# Holdfast in MDF



## paridgerunner (Jan 1, 2019)

Anyone use holdfasts in a MDF bench top?

My bench top is 3" of MDF with 3/4 dog holes.
The hole edges are eased with a 1/8" round over.
The edges and first inch or so of the holes are soaked with thin CA glue.

Curious if anyone has experience with MDF holding up, or not, using holdfasts.

Thanks,
Jay


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

The silence is telling.


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## RightBrained (Jan 23, 2018)

I drilled dog holes into my 1.5" thick MDF outfeed table and my gramercy holdfasts work perfectly fine with it. I can't tell a difference between the MDF and my southern yellow pine workbench.


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## Bill_Steele (Aug 29, 2013)

My workbench top is also 3" thick MDF and I have dog holes-they are holding up fine-at least 10 years so far. When you say "holdfast" are you talking about the type that you tap down with a mallet onto the stock? I've just been using dogs as stops and then use either my face vice or I have the Veritas wonder dog to apply clamping force.


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## paridgerunner (Jan 1, 2019)

> My workbench top is also 3" thick MDF and I have dog holes-they are holding up fine-at least 10 years so far. When you say "holdfast" are you talking about the type that you tap down with a mallet onto the stock? I ve just been using dogs as stops and then use either my face vice or I have the Veritas wonder dog to apply clamping force.
> 
> - Bill_Steele


Yes, I am referring to the ones you tap down to seat and tap the back to release. My concern would be the wear on the inside of the dog hole over time since the holdfast relies on side pressure on the inside of the hole. My thought is the CA glue helps harden the inside of the hole, but is it enough to keep the hole from being deformed drastically over the long run.


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