Veritas wonder dog/pup mounting hole size

[samhay]

I have a couple of projects where the Wonder Dogs would make my life easier. Problem is that my bench is full of 18 mm holes, which is what seems to work best with my holdfasts. The Wonder Dogs are designed for a 3/4" / ~19mm hole.

I've emailed Lee Valley to ask if they'll fit in the smaller 18 mm hole, but they haven't been able to confirm this and instead suggest I try using 19 mm holes. These don't work nearly as well for my hold fasts and I don't really want to compromise on this. Lee Valley have confirmed that the Wonder Dog posts are made of quite a hard grade of steel, so my other plan of filing them down doesn't seem like much fun.

I assume there are a few of you good folk with one or more Wonder Dogs/Pups. Would someone be willing to see if they'll fit in an 18 mm hole? Alternatively, does anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[marcros]

I have a couple of wonderdogs, but doubt I have an 18mm drill bit. I will measure one for you tomorrow night but I suspect that they are made from 3/4 bar so won't fit your hole.

 

[Inspector]

On Lee Valley's site search bench dogs and there is a product called a bench pin. Part of the description says "...Pin is the same diameter as our bench dogs (.010" under 3/4"), 6" long..." So that would be .740" x 25.4 = 18.796 mm.

Pete

 

[Orraloon]

I would drill a 19mm or a 3/4'' hole in a bit of wood and see how your holdfasts hold before trying anything else. I always thought most holdfasts required 19mm or 3/4'' anyhow. They really dont need all that snug a hole to work as it is the shaft canting in the hole that does the holding. Dogs on the other hand need a good fit to perform well. I am finding on my bench after some years service the couple of holes I usually place holdfasts in are starting to spread a little. The holdfasts still hold nicely but dogs in those same holes are a fair bit looser.
Regards
John

 

[Orraloon]

I should have mentioned I don't have wonder dogs but make my own from hardwood at 3/4'' .
Regards
John

 

[samhay]

Thanks All.

Noted regarding the tight fit needed for the dogs.

>Pin is the same diameter as our bench dogs (.010" under 3/4"), 6" long..." So that would be .740" x 25.4 = 18.796 mm.
That's some fine detective work. Suggests I'm going to need a plan B.

>I would drill a 19mm or a 3/4'' hole in a bit of wood and see how your holdfasts hold before trying anything else.
Been there, tried that before. My bench top and apron are just shy of 2". In thicker stock I can get away with 3/4"/19 mm, but in this stuff 18 mm works much better. Yes, I could put blocks under the holes to make them deeper, but the holdfasts work beautifully at the moment, so not particularly motivated to go down this road.

>I should have mentioned I don't have wonder dogs but make my own from hardwood at 3/4'' .
I think this will be my plan B. I have some oak dowel I've used to made (non-wonder) dogs, so I'm half way there. Do you tap the hardwood or use a metal insert?

Sam

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Another way to get a similar effect to a pup/dog would be to use sets of folding/opposing wedges - against a suitable shop-made peg or a clamp (or a block held down by a holdfast as a less useful fallback). Cheers, W2S

Here's one of our own showing how useful they can be in a slightly different scenario:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOMJHc0HyzI
Another example: https://www.woodmagazine.com/tool-revie ... ith-wedges

 

[Lonsdale73]

I have a couple of projects where the Wonder Dogs would make my life easier. Problem is that my bench is full of 18 mm holes, which is what seems to work best with my holdfasts. The Wonder Dogs are designed for a 3/4" / ~19mm hole.

I've emailed Lee Valley to ask if they'll fit in the smaller 18 mm hole, but they haven't been able to confirm this and instead suggest I try using 19 mm holes. These don't work nearly as well for my hold fasts and I don't really want to compromise on this. Lee Valley have confirmed that the Wonder Dog posts are made of quite a hard grade of steel, so my other plan of filing them down doesn't seem like much fun.

I assume there are a few of you good folk with one or more Wonder Dogs/Pups. Would someone be willing to see if they'll fit in an 18 mm hole? Alternatively, does anyone have any other suggestions?

I made something similar by drilling a hole in some aluminium tube and using some threaded rod, bought obtained from my local B&Q

 

[Orraloon]

Hows about this as a workaround. You only need one new hole for the wonder dog at 3/4'' or 19mm. Other end of the work can butt against home made wood dogs in the existing 18mm holes. Just a thought.
That said sooner or later you will want a tail vice.


Regards
John

 

[samhay]

The reason I want to try these is to hold small and/or odd (not rectangular) pieces. They don't stay put with a planing stop and/or a holdfast can get in the way, particularly for the smaller pieces.

Problem with putting one dedicated hole at the end of the bench and then working with a small piece is that it then forces me to work at the wrong end of the bench, which is usually not particularly tidy. Same problem with a tail vice.

I'm liking the idea of DIY'ing this. Will report back with progress once I've riffled through my odd selection of rods, bolts, etc.

 

[AndyT]

I'm liking the idea of DIY'ing this. Will report back with progress once I've riffled through my odd selection of rods, bolts, etc.

Have a look at this thread if you want some inspiration!

project-dogs-of-wonderment-a-n0legs-production-again-t101389.html?hilit=Wond*

 

[samhay]

^that was a cracking read and a very nice outcome. I am a little more limited as far as tools (and skill) go, so maybe best to lower ones expectations a few notches.

 

[SVB]

They’re only a bit of 3/4 stock with a cross drilled threaded hole- take it apart and for price of a pint any machines will turn it down to 18mm in 5 mins.

 

[samhay]

^let's call that Plan C for now, not least because I don't know any machinists.

 

[scooby]

I'll check the drill bit I used for mine late but I'm pretty sure it was 19mm and its pretty tight.
Edit: It was 19mm