chris carter
04-09-2020, 6:00 PM
I notice most folks’ benches have the dog and hold-fast holes with a round-over. Presumably this is to keep from chipping the wood of the benchtop when you pound in a holdfast. I actually had that happen to me on my current bench and had to CA glue the splintered wood back into place (lucky I found it!). I’m wondering how people are doing the round-over. I’m talking about a roundover on the lip of the hole. I’m about to drill all the holes for my new bench and trying to figure out a good solution.
Option 1) Power router. I have one of these things. It scares the crap out of me and was part of my motivation for becoming a hand tool woodworker. I’d rather not use it as I don’t believe I should ever hold anything that spins that fast in my bare hands, but if I had to what size rounder bit? Smallest I have is 1/8th inch roundover, which I presume is small enough. Although on a test hole it seemed rather extreme for the purpose (but maybe photos are not doing real life justice)…..
Option 2) I’m a decent whittler and have a whittling knife with a tiny wharncliffe blade. I could simply carve a bevel on the lip of every hole. It is very doable, although it won’t look as elegant. Or perhaps the lack of elegance will reinforce the hand-tool aspect (my new bench is 95% hand-tool built).
Option 3) huge countersink bit, like a one-inch one (I will have ¾” dog holes). I have a smaller countersink and don’t really like the look it leaves behind (which would normally be covered by a screw, so who cares). I also would rather not purchase something that I will use once and never again.
Option 4)??????
Looking for opinions/experiences.....
Option 1) Power router. I have one of these things. It scares the crap out of me and was part of my motivation for becoming a hand tool woodworker. I’d rather not use it as I don’t believe I should ever hold anything that spins that fast in my bare hands, but if I had to what size rounder bit? Smallest I have is 1/8th inch roundover, which I presume is small enough. Although on a test hole it seemed rather extreme for the purpose (but maybe photos are not doing real life justice)…..
Option 2) I’m a decent whittler and have a whittling knife with a tiny wharncliffe blade. I could simply carve a bevel on the lip of every hole. It is very doable, although it won’t look as elegant. Or perhaps the lack of elegance will reinforce the hand-tool aspect (my new bench is 95% hand-tool built).
Option 3) huge countersink bit, like a one-inch one (I will have ¾” dog holes). I have a smaller countersink and don’t really like the look it leaves behind (which would normally be covered by a screw, so who cares). I also would rather not purchase something that I will use once and never again.
Option 4)??????
Looking for opinions/experiences.....