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Been wood working for 60 + years . . .my work bench is topped with MDF with few dog holes. If i need a special hole I'll drill it but most of the time it's a scrap of wood with a tort screw making the clamp. When the MDF is butchered I'll flip it, simple, low cost and easy. Tip #2 , if you have some old pull down window blinds they make a great glue up surface . . .who knew . . .not bashing just helping. Stay safe and build something
I'm not a woodworker for a long time, but I like my stupid simple workbench: an old solid door topped with one layer MDF. The MDF is connected to the "door" with few screws. I have few dog holes on one side (3x4) an so far this was always sufficient. I can easly clamp long wood pices at the egdes wich serve pretty well as fences for different tool. I don't care to cut slighty in the MDF because I'll change it once a year for less than 20 €.
@@berndreuther704 I did a similar thing but with an old office desk top someone was giving away for free. It's laminated well and doesn't fall apart like the stuff he shows in the video.
Joiner for 40 plus years. Level bench with 35 mm mdf or melamine....work on till glue etc builds up.... belt sand flat...rinse and repeat......after 10 years through 18mm sheet on top. Good for another 10 years.... K.I.S.S. 🤔😂😎🇦🇺👌
I found that adding the laminate is overkill. I built mine 12 years ago and I just have bare MDF, I wiped on shellac and paste wax. Nothing sticks to it. Once a year or so, I’ll do a light sanding and reapply the finish.
Same here. I used some shellac or Watco lacquer and just sand and reapply as needed. I have dog holes on my Roubo, but not my MDF topped assembly/work sufaces.
Valuable information, Raf. I'll leave the 30mm thick MDF for my router table plain and hard wax it instead of applying melamine, which was in my original plan. I'll try rounding over edges and rounding the corners instead of edging it, waxing all those surfaces and the underside as well.
Me too. This is WAY overkill. Plus, I don’t have an issue with drilling and screwing right into the table. I do it all the time and eventually fill in the holes with glue and sawdust.
My thoughts exactly! Put the woodworking equivalent of marine diesel water-separator in the table-side of the system to allow screws to drip into it and not get sucked into the vacuum itself (sort of like a plumbing p-trap will catch a wedding ring before it going further down the waste line) and this ridiculous material- and time-wasting build might just possibly be worth it and definitely more utilitarian. This might just possibly be the dumbest RUclips video I’ve watched in a long time.
My current work bench is a formika countertop that I got for free from a local cabinet shop. They pulled it out of someones house, and I stopped by one day asking if they had anything.
just follow kitchen remodelers around for a few days. They take formica countertops off all the time and if you want to take it, they will give it to you for free because to them it's literally trash but it's a perfectly great piece of workbench.
Ok, but now you have fallen into and perpetuated another you tube myth, you don't need all those dog holes. Juse a couple of rows along the frount, and one side, with a row down the center and your done. Dont beleive my, just track how many you actually use over the course of a year and you'll see. Or you could take a look at a traditional cabinet makes bench and see where they placed their dog holes (square in those days) and you'll get the picture. How do I know this I to made a Polick workbench and when I went along and made my final one (out of all that expensive wood) I reduced the dog hole allotment (as described above) and spaced them according to the reach on the tail vice I added to one end and the moxen vice on the side) reduced the total dog holes by 87% and I have never missed them ever! Now in the Swiss cheese workbenches defence you can lay out your track saw anywhere to cut wood at right angles, but what about all those other angles, and do you want all those scares on your bench surface, I don't think so, so you'll probably never do that either. so track your hole usage and make a nice video next year on you thoughts, I'll look forward to that.
I use all of the dog holes in my MFT. Keeping clamps out of the way of a router, for example, can be an interesting task without them being right where I want them. I don't want to hold the router at arm's length, either.
What he is doing is the typical “ gimmick” phase that most novice woodworkers go through. Traditional forms of woodworking benches with typically one row of dog holes and a few holdfast holes as needed, have been around for over 100 years for a reason. They work. Yes there have been improvements over the years. But they are small changes. Round dog holes and brass dogs for example. Better vise hardware. But having a bench with Swiss cheese holes is not a woodworking bench. It is inherently less than ridged.But it does make a nice assembly table if you have the room. The simple truth is he has very little skill and very little knowledge . That is ok. We were all there at one point. His actual skill is as a content creator.Not a woodworker.The real problem is he has fooled people into thinking he knows what he is doing as a woodworker.
So you sealed the bottom with polyurethane to stop moisture absorption but then routed a ton of holes with probably the same amount of surface area as the bottom that can absorb moisture.
It's less about preventing the absorption of moisture at all, it's about preventing one side from absorbing moisture while the other side doesn't. If only one side absorbs moisture from the air, the entire surface will warp and bow.
Came here to say that. And no the poly he applied was for the cambered or slanted cuts he made from the bottom, not the vertical shafts which he later cut out to precision 20mm
Most Underappreciated comment on RUclips. People spend so much time prepping the perfect shop instead of just doing the projects. The shop is only gonna be as good as the user.
@@JamesYale1977 wtf? I also judge him, not for his ability to own expensive tools, but for claiming to be a cheapskate when he's clearly not. There's nothing wrong with owning expensive tools if you can afford them and justify the expenses, but you can't claim to be a cheapskate when you have stacks of festool boxes, buy two different $200 dog hole jigs when you can make one out of your old workbench top, spend ~$300 on dog hole plugs, and are pedaling router bits that are $250 a piece
@@jamesdrake2378 "low grade" based on what exactly? These benches with many holes are common in the UK -they are called MFT tops or "multi function tabletop" - you can buy them in MDF or quality birch ply, with cnc grade accuracy holes for dogs for laying out a tracksaw against, and the company that makes them even makes a knockdown easily portable site bench system - you're literally talking BS - the guy who invented the MFT system is a MILLIONAIRE NOW just from this product.
Another big benefit of dust collection with the router is the amount of fine dust that is sucked into your dust extractor rather than your lungs. MDF is some of the nastiest dust you can breathe in!
A lot of hardwood is even worse (toxic). Sanding is, by far, the most dangerous sawdust manufacturing operation. Dust extraction for all of these operations is critical. It's a lot easier cleaning it at the source, too.
You're dangerously wrong. Many species of hardwoods, primarily but not limited to exotics, are indeed toxic. Some are strong irritant that, some may have trouble breathing if inhaled. Few used in woodworking are drop-dead toxic but can be for some. Some really common but potentially strong irritants, like cocobolo, purple heart, and Padauk. MDF is bound by a urea-formaldehyde glue, that while it outgases , it's not toxic at low levels. It's primarily danger is the dust, not the formaldehyde. Of course one doesn't want to breathe fine dust of any sort, MDF isn't much different (plywood) than anything else, in this regard.
A quicker version for those starting out is a $40-ish half-mask respirator with P95 or P100 filters. The filters are click-in replaceable, and cost considerably less than replacement lungs. Won't protect your eyes though.
How someone would need around 200 dog holes in a bench top is beyond me. The screws falling through is one thing, how about the dust that's constantly pouring through onto or into whatever below. I'd go nuts as everything else that fits in those holes falls through. I've been making furniture for years now and have a Roubo style bench with about 10 dog holes in it and haven't need more.
You might have noticed every hundred or thousand dollar piece of top equipment recommended in the past is now "not needed" and were onto the new set of expensive items to push, that in a year or so will be a total rip off and a waste, but the new items then to be pushed will be the rabbit's hurrah.
I think he has a case of collectors gotta-have-itis. All the Festool, all the dogholes, all the gimmicky jigs. This wasn't about functionality, it's his version of shopping for handbags.
What the hell is everybody's problem, this is a regular woodworking video on RUclips what the hell is wrong with your people, they use tools they these tools have brands...deal!
33 minutes of my life I will never ever get back again...🤨 this appeared to be more of an infomercial than a DIY, what does Factor have to do with woodworking... I was waiting to see an Oxy-Clean push... so the end result, don't buy the expensive T-tracks from the T-track cartels, buy 1000 magnets instead and a bunch of glory hole attachments for the 1000 unsealed holes drilled...🤣
With tee track always mount it under another plywood sheet that slightly overlaps the edge of the tee track which makes the holddowns operate against the plywood and not just against screws, this is how people put tee tracks on CNC's successfully.
While I don't dispute what you said works great, assuming you don't do that, t-track should be set flush with the surface. Then when you tighten the screw it clamps the work piece to the top of the track and doesn't try to pull the screws out at all. Of course this depends on what you use to clamp as things like toe clamps will pull up regardless. But positioning things like feather boards then don't put load on the screws. Some t-track manufacturers put grooves in the sides of the track to allow you to bed it in glue, which really increases its holding power.
Organic vapor cartridges should be stored in a plastic bag because the activated carbon in them will continue to be used up even when sitting in a drawer.
I was under the impression that the degradation of organic vapor cartridges would put their lifespan at about 30 days after opening them regardless of storage, does keeping them in a bag actually extend that lifespan? I already tend to use them longer than their intended effectiveness since I primarily use them for less critical applications, airbrushing acrylics and washing resin prints with IPA.
@@AuntJemimaGames yes it should, they have activated carbon in them and that stuff is basically a crazy high surface area that like to stick organic molecules to it. If you put it in a bag they stop absorbing since there is no flow across them and no way for more organics to get in. I was always told they are done when you can smell the stuff you are trying to keep out.
