A bench hook is a simple woodworking accessory called a jig used to hold wood still while sawing. It is sacrificial meaning your saw will cut through your piece of wood and slightly into the bench hooks base.

To use a bench hook, place it on the work surface with the "hook" against the edge of the table. Wood is held against the stop. Clamps are not needed because the wood is held by pressure.

You will need as listed below- wood, battens, nails (or screws if you know how to use a drill) otherwise nails are just fine.

Tools:
• a hammer or (or a drill)  if you have one and know how to put screws in.
• a tenon saw (or whatever saw you already have or can borrow-)

If you have neither hammer or drill then you can just glue one batten in place at a time with PVA glue, put a weight on top and leave it to dry for several hours. When its dry then glue the other.  Make sure you spread the glue on all of the bottom surface of the batten to make sure it holds firmly when you come to use the bench hook.)

Materials:
•  A small scrap plywood or a flat piece of wood or MDF (craftwood) approx 19mm thick. Size doesn't really matter, use what you have on hand.  250mm wide  x 250mm long is ample.

As you are about to learn all the techniques, it would be good not to have to saw it to size so see what you can find in the way of offcuts at the hardware shop, builders timber yard or local joinery. Make sure it is flat and smooth though and not cupped or twisted. (And remember that not everyone knows what a bench hook is!)

• 2 x battens of pine approx 19mm thick x 42mm wide. It used to be known as two by one (2 inch x 1 inch) Depending on the width of your base scrap piece , each piece only needs to be 200mm long. Pine is easier to work with because it’s soft and easy to saw and nail or screw. See if you can get some offcuts.

• The nails (or screws) should go right through the batten and into the base half its thickness.  If your wood and batten is 19mm thick then use 30mm long bullet head nails. Two in each batten, (placed about 30mm from each end).

Method:
Nail or screw the battens in place (no glue) lining it up with the top edge of the wood (as in photograph) and leaving space of at least  40mm to the right if you are right  handed or to the left if you are left handed.

Do the same on the ‘hook’ side – the part which will hook around the work surface, so that it can be reversed when one side is worn out. 

Don’t use glue because you wont be able to recycle it by moving the battens around to the opposite sides later on when it’s worn.

Please feel free to contact me by email or call 0266843160 if you need some help.
You can also order one to be sent to you for $20 including postage.
Cheers, Patt Gregory, Woodwork for Women