Tim Hurd wrote:

I'm building a workbench that I originally designed to have a series of
3/4" x 3/4" bench dogs. I'm about to cut the dogs, but I came across
some 8-1/8" bench hold down clamps:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=41885

So, which should I go with? The dogs or the clamps?

The workbench will have no specific mission, just a general workbench.
The dogs are 3/4" square and the clamps are 3/4" diameter.

Thanks.

You'll need both - the hold down to - duh - hold things down while
you
chop on their ends, and the bench dogs to hold them while you work
on the top - sanding, carving, planing etc. If you're dog holes are
close enough to the edge of the bench you can hold a piece you want
to route a through slot in.

I've got one of the hold downs you're looking at - used it to hold
part
I was chopping dovetails in. Wack the top with a mallet and it's
set, tap the back with a mallet and it lets go. Worked great on my
"old bench" of ply but doesn't seem to hold well on my new bench
of 3 1/2" of maple - don't know why. That type of hold down will
ovalize your doghole(s) after a while - perhaps that's why mine
isn't working in the new bench.

Veritas had, and may still have, a hold down that screws into or
slips into a metal base inset in the bench top. Turn the knob
to tighten or loosen. No ovalizing of a doghole since it has its
own dedicated "base unit".

Why not have square AND round dogholes and dogs - you can
make your own. The more the merrier - a good bench, in
addition to being a thing to pound on is also a big versatile
clamp. Here are some ideas, stolen from Ken Vaughn's site
(all one line so watch the line wrap)

http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/...CBbench35.html

Since this seems to be your first workbench there will be another
down to the line so experiment now and add what you learn to
The Real Bench you'll make later.

charlie b