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My work table is a converted 8 ft. draftsman's table on black pipe legs. I have drilled a few 3/4" holes for bench dogs. Occasional use of holdfasts would be helpful. The table has a typical draftsman's top - about 1-1/2" thick. I'm not interested in totally rebuilding the table with a new top and sturdier frame, but I was wondering if I attached some 2" or 3" thick strips under the dog holes and bored them out would this make a functional workaround. The simple addition of a few holdfast points would be a great improvement. Will this work?
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My bench top is about three inches thick. Holdfasts work just fine. Before you add thickness, try a holdfast in your bench. Too thick a bench top can prevent the holdfast from holding - requiring counter boring from below.
Mike B.
One thing is for certain though. Whichever method you use, you can be absolutely certain that you are most assuredly doing it wrong. Axehandle, 2/24/2016
Do not get in to much of a hurry buddy... Arlin, 5/18/2022
Apology excepted. TT. 2/25/20223
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(05-03-2018, 08:18 PM)wood2woodknot Wrote: My work table is a converted 8 ft. draftsman's table on black pipe legs. I have drilled a few 3/4" holes for bench dogs. Occasional use of holdfasts would be helpful. The table has a typical draftsman's top - about 1-1/2" thick. I'm not interested in totally rebuilding the table with a new top and sturdier frame, but I was wondering if I attached some 2" or 3" thick strips under the dog holes and bored them out would this make a functional workaround. The simple addition of a few holdfast points would be a great improvement. Will this work?
Holdfasts can work in a 1 1/2" thick benchtop, and you might as well give it a shot. But it is quite standard to add some extra thickness below the holes to make a holdfast more effective. Screwing on some 2x4 stock to bring the total to 3" thick is plenty.
Mike Siemsen's bench in the linked video is made that way, and as he shows, works well.
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(05-03-2018, 08:18 PM)wood2woodknot Wrote: My work table is a converted 8 ft. draftsman's table on black pipe legs. I have drilled a few 3/4" holes for bench dogs. Occasional use of holdfasts would be helpful. The table has a typical draftsman's top - about 1-1/2" thick. I'm not interested in totally rebuilding the table with a new top and sturdier frame, but I was wondering if I attached some 2" or 3" thick strips under the dog holes and bored them out would this make a functional workaround. The simple addition of a few holdfast points would be a great improvement. Will this work?
One of my workbenches has a 1½" thick, maple top.
Never had an issue using ¾" holdfasts.
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(05-04-2018, 12:27 PM)Joe Bailey Wrote: One of my workbenches has a 1½" thick, maple top.
Never had an issue using ¾" holdfasts.
Mine too.
Fair winds and following seas,
Jim Waldron
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Thanks for all your replies. I tried just one holdfast that didn't work well. Maybe I'll have to try a few different ones and play with them for a while. Will hold off on adding extra depth for the time being.
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(05-04-2018, 09:49 PM)wood2woodknot Wrote: I tried just one holdfast that didn't work well.
Assuming it was the TFWW holdfast (a good choice) did you rough it up a little with coarse sandpaper going around (not along) the shaft?
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(05-08-2018, 08:15 PM)Alan S Wrote: Assuming it was the TFWW holdfast (a good choice) did you rough it up a little with coarse sandpaper going around (not along) the shaft?
If I remember right it was from Woodcraft (the shorter of the two they offer) and no, I did not rough it up with sandpaper. I was not aware of that "fix" at the time. I have not really played with it since.
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There's a difference between a work table and a work bench.
You can use the latter as the former, but you can't make a work table into a work bench.
You can either build a ww'ing bench or keep struggling with ideas that won't work.
