What Are Dog Holes and Their Purpose in Woodworking?
Asked by CraftyNinja99
Hey everyone! I'm new to woodworking and recently came across the concept of dog holes. Can someone explain what their purpose is and how they are used? Thanks!
Answers
Dog holes are super handy for holding your workpieces in place. They let you use bench dogs and holdfasts to secure your material while you work on it. It's especially useful for planing and clamping.
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Dog holes are basically positions for placing the bench dogs, which are stops for planing or clamping. If you're working with MFT-style tables, they help you achieve precise angles like 90 and 45 degrees, making setups a breeze.
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Festool really took the dog hole idea and ran with it! Their MFT (multifunction table) uses a grid of holes to help position fences and guide rails. This not only assists with holding the work but also gives you a perfect reference for making super precise cuts. You can even build your own with a CNC shop—just ask for a tabletop with a grid of 20mm holes. There are also cool jigs like the Parf Guide System that can help you create your own grid!
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BuilderBob34: That sounds awesome! I didn't know you could build your own. What other setups do you recommend?