Interesting Sawhorse plans

[Midnight Man]

First up, I will say at the outset that I have no association with the person whos plans I am showing here, other than the fact that I thought the design was quite clever, and I've since had feedback from other forumgoers that the design is something they're keen on making for themselves. The plans are not free, but are paid-for, and cost USD$5.00.

I started out my search for inspiration because I was unhappy with the generic metal-legged and pine-top type sawhorses you get for sub $20 at any green shed - they're not well built, often don't sit properly on the ground, and certainly don't fold up or stack that well when you have limited space and much to store.

High on my criteria was something I could build myself, something that collapsed and could truly be stored flat, and something that was strong.

Given those criteria, here is what I found:

A brief view of the design can be seen in the snapshot below.

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However, the true cleverness behind the design can only be seen "in action", and to that end, the plan owner has a video showing the features of these sawhorses:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkqhJh2wSgM&

I hope this might be of use to someone - I have not yet built these yet, so at this stage, am somewhat limited in my ability to answer any questions, though I do have the full set of plans.

[woodPixel]

Outstanding!

[Bushmiller]

MM

It looks like a winner to me.

Regards
Paul

PS: Also no association with the vendor.

[ian]

you should also check out
Krenov style sawhorses https://luthierconfessions.blog/2017/10/18/some-new-shop-furniture/
https://npcarey.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/8730356a3b3e7c7153357d41431afb5fc638f1b6.jpg?w=640
Japanese style horses https://makezine.com/projects/workhorses/ or Woodworking, DIY Building Saw Horses - The Samurai Carpenter (http://samuraicarpenter.com/woodworking-diy-building-saw-horses/)
https://s3.amazonaws.com/finewoodworking.s3.tauntoncloud.com/app/uploads/2017/10/18162550/011265058-700x394.jpg


https://youtu.be/nsHpJnYInDo

[Glider]

The Shopdog sawhorse is brilliantly conceived and designed. Thanks MM.

My first thought was simply to build a couple. Then the ghost of my fourth grade teacher suggested I give the inventor a measly five dollars for his plans as a way of thanks. Plans now downloaded pain free from shopdog.com. On to the shed...

mick :)

And no, I don't know this rooster!

[pach]

High on my criteria was something I could build myself, something that collapsed and could truly be stored flat, and something that was strong.


I was after exactly the same thing. I have decided to try a set of Krenov Design but modify them slightly by:

1. Using pinned tenons on the bottom stretcher
2. Not fixing the top stretchers in, just rely on the half laps at the top.

i have roughed one up to test the design and it seems to hold up ok.

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[ian]

you can fix the top stretcher using a tapered through pin.
"genuine" Krenov horses use a blind pin AKA a piece of 8 mm dowel

or, to be really flash, you could use a threaded insert and a 1/4-20 threaded bolt

[Beardy]

Those Krenlov style do not look very stable and solid to work off but I guess it depends on what you use your stools for

[poundy]

I was after exactly the same thing. I have decided to try a set of Krenov Design but modify them slightly by:

1. Using pinned tenons on the bottom stretcher
2. Not fixing the top stretchers in, just rely on the half laps at the top.

i have roughed one up to test the design and it seems to hold up ok.

443610

Funnily, I saw the link above to the Krenov sawhorse and instantly thought I wonder what it would be like with pinned and removable tenons. Can I ask what it's like after assembly and disassembly a few dozen times ? I suspect, depending on the timber, it might get a bit sloppy....



The Shopdog sawhorse is brilliantly conceived and designed. Thanks MM.

My first thought was simply to build a couple. Then the ghost of my fourth grade teacher suggested I give the inventor a measly five dollars for his plans as a way of thanks. Plans now downloaded pain free from shopdog.com. Agreed, they're quite ingenious, and really fit with what I am looking for in some new ones. And I fully agree with the $5 decision, I did the same. Thanks MM for pointing us to them !

