5 Attachment(s)
Bench hook as temporary shelf
My bench, although long, has only a small working area kept clear. Much of the rest of the bench has tools arranged (that's arranged, not heaped, piled or thrown) on it. This works for me since most of what I do is small scale so I don't need a large space and prefer to have the many tools I use close to hand for quick access.
Attachment 35833
Nevertheless, I occasionally work on a larger project that taxes that small work area. Mostly, the project will fit in the work area but the tools in use don't have a place to lie.
The bench has both a metal working vise and a traditional woodworker's vise for those very rare occasions when I work with the brown stuff. I also have a beefy bench hook that I made many years ago...
Attachment 35834
So, for bigger projects, I clamp the bench hook in the woodworking vise to form a sturdy cantilever mini shelf by my right hand, a perfect place to lay tools not in use at the moment.
Attachment 35835
The hook can also be used in that position with certain accessories that bolt to the T-nuts installed on its underside.
Attachment 35836
Or the accessory can be left in place and the hook simply flipped over and reclamped to provide an unobstructed shelf area.
Attachment 35837
Again, like my folding table...
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...550#post162617
the hook table can't be left in place when the car is brought into the garage so it's guaranteed that it will be cleared and hung up at the end of every shop session.