Dog Hole Clamps

Most dog hole clamps in our collection are designed to fit standard 3/4-inch (19 mm) diameter bench dog holes, which is the most common size found on woodworking workbenches. Always check individual product specifications for hole diameter compatibility before purchasing.

A bench dog is a peg that fits into a hole in the bench top and acts as a stop against which a workpiece is pressed by a front vise. A dog hole clamp, like the Bora Self-Adjusting Dog Clamp, grips the workpiece directly from below through the hole — no vise needed.

Yes. Self-adjusting dog hole clamps work independently of a vise by gripping the workpiece through clamping action in the hole itself. This makes them well suited to benches without a front vise and to situations where you need workholding away from the vise end of the bench.

Self-adjusting dog clamps use an angled or cam-action mechanism that tightens around the workpiece when downward pressure is applied. The clamping force increases with the weight or downward force on the workpiece, making them very secure during planing and assembly operations.

The Bora Dog Fence spans multiple dog holes to create a continuous straight edge that acts as a stop for wide panels or long boards. It is especially useful during hand planing when you need to hold a long workpiece against lateral movement.

Yes. The Bow Products Low Profile Clamp Kit is designed to hold thin stock without the clamp body interfering with tools passing over the work surface — an important consideration when using hand planes or routers over the workpiece.

Dog hole clamps are primarily a workbench workholding system. For workholding at the router table, table saw, or bandsaw, see our featherboards & workholding collection, which includes stock guides, featherboards, and push sticks designed for machine use.

The Veritas Wonder Dog & Wonder Pup are a pair of bench clamps designed to work together: one fits in a dog hole at the tail end of a workpiece while the other holds the opposite end, allowing you to clamp panels and workpieces of varying thickness without a traditional face vise.

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Explore our featherboards & workholding collection for machine workholding, and our full Shop Essentials category for hardware, layout tools, and bench accessories. Our learning blog also has tips on setting up an efficient workbench.