Best bench dog for your MFT

Best bench dog for your MFT
In this video we take a look at the humble bench dog, from the cheap and cheerful up to the more sophisticated super dogs.
We take look at the simple plastic dog, the Festool square faced dog, the Parf dog, the Parf super dog and the Quad dog from Benchdogs.co.uk
I then out my money where mu mouth is, and invest my money in a full set for the workshop.
This is not a sponsored video, all products demonstrated have been purchased y self and as a result my views and opinions are my own.
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[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi, bit of an oddball this week looking at bench dogs, come on you know you are excited... Anyway, enjoy.

[@markdavis9990]

Really interesting video highlighting all the technicalities, however, I cut up 20mm plastic conduit to suit my personal circumstances. It’s much cheaper and I’ve never had a problem with accuracy. Keep up the good work.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Thanks Mark, Nice solution, but I could you see you getting movement in some situations. I guess it depends on your use case. Andy

[@markkoons7488]

I thank you for your excellent reviews or tutorials. They are especially valuable to those who live hundreds of round-trip miles from the nearest retailer who may well be determined to sell whatever he has on hand. Here in Wyoming space is not so much of an issue. On first exposure the appeal of those wobbly, expensive little MFTs is hard to imagine. There's no one around with any experience to explain the errors inherent to my views. In my current understanding a Formica-skinned outfeed table bored according to the Parf system seems a good initial adaptation of the MFT plan. Thank you again and I hope you'll keep up the good work.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi Mark, Good to know it’s adding value and saving some wasted trips. I will be making a video (probably next week) that will explain why I am about sell my MFT’s and go for a self build. It will probably help with your ‘love’ of the ‘wobbly, expensive little MFTs’ Talk soon Andy

[@theduftmeister]

just about to spend some £ on dogs for my new MFT top. So glad I found this video and didn't end up spending money on the wrong type. thanks Andy

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi, No probs, glad it helped. Since this video, Benchdogs have now introduced a small chamfer option on the base. It gives a bit more stability. Worth a look. Cheers Andy

[@Cameron2874]

Perfect timing for me as setting up new workshop and looking for benchdogs at moment. Thanks for the thorough review. Know exactly which ones going to get now

[@TheWoodgrafter]

You are very welcome, Glad you found it of use. As an update, Benchdogs.co.uk have now added a small chamfer disk as an option. benchdogs.co.uk/collections/quad-dogs/products/quad-dogs™-chamfer-too-for-base-stainless-steel I have a set and will be reviewing at some point in the near future. Cheers Andy

[@Cameron2874]

Thanks I will lookout for it and hold of order till watched it

[@docbodholt2384]

Great review. Appreciated. I'm going for the Quad dogs.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Thank you for the feedback. Cheers Andy

[@hanzon1529]

Very informative comparisons. Many thanks.

[@garyfoster3076]

Your videos are awesome

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Thank you Gary, That is very kind of you. Andy

[@canuslupis3343]

Hi, first time I’ve seen your channel, but I liked the pragmatic approach to reviewing tools so I’ve subbed.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Welcome on board, thank you for the comments. Andy

[@stevengreen4316]

Im new to the game and just received my MFT top. I know accuracy is important but please believe me when i ask not out of sarcasim but general hunger for knowledge. We are talking been out by a midges dick, i mean what is someone building that if really matters that much. Expecting a tirade of abuse(deservedly so) but forgive naivety. Just for future reference it would be nice to be armed with the know how. Thanks

[@ronboe6325]

Being new to the MFT system I bought two Parf Super Dogs and the chamfer cutter (I cut chamfer where I need them vs doing all of the holes). After watching this I went out and tested the Parf Super Dogs for wiggle and found them to be much less than you test without the chamfer. As suspected, that chamfer ring adds some stability. I do find the o-rings fiddley which is annoying. I have some o-ring kits for my motorcycles and I think I'll experiment with them to see if I can improve that aspect of them.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Thanks for getting in touch. Yes I find those O rings to soft, much preferred the harder rubber of the quad dogs. You can now also get a chamfer ring for the quad dogs so will probably add a chamfer at some point. In terms of the movement - I have since discovered that the holes in the MFT do have some variance between them - so not all 20mm. Not sure if that is a manufacturing tolerance or wear over time. Let me know how you get on with the new o rings. Cheers Andy

[@Benchdogtools]

A great explanation and a great video comparing different brands. Always a pleasure to watch your work on your channel . 👍🏻

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Thank you Ralph, Thought you may find this one interesting. Talk soon Andy

[@stevenliu1070]

I will say it would be useful if your site has more guidance on how your products work. I'm having to go to KZbin videos like this to figure them out.

