Square Dog Holes Fun & Games
Made the 45 miles each way run to get the loaner square dog I needed to make the square dog holes and ordered a pair which may be here in a week. The pair wasn't $30, it was $40 - oh well. These suckers are beefy - about an inch wide shank by 3/4 inch thick by almost 9 inches long. They're by Sjoberg and though I'd prefer the black finish like the loaner, mine are going to be shiny silver - OH BOY!
It was router template making time. Don't know what the actual angle is but I went with having the jaw face a couple of degrees off square. With that reference line I traced out the loaner on 1/4" MDF. Was going to use a half inch router bit and, to keep things simple, used a 3/4 inch OD template collar. That meant making the hole in the template 1/8" bigger on each edge PLUS and inch or so top and bottom. Had to add another layer of 1/4" MDF AND had to cut the collar down to a bit less than 1/2". Glued and, when the glue dried, screwed blocks on the back to align the jig to the top edge of the apron. Here's the jig and the router with the guide.
Layed out the dog holes about 6 inches apart, dodging the three "all thread" holes and trying not to break up the splines between the apron and the bench core too much.
Ended up with nine "square" dog holes in the inside of the front apron and then put everything back together AGAIN.
So here's the bench top - AGAIN - this time with the "square" dog holes in the front apron. Sure am glad this thing is held togeher by the joinery and the "all thread". Glue closes off options. If you can't see it altogether until it's glued together you're SOL if you want to add or change something.
Now I "just" have to figure out how I'm going to do the square dog hole in the twin screw vise jaw. Have some ideas and need to do some drawings. Have to get around the end grain problem