# Work Bench Dog Hole Template



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Just piddling around on a dreary evening so I thought I would work on a Template/Jig for drilling dog holes in a work bench.

It is designed for a top that is 36 inches wide with 3/4 inch holes every 4 inches. The two holes at the rear are for dogs to position the jig for the next row.

The jig has a 3/4 inch base with another 3/4 inch section glued (or screwed) on top. I will drill the holes for the jig on the drill press so they will be vertical. :grin:

In use, I plan to clamp it to the work table top and drill the first row of holes using a Forstner bit. Then move it to the next position and plug the two rear holes to keep it registered properly. I guess we will see how that turns out! :surprise:

Eventually, I plan to incorporate two of the Kreg Klamp tracks, one along the length of the table and one across the short end also.

I hope to build the jig in the next couple of days.

Note: If you haven't seen my work bench, here are a couple of pics. The top is a solid core door with 7/8 inch dog holes and the Kreg tracks along with a home made aluminum plate so another clamp can be used. This table has worked out really well. It is 30 x 48 inches. My plan for the new one is 36 x 60 inches. I don't have room for anything bigger. I do have an extension that folds down when not needed. That has proven helpful.

Unfortunately, the thickness of the top prevented me from using clamps of any kind. And...I mounted a "box" underneath with a pair of drawers in it so it blocked access from underneath. :frown:

That's all about to change this coming year. I have been watching videos of other folks benches and gathering ideas. :grin:


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I'm liking the jig idea with the Forstner bit , as I'm thinking your idea should work well . 

Don't know if they make a router bit big enough , but with my Festool track and the adapter connected to my router , I wonder if I could do it that way , as when plunging your likely to have a vertical hole.

I love work benches and always dream about making the ultimate one . The things a guy could implement are endless . Would like to see one that's sturdy , but also has the ability to change height .
Actually I'm getting so excited thinking about it , I may build one before I insulate my garage 

Will definitely be looking forward to seeing what you create


----------



## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> like to see one that's sturdy , but also has the ability to change height .


Me, I'd just use an adjustable height chair. Was going to suggest different height platforms, but too easy to walk off and fall. So, I'm thinking the most efficient method would be some type of lift, perhaps one of the smaller car lifts, should be plenty stable enough, I would think anyway.


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I have a trough down the center of mine Mike, based on one I saw somewhere and I'm not sure I would ever build one without it. It holds my tape measures, pencils and other marking tools, hex screw driver bits, my bench dogs, a little sandpaper, and utility knives. Those are things you want often and handy so you don't have to go look for them but at the same time they aren't on top of the bench.


----------



## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

I think a template is a good idea for drilling bench dogs. You hate to have one hole drilled off.

My workbench has a trough on the back side against the wall. Sure is handy for putting stuff in so it does not get knocked off. I wish my workbench could be out from the wall. I sometimes have to pull it out from the wall so long clamps will fit.


----------



## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

I made a template for cutting mine. It worked pretty well. There was enough play when using previously cut holes as alignment (like you are planning) that over several rows the holes wandered. When I noticed this, i measured and marked the rest, thus helped me adjust. 
I used a standard 3/4" router bit in a plunge base (1/4" shank dewalt). There as a little burning but it was the bit I had. 
The router had a template bushing on the base so the holds in the template were sized to this, not the 3/4" dog holes. After drilling the holes in the template, I rounded over the top side.
My table top is Baltic birch and I found the amount of chip out on the back side when the bit went through to be too much. So I used a combination of through-the-dog-hole clamps and a bottle jack to hold a backer board under the hole.


----------



## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

Since my template holes are not the same as the dog holes I made stepped dowels where the end was 3/4" and the step was the same as my template hole size. 
Some of thelse ideas I got from YouTube. The bench design is Ron Paulk. The bottle jack idea was mine


----------



## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Nice, Mike. Are you hyper?


----------



## CharlesWebster (Nov 24, 2015)

I just drew some light pencil lines on my bench top and drilled 3/4" holes with a forstner bit in a hand-held electric drill. I don't see a need for precision greater than +/- 1/8" when positioning dogs or hold downs etc.

My bench has dog holes down one side, in line with the dog on the bench-end vise, and t-track down the other side and across the end opposite the vise. I wish I had put in more track, because I use track-mounted hold-downs far more often than I use dogs.


----------



## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

@Cherryville Chuck

I like the idea of a trough in the center of the bench as I'm always moving things/knocking them on the floor. I was thinking that the depth wouldn't have to be any more than 3/4" to handle pencils, knife, etc. - is that what you have? Also, what is the width of the trough compared to the width of the top? - I've kind of moved away from tops much wider than 30" as "stuff" seems to pile up an arms length away on the back of the bench.


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

:surprise:


JOAT said:


> Me, I'd just use an adjustable height chair. Was going to suggest different height platforms, but too easy to walk off and fall. So, I'm thinking the most efficient method would be some type of lift, perhaps one of the smaller car lifts, should be plenty stable enough, I would think anyway.


The first one I made from a solid core 1 3/4" thick door and wrapped the edges with 2x4 oak rebated out 1/4" for a Masonite top. I mounted it on a HF scissor lift cart so I could raise and lower it. then to make it sturdy I put fold up legs that were adjustable with X bracing. It worked very well.
Herb


----------



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

WOW! Lots of good ideas and suggestions.
Thanks everyone.


