P.S. I showed the Thing on Starsky's Table to my friend who is the REAL Starky & Hutch fan
She says:
"At first I thought it was a mixer---for making cookie dough!
But I think you're right it's a bench vise.
He also has a mobile of mechanical parts, which I assume he made himself (so cute, the idea of it).
More importantly, check out that orange and blue pot-holder. It says "COOL". And there's a fern."