A fundamental concept I was taught as an apprentice furniture maker in the early 1980’s, was the necessity of applying equal finishes to both sides of a wood panel. If a table top was finished with six coats of BLO, the underside MUST be finished with six coats as well. This allows for the equal transfer of ambient moisture/relative humidity. The underside doesn’t have be rubbed-out as meticulously as the top, but equal coats top and bottom are critical to keeping the panel flat. That said, if laminate is applied to the top of a workbench, it should also be applied to the bottom, if flatness is the goal. When building laminate countertops over the past 40 years, I always apply two coats of urethane to the underside to seal out moisture, even though the counters are firmly secured to the base cabinets.
this may be THEE most important comment and overall concept to take away from this whole project video , especially given the primary goal in centered around construction of a surface which is "true and square" . I have had to learn similar lessons that deal with this type of phenomenon when painting something like wooden shelves one side at a time and letting it dry in the sun, or when i had had sprayed down a piece of 1x8 with water to open up the fibers after had incrementally sanded it down with a very high grit paper before i planned on staining it and then remembered that it would not take very well to stain when the surface is sanded super smooth and packed with all the fine dust powder, and spritzing it with warm water and giving it a wipe down does a great job at opening the grain back up to allow absorption of stain , but hell I couldn't believe in just a short matter of time before it dried it had crown my perfectly plained piece of wood
Those old rules don't apply to MDF. Unless it gets wet, MDF remains very flat and there close to zero expansion/contraction with humidity. I wouldn't even seal the bottom. It's overkill, at least because of moisture. There may be another reason.
Always appreciate a good tip in the comments, it's easy to assume viewers and video creators know all there is to know about stuff like this, but there's a lot to learn and always something you didn't know!
@@kwilliams2239 As someone who has built several speaker & subwoofer enclosures out of the stuff, I have to agree with kwilliams about the old rules not really applying to MDF. Compared to any traditional board, or piece of lumber, MDF is incredibly stable dimensionally. Moisture truly is its only weakness, but even then it only effects the parts of it that got directly exposed to it. Over the years I've dealt with a number of MDF sheets that had edges damaged from moisture exposure. Even what seems like a small amount of moisture can make an edge of a MDF sheet swell by a surprising amount. Of course this was nearly always due to my laziness & not wanting to move heavy ass sheets of the stuff any more than absolutely necessary... Thankfully when this happens, most of the sheet can be salvaged by simply sawing off the damaged edge. Even after having a couple inches along an entire edge swell to nearly double the original thickness, the rest of the sheet would still be just as perfectly true and flat as the day it was made. As long as it stays out of direct contact with moisture, MDF's superpower is it's ability to totally ignore things like temperature, humidity and time, and that makes pretty unique among woodworking materials.
Having worked in a wood shop for 12 years, I have some experience working with MDF. All of the holes that you have in your tabletop need to be sealed to prevent them from absorbing moisture and swelling. Hopefully, you don't bring a drink into the shop set it down on the tabletop, and spill it, sending all of that liquid into those dog holes. We used wood glue and a little bit of water to seal up the exposed/worked-on parts of the MDF to prevent that from happening.
You stole my comment, so thank you! what's the good of a work bench it you can't even put a cold beer on it? This whole video's mental, if you ask me 😂
I was an early adopter of the Parf Guide system in order to make a MFT cabinet. This serves many purposes (router table, base for midi lathe, clamping top Etc) one tip you may find useful if you decide to make another, and one of the major benefits of the Parf system is that I drilled the whole area with the 3mm guide holes and then only completed a section of 20mm holes leaving the remainder available to drill when and if required, this to a great extent solves the problem of small part falling through the 20mm holes (most of which you will not use) 18mm plywood is a better medium for the top with or without the Formica. Great work.
Plywood isn't nearly as flat as MDF. Unless you use Baltic birch, it's about as flat as the Rockies. Baltic birch makes the MFT look cheap, in comparison. When you built your MFT cabinet, how did you mount the MFT to it? Did you leave the legs on? Can you reach under to feed clamps from the bottom? I've seen a few designs but they all made me wonder if I could get my arm, and a clamp, and come up from the bottom.
@@kwilliams2239 it’s a complicated design which has a drop in MFT top containing a router incert, there is sufficient room below (about 5inches) or it can be lifted from the front for access. It is removable to allow a midi lathe to occupy the same space and the MFT top becomes a rear safety wall whilst turning, I could go on but I won’t. It is truly a multi function unit.
You should NOT quit your current job to do woodworking, and DEFINITELY NOT teaching people how to do it. Also, you should check your lungs considering how much MDF cutting in such a small, closed space.
@@rickdeckard1075 oh no, by all means, please do use powertools with MDF without a mask and in a closed space. It will save us some oxygen and bad comments in the future.
There’s something to be said for not making your bench top too precious. I worked in a small commercial wood shop making Southern Pine furniture. We would make small, disposable tables for most of our assembly work. We would make various assembly jigs quickly by shooting scraps of wood, into the table with a finish nail gun and ripping them back out when we were done. When the tables got too beat up, we threw them out!
Super impressed by your recovery fix on the bench dog depth of hole problem. I would have sat down and cried. Well done. Dude, you need to get into a nice HUGE shop. Wishing you the very best. AWSOME !
Now you're married, you have other responsibilities. MDF is extremely dangerous to lungs - even more than most hardwoods. Don't just use dust extraction. Use a top quality mask, even a full hood like Trend make. And, if you don't have one already, get and fit an air filter - just seen what looks like an AF hanging from your ceiling. I'm a DiYer and had about 20 years not doing any woodwork. Full time builder friends have lung diseases or have already died from lung diseases (tbf, they also smoked)
Lung safety is so important. Hands down the SINGLE best purchase I have ever made for my shop is a Trend Air Stealth P100 mask. It's less clunky and cumbersome than a full respirator and does a superb job of filtering out dust. It's also easy to clean. My rule is if I'm cutting or sanding, that mask is on, and stays on until I'm done working. Before buying that mask and setting that rule for myself, I developed a persistent cough that wouldn't go away. After about 3 months of being disciplined about using that mask, the cough was gone and hasn't come back since. No doubt that cough was from dust exposure and had it continued I would have likely developed some serious lung problems. Not enough YT woodworking channels take lung safety seriously enough.
Yeah, I’ve come to prefer dog holes myself and I learned some things, I also have some observations. Don’t throw away your Kreg self adjusting clamps, they are easy to convert to dog holes. MDF, first, if you must use it, always , always mask up. Second, I just can’t living where the humidity often exceeds 100%. I don’t care how much you seal it, it’s going to puff up. Far better here to use some good plywood and have it last a while.
Agreed. If you need one, drill it. For the most part if you need a "dog", the same thing can be done by clamping a stop block to your bench and then you don't end up with all those holes in your bench top.
I really like how you did the ad AS YOU WORKED, showing both! I usually jump ahead when they pop up, but I got what I wanted while you did what you needed, well done! Definitely a unique approach! You just got yourself a new subscriber!
It is so easy to guess which companies did accept to pay for this video and... which ones did not ! ;-) Definitively, "you've been lied for years". And this video proves this is not the end of it...
Why not use a hole saw? Then you are dealing with only dust from the saw teeth area of material as you are left with a plug of material. If you are after a more precise machined hole simply use 1 size smaller hole saw. Then go back over it with the plunge router bit and template. Reducing drag and heat on the bit and the excessive amount of dust.
I think a lot of youtubers tend to not wear their masks for their videos as their face is sorta the brand i guess, but I would love to see a shift where they start wearing masks more. Woodworking is not a friend to your lungs.
@thekylenovak the funny thing is that he doesn't use many things to need a vapor mask. Yes, it's essential to wear one. But with how little he needs it, it's really more important that he uses a mask whenever he's cutting MDF and even wood due to the much higher exposure
I've never seen anyone cut MDF with that much dust in a small space. I was cringing the whole time. It's almost irresponsible to be showing this to people, waving and smiling while you are making yourself a future client of Jacob Emrani for Mesothelioma.
For the clamps I would suggest pipe clamps they are easier to set up than clamping together clamps and with just the jaws you can have any length of clamp.
Great job using calls for laying your laminate top! One tip for future reference, don't start at one end of the top. Start in the middle. Line the laminate up and pull the center call out. Run your hand down the center of the laminate so it adheres to the mdf in the middle only. This really helps if you are trying to keep the laminate square to the piece or if you have very little overhang. Starting at one end can get you out of square really quickly. Ask me how I know! Great video!
Interesting for someone who has never used laminate before, he just happened to have a very nice laminate roller! Also there is water based low VOC contact clement.
I enjoy watching you learn through making mistakes and probably many appreciate your sharing, so they don't have to learn the hard way. One thing I've learned over the years as a furniture and cabinet maker is that plastic laminate, sorry, isn't the best surface to use as a work bench top. Glue can stick to it and if it's not cleaned up before it's completely dry it can pull the laminate film right off if you don't remove it carefully, plus PL can chip and come off over time and thus is not easily reparable. I've found a better solution is to screw down a piece of 1/8 or 3/16" sheet of hardboard over the MDF, as it's less expensive and easily repairable (a quick sanding with the random orbit sander) and can easily be replaced when needed. I apply an occasional coat of linseed oil on it to help keep glue from sticking and to give it better protection. Your laminate edges will be the first to chip off and you'll be looking to replace them. I would recommend just laying the hardboard over the top of the edges leaving the hardwood edge showing which can easily be sanded when it gets dinged up. And yes as many have already mentioned you went way overkill on the number of dog holes you need. And you could have saved yourself a lot of work by simply using a "hold fast" through the dog holes, the kind you tighten and loosen with a hammer, as they will go through a thicker workbench top without having to do all the chamfering you did, plus they hold really well .
