I'm working with a 2'x4' workbench made from construction lumber and topped with a 1/2" replaceable plywood surface. I currently have a face vise on the left side, but I'm looking for more efficient workholding options. I'd love to incorporate dog holes or a holdfast system, but I'm unsure if the thin plywood top is suitable for these methods. What solutions do I have?
5 Answers
As someone with a similar setup, I agree that holdfasts may not be feasible with just a plywood surface. I use bench dogs and various hold-downs, and they work pretty well. My plywood top has two layers of 5/8" ply, which gives me about 1-1/4" in thickness, and I think that could be the minimum you'd want for effective holdfast use.
Honestly, you might want to ditch the plywood altogether. Instead, try putting some 2x10s across the top and flat-planing it whenever you need a new surface. It's pretty inexpensive and will fix a lot of the issues you're running into.
One option is to add layers of plywood or MDF on top of your bench. This would effectively increase the thickness and support any holdfast or dog hole systems you want to implement. Plus, it'll give you a more stable surface to work on.
If you're worried about making your top super thick, consider just slightly increasing the thickness and then install T-tracks into the plywood. There are plenty of different clamps designed for use with T-tracks, so that could be a flexible solution for securing your workpieces.
Clamps designed specifically for dog holes exist! They don’t need as deep a slot since they're primarily meant to keep the clamp positioned correctly. Think of it like a belt holding up your pants; your pants keep the belt from slipping, just like the clamp holds your workpiece in place.