----------



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Everend said:


> I made a template for cutting mine. It worked pretty well.* There was enough play when using previously cut holes as alignment (like you are planning) that over several rows the holes wandered.* When I noticed this, i measured and marked the rest, thus helped me adjust.
> I used a standard 3/4" router bit in a plunge base (1/4" shank dewalt). There as a little burning but it was the bit I had.
> The router had a template bushing on the base so the holds in the template were sized to this, not the 3/4" dog holes. After drilling the holes in the template, I rounded over the top side.
> My table top is Baltic birch and I found the amount of chip out on the back side when the bit went through to be too much. So I used a combination of through-the-dog-hole clamps and a bottle jack to hold a backer board under the hole.


I see what you mean. I just did a test piece on some scrap. I have some brass bench dogs and the Kreg bench dogs. They are a little loose which would allow the jig to get off just like you said. Looks like I need to go to the store (and take my test piece with me) and find something that will fit better.


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

tomp913 said:


> @Cherryville Chuck
> 
> I like the idea of a trough in the center of the bench as I'm always moving things/knocking them on the floor. I was thinking that the depth wouldn't have to be any more than 3/4" to handle pencils, knife, etc. - is that what you have? Also, what is the width of the trough compared to the width of the top? - I've kind of moved away from tops much wider than 30" as "stuff" seems to pile up an arms length away on the back of the bench.


I went out and took a picture and measured and it's 2" deep and I would say that's about right for the tapes. I built mine with an L at the end and it's handy for parking a cutoff saw on which keeps it close for fitting small parts to things like cabinets (as in cross members or drawer runners). As someone else mentioned I have dog holes in my end vise so it can be used to clamp with. I keep the dogs in the trough at that end for that reason. At the very bottom of the photo below the vise I have 3 LV Wonder Dogs which are basically a dog with a built in vise. Between all the possibilities I haven't found anything I can't clamp. The bench is laminated 2x s so it's heavy and sturdy. LV sold a cheap French made brad point bit that was the right size for the dog holes and I used a drill press to drill through a block of 4x4 and used that as a drill guide to drill the holes. I just measured the holes with tape and pencil and they are no more than a sixteenth out which has been good enough.

I ran a power cord across the ceiling and put an outlet box on the end and when that isn't enough I add a power bar. Dropping the power from the ceiling keeps the cord out of the way. I remember Harry Sinclair saying he had done the same thing. In my uploads is one or more pictures of the bench showing the 2 large and 1 small framing squares,2 large and small triangle squares, my hook rule, and my center finding rule as well as most of my small clamps. I really do recommend having a spot under for the squares at least. They are absolutely essential to have handy when putting stuff together for checking squareness and they really get in the way if they have to stay on the bench top.


----------



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Looks like it has been well used. Not unlike some of those jacked up 4 wheel drive trucks with the big shinee tires that never see dirt or mud! :smile:


----------



## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

I like the 3/4 router plunge bit idea. When I use Forstner bits they tend to wander and not make a straight hole unless they are in a drill press.


----------



## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

MT Stringer said:


> I see what you mean. I just did a test piece on some scrap. I have some brass bench dogs and the Kreg bench dogs. They are a little loose which would allow the jig to get off just like you said. Looks like I need to go to the store (and take my test piece with me) and find something that will fit better.


Mike. For my bench dogs I used oak dowel and some hardwood to make T for my dog holes. This way if I am using a tool it hits wood not metal. I make the T part only about a 1/4 inch or less so it is low out of the way. You can use multiples for wide boards. They are cheap to make and you can get creative and make them as you need them.

PS
I actually used a piece of BBQ wood. It was pecan. I resawed it on the bandsaw into blocks which I drilled for the oak dowel.


----------



## firstmuller (Aug 28, 2014)

I have a question about bench dog holes. I see why you would want the holes to go all the way through the top to keep the hole from filling up with dust but what if you have drawers under the top, how do you keep the dust from going in the drawers?
Allen


----------



## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

I need to vacuum below the holes from time to time.


----------



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

firstmuller said:


> I have a question about bench dog holes. I see why you would want the holes to go all the way through the top to keep the hole from filling up with dust but what if you have drawers under the top, how do you keep the dust from going in the drawers?
> Allen


I will have drawers (trays) underneath so sawdust it will be. I may do like Earl did, and cut a bunch of 3/4 dowels about 1 1/4 inches long and plug the holes just below the surface. Then when I need one, just push them up from below. Or, pop it out if a clamp needs the hole! :surprise::smile:


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

tomp913 said:


> @Cherryville Chuck...I've kind of moved away from tops much wider than 30" as "stuff" seems to pile up an arms length away on the back of the bench.


I agree on the width thing. My bench is about that wide, and even then, things pile up. I have an amazing amount of storage in my little 12x24 shop, including shelves right where the bench is so I can just reach back for a tool, yet things pile up anyhow. I'm in the process of straightening everything out and rearranging my shop. If I had a bigger table in there, I'd just have more of a mess to deal with.


----------



## firstmuller (Aug 28, 2014)

MT Stringer said:


> I will have drawers (trays) underneath so sawdust it will be. I may do like Earl did, and cut a bunch of 3/4 dowels about 1 1/4 inches long and plug the holes just below the surface. Then when I need one, just push them up from below. Or, pop it out if a clamp needs the hole! :surprise::smile:


Makes sense to do that. I would also think that small parts like screws could fall through and not being able to find them.
Thanks for the info.
Allen


----------



## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

What about a groove a ¼ inch below the top edge of the drawer sides and a slot in the back? Slide a piece of MDF in from the back. When the drawer is open you can pick up lost screws/hardware and vac. With the drawer out there should be enough room to slide the MDF back to access the contents.

Retrofit may not be so easy . . .


----------

