suggest that you place the first hole no more than 1/2 the distance from the end of the bench that your vise will open, ie; vise will open 8", then place the first hole "no more" than 4" from the end of the bench, (3" would even be fine). I personally like 4" spacing between the holes to keep from having to crank the vise so far to set it to the board, (but some like 5" or 6" spacing). The 12" spacing mentioned above is "WAY TOO FAR APART" IMHO.

[Jules Dominguez]

My benchtop is 3/8" Golden Birch plywood over two layers of 3/4" pine plywood, and looks like it's been through a couple of wars. One thing about it, though, if you're more concerned with utility than aesthetics in your workbench, you can drill another hole when you want and where you want and the workbench really doesn't give a damn.

Another thing that can be handy at times is the Jorgenson hold-down clamp, the base of which slips over the head of a bolt which protrudes just above the surface of the benchtop. The design calls for (or did 25 years ago) the bolt to be permanently installed in a drilled hole with a counterbore, but that's not necessary. They can be used anywhere there's a hole through the benchtop, and a hex bolt can be can be substituted for the furnished round-head bolt if needed.