Boys and Girls,

 

Another review I found that has not “insomniated” readers dedicated to CN and didn’t moonlight over at LJ… cannot copy, so I will try to ad-lib here.

 

In the leadup to the hero of this topic, I shall make reference to alternatives that I found not as efficient, but may be in some peoples’ price category/workshop. 

 

I often hear our ageing members complaining about how hard simple chores are starting to become…  Hell I’m one of those whingers, and rather than complaining about escalating prices, I’m forever on the lookout for anything making my remaining days easier.

 

If you have read some of my reviews, I might have convinced you that I’m an avid advocate of the Fe$tool MFT style tabletops.

 

While I’m a Fe$tool tragic I haven’t surrendered to “their MFT tabletop” but have been mesmerised by the UJK Parf System that will permit you to plagiarise that style without patent breaches. 

 

Taking my convenience that step further, I have adopted to my intimate family the UJK Parf Super Dogs 

and extended the invitation to the TSO Power-Loc Dogs  

 

Both these two latter products have a small collar to prevent them from falling through a 20mm dog hole.  Unfortunately, this collar lets them sit about 1mm proud of the tabletop.

Rather than grind them down and have them fall through, the idea is to chamfer the top of the hole.

 

 

My first option was to use a large countersink and as I have the Beall countersink,

 

slapping it in a cordless (preferably drill) will work

Nevertheless, the problem of depth stop arises.  You can add the countersink to a vertical drill guide to control the depth and ensure a 90°, perpendicular operation.  I just happen to have the Woodpecker’s  one 

 

that I used extensively with the Beall in the past.

 

While some members have a Beagle, but not a Beall countersink, so another option is to use a “V” chamfer router bit with a follow bearing,

The beauty of these two options is that you can increase the size/depth of your chamfer.

 

I then discovered the UJK Chamfer tool

which let me get into tighter spots than the above two methods.

Unfortunately I can now address my failing body syndrome and admit that the Chamfer Tool’s effectiveness and/or continual repeatability played havoc with my dodgy left arm and solicited objections from my attempted severed right thumb… consequently reaming had to be conducted in shifts.

 

I then caught a glimpse of this little gem that can be cordless drill mounted. The Reamer portion has a gentle lead in and four cutting flutes to ream the holes to a precise size.  This lead in guides the Reamer 90° into the original dog hole…

And then the Chamfer blade jumps into action without leaving the tool, provide the necessary depth to seat the collar.

 

No more tired left arm, whingeing right thumb and only replaced with an exercised, muscle bound,  trigger finger.

 

The one good thing about this gizmo is that it can be reused down the track to clean up and ream all your benchtop/jig holes that have gone to the dogs. 

 

There is a cosmetic downside.  If you like everything to be pretty-pretty, it may leave a light burnish around the perimeter of the dog hole if you prolong with the depth feed.

 

While this may be the subject to another review, the reamed hole makes perfect seating for these Benchdog metallic MFT dog hole covers,

There are plastics available or you can 3D print some, however, I suggest insertion of a magnet for top of bench removal when you can’t reach under to pop up... as I do with the metal ones,

 

Hell, all you young pups that like the MFT style tabletop (however it’s made) and chose to ignore, can struggle with your normal difficult, time consuming ways, while I can start, finish and sip my vino with my feet up on the empty casks while your missus fetches the underarm deodorant half way into the task.

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