bench dog holes

[Mike Steinhilper]

I try to wait until the need arises before I buy a new tool. That said, I would prefer not to buy a drill press for drilling my dog holes. What other options? Are there router bits long enough? Brace? Technically not a Neander question, but I prefer this forum.

[Chris Friesen]

I've seen a router bit used, but if the bench top is way thick it likely won't be able to go all the way through so you'd need to finish it with another method.

You could use a spade or forstner in an electric drill, or an auger bit and brace.

Whatever method is chosen, you may want to chamfer/countersink the tops of the holes a bit to ease the sharp edges.

[Wiley Horne]

Mike,

You can hand hold it OK, using a regular 3/4" x 6" drill in an electric drill. 1/2" electric drill is way better than 3/8"--good chance to buy that Milwaukee 1/2" you know you want.

To actually do the drilling, get two squares, preferably about 6" long. Let's say you're holding the drill at the south and east points. Then set your squares at the north and west points. If you can, just stand up on the benchtop, and drill down, just eye-guiding using the squares as controls. You can hit it really close to plumb. Drill all the way through--don't want the holes to be filling up with debris.

2 cents.

Wiley

[Harry Hagan]

Mike,

Check this video out: http://fw_woodworking.permissiontv.com/index.html?showid=474515

Woodcraft and other vendors sell the bit.

[Jim McFarland]

I used the one I believe Harry refers to:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=1396
...item #03K53 .

I don't have room for a proper bench but this bit and a shelf pin jig, coupled with a 3/4" drill bit to complete a through hole worked fine for my "wannabe" bench (MDF veneer on a garage base cabinet, built up to 3 layers of MDF on the front edge). As Chris suggests -- I rounded the shoulders with a 1/8" roundover.

[dan grant]

have a 2 3/4 thick hackberry top used a 3/8 drill, a little hard on it but did ok, i started the hole with a forstner bit just to score the edge then i used a spade bit until it peeked through and then finished with the forstner from the underside, built a quide for the drill, two pieces of ply at right angles with a bottom drill through the bottom at approximate angle, went on 8" centers should have been 6 oh well always drill more holes

[Marcus Ward]

A handbrace will go through that no problem. Getting a square hole is easy and no reason to chamfer the edges of the hole really, time will do that for you. Using a drill is overcomplicating the solution. Occasionally I will add a hole to my top for a holdfast and I use a brace. 3" thick white oak top. Upside is they're cheap. Upside #2 is you get to buy more COOL tools. Plus my brace is ultra modern, it's cordless. Did I stack enough neandercliches in there?