Dog Hole Spacing

Mike Gabbay

Member
Messages
180
Location
Herndon VA
I'm ready to drill my dog holes in my new bench. Just curious what is the rule of thumb (if there is one) for how far in from the edge the line of dog holes should be for the ones that run the length of the bench. I was planing on 2 sets, one in the front and one in the back.

I was planning on a 6" on center spacing between holes.
 
You saved me the trouble of asking this myself in a few weeks. I'm sort of planning on trying to line them up with the screws on the LV twinscrew but haven't exactly figured out yet how far in from the bench edges that puts them. I'm interested in seeing the answer you get.
 
Line up with your center screw (for single holes). Distance is determined by the depth of your vise. Spacing should allow you to tighten between the vise dog and a given bench dog within the travel of your vise jaw. My vise has about 10" of depth but I spaced my holes at about 6" although the first bench hole is 8" on center from the vise dog. This allowed the rows to criss cross from the tail vise row where crossing the front vise row. HTH.
 
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Let me further explain my bench configuration. I only have a front vise on the front left side of the bench. I was not planning on installing a vise at the right end of the bench. I am planning on using the Veritas Wonder Dogs in place of an end vise for now.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=31129&cat=1,41637

For the front vise, I am planning on drilling a dog hole in the center of the jaw and then line up a row of dog holes the width of the bench.
 
glenn has it correctly...the maximum spacing between dog holes is just slightly less than the travel in your vise. you can always space closer to avoid screwing the vise to the extremes...not a problem with the quick release vises.

have you thought about how to drill the holes for the wonder dogs? locking in your router and using an upcut bit is a good way but make sure the router is held in all directions.
 
Clark - I am using my router with a 3/4" upcut. The base will be mounted to my phenolic plate for my router table and clamped in place.

The travel on the Wonder Dog is 5". I'd rather not space them at 5" since it will ineterfere with the legs of the base. At 6" spacing they work out perfectly with the base legs.
 
......For the front vise, I am planning on drilling a dog hole in the center of the jaw and then line up a row of dog holes the width of the bench.

While you can certainly do that and lots of people do. Keep in mind that are also pushing across the joints of the bench top. Trying to break the glue joints. Odds are you will never will. But it's something to think about.

As for the spacing, just less than the travel of your vice. If your going to add wood blocks to the vice faces remember to take that into account. Also the closer the holes, the less you have to open or close the vice to clamp something.
 
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