How far apart should workbench dog holes be?
Avoid putting holes into the joints of the workbench’s base. Then turn your attention to the row of holdfast holes that are 12” from the front edge of the benchtop. These should also be on 16” centers but should be staggered to be between the holes in the back row.
How big are the holes for bench dogs?
Step 1: Materials. There’s no standard size for bench dogs, but I’ve found that 3/4″ or 1″ to be the most common size for round dogs. I had drilled 3/4″ openings in my workbench, so that’s the size of dowel I’ll need. The strip of metal used for the spring of the dogs can be any thin piece of steel.
How do you align a dog’s bench hole?
Mark the row of dogholes on your bench aligning the mark with the dog on your bench’s vise. Draw a crosshatch to locate the first hole. Then position the drilling guide’s alignment marks with those on the bench. Clamp the guide in place along with a backer board to prevent tear-out on the bottom of the bench.
How far from the edge should dog holes be?
From the scale of the pictures, it sort of looks like the first line of holes is spaced about 3-4″ in from the edge (and then a second row another 6-8″ beyond that), with a between-hole spacing of about 6″.
Do bench dogs work in plywood?
If you’re simply using bench dogs for clamping, any material should hold up well enough. However, I could see the holes wearing down more quickly if you were to use holdfasts. If you watch some of Ron Paulk’s videos when he is making his workbenches he does mention that you could use MDF. He just prefers plywood.
Why do woodworking benches have holes?
Dog holes are arranged in a line perpendicular to the jaws of a vise, typically in intervals of four to six inches. Some workbenches have a second row parallel to the vise jaws, to allow broad or long items to be held fast in two directions, as well as to the benchtop itself when using one or more holdfasts.
How many holdfasts do you need?
Once refreshed by the idea of holdfasts, it’s tempting to want to over do it. But generally we’ll only need one. Two tops. In terms of priority, I’d sooner have one holdfast, than the most fancy tail vice.
How far apart are dog holes?
Will bench dogs work in MDF?
Can MDF be used for workbench top?
The best type of wood to use for a workbench top depends on how you intend to use it. MDF, Plywood, and hardboard are all good options. MDF is smoother which is good for moving heavy objects around easier. Also doesn’t splinter like plywood.