Bench Build - Dog Hole Distance from Front Edge
#21
(11-28-2019, 05:47 PM)Brent V. Wrote: The centers of mine are 2 3/8" from the edge of the bench and directly in line with the dog on my tail vise. This placement has served me well.

I've been thinking along the lines of 2" - just because the tail vise is skinny enough to allow for it.
Thanks,  Curt
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"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
      -- Soren Kierkegaard
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#22
I'd recommend keeping the dog holes in line with the vise. I've found that to be very useful.
Jim

Demonstrating every day that enthusiasm cannot overcome a lack of talent!
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#23
It appears as though 2 ticks of 8/4 hard maple will be required - which is appx 3". I think I'll try to center the holes down the 2nd piece in from the front edge. Any further in and I need more hard maple. Soft maple will do just fine for the rest of the top. Let the wood decide.
Thanks,  Curt
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"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
      -- Soren Kierkegaard
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#24
(11-29-2019, 08:31 PM)cputnam Wrote: It appears as though 2 ticks of 8/4 hard maple will be required - which is appx 3". I think I'll try to center the holes down the 2nd piece in from the front edge. Any further in and I need more hard maple. Soft maple will do just fine for the rest of the top. Let the wood decide.

Do not to be afraid going with smaller distance.
Like you said, many suggest going as close as possible.
Veritas quick-release tail vise, for example, is intended for 2inch sliding block which means centers are 1inch from the edge.
About blowout concerns -- this should never happen if you use vise for work holding. The vise (could you post a picture?) is probably not for pipe clamp jobs anyway.
If you want to use hold-fasts in holes as well, then maybe you could add more thickness though.
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#25
1-1/2" from the edge, the closer the better as I can work work with narrower pieces. I know someone whose small bench has dog holes (center) just 1" from the edge.

Simon
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#26
(11-29-2019, 08:31 PM)cputnam Wrote: Soft maple will do just fine for the rest of the top. 

Curt,

I don't want to hijack your thread, but I am curious about your choice of soft maple for the bench top.  I also have a stash of 8/4 and 4/4 soft maple that I was thinking about making into my bench top.  I was told it was "red leaf maple" when I bought it fairly cheap.


I know that soft maple is not really that soft, but it seems that hard maple is all I see recommended (of the two maple types) for bench tops.


Based on my research, soft maple is more stable than hard maple.  I can't remember where I read that - it was a google search. 

Can you share any other details of your bench at this time, or do you have any other comments on the soft maple?  How thick are you making the top?

The only potential drawback I can imagine with soft maple is maybe holdfast holes more prone to deforming.  Even that seems like a stretch though.


This project is a ways out for me, but I am looking forward to diving in.
Steve
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#27
(11-30-2019, 09:19 AM)omark Wrote: Do not to be afraid going with smaller distance.
Like you said, many suggest going as close as possible.
Veritas quick-release tail vise, for example, is intended for 2inch sliding block which means centers are 1inch from the edge.
About blowout concerns -- this should never happen if you use vise for work holding. The vise (could you post a picture?) is probably not for pipe clamp jobs anyway.
If you want to use hold-fasts in holes as well, then maybe you could add more thickness though.

The thread with the vise pics is entitled New Toy and is located HERE  Not really worried about vise blowout.  I am worried bout using the dog holes for holding devices.

Elsewhere, someone suggested that I need to worry about support at the edge for such things as edge routing and shooting.  I can see the routing thing (but have never done it that way).  If shooting long edges becomes an issue, I think I will simply use the other side of the bench.

Thanks for your thoughts, they are much appreciated.
Thanks,  Curt
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"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
      -- Soren Kierkegaard
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#28
(11-30-2019, 12:10 PM)arnman Wrote: Curt,

I don't want to hijack your thread, but I am curious about your choice of soft maple for the bench top.  I also have a stash of 8/4 and 4/4 soft maple that I was thinking about making into my bench top.  I was told it was "red leaf maple" when I bought it fairly cheap.


I know that soft maple is not really that soft, but it seems that hard maple is all I see recommended (of the two maple types) for bench tops.


Based on my research, soft maple is more stable than hard maple.  I can't remember where I read that - it was a google search. 

Can you share any other details of your bench at this time, or do you have any other comments on the soft maple?  How thick are you making the top?

The only potential drawback I can imagine with soft maple is maybe holdfast holes more prone to deforming.  Even that seems like a stretch though.


This project is a ways out for me, but I am looking forward to diving in.

I got a very good deal on a load of curly soft maple - which wound up being used for cabinetry in the house. I did not build any of it - was in a wheelchair or otherwise mobility impaired and LOML wanted it done before we died. What's left is pretty much straight-grained and plain. I bought Benchcrafted's plans for a split-top Roubo but I am still undecided about split or solid. Target initial thickness is 4". The front vise will be a leg vise with a Lake Erie screw for which I have Jim Ritter's Chain Leg Vise. However, the installation of that will require bending and kneeling which I can no longer do (being minus a leg) so I am considering a criss-cross. The tail vise is HNT Gordon's 150 mm tail vise. I expect I will use poplar for the undercarriage.
Thanks,  Curt
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"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
      -- Soren Kierkegaard
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#29
Hey Curt

I used hard maple for the front of my bench, Doug Fir for the rest, and dog holes about 2 5/8" in.  You are doing the right thing to use hard maple for the holes as well, wish I had done that.  Doug Fir wears a bit on the holes that get the most use.

   
True power makes no noise - Albert Schweitzer.       It's obvious he was referring to hand tools
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#30
Once you put aside the notion that you can effectively do edge work (moldings, fenced rabbets, hand plowed grooves) on stock pinched between dogs, then I think you have no reason to bias the dog holes toward the front edge. Structurally, the dog holes would be better in the center of the width of your stock. So if 90% of your stock is 12" and narrower, I'd put the dogs 6" in from the front. When you need to do moldings by hand, I think you are better off with something like a sticking board that you attach to your bench using the tail vise/dogs and has an auxiliary planning stop and a bench-long fence you can push thin stock against.
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