[@RogerSchoeni]

Very nice review, thank you very much. Great to see the close detail comparison to see what micro movement they have

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi Roger, Thank you for the feedback. The movement on the quad dogs is super simple, the Parf dog movement feels a little bit over engineered. It may be because they are trying to cover three devices in one. But I thought it was worth sharing. Andy

[@samrix5793]

Good video!

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Cheers Sam, Talk soon. Andy

[@elnifflarsen]

Good video and fair assessment. I, myself use the superdogs in my chamfered mft top and they are in my opinion as sturdy as the quad dogs that au also have a set of.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Thank you for the feedback, yes the chamfer makes them very stable - I think it is the soft range rubber that give them the flex without the chamfer. Cheers Andy

[@silverfox8801]

Really appreciate these vids. Have learned loads. And I’m a seasoned carpenter 👍👍

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Wow, thank you that is really nice feedback. Cheers Andy

[@julianniemeyer1655]

Very Good. How about a follow-up on the various clamps and clamping options?

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi Julian, Good idea - I will see what I can beg borrow and steal. Cheers Andy

[@travisradke9753]

@@TheWoodgrafter Yes! Same request for me as well, please.

[@bigmonkey999888]

Hi, Andy quad dogs look really impressive so I guess it's a kit for me. Indulgent I guess but it’s a birthday treat to myself lol Steve

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hey, you are worth it - Peter Millard over at the 10 min workshop did a review on the quad dogs as well. He coupled them with the B ring - to make a really simple domino type clamp. Have a look at that (it’s on Ralph’s web site) may just push you over the edge ;-) Enjoy, and happy birthday when it comes. Andy

[@bigmonkey999888]

The Woodgrafter cheers Andy don't know yet if Peters discount code still works Steve

[@TheWoodgrafter]

BVR Railway I think when I tried it, it had expired. But always worth a go. Andy

[@gametakeaway]

@@TheWoodgrafter Try these instead of the b-collars, bit.ly/2HoOPNq I have both and the go-kart collars have the same outer circumference and are cheaper. Got the idea+link from Tomasz of CasualDIY channel.

[@howardbecdove9780]

Thanks. Found that most interesting. I have your top two candidates and also a number of assorted other brands. Worth mentioning to be aware not to mix your dog brands on the same plane. As I discovered, not all dogs are born equal. They may well fit the same 20mm hole and be round in shape, but they often don’t have the same circumference above the table as each other.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi Howard, Excellent point on the “not all dogs are born equal” until you mentioned it - never even crossed my mind. I ‘assumed’ 20mm dogs would be 20mm. I will be out with the callipers later on having a measure. Given you have the brands, what is your experience. Do you agree or have a different view? Talk soon Andy

[@howardbecdove9780]

The Woodgrafter become aware of it when I had my mft fence hard up against a set, but locked by the mft mitre set and clamp. They were there as a backup. Then I later replaced them with another set. The gap was more than a mm. I put back originals and it was fine

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Howard dove Thanks for the follow up, yep makes perfect sense and will share it with the community on the next vlog.

[@howardbecdove9780]

The Woodgrafter With the parf system I bought the chamfer tool (not cheap) and marveled at the options, but in reality you have to make sure you keep all the bits together and keep re remembering how it puts together. In the end I couldn’t be bothered. It’s like buying a piece of electrical equipment, such as a microwave, with all the features, but in the end all you want is start, pause, and stop. 😄

[@TheWoodgrafter]

howard dove LoL, yes I know what to mean. For me to put things in my workflow, it has to be easy and quick and do the job. The super dog seemed over engineered, and I just wouldn’t use the extra bits. Did you find any advantage of the chamfered holes ? Andy

[@dave1812]

Very Interesting Comparison! Helped me quite a bit in my decision on which dogs to get

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Thank you for the feedback, Glad I could help. Cheers Andy

[@TheWoodgrafter]

