The space under a bench is very apt to become a catch-all and a nuisance, so as time went on they concluded that the extra cost of this bench was justified, although at the time the price seemed very high. Some of the cheaper benches they looked at are shown in [Fig. 87].
The quick action vise was a great time saver, as it could be pulled wide open or pushed back without turning the handle, as in the old screw vises.
A dozen of these quick action vises are on the market, and may be had at hardware stores for from four dollars upward.
This flat topped bench had no tool rack, and could consequently be worked on from any side. At first, the owners kept most of their tools in the large drawer at the top, but later on they made a good sized tool cabinet, which was fastened to the wall and will be described later.
The iron bench stop also proved a valuable feature, as it could be fastened at any desired height by a set screw, or dropped down out of the way below the level of the bench top. When planing thin wood, one end of the board is braced against the bench stop. Ralph found that starting with a new bench had another advantage. It helped his pupil to take good care of the bench. Harry was very careful not to saw or cut it as he might have done with an old bench, and to foster this spirit of carefulness, Ralph gave him for his first problem the making of a bench hook. ([Fig. 90].) The tools used in its construction were:
| 24-inch rip saw | Brace and 1⁄4-inch bit |
| 20-inch cross cut saw | Countersink bit |
| Marking gauge | 11⁄2-inch flat head screws |
| Try square 6 inches | Piece of maple, planed to 7⁄8-inch |
| 15-inch jack-plane | thick, 12 inches long, 10 inches wide |
Fig. 90. The bench hook
The maple board was first laid out as shown at a, a pencil line being drawn 2 inches from one edge. The piece was placed in the vise horizontally, and both long edges planed straight and true and tested with the try square.