Bench dog holes in plywood. Dog holes for plywood workbench top i have always liked work benches that have some weight and mass to give a strong anchor to the items i work on. Making my workbench a multifunction table with extra dog holes and clamping options httpsamznto2razhmd httpsamznto2rd6iyb donate to support the cha. Here is a bench that was made from scrounged 2x4s and then gussied up ten years later. Featured article in pw several years back.
Glenn huey had the coolest way to drill 34 dog holes in a bench top. When you flip the bench top over there is a bonus inset 3 space at the back of the bench. Bonus bench top space. A 34 up spiral bit in a plunge router with a jig to accurately position the spacing and perfect plumb.
Used well your bench is an all in one three dimensional clamping solution that will allow you to hold your work on any of its edges or faces. The link to rons build. Festools mft has a sacrificial mdf top and the original paulk workbench design has a plywood top similarly perforated with dog holes. Imperfectly sized or misaligned holes.
The pattern depends upon the vises you use and how you like to work what scale you work in whether your bench is located for access to both sides as opposed to up agains the wall and several other factors. If youre simply using bench dogs for clamping any material should hold up well enough. You make a simple jig like the one shown at left and using a drill press bore a 1 hole the same distance from the fence that you want your dog holes from the edge of the bench. Heres what i did.
How to drill perfectly vertical bench dog holes in your workbench a woodworking bench is more than just a table to lay your tools and project parts on. Heres how it works. Make your workbench from mdf plywood. Round dogs like lvs and holddowns tend to be 34 diameter to the best of my knowledge.
Picks your dogs first then make the holes fit. Cut pilot holes of the desired width be mindful of existing pocket holes and screws and use a jig saw to cut a desired groove. 1 take a scrap rectangle of plywood as wide as your router base and a little longer than your benchtop is wide then lay out your 34 bench puppy holes at whatever spacing you select centered on the piece of plywood. However i could see the holes wearing down more quickly if you were to use holdfasts.