And.... what did you decide ? If it was the Benchdogs, then use the code thewoodgrafter at checkout and get some discount. Cheers Andy

[@dave1812]

@@TheWoodgrafter I went for a Combination of Parf Super Dogs and I'm gonna Order the Benchdogs aswell. I'm using the Parf System to make my own MFT Top, so i think the Original Parf Dogs with the Chamfer are going to be great for use with the Festool Track But I will get a few of the Benchdogs in different sizes for added flexibility and as my "Standard" Dog for that rock solid alignment

[@craigturner2756]

Great vid. I was thinking of the parf dogs but you've convinced me on the Benchdogs instead. 👍

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Thanks Craig, Glad I could help, hope you enjoy them. Cheers Andy

[@carlbrothers]

Interesting information as I am new to the MFT/bench/parf dog setup. I just put a series of holes around my main work table for cutting with my track saw. As the holes are new and in Plywood, they are tight as heck right now. As I use it more I imagine I will need to move to the quad dog type arrangement.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi Carl, If what you have now works - why change. I do love the quad dogs though. Cheers Andy

[@carlbrothers]

@@TheWoodgrafter I am speaking of LATER when the holes are no longer as tight as they are now. Right now I have to push them out from bottom of the table they are so tight. I don't own a MFT, rather I just have the Mark2 UJK Parf Dog Jig and made a lot of holes for my table.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Carl Brothers Ahh got it, yes see what you are saying. I am not sure how much slack the quad dog will take up, I’ll see if I can measure it and let you know. Interesting question. Andy

[@carlbrothers]

@@TheWoodgrafter I started with a jig from Woodpeckers, but that was very inconsistent and they knew it was prone to stack error. I returned it after trying to just see what it could do with 20 holes and failing to get decent results. When I confronted WP about the issues they said they knew, and that the jig is more for clamping holes versus making anything that required accuracy like a cutting station. The accuracy with this UJK Parf guide system is stunning.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Now that is interesting, I was thinking about a jig - Trend - for my new work en h build. But I need 100% accuracy for my work flow. Will.look at the WP jig - to see if it is a similar design. It may be Peter’s jig after all...

[@richardmarquardt6246]

Looking forward to the workbench with mft style top you talked about a couple of weeks ago.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi Richard, Not long now, it will be over on the web site. Finished the design today, so now ordering the stock. I will produce the design video in the next few days so you can see what the plan is. Cheers Andy

[@ourscreatif]

Great video and really helpful. I tried your discount code and it didn't work - shame because I know you get a small bonus each time it is used. By the way, the best value for the fully populated set is to buy the twin set and the mega 2 set separately, You get a spare systainer, 2 extra base units and some extra rings, for exactly the same cost.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi, The code should work thewoodgrafter What error message did you get ? Cheers Andy

[@DuncanEdwards.]

Looking forward to your "Dog Kennel" lol, as I have the bench dogs You are so right, they are tons better than the Parf range

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hey Chewy, long time - how's things. I am going to build the 'dog kennel' into the new work bench - so I can just grab and go with the appropriate dog for the job. Thanks, as always, for the feedback. Andy

[@mingueyox]

Hey Andy. Thank you so much for your work explaining all these bench dogs. Quick question though, I am not sure what a QWAS dog is and how they relate to these dogs shown in the video. Cheers. Olivier

[@ezza88ster]

Thank you for this great vidi. Someone who actually explains the whole thing conceptually, brilliantly done. Were you a college lecturer by any chance? Really helped me clarify ,I think for my use some cheap ones for hand tool work and some Quad ones for a home-made track saw set up is the way to go; Subbed.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Thank you for your kind words, No never a college lecturer - I just try and give the information I would want to know, plus just naturally curious about things. Your plan makes sense to me, enjoy :-) Cheers Andy

[@normanboyes4983]

Very fair review.Did you review Ralph’s ‘Rail Dogs’?