"woodworker showing how to build the cheapest table top surface out of two MDF sheets glued together using a shitload of expensive as fuck tools as dead weights"
The simpler way to add all those dog holes would have been to find a local company with an CNC router table, and have them cut them all to a precise measurement. Print shops, fabrication shops, all have these types of equipment, and in my area, would have cost you the same amount as your jig.
That is by far the best and most versatile workbench I have ever seen. I don't want to talk about the ton of time that you spent on that tabletop reducing the weight, lol. But adding up all the time it is also the most expensive 😢 tabletop
the Parf guide system is an excellent system to build out MFT style tables. I love the flexibility dog holes provide me . I can appreciate why people may hesitate , but they work perfectly in my workflow and the type of tools I use . I liked the tip on the chamfer bit on the underside . I want to rebuild my MFT table to be two layers thick to add that extra stability . Your solution will work perfectly thank you . I also own the wood pecker MFT jig I have never used it , the jig was an impulse purchase I thought the rougher method to bore the holes would be a perfect solution to the tear out I got using the Park guide system. I used baltic birch plywood to build my top . . I am surprised how upper able to utilize you apartment garage so effectively.
I noticed that some German wood workers were using laminate flooring to cover their workbenches. This gives you the 'Formica' top without all of the glue. And if you damage it, replace it. Things don't stick to it, and it looks really cool.
I've got dog holes and t-track in my bench. I use the dog holes for stops, and the t-track for clamping. Plus, I didn't put dog holes over the whole bench. Gives me a spot with no holes to work on small parts.
@@robertapreston4200 Do dovetail tracks rip out? I wouldn't think there was much holding the clamp in, and imperfections in the wood grain might cause it to split. I've always been leery of dovetail tracks.
When doing large/messy glue ups I put down floor protection film on the benchtop. Masking paper is cheaper, but the film is sturdier and makes clean up that much easier. I have also never had a problem with t-track pulling up from too much force. But mine are on top of 3/4" ply with full length screws.
Thanks, I enjoyed watching the video, I made the same mistake with the double thickness top but I just bought 2 out of birch ply, ready made, for significantly less than the jig to make them costs!
I have to wonder why there would be a reason to install hard maple edges if they are then covered with laminate. Seems that putting the laminate directly on the edge of the doubled up MDF would provide just as solid an edge since the Jami ate would prevent the MDF from chipping or gouging (at least unless you gouged all the way through the laminate first). A,so, a tip for preventing T-tracks from lifting out of the top. Instead of screws, use machine screws and a washer and nut under the bench or place threaded inserts in the material under the T-track and use machine screws into them. Plus a little blue loctite to be sure the machine screws stay tight. And you can always drill and countersink some additional holes in the bottom of the T-track if you want to reduce chance of bending between mounting points. These methods will work for anyone except the Hulk? And remember, the tracks are only aluminum so not intended to hold against super forces!
I went through the same journey - deciding on dog holes, wanting double thick top, struggling with inserting clamps, and then getting hole plugs. Luckily I went straight for the UJK perf guide system. But if you buy those magnetic hole plugs for all of those dog holes you are going to have one very very expensive top. I have a few sets, but thinking of 3D printing the rest.
I put t-track on my crosscut sled and then bought a very expensive stop from a very popular RUclipsr. $75 later, I find clamping a wooden stop block remains the better approach and cost zero. Love your videos and approach. Congrats on wedding.
@@theTobytheTitanwhich stop block did you buy? I’m considering one around the same price from a bigger you tuber and don’t want to waste me money if it’s the same as yours lol
KM. To be clear though- it’s nice. But… a scrap piece and clamp against the sled would be fine… for what I do. I can 100% see how it benefits some. I’m not trashing the product- I think you get what you pay for and its quality, precise, etc, etc.
I only use T track for fences and jigs that don't see glue etc. All they have to hold is the fence. They are easy to adjust but he's right, they aren't great for trying to clamp something down too. But that's not what they are for either.
My best hand plane cost me $90 and spending the time to learn how to maintain and sharpen your tools quickly not only teaches precision but it also encourages confidence in your own skills. It’s not as difficult as many people think and you don’t have to break the bank with spaceship looking planes.
thought about that when he said handplanes were super expensive to buy. Of course they are if you get those stupid Bridge City things that aren't even that great. Why would I want a plane where the sides are screwed on and made from alu, so it isn't even usable on a shooting board. Just get a normal iron plane and be happy.
@@johndoe920 I feel for the people that buy them because of dumb takes like this. I was a newbie not long ago and bought a jointmaker pro because of stumpynubs. It just collects dust after quickly realizing its a dumb gimmick for someone doing something very specific I can't even think of.
All my hand planes are old, and I never pay more than $20-30 for them. If I'm going to have to go through all the set up and sharpening even spending hundreds on one, I might as well just do the same thing to an antique from the flea market. I've got a few old wooden body planes and they are honestly the best ones I have, better than the stanley's in my experience.
@@matts.8342 the good old wooden ones are not bad, I just can't deal with the setting up. I'm too lazy to poke a tool with a little hammer for half an hour when the same thing could be done by turning a knob a few turns. But that's mostly just me not wanting to put in the practice.
For dog holes i have a grid of 3/8 holes drilled all the way thru w/ 5/16 tgnuts underneath. I keep a bin of 5/16 bolts and washers handy, along w/ some scraps of 2x2 that have 3/8 holes in them for clamping stuff down
21:51 Of course you will get an error in registering when you move towards the centre or, basically, further away from the edge you started from. Everything is build to a tolerance and this tolerance is reflected as an error in distances between the holes every time you move the hole guide to drill a new set of holes. If the tolerance is x, when you first move the guide to drill the next set of holes, the distance error (as measured from the starting edge of the board) will be twice x. The next (third) set of holes will have an error of thrice x and so on. If the absolute distances/locations of the holes do not matter, e.g. when you only intend to use them for attaching clamps and not for aligning pieces, then you can avoid situations where the built up tolerance errors prevent the hole guide from aligning properly by drilling all the holes moving progressively along the short edge first, then move the hole guide along the long edge, drill again all the wholes moving along the short edge and repeat the process until you cover the entire board. This way, you will get absolute location/distance registration errors but you will never come into a situation where the hole guide will not register properly in order to drill the next set of holes. All this is of course far easier to explain with a couple of pictures than with two-three huge paragraphs but youtube only allows text in the comments.
T-tracks work wonderfully if you install them properly and clean them after use. Cleaning them is actually easyer than cleaning the dog holes. You just did a very poor job with your tracks.
The best clamping system I know of is still the Gramercy cast steel hold-fast and a grid of 3/4” dog holes through the bench top. Couple that with a planing stop and you’re set for any operation. If you’re on a budget like almost everyone starting out in woodworking simply glue up a laminated butcher style top using 2 x 4 studs. If you have a planer that’ll make your life A WHOLE BUNCH easier or if you have a friend that has one. Or if you’re have the space make a Paul Sellers style workbench but with a Roubo style split top, he really got it right all those hundreds of years ago.
Here's a trick I picked up from watching old timer cobblers and carpenters working with contact cement - apply the contact cement liberally to one side of the 2 surfaces to be joint. Press the other surface (laminate) on immediately, then peel it off to dry off. This saves you from having to setup protection on 2 seperate areas for applying the contact cement.
Our old wood shop teacher wouldn't even let us into the building with sandals on, pretty sure he'd frown on Crocs too.😄 He had what would today be a totally unacceptable way of getting his point across. So kinda too late now but for the hole jig starting to get a little jiggly towards the middle, why not use some of the new dog holes to clamp it down once it was 'centered'? On a personal note, long and happy life together to you and your new wife. Cheers!
I'm starting to build an updated(25 year retirement overhaul) bench. You have some good ideas I going to incorporate in building my update. Add a compartmented box below and you have a vacuum box as well. Incidentally, I glued melamine together on my first one and did the maple edge as well. If you have a granite topped kitchen island you can use it to provide a very level surface to assure flatness of your new shop tabletop. Use bags of sand for weighting. I used the sand for leveling my lawn later. OR you can just return them to Lowes when done. 😯😯😯 Cha Ching not Sha Shing😊
"i used formica so nothing would stick to my tabletop, including epoxy" "now i'm gonna put holes across the entire thing and ignore that epoxy will seep between the cracks!"
So.. you have festool track with holes, you have festool router, and you do not get festool router bit designed to make 20mm holes in one plunge cut (part no 491072)? Instead, you mess with this jig, copy rings, smaller diameter bit... Bit too obvious...
A new work bench was already in my future. And I was already planning on getting one of those dog hole reamers. That seems like a pretty nifty tool. And I appreciate your transparency with tools instead of just paddling whatever garbage is out there for money, so thanks. And I particularly like that you used black epoxy to make the slide grooves blend in with the rest of the top.
We always lay the top first. Then trim and finish the edges with a 45° cutter. Then, go around with a flat file to keep materials from bumping the laminate loose.
Guy uses about 20,000$ of festool equipment as weights to laminate MDF for a cheap DIY workbench ... that tracksaw would cost me about as much as two months of rent ... lumber prices doubling ... I think i will let go of woodworking all together
@@UnworthySeraphim You are right. I forgot about the edge boards by the time I watched him drill ten thousand holes and then redo them after his mistake.
Haha, I ran in exactly the same issue. I have a 34mm MDF and was exited to use the clamps from my tracksaw track. Aaah, great, it didn't work. I'll still have to unscrew the worktop and chamfer the holes from the other side. I picked up a 10$ 3d-printed template for drilling the holes into the mft with a forstner bit. It worked quite nicely.
I never seen the guide being clamped to the wood being cut... Isn't it necessary to clamp the saw track guide to the board to prevent it moving, or does it stay fixed, by design, whilst cutting?
