# Bench dog hole question



## Lowcountrygamecock (Mar 7, 2012)

My workbench table top is 2 1/4 inches thick. Do you drill bench dog holes all the way through the full thickness of the bench or stop them part of the way down? I can see them filling up with sawdust if you don't drill them all the way but that's easy enough to vacuum out. With drilling them all the way through I can see all that sawdust ending up on the stuff stored on the shelf below the workbench top.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

The hole minimum depth is the length of the dog.

Your call whether you go any deeper. As you stated, this is pro and con.

You do not state the length of the dog, so not clear how much extra elbow grease is needed to go all the way through.


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## Lowcountrygamecock (Mar 7, 2012)

I don't have any yet so that's why I was asking. Curious more than anything at this point as I'm still trying to lay out where I want everything to go.


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## JBSmall (Jul 6, 2012)

All the way through.
Mine are rectangular, and stepped, to prevent the dog sliding down through.
Dogs have spring-loaded front tongues to allow for height-adjustment.
The holes were formed by cutting dadoes in the 2"-thick front face before gluing it to the benchtop.


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

All the way thru.
Even then they can get full of shavings etc. it is easier to vacuum if the hole goes thru.
I have a few over drawers and it is a bit of a nuisance when the shavings fall through in the drawer or I think it's a convenient place to put a screw driver.
Right thru!


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## woodbutcher360 (Jul 1, 2012)

All the way through.
While on the subject here's an idea for dogs. Take a 3/4" bolt (with shoulder), cut to length desired, grind one side of head flat with a slight downward angle. The dog will not go through and is easy to remove. And if you want a thinner head, just grind it down.
For what it's worth.


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## JBSmall (Jul 6, 2012)

...until you hit it with your handplane.
Wood is better for that reason..It will make less of a mark on your workpiece too.


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## woodbutcher360 (Jul 1, 2012)

JBSmall said:


> ...until you hit it with your handplane.
> Wood is better for that reason..It will make less of a mark on your workpiece too.


I wouldn't use it for a piece that was thinner then the hight of the head of the bolt. Yes wood is better that way, but I wonder why they sell BD's made of brass and steel and for a high $$ too.
As to marking the end of your board, I always plane the board with a generous excess in lenght because I'm too cheap to glue some leather (or wood) to the stop.


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## JBSmall (Jul 6, 2012)

I wonder why they sell a lot of things. 
Someone's buying them.


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