Back and Front.—­The only operation to be performed on the front piece B and the back G is the notching of them both on the inside faces at the centre to take the ends of the bearer F, which performs the important function of preventing any bending of the top planks.  Lay the boards together, top edges and ends level, and mark them at the same time.  The square is then used on the faces to give the limits for the notches, which should be 1/4 inch deep and chiselled out carefully.

Draw cross lines with your square 3 inches from each end of both pieces, on the inside, to show where the legs are to be.  Bore holes in the boards for the 3-inch screws which will hold them to the legs.

Attaching the Trestles.—­Stand the trestles on their heads and lay the back and front up to them, using the guide marks just drawn.  A nail driven part way in through one of the screw holes, and a batten tacked diagonally on the DD lines, will hold a leg in position while the screws are inserted.  (Make sure that the tops of the legs and the top edges of B and G are in the same plane.)

Affixing the Braces.—­The braces DD, of 3 by 1 inch stuff, can now be marked off and cut exactly down the middle to the limits of the overlap.  Screw on the braces.

The bearer F is next cut out.  Its length should be such as to maintain the exact parallelism of B with G, and the ends be as square as you can cut them.  Fix it in position by two 2-inch screws at each end.

The bench is now ready for covering.  Begin with the front board, A1.  Bore countersunk holes for 3-inch screws over the centre of the legs and half an inch from the front edge, 1 foot apart.  Arrange Al with its front edge perfectly flush with the face of B, and tack it in place by nails driven through a couple of screw holes, and insert all the screws.  The middle board, A2, is laid up against it, and the back board, A3 (bored for screws like the front board), against that.  Screw down A3.

You must now measure carefully to establish lines over the centres of cc and F. Attach each board to each of these by a couple of screws.  All screws in the top of the bench are countersunk 1/8 inch below the surface.  Screw the ledge E, of 4 by 5/8 inch wood, on to the back of G, with 2-1/2 inches projecting.  This will prevent tools, etc., slipping off the bench.

[Illustration:  Fig. 6.—­Perspective view of joiner’s bench]

The Vice.—­This important accessory consists of an 8 by 2 by 15 inch piece, V, a 2-inch diameter wooden bench screw and threaded block, and a guide, F. (Note.—­A 1-1/8-inch diameter wrought iron screw is very preferable to the wooden, but its cost is about 4s. more.) V should be tacked to B while the 2-inch hole for the bench screw is bored through both with a centre bit, at a point 8 inches from the guide end on the centre line of V. This hole must be made quite squarely to enable the screw to work freely.  If a 2-inch bit is not available, mark