I suffered the price of the Parf system and the outcome was perfectly aligned holes (except one I messed up). The UKG reamer was necessary to get the polyurethane out of my holes after finishing-again, perfect.
@@miked.9364 ha, Bob Villa could have, all he ever did was a lot of talking and pretend to work, Norm did all the work, and I never saw him wear sandals either :).
Do you take him seriously in any circumstance? Remember when he converted a 20a plug on a saw he was given so it would plug into a 15a circuit? He is more of an example of what not to do. If OSHA ever takes a notion to regulate these folks channels like this one are gone.
I’ve been Down the T track and dog or should I say rabbit hole and I don’t like either one. Here’s what has been absolutely indispensable for me. Install a 1 1/2” wide board on one long side of the work bench 1 1/2” below the surface. Bore several 3/8” vertical holes down through the board. Get a 1 1/2” X 1 1/2” quad track aluminum extrusion the length of the bench from 80/20 aluminum. The 4 tracks fit 3/8” carriage bolts perfectly. Install some long ones along one side of the quad track, one for each of the holes you drilled. Drop this assembly into the holes, add a washer and nut to each bolt securing the quad track to the workbench. You now have both a horizontal and vertical track along the entire front of your workbench. You now have a track even with the top and face of your bench. It’s extremely versatile, rigid and won’t pull out. Get a couple of those Kreg clamps (the ones you showed that hook into the key hole plate you said you couldn’t move). They will slide the entire length of your bench horizontally or vertically. Now you can clamp any size work vertically or horizontally along the entire face of the work bench including long boards. You will find all kinds of jigs and fixtures you can attach using the carriage bolts I mentioned. I made a Moxon vice that attaches to the front of my workbench and a jig for routing mortises. I don’t need no fancy domino! Your imagination is the only limitation as to the creative ways to use this addition to your workbench. You’ll be amazed at what you can do with it.
I got an idea, how about you make a RUclips video. That way we can all understand what you are describing with 100% clarity. It just may get some likes and shares too. Just a suggestion.
In my younger years I worked with a neighbor doing cabinet refinishing with Formica :).. I also worked in a shop actually making the door for the cabinet doors as well. I have a few years under my belt working with this product.. With that said you have found a very effective way of putting down the sheet of Formica without it sticking when and where it should not.. and destroying the entire project. Looks like you got it down brother.. congrats. Top folks... have a very clean area where you are doing the gluing.. if anything gets on that glue that can cause a bump the project will be ruined... eyeball the hell out of the table and the Formica for anything that may have gotten on the glue before putting the 2 together or the project will be ruined. Let the glue get tacky to the touch but not dry.
We used epoxy and glass micro balloons to lay aluminum Formica onto the Wellcraft Scarab engine hatches. Set bubble wrap a thin, flexible board, then 15 gallon buckets filled with sand. Looking back, a vacuum bag might have been easier?
I remember back in the 60s when Pop was building coin laundries all across the southeast. Just needed a small shop with some heavy Rockwell table and radial saws. Maybe a Delta jointer. If you needed a hole in your table you just cut the damn thing. After a while, like a month or so, you just glued down another sheet of 3/4" BC plywood. The end of the month month he would have us run around with magnets on a stick. You know for picking up the Ferrous leftovers amongst the 4"-6" of sawdust. It was the good old days. No safety stuff to get in your way while you threw nails at the running table saw blade. Now Formica on the other hand was ubiquitous everywhere in the 50s and 60s. Needed a great router, strong hands, a lot of quarter over router bits. Ah yes don't forget the contact cement in 55 gallon drums. It would have you gleefully singing Daydream Believer by The Monkees without the radio being on. If the radio was on, it was AM
I find my T-tracks nearly indispensable. Maybe my work process is just cleaner than some (I doubt it), but mine have never gotten clogged by glue or other debris. Also, once secured by countersunk screws, there is no way they're going to lift when clamping. My workbench surface is a hardwood tabletop I bought from Ikea (relatively inexpensive). It is far more durable than MDF, not to mention prettier. An occasional renewal of the boiled linseed oil finish keeps glue from sticking to it. As for dog holes, I made a short row of them perpendicular to my vise and figured I would drill any more as the need for arose. So far, I haven't needed any but those few initial ones.
Few of the tips are useful, most - on the contrary! I really laughed at the statement about Bridge City's hand plane (the most expensive option available) - being difficult to operate, sharpen and adjust. Try a classic grater at a 20 times lower price - it will work!
Use code SDC50 to get 50% OFF your first Factor box plus 20% off your next box at bit.ly/4bfZmqa!
PLANS: spencleydesignco.com/products/doghole-workbench-top-plans
Where can I find the dog hole reamer and dog hole plugs? Also are they available in 19mm (3/4 inch)
Lol did you heart your own comment 🤣
Hey bro you know about dog holes but never tried bench dogs? xD I mean that's why they are called dog holes. They are for dogs.
Unfortunately you have beveled the bottom edge of the holes...dogs won't work well. dogs require a thick surface.
@@AmbiguousAdventurer they'll work fine **and** be more easily inserted if there is dust or other particulate on the surface of the hole.
Been wood working for 60 + years . . .my work bench is topped with MDF with few dog holes. If i need a special hole I'll drill it but most of the time it's a scrap of wood with a tort screw making the clamp. When the MDF is butchered I'll flip it, simple, low cost and easy. Tip #2 , if you have some old pull down window blinds they make a great glue up surface . . .who knew . . .not bashing just helping. Stay safe and build something
I completely agree, and I love your Tip #2. 👍
I'm not a woodworker for a long time, but I like my stupid simple workbench: an old solid door topped with one layer MDF. The MDF is connected to the "door" with few screws. I have few dog holes on one side (3x4) an so far this was always sufficient. I can easly clamp long wood pices at the egdes wich serve pretty well as fences for different tool. I don't care to cut slighty in the MDF because I'll change it once a year for less than 20 €.
@@berndreuther704 I did a similar thing but with an old office desk top someone was giving away for free. It's laminated well and doesn't fall apart like the stuff he shows in the video.
Hah, great tip on the roller curtains for a glue up surface!
Joiner for 40 plus years. Level bench with 35 mm mdf or melamine....work on till glue etc builds up.... belt sand flat...rinse and repeat......after 10 years through 18mm sheet on top. Good for another 10 years.... K.I.S.S. 🤔😂😎🇦🇺👌
I found that adding the laminate is overkill. I built mine 12 years ago and I just have bare MDF, I wiped on shellac and paste wax. Nothing sticks to it. Once a year or so, I’ll do a light sanding and reapply the finish.
Same here. I used some shellac or Watco lacquer and just sand and reapply as needed. I have dog holes on my Roubo, but not my MDF topped assembly/work sufaces.
+2 on the shellac. Works great and is easy to renew.
Or hardwax oil, it's match made in heaven for mdf. Similar effect.
Valuable information, Raf. I'll leave the 30mm thick MDF for my router table plain and hard wax it instead of applying melamine, which was in my original plan. I'll try rounding over edges and rounding the corners instead of edging it, waxing all those surfaces and the underside as well.
Me too. This is WAY overkill. Plus, I don’t have an issue with drilling and screwing right into the table. I do it all the time and eventually fill in the holes with glue and sawdust.
with that many holes, you could probably box off/seal the bottom, leave a port for vacuum, and use it as a downdraft table for sanding...
My thoughts exactly! Put the woodworking equivalent of marine diesel water-separator in the table-side of the system to allow screws to drip into it and not get sucked into the vacuum itself (sort of like a plumbing p-trap will catch a wedding ring before it going further down the waste line) and this ridiculous material- and time-wasting build might just possibly be worth it and definitely more utilitarian.
This might just possibly be the dumbest RUclips video I’ve watched in a long time.
Or a vacuum clamp. Would need a big pump for all those big ass holes.
ha, made same observation almost same post before seeing your post 👍
And/or add a blower/pucks to make an air table. The pucks aren't cheap, but looking at all of his $$$tools, small cost.
@@bratt-38128 nah just get an air hockey table and reverse the flow
Amazed how so much is accomplished in small shop.Efficiency and inspirational.
"ain't gonna buy no $500 pre-made workbench". Builds one for $4000..
Hahaha...spot on!!!
With a ton of Festools and Woodpecker gear...
@@jameskling9400 Am I wrong in my comment above?
I'm sorry you think tools are single use...
the effeminate waving-at-the-camera like a mentally disabled 5-yr-old is really quite excruciating. i miss adults acting like adults...
My current work bench is a formika countertop that I got for free from a local cabinet shop. They pulled it out of someones house, and I stopped by one day asking if they had anything.
just follow kitchen remodelers around for a few days. They take formica countertops off all the time and if you want to take it, they will give it to you for free because to them it's literally trash but it's a perfectly great piece of workbench.
Ok, but now you have fallen into and perpetuated another you tube myth, you don't need all those dog holes. Juse a couple of rows along the frount, and one side, with a row down the center and your done. Dont beleive my, just track how many you actually use over the course of a year and you'll see. Or you could take a look at a traditional cabinet makes bench and see where they placed their dog holes (square in those days) and you'll get the picture. How do I know this I to made a Polick workbench and when I went along and made my final one (out of all that expensive wood) I reduced the dog hole allotment (as described above) and spaced them according to the reach on the tail vice I added to one end and the moxen vice on the side) reduced the total dog holes by 87% and I have never missed them ever! Now in the Swiss cheese workbenches defence you can lay out your track saw anywhere to cut wood at right angles, but what about all those other angles, and do you want all those scares on your bench surface, I don't think so, so you'll probably never do that either. so track your hole usage and make a nice video next year on you thoughts, I'll look forward to that.
