# Drill or Rout bench dog holes?



## benchwarmer (Oct 6, 2009)

I am an aspiring novice and I finished my bench top (2- 3/4" layers of plywood with 1 layer of 3/4" mdf and hardboard on top) and I am wondering should I drill the bench dog holes with my portable drill guide or with my plunge router? 

Thanks,

Ed


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Welcome to the forum Ed.

You are dealing with 2 1/2 inches of depth and I'm not sure you can get a router bit that long. I would go for the drill with guide. 

Maybe someone knows of a way that I don't and can give you a more positive answer.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

benchwarmer said:


> I am an aspiring novice and I finished my bench top (2- 3/4" layers of plywood with 1 layer of 3/4" mdf and hardboard on top) and I am wondering should I drill the bench dog holes with my portable drill guide or with my plunge router?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Ed


Hi Ed, welcome to the forum. 
Don't really know which bench dog system you have. 
Do the holes have to go completely through the top? How big are they?
At any rate, I have a bit with 3" cutter length but it would be difficult to plunge with as it sticks out below the base from the git-go. Also, do you know where all the nails, screws, etc are that hold the top on? Don't want to hit any of those with the router. 
If you are using the system that just needs a relief for a clamp anchor, I would use the router. For through holes a drill and spade bit make sense to me. 
Good Luck


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## Mike Wingate (Apr 26, 2009)

I have square bench dogs. I routed them in the 2 separate solid wood edge pieces, then glued them to the wider bench centre piece. The routing depth is only 1" with this method and both edge pieces are clamped together so the spacing of the slots is exact as the two edges are routed as one.


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## benchwarmer (Oct 6, 2009)

*Reply*



jschaben said:


> Hi Ed, welcome to the forum.
> Don't really know which bench dog system you have.
> Do the holes have to go completely through the top? How big are they?
> At any rate, I have a bit with 3" cutter length but it would be difficult to plunge with as it sticks out below the base from the git-go. Also, do you know where all the nails, screws, etc are that hold the top on? Don't want to hit any of those with the router.
> ...


Veritas 3/4" dogs, I have read a couple of articles that suggest going all the way through with the holes-otherwise you have to blow them clean all the time. I did anticipate the dog holes (and vise bolts) and mapped all of the dozens and dozens of screws that I put in when I glued and screwed the layers together. The top is rock solid by the way. I think next time I would use MDF for all three layers. Maybe I'll start the holes with a spiral router bit and finish them with a spade bit


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

The only reason I'd go for the drill over the router is the fear of drifting off center. You could block the router off so it wouldn't but that would be too much like work. 

With the drill, rotating at a much slower speed you could abort a hole before wrecking a bit on the nail or screw you forget. I'd rather wreck a drill bit over router bit any day.


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## MinConst (Sep 16, 2009)

It would make no sense to me to use a router to drill a 3/4" through 3" of any stock. I would drill a small pilot hole and the use a spade bit. The spade will follow the pilot hole nicely. Just drill the pilot hole with around an 1/8" bit. Even if you don't get all the way through the 3" top is will still follow it.


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