# Cutting Bench Dog Holes



## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

I am building a portable, bench top front vise. My workbench is not designed to accept under mount. I also needed it to be portable. I wanted dog holes in the jaws and through the width and length of the vise. I kicked around forstener bits, bit and brace, spade bits, etc. I wanted to use my plunge router. I purchased the MLCS 3/4" HSS Spiral up cut bit, item# 9472. For 16 bucks, if it was a one time shot no problem. I cut 12 holes 1 1/4" deep in quartersawn pine, and 6 holes 1 1/4" deep in German Beech (jaws). I used my Bosch 1617 plunge base with a 12" square X 1/2" thick plexiglass base. The holes came out very clean and precise. I used the lowest speed to cut, with a very rigid setup. The bit is still very sharp. No problems, no vibration, no burning. I laid out the holes, using a circle template. I just wanted to pass this along in case anyone was interested, or needed to drill any dog holes in their bench. I will post the finished vise when it is complete, almost there!

Ellery Becnel:smile:


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

The router would insure that the bit goes straight down alright. I did it another way which also worked. I took a bit that LV used to sell for drilling dog holes, a large brad point. I put it in my drill press and drilled a hole in a block of 4 x 4 and then used it as a guide.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

this would work...

.


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## demographic (Aug 12, 2012)

Another way is using one of these.
Or at least works if you have a 43mm diameter collar on the drill, which quite a few have for the sidehandle. mount.









You remove the bottom orange part which is for drilling round objects and just drill through the hole in the base.
I've actually got one from a secondhand place, can't remember what I paid for it but it won't be more than a couple of quid, never even used it yet.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

more...


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

I have everything shown above except the mag base drill. To me, for me, the router was my best precise option. I considered all of the methods.
Thanks for the feedback.


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## demographic (Aug 12, 2012)

Arcola60 said:


> I have everything shown above except the mag base drill. To me, for me, the router was my best precise option. I considered all of the methods.
> Thanks for the feedback.


Aye, the router would likely be the most accurate way, I would like to make a Paulk bench at some point and will likely be using my LR32 guiderail, the router and getting most of the LR32 kit for it.

Obviously that will mean I won't have the holes at four inch spacings and will have them at 96mm spacings instead.


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

I spaced my holes @ 3" apart, jaw capacity is 4". Glen Huey has a very good video on youtube showing his method with the plunge router. Every size is covered within the range of the vise.


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## Bricknhank (Dec 28, 2013)

I have my grandfathers old square dogs for my beechwood bench so my solution was to leave a square section out when gluing it up. You can't really see the end vice in this photo but it's there.


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