100% agree. Never understood the Swiss cheese bench. It’s not as bad as t-track, but it’s pretty terrible in practice.
I use all of the dog holes in my MFT. Keeping clamps out of the way of a router, for example, can be an interesting task without them being right where I want them. I don't want to hold the router at arm's length, either.
I was told not to breathe in MDF dust as it’s hazardous. You’re not even wearing a dust mask.
What he is doing is the typical “ gimmick” phase that most novice woodworkers go through. Traditional forms of woodworking benches with typically one row of dog holes and a few holdfast holes as needed, have been around for over 100 years for a reason. They work. Yes there have been improvements over the years. But they are small changes. Round dog holes and brass dogs for example. Better vise hardware. But having a bench with Swiss cheese holes is not a woodworking bench. It is inherently less than ridged.But it does make a nice assembly table if you have the room. The simple truth is he has very little skill and very little knowledge . That is ok. We were all there at one point. His actual skill is as a content creator.Not a woodworker.The real problem is he has fooled people into thinking he knows what he is doing as a woodworker.
The evolution of tools used on this show is getting out of my pay grade. You are the 'you tuber' that said you need something.
So you sealed the bottom with polyurethane to stop moisture absorption but then routed a ton of holes with probably the same amount of surface area as the bottom that can absorb moisture.
It's less about preventing the absorption of moisture at all, it's about preventing one side from absorbing moisture while the other side doesn't. If only one side absorbs moisture from the air, the entire surface will warp and bow.
He said in the video he applied more off camera: 29:04
lol, it was all about selling magnets and dog hole attachments
Came here to say that. And no the poly he applied was for the cambered or slanted cuts he made from the bottom, not the vertical shafts which he later cut out to precision 20mm
@@jds1906 Interesting conclusion in that he never even mentioned magnets.
Early in my woodworking career, an “Old-Timer” told me, “Don’t spend more time working ON your shop than IN your shop”.
Most Underappreciated comment on RUclips. People spend so much time prepping the perfect shop instead of just doing the projects. The shop is only gonna be as good as the user.
That's cause your old-timer didn't make any more working ON his shop and this guy does.
I'd rebut, do what you enjoy. Motivation isn't always easy to find, even with your passions. If perfecting your shop is what you enjoy, make it happen
Old timers didn't need content for videos. This is a 10min workbench build interrupted by 23 min of adds and coupon codes
@andyminch9156 I agree. A shop is just another tool to MAKE THINGS. It does not need to be pretty. I have a pile of one time use MDF jigs.
Claims to be a cheapskate and wants to save money, , whilst having k’s of dollars worth of the (in my view) overpriced “green and grey” tools!😂
I disagree about the overpriced thing but yeah😂true
You people are insufferable, what are you poor? don't have enough boot straps??
Have you tried not being poor? Or judging people for your failings??
@@JamesYale1977 wtf? I also judge him, not for his ability to own expensive tools, but for claiming to be a cheapskate when he's clearly not. There's nothing wrong with owning expensive tools if you can afford them and justify the expenses, but you can't claim to be a cheapskate when you have stacks of festool boxes, buy two different $200 dog hole jigs when you can make one out of your old workbench top, spend ~$300 on dog hole plugs, and are pedaling router bits that are $250 a piece
@@danielsnyder656agree. It’s completely disingenuous.
I've just spent 33 min of my life watching this guy making holes in workbench
He is a lowgrade clickbaiter and scare monger. Abom 79 is another empty vessel.
@@jamesdrake2378 "low grade" based on what exactly? These benches with many holes are common in the UK -they are called MFT tops or "multi function tabletop" - you can buy them in MDF or quality birch ply, with cnc grade accuracy holes for dogs for laying out a tracksaw against, and the company that makes them even makes a knockdown easily portable site bench system - you're literally talking BS - the guy who invented the MFT system is a MILLIONAIRE NOW just from this product.
Rather churlish of you Sir.
But did you find it relaxing or stressful?
@@elmaddog1978 I do not know what floats your boat. Maybe you could try to focus on porn or watching paint dry.
Another big benefit of dust collection with the router is the amount of fine dust that is sucked into your dust extractor rather than your lungs. MDF is some of the nastiest dust you can breathe in!
A lot of hardwood is even worse (toxic). Sanding is, by far, the most dangerous sawdust manufacturing operation. Dust extraction for all of these operations is critical. It's a lot easier cleaning it at the source, too.
May I suggest changing "find us" to "fine dust". :)
@@kwilliams2239 "A lot of hardwood is even worse (toxic)"
Hardwood is rarely toxic - MDF is.
You're dangerously wrong. Many species of hardwoods, primarily but not limited to exotics, are indeed toxic. Some are strong irritant that, some may have trouble breathing if inhaled. Few used in woodworking are drop-dead toxic but can be for some. Some really common but potentially strong irritants, like cocobolo, purple heart, and Padauk.
MDF is bound by a urea-formaldehyde glue, that while it outgases , it's not toxic at low levels. It's primarily danger is the dust, not the formaldehyde.
Of course one doesn't want to breathe fine dust of any sort, MDF isn't much different (plywood) than anything else, in this regard.
A quicker version for those starting out is a $40-ish half-mask respirator with P95 or P100 filters. The filters are click-in replaceable, and cost considerably less than replacement lungs. Won't protect your eyes though.
If overthinking was a video:
How someone would need around 200 dog holes in a bench top is beyond me. The screws falling through is one thing, how about the dust that's constantly pouring through onto or into whatever below. I'd go nuts as everything else that fits in those holes falls through. I've been making furniture for years now and have a Roubo style bench with about 10 dog holes in it and haven't need more.
You might have noticed every hundred or thousand dollar piece of top equipment recommended in the past is now "not needed" and were onto the new set of expensive items to push, that in a year or so will be a total rip off and a waste, but the new items then to be pushed will be the rabbit's hurrah.
I think he has a case of collectors gotta-have-itis. All the Festool, all the dogholes, all the gimmicky jigs. This wasn't about functionality, it's his version of shopping for handbags.
Good lord...I did exhibit/trade show work for 7 years of my career...I can't believe my lungs still work after spraying all that red contact...😂😂😂
@@mrniusi11😂 👏
Guy pumping more products in one video than billy mays
Yeah, it’s an infomercial filled with requests to join his patreon so “he can quit his day job”.
Billy Mays never pumped more than one product into a video
Billy Mays… I’m embarrassed to know his name 😮
What the hell is everybody's problem, this is a regular woodworking video on RUclips what the hell is wrong with your people, they use tools they these tools have brands...deal!
33 minutes of my life I will never ever get back again...🤨 this appeared to be more of an infomercial than a DIY, what does Factor have to do with woodworking... I was waiting to see an Oxy-Clean push... so the end result, don't buy the expensive T-tracks from the T-track cartels, buy 1000 magnets instead and a bunch of glory hole attachments for the 1000 unsealed holes drilled...🤣
With tee track always mount it under another plywood sheet that slightly overlaps the edge of the tee track which makes the holddowns operate against the plywood and not just against screws, this is how people put tee tracks on CNC's successfully.
what a brag 'spencley design co."
While I don't dispute what you said works great, assuming you don't do that, t-track should be set flush with the surface. Then when you tighten the screw it clamps the work piece to the top of the track and doesn't try to pull the screws out at all.
Of course this depends on what you use to clamp as things like toe clamps will pull up regardless. But positioning things like feather boards then don't put load on the screws.
Some t-track manufacturers put grooves in the sides of the track to allow you to bed it in glue, which really increases its holding power.
Organic vapor cartridges should be stored in a plastic bag because the activated carbon in them will continue to be used up even when sitting in a drawer.
I finally bought a plastic container that’s big enough to hold the 3M mask and the large cartridges. It’s tough enough not to get torn in my shop.
I was under the impression that the degradation of organic vapor cartridges would put their lifespan at about 30 days after opening them regardless of storage, does keeping them in a bag actually extend that lifespan?
I already tend to use them longer than their intended effectiveness since I primarily use them for less critical applications, airbrushing acrylics and washing resin prints with IPA.
@@AuntJemimaGames I hope not! If so, it’s in the 3M fine print.
@@AuntJemimaGames yes it should, they have activated carbon in them and that stuff is basically a crazy high surface area that like to stick organic molecules to it. If you put it in a bag they stop absorbing since there is no flow across them and no way for more organics to get in. I was always told they are done when you can smell the stuff you are trying to keep out.
P-95 or P100 dust filters are a good choice for sanding.
A fundamental concept I was taught as an apprentice furniture maker in the early 1980’s, was the necessity of applying equal finishes to both sides of a wood panel. If a table top was finished with six coats of BLO, the underside MUST be finished with six coats as well. This allows for the equal transfer of ambient moisture/relative humidity. The underside doesn’t have be rubbed-out as meticulously as the top, but equal coats top and bottom are critical to keeping the panel flat. That said, if laminate is applied to the top of a workbench, it should also be applied to the bottom, if flatness is the goal. When building laminate countertops over the past 40 years, I always apply two coats of urethane to the underside to seal out moisture, even though the counters are firmly secured to the base cabinets.
