I bought a used workbench yesterday. Its a small size (52" x 22") but its
heavy as heck - made out of hard maple with a 2 1/4" top. It has dog holes
running from front to back to complement the front vise. I want to add an
end vise and drill some dog holes to work with it. I'd like to drill the
holes as close to the front of the bench as I can.

What's the minimum distance from edge of the bench for dog holes? Remember
its 2 1/4" hard maple.

Bob Davis
Houston, Texas

In article t,
"BillyBob" wrote:

I bought a used workbench yesterday. Its a small size (52" x 22") but its
heavy as heck - made out of hard maple with a 2 1/4" top. It has dog holes
running from front to back to complement the front vise. I want to add an
end vise and drill some dog holes to work with it. I'd like to drill the
holes as close to the front of the bench as I can.

What's the minimum distance from edge of the bench for dog holes? Remember
its 2 1/4" hard maple.

Bob Davis
Houston, Texas

A good rule of thumb when drilling holes in most materials is never let the
edge of a hole be closer to an edge than the diameter of the hole.

"BillyBob" wrote in
k.net:

I bought a used workbench yesterday. Its a small size (52" x 22") but
its heavy as heck - made out of hard maple with a 2 1/4" top. It has
dog holes running from front to back to complement the front vise. I
want to add an end vise and drill some dog holes to work with it. I'd
like to drill the holes as close to the front of the bench as I can.

What's the minimum distance from edge of the bench for dog holes?
Remember its 2 1/4" hard maple.

Bob Davis
Houston, Texas



In line with the dog on the top of the vise? Is this a trick question?

Patriarch,
still thinking you're a fortunate one to have scored all that stuff for
$150...

"Patriarch" wrote in message
. 97.136...

In line with the dog on the top of the vise? Is this a trick question?

No its not a trick question. I've got a choice of vices and placement of
the vises. I failed to mention that the stretcher on which the benchtop is
mounted is 1 1/2" from the edge and its about 2" thick. I don't want to
drill into the stretcher, so I have to place the dog holes in front of or
behind the stretcher. I suppose I could drill them just in front of the
stretcher. That would leave me about 5/8" of wood between the dog holes and
the front edge.

still thinking you're a fortunate one to have scored all that stuff for
$150...

Yeah it was definitely a find. If anybody is interested in an old BIG
lathe, the seller has one that he will sell someday. Its made in the late
1800's and six feet long. He had it powered with a variable speed DC motor
going through an old ford auto transmission.

Bob

On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 00:37:12 GMT, "BillyBob"
wrote:

I bought a used workbench yesterday. Its a small size (52" x 22") but its
heavy as heck - made out of hard maple with a 2 1/4" top. It has dog holes
running from front to back to complement the front vise. I want to add an
end vise and drill some dog holes to work with it. I'd like to drill the
holes as close to the front of the bench as I can.

What's the minimum distance from edge of the bench for dog holes? Remember
its 2 1/4" hard maple.

I work with 99% hard Maple, and it's, well... hard. Your question is
going to really depend on whether you're just getting your vise snug,
or whether you're the sort that really likes to crank things down as
hard as you can. If you've got a fairly light touch, I'd personally
feel more than comfortable with about 5/8" for hard maple. If you
like to tighten things until they're about to break (and some guys
just do- it's not a judgement call,) you may want more than that.


Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

Prometheus wrote:

On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 00:37:12 GMT, "BillyBob"
wrote:

I bought a used workbench yesterday. Its a small size (52" x 22") but its
heavy as heck - made out of hard maple with a 2 1/4" top. It has dog
holes running from front to back to complement the front vise. I want to
add an
end vise and drill some dog holes to work with it. I'd like to drill the
holes as close to the front of the bench as I can.

What's the minimum distance from edge of the bench for dog holes?
Remember its 2 1/4" hard maple.

I work with 99% hard Maple, and it's, well... hard. Your question is
going to really depend on whether you're just getting your vise snug,
or whether you're the sort that really likes to crank things down as
hard as you can. If you've got a fairly light touch, I'd personally
feel more than comfortable with about 5/8" for hard maple. If you
like to tighten things until they're about to break (and some guys
just do- it's not a judgement call,) you may want more than that.

