Hold fast! That's boring.

So, the goodies. Funny how a sizable chunk of lettuce doesn't seem to come to much - at least, not when it's lying in a heap and not being used. Finally sorted out my lamentable lack of trammel heads, so I fully expect to never require a large circle or arc ever again... The Wonder Pup is for the bench-on-bench which has been on the Tuit List for some time now. Got the wood, got the gadgets, just need to do it. And turn up some vice screws to finally get that wooden tap earning its keep... The straight edge doesn't photograph well, but it's the 38" one and shows that my bench top isn't too bad, but not perfect. Drat. Finally the holdfast. Been wanting one of those off and on for years, but never had the guts to bore the hole in "The Bench". Well the bench-on-bench got me thinking more seriously about getting it, and then after flattening it I looked on "The Bench" as more "the bench" and felt maybe boring a hole or two in it wasn't such sacrilege after all.

So that's what I did this afternoon. I went through all my 3/4" auger bits, and even tried a 13/16" or two, to try and find a suitable fit. All were a trifle snug - or hopelessly sloppy, auger bit sizes being given more in hope than accuracy. In fact the sloppy would have been okay for the holdfast, but no good for the Pup; and I wanted to be able to take that in any holes too, just in case. The undercarriage of the front vice is in the way of where I was going to put the hole, but I think I've got it in an okay spot now. In hindsight maybe I should have lined it up with the existing bench dog hole better... Ach, no matter. As long as it works.

The deed is done, and I'm not actually a total babbling wreck wondering what possessed me, which has to be a good sign... The bit cut a nice clean hole, but marginally too snug. I ran a round file up and down the inside a few times to open it up a bit, then drove the post of the holdfast right through the hole a couple of times. Brutal, but it loosened everything up just enough to make it work smoothly. Then a job for the monserously large snail countersink; just a quick twizzle to ease the edge of the hole for neatness.

Et voila! It works. And very, very effectively.But don't bother clicking for a larger piccy; the light was poor, and ergo the focus. However, I'm well impressed and might end up hankering after another one if I'm not careful... I expect I'll end up with a few more holes as time goes on, but I will try and refrain from turning the bench top into a Swiss cheese if I can. Trouble is this is all good fun, but not getting done that which I should be getting done. So really I must postpone the bench-on-bench a little longer. Sigh.

And finally a word about introducing character recognition in the comments box. I don't like doing it, but I've had a rash of spam comments which I'm hoping to avoid. Apologies for making life that little bit more tedious than it should have to be though :~( Could be worse; I could have elected to check every comment before it gets posted. Ah, the power...