SOOOO TRUE . . .. that's why IKEA furniture is laminated on both sides . . .now you know, NOT bashing just teaching
this may be THEE most important comment and overall concept to take away from this whole project video , especially given the primary goal in centered around construction of a surface which is "true and square" . I have had to learn similar lessons that deal with this type of phenomenon when painting something like wooden shelves one side at a time and letting it dry in the sun, or when i had had sprayed down a piece of 1x8 with water to open up the fibers after had incrementally sanded it down with a very high grit paper before i planned on staining it and then remembered that it would not take very well to stain when the surface is sanded super smooth and packed with all the fine dust powder, and spritzing it with warm water and giving it a wipe down does a great job at opening the grain back up to allow absorption of stain , but hell I couldn't believe in just a short matter of time before it dried it had crown my perfectly plained piece of wood
Those old rules don't apply to MDF. Unless it gets wet, MDF remains very flat and there close to zero expansion/contraction with humidity. I wouldn't even seal the bottom. It's overkill, at least because of moisture. There may be another reason.
Always appreciate a good tip in the comments, it's easy to assume viewers and video creators know all there is to know about stuff like this, but there's a lot to learn and always something you didn't know!
@@kwilliams2239 As someone who has built several speaker & subwoofer enclosures out of the stuff, I have to agree with kwilliams about the old rules not really applying to MDF. Compared to any traditional board, or piece of lumber, MDF is incredibly stable dimensionally. Moisture truly is its only weakness, but even then it only effects the parts of it that got directly exposed to it. Over the years I've dealt with a number of MDF sheets that had edges damaged from moisture exposure. Even what seems like a small amount of moisture can make an edge of a MDF sheet swell by a surprising amount. Of course this was nearly always due to my laziness & not wanting to move heavy ass sheets of the stuff any more than absolutely necessary... Thankfully when this happens, most of the sheet can be salvaged by simply sawing off the damaged edge. Even after having a couple inches along an entire edge swell to nearly double the original thickness, the rest of the sheet would still be just as perfectly true and flat as the day it was made. As long as it stays out of direct contact with moisture, MDF's superpower is it's ability to totally ignore things like temperature, humidity and time, and that makes pretty unique among woodworking materials.
Having worked in a wood shop for 12 years, I have some experience working with MDF. All of the holes that you have in your tabletop need to be sealed to prevent them from absorbing moisture and swelling. Hopefully, you don't bring a drink into the shop set it down on the tabletop, and spill it, sending all of that liquid into those dog holes. We used wood glue and a little bit of water to seal up the exposed/worked-on parts of the MDF to prevent that from happening.
Good note about sealing the holes, thanks!
You stole my comment, so thank you! what's the good of a work bench it you can't even put a cold beer on it? This whole video's mental, if you ask me 😂
I was an early adopter of the Parf Guide system in order to make a MFT cabinet. This serves many purposes (router table, base for midi lathe, clamping top Etc) one tip you may find useful if you decide to make another, and one of the major benefits of the Parf system is that I drilled the whole area with the 3mm guide holes and then only completed a section of 20mm holes leaving the remainder available to drill when and if required, this to a great extent solves the problem of small part falling through the 20mm holes (most of which you will not use) 18mm plywood is a better medium for the top with or without the Formica. Great work.
Plywood isn't nearly as flat as MDF. Unless you use Baltic birch, it's about as flat as the Rockies. Baltic birch makes the MFT look cheap, in comparison.
When you built your MFT cabinet, how did you mount the MFT to it? Did you leave the legs on? Can you reach under to feed clamps from the bottom? I've seen a few designs but they all made me wonder if I could get my arm, and a clamp, and come up from the bottom.
@@kwilliams2239 it’s a complicated design which has a drop in MFT top containing a router incert, there is sufficient room below (about 5inches) or it can be lifted from the front for access. It is removable to allow a midi lathe to occupy the same space and the MFT top becomes a rear safety wall whilst turning, I could go on but I won’t. It is truly a multi function unit.
Good tip on the Parf system, I’ll look it up!
Make your own. its so easy, 3 4 5 Triangle. make some drill jigs done.
You should NOT quit your current job to do woodworking, and DEFINITELY NOT teaching people how to do it. Also, you should check your lungs considering how much MDF cutting in such a small, closed space.
Yes, please throw a mask on ya face bro...stay alive!!
At least open that garage door if you aren't going to wear a mask. Do you also think that 10 toes are just too many? Crocs???
sm rando saying "it wont work bro" makes me want to support him even more
@@rickdeckard1075 oh no, by all means, please do use powertools with MDF without a mask and in a closed space. It will save us some oxygen and bad comments in the future.
@@alvarodiaz2221 interesting to see 99% comment criticism vs the usual 99% adulation, he must not be *ahem* "in the club" like you, "alvaro"
Dig this hole. Now fill this hole. You're in the Army, now.
There’s something to be said for not making your bench top too precious. I worked in a small commercial wood shop making Southern Pine furniture. We would make small, disposable tables for most of our assembly work. We would make various assembly jigs quickly by shooting scraps of wood, into the table with a finish nail gun and ripping them back out when we were done. When the tables got too beat up, we threw them out!
Super impressed by your recovery fix on the bench dog depth of hole problem. I would have sat down and cried. Well done. Dude, you need to get into a nice HUGE shop. Wishing you the very best. AWSOME !
Now you're married, you have other responsibilities. MDF is extremely dangerous to lungs - even more than most hardwoods. Don't just use dust extraction. Use a top quality mask, even a full hood like Trend make. And, if you don't have one already, get and fit an air filter - just seen what looks like an AF hanging from your ceiling. I'm a DiYer and had about 20 years not doing any woodwork. Full time builder friends have lung diseases or have already died from lung diseases (tbf, they also smoked)
Lung safety is so important. Hands down the SINGLE best purchase I have ever made for my shop is a Trend Air Stealth P100 mask. It's less clunky and cumbersome than a full respirator and does a superb job of filtering out dust. It's also easy to clean.
My rule is if I'm cutting or sanding, that mask is on, and stays on until I'm done working. Before buying that mask and setting that rule for myself, I developed a persistent cough that wouldn't go away. After about 3 months of being disciplined about using that mask, the cough was gone and hasn't come back since. No doubt that cough was from dust exposure and had it continued I would have likely developed some serious lung problems.
Not enough YT woodworking channels take lung safety seriously enough.
Better yet - don't use MDF
Yeah, I’ve come to prefer dog holes myself and I learned some things, I also have some observations. Don’t throw away your Kreg self adjusting clamps, they are easy to convert to dog holes.
MDF, first, if you must use it, always , always mask up. Second, I just can’t living where the humidity often exceeds 100%. I don’t care how much you seal it, it’s going to puff up. Far better here to use some good plywood and have it last a while.
@@Markevans36301 100000% Baltic Birch is plenty stable enough for this project. More expensive but not by that much.
T-tracks are disappearing from videos in 2024 but Factor is filling the void. Got it!
You cured me of ever wanting dog holes in a workbench!😂😂😂
There's no way he is ever going to need all those holes.
@@Hellwilliam1 but this way he can sell it to someone else after he accidentally cuts his hand off with his fancy festool circular saw.
😢😢😢
@@Hellwilliam1 i guess it would be better to drill out holes as you need them?
Agreed. If you need one, drill it. For the most part if you need a "dog", the same thing can be done by clamping a stop block to your bench and then you don't end up with all those holes in your bench top.
I really like how you did the ad AS YOU WORKED, showing both! I usually jump ahead when they pop up, but I got what I wanted while you did what you needed, well done! Definitely a unique approach! You just got yourself a new subscriber!
It is so easy to guess which companies did accept to pay for this video and... which ones did not ! ;-)
Definitively, "you've been lied for years". And this video proves this is not the end of it...
Why not use a hole saw? Then you are dealing with only dust from the saw teeth area of material as you are left with a plug of material. If you are after a more precise machined hole simply use 1 size smaller hole saw. Then go back over it with the plunge router bit and template. Reducing drag and heat on the bit and the excessive amount of dust.
made me short of breath watching you cut that mdf...look after your lungs mate
I think a lot of youtubers tend to not wear their masks for their videos as their face is sorta the brand i guess, but I would love to see a shift where they start wearing masks more. Woodworking is not a friend to your lungs.
@@thekylenovak they film enough that going maskless is extremely irresponsible for things like MDF
@thekylenovak the funny thing is that he doesn't use many things to need a vapor mask. Yes, it's essential to wear one. But with how little he needs it, it's really more important that he uses a mask whenever he's cutting MDF and even wood due to the much higher exposure
I've never seen anyone cut MDF with that much dust in a small space. I was cringing the whole time. It's almost irresponsible to be showing this to people, waving and smiling while you are making yourself a future client of Jacob Emrani for Mesothelioma.
Yes, please take care of yourself, MDF is quite toxic my friend.
Friends and wife say your cheap? Yet, it seems you have bought the entire Festool line of tools? 🤔
For the clamps I would suggest pipe clamps they are easier to set up than clamping together clamps and with just the jaws you can have any length of clamp.
Are the Festools yours or they sponsored? Either way, is it worth the extra money to buy Festools?
@@rocketman13f51 I do not understand what you are asking
Great job using calls for laying your laminate top! One tip for future reference, don't start at one end of the top. Start in the middle. Line the laminate up and pull the center call out. Run your hand down the center of the laminate so it adheres to the mdf in the middle only. This really helps if you are trying to keep the laminate square to the piece or if you have very little overhang. Starting at one end can get you out of square really quickly. Ask me how I know!
Great video!
Interesting for someone who has never used laminate before, he just happened to have a very nice laminate roller! Also there is water based low VOC contact clement.