Are you sure that that's not going to create an excessive point stress
somewhere else that causes the whole bench to fall apart?

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"Prometheus" wrote in message
...

I work with 99% hard Maple, and it's, well... hard. Your question is
going to really depend on whether you're just getting your vise snug,
or whether you're the sort that really likes to crank things down as
hard as you can. If you've got a fairly light touch, I'd personally
feel more than comfortable with about 5/8" for hard maple. If you
like to tighten things until they're about to break (and some guys
just do- it's not a judgement call,) you may want more than that.

Thanks for the input. I'm comfortable with what you suggested. I am
definitely not the "crank it down" type of guy. I learned a long time ago
that if you have to crank it down, then you're overcompensating for
something that's wrong or poorly implemented.

Bob

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...

Are you sure that that's not going to create an excessive point stress
somewhere else that causes the whole bench to fall apart?

The vise and the dogs will be mounted to the benchtop and nothing else.
Therefore the stress will be imposed entirely on the top and its a question
of whether the top can take it. That was why the question about location of
dog holes. As I look closely at the construction of the bench, I may not
even have room for a end vise and certainly not a traditional tail vise. I
may be relegated to using the Veritas wonder dog.

That's ok. I'm viewing this as my first "trial" bench to learn what I like
and don't like. Its lightyears ahead of having no bench.

Bob

BillyBob wrote:


"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...

Are you sure that that's not going to create an excessive point stress
somewhere else that causes the whole bench to fall apart?

The vise and the dogs will be mounted to the benchtop and nothing else.
Therefore the stress will be imposed entirely on the top and its a
question
of whether the top can take it. That was why the question about location
of
dog holes. As I look closely at the construction of the bench, I may not
even have room for a end vise and certainly not a traditional tail vise. I
may be relegated to using the Veritas wonder dog.

That's ok. I'm viewing this as my first "trial" bench to learn what I
like
and don't like. Its lightyears ahead of having no bench.

Actually I was zinging Prometheus for shooting from the hip when he just
chastised someone else for doing so.

Bob

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

BillyBob wrote:
"Patriarch" wrote in message
. 97.136...
snip

I've got a choice of vices ...snip

Ah yes, the joys of youth....

H

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...

Actually I was zinging Prometheus for shooting from the hip when he just
chastised someone else for doing so.


You reeled me in hook, line and sinker! :-)

Bob

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...


A good rule of thumb when drilling holes in most materials is never let
the
edge of a hole be closer to an edge than the diameter of the hole.

Thanks Roy,

Bob

I work with 99% hard Maple, and it's, well... hard. Your question is
going to really depend on whether you're just getting your vise snug,
or whether you're the sort that really likes to crank things down as
hard as you can. If you've got a fairly light touch, I'd personally
feel more than comfortable with about 5/8" for hard maple. If you
like to tighten things until they're about to break (and some guys
just do- it's not a judgement call,) you may want more than that.

Are you sure that that's not going to create an excessive point stress
somewhere else that causes the whole bench to fall apart?

Pardon?

Hell, I don't know- I suppose if you're using a cheater bar to tighten
your vise and then banging on the workpiece, it could. But I rather
doubt that in any case. That's an awful lot of maple to "just fall
apart"



Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 11:22:12 -0400, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

BillyBob wrote:


"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...

Are you sure that that's not going to create an excessive point stress
somewhere else that causes the whole bench to fall apart?

The vise and the dogs will be mounted to the benchtop and nothing else.
Therefore the stress will be imposed entirely on the top and its a
question
of whether the top can take it. That was why the question about location
of
dog holes. As I look closely at the construction of the bench, I may not
even have room for a end vise and certainly not a traditional tail vise. I
may be relegated to using the Veritas wonder dog.

That's ok. I'm viewing this as my first "trial" bench to learn what I
like
and don't like. Its lightyears ahead of having no bench.

Actually I was zinging Prometheus for shooting from the hip when he just
chastised someone else for doing so.

Ah, ok- you're making more sense now. *Sheepish grin*



Aut inveniam viam aut faciam