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi Norman, Thank you, yes it was part of the updating the MFT series. This one should help kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6nKZqKLoKdmnKs Cheers Andy

[@Ajwatters]

Hey Andy, Nothing to do with this video, did you ever get round to doing a comparison video of the difference in the incra dovetail or the liegh dovetail jig if you was only going to buy 1, I understand they both have different pros and cons but I still cant make my mind up on with to buy. Many thanks for your help and advise

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi Aj yes ages ago, you can find it here kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2fJYWuDe66FZrc Hope it helps. Andy

[@Ajwatters]

Thank you for your extremely fast response.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

👍

[@cliveclapham6451]

Aswell as parf dogs and the new ones Festool ones most of the time I used 20mm electric conduit cut to about 50mm and they are a snug fit and don't move around. Fine for most jobs and the price is right. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi Clive, 20mm conduit is a genius idea - I would never have thought of that. I will give that a go and pass on the tip on the next VLOG. Cheers Andy

[@cliveclapham6451]

@@TheWoodgrafter 😂👌👍😎🤔

[@brendansullivan869]

Just found your KZbin channel and wished I'd seen it before buying Parf Super dogs last week. Like you, I found them extremely difficult to remove from the holes. Helped a little putting paraffin wax on. One question, will the quad dogs O-rings fit the Parf dogs?

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi Brendan, Welcome to the channel. Just pooped into the shop and tried the Benchdogs black rings on the Prf dogs. Worked like a charm, perfect fit, tight grip in the MFT and they don’t bind in the hole. Great idea, can’t think why I didn’t think of it. Cheers Andy

[@brendansullivan869]

@@TheWoodgrafter Thanks for that. I'll order some.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Your welcome, Cheers Andy

[@i679n5]

Andy you where very positive to the rail dogs when reviewing them some time ago. Specially when it came to the cut line. I would say benchdogs very seldom need to be high, unless they are fo the guide rail. So do you use quad dogs for the rail or do you prefer the rail dogs? Or do you even use the railsquare with dogs....? :) Many questions but I think you get my point (i.e. what do you recommend).

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi I use the rail dogs for the rail, and quad dogs as my main go to dogs for pretty much everything else. The reason I use the rail dogs is that they position the cut line between the 20mm holes - using the technique of resting the trail against the dogs, places the cut hole through the 20mm holes (if that makes sense). I use the rail square when the cut is wider than the capacity of my cutting station on the bench, long rip cuts is a prime example of that. I don't use dogs with the rail square My recommendation would be.. Set up a cutting station with the Fence, track saw and track dogs Use the square for long cuts Cheers Andy

[@i679n5]

@@TheWoodgrafter Makes sense and very clear. So your use of the rail square is more to breaking down sheets. Then maybe all the RS accessories can wait for later. I will prioritize the rail dogs. Good advice :)

[@debandmike3380]

no matter how great the dogs are you're still dealing with three-quarter inch MDF with stresses always being put on the holes causing them to eventually wear out of perfect. many woodworkers try to sell the whole 90° dogs only set up with festool rail and hooks but I think that's a fool's errand.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Agree, on my bench I use a much harder version of MDF that is thicker, so far no issue with accuracy. Cheers Andy

[@FuzzyScaredyCat]

The fully loaded set doesn't seem to exist any more, unless you go for the £210 version)

[@TheWoodgrafter]

That’s a shame, just checked looks like Benchdogs have moved to the ‘mega sets’. I’ll ask Ralph next time we talk. Cheers Andy

[@patrickploenzke489]

Are their any Budget ones at all?

[@TheWoodgrafter]

It with the twist type action to lock them from above, But standard dogs are pretty cheap on eBay. Cheers Andy

[@patrickploenzke489]

@@TheWoodgrafter What company sells a budget dog for the MFT3

[@TheWoodgrafter]

@@patrickploenzke489 Hi Patrick, I haven’t used and therefore can’t recommend any - but this is the type of thing. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PAIRS-of-Precision-CNC-Alloy-Turned-Dogs-for-Festool-MFT-3-20mm-Hole-Bench-Table-/264677974676?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0 Cheers Andy

[@Spike-ey4bg]

With the amount your MFT moves around when pushed/pulled the word accuracy is misused when only using 2 dogs, your work HAS to be locked down which is not going to happen with 2 dogs.

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Thank you Spike72 I did get accurate cuts with that system. However, I have now replaced those benches and built something more solid. Cheers Andy

[@user-zr1oj2kc7m]

Not happen too bye bad design on signal close for it danger for to think good it whobay where

[@TheWoodgrafter]

Hi, I am not sure what you are asking, sorry. Andy