round bench dogs

[matt]

Anyone here make their own round bench dogs? What kind of system did you use to keep the dogs in place. I've found plenty of examples of home made square dogs, but I'm not having much luck with round. I like the veritas ones, but if I can make some of my own it'll make buying a hold down a little easier to swallow... ;)

[Bri in Mtl]

I picked up a great tip for my round bench dogs.
I put those rubber chair tip protectors on the end of the dogs/dowels I use.
Work great.

[matt]

Interesting. Do you rely on the chair protector to keep your dog from falling through the bench as well?

[Chris in Pickering]

I use a 3/4" maple dowel with a 5/8" o-ring to prevent it from falling in the hole.....very effictive and cheap

[matt]

very effictive and cheap

You're signing my song...

[Bri in Mtl]

Yep! Yep! Yep! Says my msg is too short, hence the yeps ;)

Interesting. Do you rely on the chair protector to keep your dog from falling through the bench as well?

[Bill Simpson]

I prefer the square top /round peg Dogs , Even though round one have been A-round for a long time (sorry for the pun) I have some steel ones and from time to time I need additional (wide pieces) You could get a square of wood and drill a 3/4" hole in the piece and glue a peg to form a square Dog with round peg.

[banjo]

Bill beat me to it, but that's how I've made them for years. Piece of dowel with a square piece of wood at the top. You can use different thicknesses of wood depending on what the dog is for, holding things or planing for example.

Banjo

[Frank D.]

Like these (a little visual relief, kind of like am interlude):

[matt]

Frank! those are huge! I guess the added bonus is you feel safer in the shop with all those blunt force objects around to defend yourself with. ;)

[Frank D.]

Great for squishing spiders...

[Dara]

those look good Frank
right now i'm just using 3/4 inch hardwood dowel in a 3/4 inch hole, not drilled all the way thru my new 1 3/4 inch maple top
they fit a bit snug at first, but as you beat em to work em loose they get easier
I know I need somthing better but for now I don't want to spend till i figure out what I really want/need
just using a quick grip clamp as a hold down as well

[Jim in Burlington]

I'm sure a salvage yard could yield some round bar stock in mild steel for the dog's. As for how to old them up just copy someone's idea of attaching a piece of spring steel. Even large old bolts might work quite well. I rarely clamp anything to bench to plane it much prefer to use wooden stop. My technique improved alot the minute I stopped clamping down everything.

[Frank D.]

I rarely clamp anything to bench to plane it much prefer to use wooden stop. My technique improved alot the minute I stopped clamping down everything.

AMEN. I stopped wanting to put real vises on my bench a while ago. Even for jointing I use a piece of wood with a V-cut and a wedge to hold boards almost exclusively, except for really wide boards.
I'm curious Jim, why metal benchdogs? Don't they just risk dinging a workpiece or a tool?

[Scott]

I use 3/4 maple dowels. A couple I have cut a L shaped notch out of the top inch or so. This is lets me have a flat surface.

I also bought some small bullet catches at LV. They were only $2.50 for 10 of them.

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/pa...t=3,51887&ap=1

I just drilled a 1/4" hole in the side of the dowel, and then used a C Clamp to press the bullet catch into the dog. The catches work really well for keeping the dog at a specific height.

Scott

[matt]

Scott, all I can say is "Neat-O!"