Its always good for my woodworking to see somebody completely miss the point of these different tools
I enjoy watching you learn through making mistakes and probably many appreciate your sharing, so they don't have to learn the hard way. One thing I've learned over the years as a furniture and cabinet maker is that plastic laminate, sorry, isn't the best surface to use as a work bench top. Glue can stick to it and if it's not cleaned up before it's completely dry it can pull the laminate film right off if you don't remove it carefully, plus PL can chip and come off over time and thus is not easily reparable. I've found a better solution is to screw down a piece of 1/8 or 3/16" sheet of hardboard over the MDF, as it's less expensive and easily repairable (a quick sanding with the random orbit sander) and can easily be replaced when needed. I apply an occasional coat of linseed oil on it to help keep glue from sticking and to give it better protection. Your laminate edges will be the first to chip off and you'll be looking to replace them. I would recommend just laying the hardboard over the top of the edges leaving the hardwood edge showing which can easily be sanded when it gets dinged up. And yes as many have already mentioned you went way overkill on the number of dog holes you need. And you could have saved yourself a lot of work by simply using a "hold fast" through the dog holes, the kind you tighten and loosen with a hammer, as they will go through a thicker workbench top without having to do all the chamfering you did, plus they hold really well .
"woodworker showing how to build the cheapest table top surface out of two MDF sheets glued together using a shitload of expensive as fuck tools as dead weights"
The repeated camera wave made me chuckle and also made me subscribe. It is even more hilarious because I watch most videos at 2x.
The simpler way to add all those dog holes would have been to find a local company with an CNC router table, and have them cut them all to a precise measurement. Print shops, fabrication shops, all have these types of equipment, and in my area, would have cost you the same amount as your jig.
That is by far the best and most versatile workbench I have ever seen. I don't want to talk about the ton of time that you spent on that tabletop reducing the weight, lol. But adding up all the time it is also the most expensive 😢 tabletop
the Parf guide system is an excellent system to build out MFT style tables. I love the flexibility dog holes provide me . I can appreciate why people may hesitate , but they work perfectly in my workflow and the type of tools I use . I liked the tip on the chamfer bit on the underside . I want to rebuild my MFT table to be two layers thick to add that extra stability . Your solution will work perfectly thank you . I also own the wood pecker MFT jig I have never used it , the jig was an impulse purchase I thought the rougher method to bore the holes would be a perfect solution to the tear out I got using the Park guide system. I used baltic birch plywood to build my top . . I am surprised how upper able to utilize you apartment garage so effectively.
I noticed that some German wood workers were using laminate flooring to cover their workbenches. This gives you the 'Formica' top without all of the glue. And if you damage it, replace it. Things don't stick to it, and it looks really cool.
Your organic filters with the active charcoal need to be stored in an airtight container. The charcoal has a limited exposure to air life.
I have no doubt you will succeed on youtube big time as I spent half an hour watching you build a work bench that I would never build myself lol.
Drinking game: Shot every time he says "super" or "absolutely". I'm guessing this kills at least 3 people.
Yeah, the relentless emphasized superlatives are exhausting.
@@Graham_Wideman Absolutely super exhausting.
I've got dog holes and t-track in my bench. I use the dog holes for stops, and the t-track for clamping. Plus, I didn't put dog holes over the whole bench. Gives me a spot with no holes to work on small parts.
What about the exposed MDF in every hole? No moisture problems there?
And the T track on the side will quickly destroy the wood. Maybe he should coat it with that epoxy paint
@@robertapreston4200 Do dovetail tracks rip out? I wouldn't think there was much holding the clamp in, and imperfections in the wood grain might cause it to split. I've always been leery of dovetail tracks.
When doing large/messy glue ups I put down floor protection film on the benchtop. Masking paper is cheaper, but the film is sturdier and makes clean up that much easier. I have also never had a problem with t-track pulling up from too much force. But mine are on top of 3/4" ply with full length screws.
complains of tracks pulling out. Uses MDF as replacment! Flawless
Lol.. " All you have to do is drill a couple of holes."😂😅
Making holes in your table to sell a product to cover them up is ingenious...
That's hilarious! Get 'em coming and going.
- "Making holes in your table to sell a product to cover them up is ingenious..."
The purpose of those holes is actually explained on the video...
I suddenly don’t feel like such a schmuck. My projects almost ALWAYS wind up down the rabbit hole. Thx for being so transparent.
I'd die of alcohol poisoning if I took a shot every time he uses the word "super"
whereas if he used "underrated" youd happily chug straight grain alcohol
Thanks, I enjoyed watching the video, I made the same mistake with the double thickness top but I just bought 2 out of birch ply, ready made, for significantly less than the jig to make them costs!
I have to wonder why there would be a reason to install hard maple edges if they are then covered with laminate. Seems that putting the laminate directly on the edge of the doubled up MDF would provide just as solid an edge since the Jami ate would prevent the MDF from chipping or gouging (at least unless you gouged all the way through the laminate first).
A,so, a tip for preventing T-tracks from lifting out of the top. Instead of screws, use machine screws and a washer and nut under the bench or place threaded inserts in the material under the T-track and use machine screws into them. Plus a little blue loctite to be sure the machine screws stay tight. And you can always drill and countersink some additional holes in the bottom of the T-track if you want to reduce chance of bending between mounting points. These methods will work for anyone except the Hulk? And remember, the tracks are only aluminum so not intended to hold against super forces!
I went through the same journey - deciding on dog holes, wanting double thick top, struggling with inserting clamps, and then getting hole plugs. Luckily I went straight for the UJK perf guide system. But if you buy those magnetic hole plugs for all of those dog holes you are going to have one very very expensive top. I have a few sets, but thinking of 3D printing the rest.
Installs and uses t-track incorrectly, concludes t-track sucks.
😭😭😭
nah its junk
The more this video went on the more I thought I was watching a Billy Mays infomercial: "But wait! There's more!"
I put t-track on my crosscut sled and then bought a very expensive stop from a very popular RUclipsr. $75 later, I find clamping a wooden stop block remains the better approach and cost zero. Love your videos and approach. Congrats on wedding.
100% did the same thing and 100% agree. The kick in the nuts is… I knew it before dropping all that money but did it anyway.
@@theTobytheTitanwhich stop block did you buy? I’m considering one around the same price from a bigger you tuber and don’t want to waste me money if it’s the same as yours lol
KM. To be clear though- it’s nice. But… a scrap piece and clamp against the sled would be fine… for what I do.
I can 100% see how it benefits some.
I’m not trashing the product- I think you get what you pay for and its quality, precise, etc, etc.
@@terencemerritt0
I only use T track for fences and jigs that don't see glue etc. All they have to hold is the fence. They are easy to adjust but he's right, they aren't great for trying to clamp something down too. But that's not what they are for either.
You can buy black pip and pipe clamps making clamps any length you need. I have 2 14' pipe clamps that cost me $40 for both
My best hand plane cost me $90 and spending the time to learn how to maintain and sharpen your tools quickly not only teaches precision but it also encourages confidence in your own skills. It’s not as difficult as many people think and you don’t have to break the bank with spaceship looking planes.
They really are ugly to me, and then their price is even more ugly.
thought about that when he said handplanes were super expensive to buy. Of course they are if you get those stupid Bridge City things that aren't even that great. Why would I want a plane where the sides are screwed on and made from alu, so it isn't even usable on a shooting board. Just get a normal iron plane and be happy.
@@johndoe920 I feel for the people that buy them because of dumb takes like this. I was a newbie not long ago and bought a jointmaker pro because of stumpynubs. It just collects dust after quickly realizing its a dumb gimmick for someone doing something very specific I can't even think of.
All my hand planes are old, and I never pay more than $20-30 for them. If I'm going to have to go through all the set up and sharpening even spending hundreds on one, I might as well just do the same thing to an antique from the flea market. I've got a few old wooden body planes and they are honestly the best ones I have, better than the stanley's in my experience.
@@matts.8342 the good old wooden ones are not bad, I just can't deal with the setting up. I'm too lazy to poke a tool with a little hammer for half an hour when the same thing could be done by turning a knob a few turns. But that's mostly just me not wanting to put in the practice.
For dog holes i have a grid of 3/8 holes drilled all the way thru w/ 5/16 tgnuts underneath. I keep a bin of 5/16 bolts and washers handy, along w/ some scraps of 2x2 that have 3/8 holes in them for clamping stuff down
What if you put the holes at X, 2X, 4X, 8X instead of every X. You should be able to get most combinations of distances without so many holes.
21:51 Of course you will get an error in registering when you move towards the centre or, basically, further away from the edge you started from. Everything is build to a tolerance and this tolerance is reflected as an error in distances between the holes every time you move the hole guide to drill a new set of holes. If the tolerance is x, when you first move the guide to drill the next set of holes, the distance error (as measured from the starting edge of the board) will be twice x. The next (third) set of holes will have an error of thrice x and so on. If the absolute distances/locations of the holes do not matter, e.g. when you only intend to use them for attaching clamps and not for aligning pieces, then you can avoid situations where the built up tolerance errors prevent the hole guide from aligning properly by drilling all the holes moving progressively along the short edge first, then move the hole guide along the long edge, drill again all the wholes moving along the short edge and repeat the process until you cover the entire board. This way, you will get absolute location/distance registration errors but you will never come into a situation where the hole guide will not register properly in order to drill the next set of holes. All this is of course far easier to explain with a couple of pictures than with two-three huge paragraphs but youtube only allows text in the comments.
T-tracks work wonderfully if you install them properly and clean them after use. Cleaning them is actually easyer than cleaning the dog holes. You just did a very poor job with your tracks.
The best clamping system I know of is still the Gramercy cast steel hold-fast and a grid of 3/4” dog holes through the bench top. Couple that with a planing stop and you’re set for any operation. If you’re on a budget like almost everyone starting out in woodworking simply glue up a laminated butcher style top using 2 x 4 studs. If you have a planer that’ll make your life A WHOLE BUNCH easier or if you have a friend that has one. Or if you’re have the space make a Paul Sellers style workbench but with a Roubo style split top, he really got it right all those hundreds of years ago.
