Replies

1. 
   qldwoodie | Nov 11, 2004 01:43am | #1

   Two possibilities:

   1) There's an end-vise as well as the tail vise, which we can't see in the pic.  (Or one is/was planned to be attached).

   2)  More likely these are for a hold-down - a shaft with a curved spring piece sticking out at right-angles.  You pound it down and the side friction locks the shaft in the dog hole...

   IW

2. 
   Alan | Nov 11, 2004 01:43am | #2

   oak,

   Dog holes are used for things other than use with a shoulder or tail vise: they're used as a stop when you're planing, for instance; they can be used with a hold-fast to clamp things--such as a bench hook or a shooting board--to the bench top when the neither vise will work; and, used in different locations on the bench top, they can hold oddly shaped stock.  I'm sure someone else will explain other uses.

   Alan 

1. 
   Kell | Nov 11, 2004 04:19pm | #3

   In addition to the other reponses, it occurred to me that having those holes there would be useful if I had to clamp an ellipse or round table top to the bench with the tail vise.  You could get three points of contact which would be enough to plane it flat or carve into.

   Kell

1. 
   oak | Nov 11, 2004 08:03pm | #4

   thanks for the input...

1. 
   jasonb | Nov 11, 2004 08:19pm | #5

   As the dogs look like Veritas ones, the holes may well be for their "Wonder Dogs"

   http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=31129&category=1,41637,41645&ccurrency=3&SID=

   Jason