Dog Holes Dilemma - Completed

[_Tony]

I'm finally about to drill dog holes in my bench. If you recall I got it from a school. The top is maple and about 3" thick. I was told a while back that it likely has metal rods running through it. Where? No clue.

My thoughts:?To get each hole straight I was hoping to use my plunge router. This way I could put on a 3/4" bit, plunge down and be off to the next one.

I know I could invest in a drill guide, which would also align the holes straight, but I may only use it this one time.

Safety-wise a drill could be my best bet since I could first pilot with a steel bit to see if anything's there, yet I could also end up with lots of needless holes throughout my bench or atleast where I currently want them to be. The flip side is this would be better than blowing a router bit and possible injury.

My question how should I locate the rods if there are any without dismantling the bench, which just woudn't be worth it? Is there a cheap metal detector that would work good enough for this application?

Is one drill guide better than the other?

Other suggestions? How would you handle this?

Thanks,
Tony




--------------------------

"Somewhere in Texas there's a village
missing an idiot."

"Originality usually amounts to
plagiarizing something unfamiliar."
Katherine Gerould

[deathwish2]

I've got one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005NMUN
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41RWG40Z2KL._SS400_.jpg

As an alternative, they have small/cheaper ones that are good for spot checking areas:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005NMUO/
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/419k83ZNxRL._AA280_.jpg

If it's a big threaded rod (and it likely would be 1/4" or larger), you should have no trouble finding it with a detector . . . though you may want to check both sides in case it's off center.

[TDHofstetter]

Questions: Will your router plunge 3" or more? You got a 3"-long 3/4" bit for it?

A wand would work well, no question. Another way to find the rods (if any) is to use a magnet-type stud finder... you remember the type with the little flipflop inside? The kind you could buy for a dollar? The kind that looked for NAILS and SCREWS instead of the actual studs?

I've still got one, if you'd like to borrow it.

Yet another way is to grab up one or more rare-earth magnets. You could use "Sizzlers" from Wal-Mart, too. Just roll 'em or slide 'em across the surface... they should pick out exactly where the metal is.

The last alternative is to burn the benchtop. That'd find the metal. :) :) :)

Um... you CAN predrill pilot holes from the BOTTOM, too... PROBABLY finding any steel. Possibly missing by a quarter-inch, though... just enough to matter. If you take that approach, try to actually FIND the steel - then probe to find the next piece. From that you may get a regular pattern from which to plan your actual dog holes.

-- Tim --


Things are bad...
Last night my fantasy girlfriend
Dumped me
For an imaginary guy...

:)

[_Tony]

"Will your router plunge 3" or more? You got a 3"-long 3/4" bit for it?"

Tim,
Because of my bench's situation, where it sits on top of a set of steel lockers, I'm forced to not be able to drill through all the way. Instead I plan to only go half that depth and use Pups rather than full length dogs. So each hole only has to be about 1.5" rather than 3". These same Pups are usually used where a drawer is located immediately under the top. This was a good alternative. I can also use the Wonder Dog clamps. I really don't do any cabinet type work, but don't want to be completely limited if such a project comes up. I'm doing this mainly to hold large turned work, so it's more for the ease of clamping if that makes sence. The idea of half the depth doesn't thrill me as I can see myself having to constantly vaccuum the holes out, but I really don't have a choice. Maybe I can come up with some sort of plugs that I can pull out easily enough when only certain holes are needed.

Tony



--------------------------

"Somewhere in Texas there's a village
missing an idiot."

"Originality usually amounts to
plagiarizing something unfamiliar."
Katherine Gerould

[_Tony]

Mark,
Thanks. I had hoped to save the cash, but that looks bad enough to go with my whip and leather chaps, I'll spring for it.

Tony




--------------------------

"Somewhere in Texas there's a village
missing an idiot."

"Originality usually amounts to
plagiarizing something unfamiliar."
Katherine Gerould

[dbriski]

Harbor Freight also has a metal detector. Works ok for what I have used to for so far. I think it was under $20 but I don't remember.

[_Tony]

Thanks Dave,
I like it, and half the cost. The question is how deep is it able to detect metal? 1.5"?

Edit in: Oops, just found it. Says 13/16. I hope that's enough.

Tony




--------------------------

"Somewhere in Texas there's a village
missing an idiot."

"Originality usually amounts to
plagiarizing something unfamiliar."
Katherine Gerould

[deathwish2]

Cool DP . . . the problem I think he'll face is that most DP's dont have a head that can move down the column . . . just a table that does. ;)

Now, if you could retrofit a DP head/base with a shorter pipe of the proper length, albeit temporarily . . . you'd have something . . . do they use standard O.D. pipe sizes for those columns . . .or, maybe . . . turn a wooden bung to fit for the one task?!?

[_Tony]

Thanks for the offer Leo, but shipping would kill me. My plunge router should do fine once I know for sure that I have no hidden presents within. I like your work-around though.

Tony




--------------------------

"Somewhere in Texas there's a village
missing an idiot."

"Originality usually amounts to
plagiarizing something unfamiliar."
Katherine Gerould

[_Tony]

BTW, Opinions on drill guides?




--------------------------

"Somewhere in Texas there's a village
missing an idiot."

"Originality usually amounts to
plagiarizing something unfamiliar."
Katherine Gerould

[arcticfox46]

Oh yeah - that thing is ALL Cast Iron. It weighs about 100-150 pounds. Notice that it was not clamped down at all. Drilled the 3/4 holes without any pilot holes - it didn't miss a beat.

I tried to sell it in a yard sale. Had one looker - it was $75 and I would not budge.

I completely rebuilt it many years ago.

I now have that in the cellar and don't use it. I have a Jet floor model in the shop.

It was built in 1948

[_Tony]

I finished my dog holes today. All perfectly straight except for one that's just slightly angled. I ended up using a drill guide that I picked from Rockler (-20% off coupon) and a 3/4" forstner bit. Came out real nice without hitting any steel bars what-so-ever; I now doubt that they were ever even there.

I did, btw, pick up a metal detector ($25 sale) from HF like the one above. The down side of using this was that it was overly picky on the bench top for some reason. It picked up things that couldn't even be seen. I tested it on a board with just one small nail in it and it only sensed that nail, so there's nothing wrong with the unit. It just doesn't like the top. I'll keep it around for testing fresh turning stock since it was a great buy.

Tony





--------------------------

"Somewhere in Texas there's a village
missing an idiot."

"Originality usually amounts to
plagiarizing something unfamiliar."
Katherine Gerould

[CajunRider]

>I did, btw, pick up a metal detector ($25 sale) from HF like
>the one above. The down side of using this was that it was
>overly picky on the bench top for some reason. It picked up
>things that couldn't even be seen. I tested it on a board
>with just one small nail in it and it only sensed that nail,
>so there's nothing wrong with the unit. It just doesn't like
>the top. I'll keep it around for testing fresh turning stock
>since it was a great buy.

Glad you got that done. About sensing things that aren't there. Old work bench are like that, there are always some real thin metal shavings that are embedded in the wood.

[arcticfox46]

When I drilled my holes I used a 3/4 bit with a 1/2 shank. Got the bit at Home Depot.

I have an old Walker Turner bench drill press.

I swung the head to the side and drilled away.

Any change you have something like that or could borrow that. You are welcome to borrow mine - I will even let you borrow the bit. It drilled really nice holes.