Today I Learned: Design is an Iterative Process, where the initial design to solve a problem looks nothing like the final product.
Here's a trick I picked up from watching old timer cobblers and carpenters working with contact cement - apply the contact cement liberally to one side of the 2 surfaces to be joint. Press the other surface (laminate) on immediately, then peel it off to dry off. This saves you from having to setup protection on 2 seperate areas for applying the contact cement.
By the time I buy all the special tools shown in this video, I could have bought a nice bench! 🤪
24:16 this is why I only use clamps that are straight ¾" shafts. They're super easy to make.
Our old wood shop teacher wouldn't even let us into the building with sandals on, pretty sure he'd frown on Crocs too.😄 He had what would today be a totally unacceptable way of getting his point across.
So kinda too late now but for the hole jig starting to get a little jiggly towards the middle, why not use some of the new dog holes to clamp it down once it was 'centered'?
On a personal note, long and happy life together to you and your new wife. Cheers!
I'm starting to build an updated(25 year retirement overhaul) bench. You have some good ideas I going to incorporate in building my update. Add a compartmented box below and you have a vacuum box as well. Incidentally, I glued melamine together on my first one and did the maple edge as well. If you have a granite topped kitchen island you can use it to provide a very level surface to assure flatness of your new shop tabletop. Use bags of sand for weighting. I used the sand for leveling my lawn later. OR you can just return them to Lowes when done. 😯😯😯
Cha Ching not Sha Shing😊
An 8*4 mdf does NOT weigh anywhere near 100 lbs. More like 77 - (37.5 kg in real money)!
"i used formica so nothing would stick to my tabletop, including epoxy"
"now i'm gonna put holes across the entire thing and ignore that epoxy will seep between the cracks!"
For which you use the reamer that he used to make the holes the correct size.
But he has a reamer....
Just wait until he realizes he'll only ever use about 5 or 6 of those holes...
So.. you have festool track with holes, you have festool router, and you do not get festool router bit designed to make 20mm holes in one plunge cut (part no 491072)?
Instead, you mess with this jig, copy rings, smaller diameter bit...
Bit too obvious...
A new work bench was already in my future. And I was already planning on getting one of those dog hole reamers. That seems like a pretty nifty tool. And I appreciate your transparency with tools instead of just paddling whatever garbage is out there for money, so thanks. And I particularly like that you used black epoxy to make the slide grooves blend in with the rest of the top.
This dude has been living his own lie for years.
Which is.....
fascinating how many critical comments, did he not pay you guys for fake likes and + comments?
For your large clamp dellima, I recommend pipe clamps. They are cheap, easy to assemble, and you can make them in any size
This is the best video of what not to do. Ingenius! Let me spend $10,000 for a $400 beginner table!
3:59
We always lay the top first. Then trim and finish the edges with a 45° cutter. Then, go around with a flat file to keep materials from bumping the laminate loose.
Guy uses about 20,000$ of festool equipment as weights to laminate MDF for a cheap DIY workbench ... that tracksaw would cost me about as much as two months of rent ... lumber prices doubling ...
I think i will let go of woodworking all together
Screw all that. Had my t track installed in about an hour. Glued and screwd with 1in screws it is NEVER COMING out or loosening. But to each their own
I’m really not convinced about that dovetail profiled dado all around the edge. That’s gonna get ruined.
Yes, that dovetail in MDF is not real strong in pulling forces from clamping
@bratt-38128 to be fair he did add maple edge pieces around the perimeter so that's what he routed the dovetail into
@@UnworthySeraphim You are right. I forgot about the edge boards by the time I watched him drill ten thousand holes and then redo them after his mistake.
Haha, I ran in exactly the same issue. I have a 34mm MDF and was exited to use the clamps from my tracksaw track. Aaah, great, it didn't work. I'll still have to unscrew the worktop and chamfer the holes from the other side.
I picked up a 10$ 3d-printed template for drilling the holes into the mft with a forstner bit. It worked quite nicely.
I can’t believe I wasted 33 minutes of my life watching this
I never seen the guide being clamped to the wood being cut... Isn't it necessary to clamp the saw track guide to the board to prevent it moving, or does it stay fixed, by design, whilst cutting?
Dude is so desperate to quit his day job he had like 30 ads in this video
Was it 30? I lost count.
I got sponsor block I didn't notice any
I suffered the price of the Parf system and the outcome was perfectly aligned holes (except one I messed up). The UKG reamer was necessary to get the polyurethane out of my holes after finishing-again, perfect.
Am I supposed to take a woodworker seriously when he is wearing sandals?
The most talked about carpenter in history wore sandals.
@@TheStonedbanana I never saw Bob Villa wearing sandals.
@@miked.9364 😂
@@miked.9364 ha, Bob Villa could have, all he ever did was a lot of talking and pretend to work, Norm did all the work, and I never saw him wear sandals either :).
Do you take him seriously in any circumstance? Remember when he converted a 20a plug on a saw he was given so it would plug into a 15a circuit? He is more of an example of what not to do. If OSHA ever takes a notion to regulate these folks channels like this one are gone.
Congrats, happiness and wellbeing to the young family!
I’ve been Down the T track and dog or should I say rabbit hole and I don’t like either one. Here’s what has been absolutely indispensable for me. Install a 1 1/2” wide board on one long side of the work bench 1 1/2” below the surface. Bore several 3/8” vertical holes down through the board. Get a 1 1/2” X 1 1/2” quad track aluminum extrusion the length of the bench from 80/20 aluminum. The 4 tracks fit 3/8” carriage bolts perfectly. Install some long ones along one side of the quad track, one for each of the holes you drilled. Drop this assembly into the holes, add a washer and nut to each bolt securing the quad track to the workbench. You now have both a horizontal and vertical track along the entire front of your workbench. You now have a track even with the top and face of your bench. It’s extremely versatile, rigid and won’t pull out. Get a couple of those Kreg clamps (the ones you showed that hook into the key hole plate you said you couldn’t move). They will slide the entire length of your bench horizontally or vertically. Now you can clamp any size work vertically or horizontally along the entire face of the work bench including long boards. You will find all kinds of jigs and fixtures you can attach using the carriage bolts I mentioned. I made a Moxon vice that attaches to the front of my workbench and a jig for routing mortises. I don’t need no fancy domino! Your imagination is the only limitation as to the creative ways to use this addition to your workbench. You’ll be amazed at what you can do with it.
I got an idea, how about you make a RUclips video. That way we can all understand what you are describing with 100% clarity. It just may get some likes and shares too. Just a suggestion.
Love this idea! Could you possibly post some pictures that would help me duplicate your setup?
What is Quad track?
@@johnrobinson1020 video posted at @randsipe224
In my younger years I worked with a neighbor doing cabinet refinishing with Formica :).. I also worked in a shop actually making the door for the cabinet doors as well. I have a few years under my belt working with this product.. With that said you have found a very effective way of putting down the sheet of Formica without it sticking when and where it should not.. and destroying the entire project. Looks like you got it down brother.. congrats. Top folks... have a very clean area where you are doing the gluing.. if anything gets on that glue that can cause a bump the project will be ruined... eyeball the hell out of the table and the Formica for anything that may have gotten on the glue before putting the 2 together or the project will be ruined. Let the glue get tacky to the touch but not dry.
You should definitely wear a dust mask.I mean really
Yeh mdf dust is nasty stuff
@@brett567 Atomised wood fibres and glue particles.
We used epoxy and glass micro balloons to lay aluminum Formica onto the Wellcraft Scarab engine hatches. Set bubble wrap a thin, flexible board, then 15 gallon buckets filled with sand. Looking back, a vacuum bag might have been easier?
I remember back in the 60s when Pop was building coin laundries all across the southeast. Just needed a small shop with some heavy Rockwell table and radial saws. Maybe a Delta jointer. If you needed a hole in your table you just cut the damn thing. After a while, like a month or so, you just glued down another sheet of 3/4" BC plywood. The end of the month month he would have us run around with magnets on a stick. You know for picking up the Ferrous leftovers amongst the 4"-6" of sawdust. It was the good old days. No safety stuff to get in your way while you threw nails at the running table saw blade. Now Formica on the other hand was ubiquitous everywhere in the 50s and 60s. Needed a great router, strong hands, a lot of quarter over router bits. Ah yes don't forget the contact cement in 55 gallon drums. It would have you gleefully singing Daydream Believer by The Monkees without the radio being on. If the radio was on, it was AM
I find my T-tracks nearly indispensable. Maybe my work process is just cleaner than some (I doubt it), but mine have never gotten clogged by glue or other debris. Also, once secured by countersunk screws, there is no way they're going to lift when clamping.
My workbench surface is a hardwood tabletop I bought from Ikea (relatively inexpensive). It is far more durable than MDF, not to mention prettier. An occasional renewal of the boiled linseed oil finish keeps glue from sticking to it.
As for dog holes, I made a short row of them perpendicular to my vise and figured I would drill any more as the need for arose. So far, I haven't needed any but those few initial ones.
Guy complains about “expensive to build” custom workbench. Builds just that using some of the most $$$ tools on the planet
It's not like those Festool items are one-and-done. He'll get decades of use out of them.
Few of the tips are useful, most - on the contrary! I really laughed at the statement about Bridge City's hand plane (the most expensive option available) - being difficult to operate, sharpen and adjust. Try a classic grater at a 20 times lower price - it will work!