DIYbanter - View Single Post

(daryl1138) wrote in message om...

I am planning on going the pine 2 x 4 route but I would like to have
bench dogs as well and I am concerned about these prematurely
elongating. If I were to alternate in a few strips of hardwood at the
dog locations would I run into any significant shrink/expansion
problems? If so, any recommendation to counter it?

Some folks recommend lining the dogholes with harder material, or
even drilling an oversize doghole, plugging it with hardwood and then
drilling your hole centered in the hardwood.

Personally, my top is made of laminated SYP (slightly less than 3"
thick) and I have noticed no signs of the dogholes elongating. (I've
been using it since February of 2001, so it's not old, but it's seen
almost daily use since then.)

I guess it partially depends on how you use dogs/dogholes as well.
I don't use them bearing against a face vise, rather I usually use
"Wonderdogs" in pairs, or little 6" clamps as hold-downs for planing
stops.

You could always start using the bench and see how they wear. If
it becomes a problem (most likely in *years*, not months), you could
either build your "ideal" bench, or retrofit your current one.

Chuck Vance