I will be assembling my benchtop this weekend (base is now complete) and need advise on routing square bench dog holes along the front and side edges before adding the final edging around the ends (2x6 material). I will be laminating 2 solid wood doors together 1 3/4 inches thick each and facing the the top door with hard wood.

My question is, since this top will be quite heavy and will need to be stood on end to make the square holes, what would be your thoughts on hand routing these rascals. I cannot think of a way to secure a guide fence or some type of device to keep things straight. Also wondering how to secure the door on end while I make the cuts. What about tearout on the outfeed, should I clamp a sacraficial scrap to the exit end?

Any thoughts or advice to help a newbie will be much appreciated.

i don't understand why the top would have to be stood on its edge. please explain
regards
jerry

Jerry,

I guess my thinking is that it would keep me from routing thru 4" thick stock and instead would only be working thru maybe 2" instead??????

I'm not sure I have a bit that is 4" long?????

That is why I am asking for ideas..... I'm a NEWBIE !

Hi BobN:
that bench top will be plenty thick, i would go for a single solid door, with hard wood on the top. However, you could make a template of the square holes that you need.
That will allow you to do them with the top in the horizontal position. A plunge route will a long spiral bit might do it. The template requires that you make the template
hole larger, based on the difference between the size of the bit you use and the
size (outside diameter) of the guide bush.

Hope this helps.. Woodnut65

Take a piece of 1/4" plywood and make a jig. Pick a bushing and spiral bit and figure what size hole must be cut in the jig to get the proper dog hole. Use a plunge router and go to town. You can either double stick tape your jig to the door or tack it with brads. Bob and Rick make jigs all the time. Do one door at a time.

Good luck

Hey guys.... thanks so much for your helpful advice. I believe the light bulb is starting to burn now. Sometimes you can get stuck just trying to think something thru. I think with the tips offered, I can tackle this beast and tame it.

Best to each of you.

Bob, my turn to ask a silly question. You are building this from a kit or just a set of plans? Is the top already laminated together? I hope you respond to this before applying glue.

Mike,

No, I am constructing this from scratch and a head full of crazy ideas. I want it BIG and I want it STRONG and I want it SOLID.

I have not applied glue yet. I was going to pick up 2 solid wood doors Friday afternoon and work the top up this weekend. They are 1 3/4" thick and 32X81" in size wieghing in at over 60lbs each . I was planning on gluing all of this up with Titebond II and then making my dog holes before facing with oak trim.

Am I about to make a fatal error? If so please stop me and change my path good friend.

Thanks,

Since you are glueing up your top all you need to do is cut dado's in 2 of your boards before glue is applied. When you assemble your boards you will have perfect precut squares. (As I look at this I realize I should of said to rip the doors at the locations you want your dog holes) I would also suggest using Titebond III if you have it. The extra working time is nice on larger projects, and it is the strongest of the Titebond glues.

This sure sounds like the way to go. I should point out a couple of things......

1) Some bench dogs require a hole with a pitch to it (for some reason 12 degs sounds right) so if you have not picked out the ones you are going to use that should be done before you make the holes.

2) If you have the vice(s) picked out they may change the way you do things so if you don't have those yet you might want to hold off until you do.

3) If the bench is still toooo light and if you have a dual support across the bottom go to garage sales and get the weight sets that are always on sale with the bar and loose weights. That way you can add 110 pounds easy and the free weights work for glue jobs etc.

Ed