Whether you dabble occasionally in home repairs, enjoy constructive hobbies or employ yourself full-time as a carpenter, one of the most basic and necessary tools is a good, sturdy set of sawhorses. Learning how to build them is simple and will give you a good head start on your hobbies, home repairs or new career.
Most sawhorses are constructed out of two by four pieces of lumber. The planks do not have to be high-grade construction quality lumber but they should be flat and not warped or bowed. It is also possible to build a set of sawhorses out of larger cuts of wood as well. For really large projects, using two by six pieces of lumber can create a sturdier and bigger set of sawhorses for a larger workspace.
To begin construction on your new sawhorses you will need a hammer, a screwdriver if you desire screws instead of nails to fasten your wood, a circular or miter saw and several pieces of lumber at your desired width.
For the completely hand-made sawhorses, start by cutting four lengths of wood. These four ‘legs’ of the horse will determine the height you wish your sawhorses to be. This generally varies from between 24″ and 36″ depending on your individual height and the needs of your projects.
Mark the tops of your new sawhorse legs at a fifteen-degree angle and use an adjustable circular saw to cut the beveled edge of the legs so they will meet at an angle. Next, cut to size the length of lumber you wish the top of the sawhorse to be. The nice thing about building your own sawhorses is that you can build it exactly to the dimensions that fit your workspace and needs.
Place the bevel cut top of each sawhorse leg against the four-inch side of the two by four top and use nails or screws to secure it. Once all four legs are fastened to the top of the sawhorse, measure the length between the spaces of the legs about halfway down and cut a piece of wood for a brace.
If you feel challenged by the need to cut angles in your sawhorse legs, most hardware stores sell brackets that will allow you to insert straight cut two by fours in and attached them to the top of your sawhorse. Nail the braces in place on either side and you are finished with a simple sawhorse ready to go to work for you in your construction projects.
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