Bench dogs - single or double row ?

[AndrewC]

I'm a "dog virgin"

Seriously, I've never used a bench with dogs before. Looking around, most benches seem to have a single line of holes for mounting dogs. It seems more sensible to me to have them in pairs but then I always over engineer things. I pity anyone who ever tries to take down any cupboard units I've fitted over the years

So one row or two ?

Round or square ?

If round, is 19mm dowel 95% as effective as a Wonder Dog ?

I'll be fitting them through about 50mm of beech.

 

[RodN]

I find a couple of this type from Axminster to be my most used.

Mostly only one is needed, but when planing a "sheet" or larger flat piece of wood I use two in the arrangement shown in my quick sketch... the (crude) arrow shows the direction of planing

The little spring will grip even when working on very thin panels and it is pushed right down. A little tap from underneath will pop them out easily. Hint: don't site one in the workbench top over the drawer position. (Says the voice of experience).

I think that the only time that I have used more is when clamping wide stock in a vice, one or two dogs on the vice top and two in the bench.

Rod

 

[Philly]

Andrew
Single row, square wooden dogs - works great for me (even for routing!) and for wider stock a stop can be clamped across the bench. Square wooden dogs don't twist - and you really don't want to strike a metal dog with a fine edge tool :wink:
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[woodbloke]

Agree with Philly here, spring loaded square wooden dogs are the thing to have - Rob

 

[AndrewC]

Is it really worth the effort of morticing in a row of square holes into a solid top rather than just drilling out round ones ?

Andrew

 

[tnimble]

I use the brass dogs and pups. No problem with hitting them with a tool, just press them a bit below the stock being planed. The wonder dogs and pups on the other hand are a different story when planing. With thinner stock they are proud of the surface and can't be lowered! They are however good for side clamping and small wood bending jobs.

My currect (to be replaced) bench has a front vice along the whole length of the bench with two spindels. I've a row of 19mm holes in the vice, a row at the front, th back and in the middle of the bench. This way the holes are not only usable for planing boards but also for holding sheet gooda while sawing them with a circular saw (put a few battens below the sheet) and routing. The onger dogs work great for this along with holddowns.

Also the holes in this configuration can be used for alignment and light clamp work when dryfitting and / or glueing up drawers, carcases, boxes, etcetera.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi Andrew,

Bench dogs are rather like planes - it's a personal thing and everyone has their preferences. This is my bench top and you will see that I have gone for four rows of dog holes - one in line with the dog in the vice

This arrangement provides me with lots of clamping options and I use them all. I use the Veritas dogs and pups

They also make a holdfast and surface clamp that use the same holes

If you have plenty of dog holes you will find yourself using them - and if you haven't you will make do without.........

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

Is it really worth the effort of morticing in a row of square holes into a solid top rather than just drilling out round ones ?

Andrew

The way it's done is to rout them in when the bench is being made. They can then be made with a 10 deg tapered slope (the ones in the bench slope one way, the one in the tail vice slopes t'other way) so that the timber is forced onto the bench when pressure is applied - Rob