What is a bench dog in woodworking?

A bench dog is a removable clamp used on a woodworking workbench to hold an item fast while being worked. It is characteristically used in concert with an adjustable dog on a bench vise, allowing an item compressed between the two to be held fast on each end, and if offset in both directions.

How thick should a bench be for a dog?

It is your decision whether to use 1” or ¾” holes for your bench dogs, but ¾” are more common. You will want to drill these holes exactly perpendicular to the surface of the workbench, or your bench dogs won’t work properly.

What size are bench dog holes?

3/4 Inch
3/4 Inch System: Bench Dogs, Panel Clamps, Surface Vise, Bench Anchor, Planing Stop. Indispensable helpers in every woodshop. VERITAS Round Bench Dogs made of solid brass. They fit into a 3/4 inch (19 mm) hole drilled in any surface.

Can you put bench dogs in plywood?

Festool’s MFT has a sacrificial MDF top, and the original Paulk Workbench design has a plywood top similarly perforated with dog holes. 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.

How many dog holes should be in a workbench?

You don’t need a lot of holdfast holes to hold most work on your bench. In fact, I’ve found that somewhere between eight and 10 holes is more than enough for most work.

Is MDF good for a workbench?

Using what you have at hand you can make any number of different workbenches of various styles and configurations. At the most basic a single thickness of MDF can work as a top for now, with the plan being to beef it up later, and possibly add a sacrificial hardboard surface as well.

Why use round bench dogs?

By using round bench dogs I can make sure that every hole is also suitable for a holdfast making the bench top versatile without littering it with all manner of holes.

How do you install a round bench dog?

Our round bench dogs are made from solid brass rod and can be installed in any bench by drilling a 3/4″ hole. Brass dogs are non-corroding and kind to your tools. The combined crosshatching and 2° inward slope of the face hold wood securely. The side spring lets the dog slide smoothly, but holds it well at any desired projection.

What kind of wood is used for bench dogs?

He crafts his own bench dogs from medium-hard woods—such as mahogany, cherry, or walnut—that will not damage his projects. It’s simple to make effective bench dogs from a length of dowel rod attached to a small block of wood.

How long is a bench dog?

The combined crosshatching and 2° inward slope of the face hold wood securely. The side spring lets the dog slide smoothly, but holds it well at any desired projection. Available individually or in pairs, the bench dogs are 4 3/8″ long. We also offer 2 3/8″ long Bench Pups, which are ideal for bench sides.