[orraloon]

Its a well thought out system especially the miter saw stand. They could also be the base for an assembly table or a cutting table. Shop dog is perhaps a better name than saw horse for those. To my mind a saw horse is about knee high so you can use a knee to hold the work being sawn. Those are pretty clever trestles. I may have to knock up a couple as they could be handy in my space constrained shed.
Regards
John

[pach]

Can I ask what it's like after assembly and disassembly a few dozen times ? I suspect, depending on the timber, it might get a bit sloppy....



I haven't completed them yet so haven't had a chance to use them. The Douglas Fir I used is quite soft so I suspect there will be a little give over time. By the same token I just want to use them to hold longer pieces and sheets to cut down, so they may be ok for my use.

[Spyro]

I haven't watched the Shopdog video yet

But I really like Pask's tripods, they seem to take the least space than anything else when folded
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjJ72aMZsGo

[ian]

But I really like Pask's tripods, they seem to take the least space than anything else when folded
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjJ72aMZsGo
and he's pretty good with a handsaw too

[FenceFurniture]

443592

Collapsible is very good of course, especially for those with little storage space. The downside is less strength, but that doesn't always matter too much. Here is another option posted by Damian (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f56/sawhorse-plans-43906#post2066900) earlier this year. I made four of those (with a variant) and they are hell strong.

[AlexS]

:DThe thing I like is that the top (Part A) can be easily replaced when I cut through it.:D

[woodPixel]

The sawhorse guy is pretty good. He has a few interesting plans... all donationware: Plans – Pask Makes (http://paskmakes.com/plans/)

[Midnight Man]

:DThe thing I like is that the top (Part A) can be easily replaced when I cut through it.:D

This (because I'm clumsy, and new, and will goof up more often than I'd be prepared to admit), and the fact that they collapse and thus won't take up space in the little I have left were the main points for me.

I do see others suggesting trestles, and Krenov style, or Japanese style sawhorses - thank you! I had gone through looking at them, and whilst they're fantastic - and appeal to me, personal circumstances pointed me in the direction of these. I'm tempted to make a shed-fitout thread when I get going on it properly, it'll become relatively clear why I don't want to waste space :(

Thank Bushmiller (Paul) for prompting me to post these, stupidly, I found them a few weeks ago and didn't think through the fact that these might not be widely known.

[Chris Parks]

Lot's of designs out there all around about the same and some with minor design differences


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48s1RNT13_w&index=7&t=0s&list=PLEb0Ut6A7deZhW9Sbf0EGMmTaxGrJpTyJ

[NCArcher]

The first comment on that video is Shopdogdude saying he ripped off his design. :U

[Chris Parks]

The first comment on that video is Shopdogdude saying he ripped off his design. :U

Yep! I don't see how he can get upset about something that has no IP protection whatsoever.

[FenceFurniture]

I have an idea for that design, which would allow it to be used at different heights.

Instead of using the strap (or a knotted rope) between the bottom braces to stop the legs spreading, you could drill holes in each of the four legs at (say) three different heights. Then cut piece of timber about 200mm long and embed a piece of threaded rod into each end, with the rod sticking out of the timber by about 30-35mm (which is the thickness of the leg plus 10-15mm).

Insert the rods into a pair of holes that spread the legs to the required height. If you require even more stability/strength then screw a nut onto the 10-15mm of rod that protrudes through the other side of the leg.

That may even allow for deleting the bottom brace on the two pairs of legs which would make the whole unit lighter, and consume less timber to construct.

With the spacing of the three different heights you could try to get a bit clever by making the top and bottom holes the same distance apart as the distance between the rods in the bracing piece - that way when the horse is collapsed the brace/rod piece could be inserted through both legs to stop them opening up.

One part I haven't thought through is how to sit the top piece into a V that would now have a variable angle - but I haven't watched the video either - that may offer a clue.

EDIT:
1. the bottom of the legs would probably be better to be rounded to cope with the three different angles.
2. Where he cuts a notch in the top of the legs to accommodate the top-piece there would need to be a slightly different idea used. Leave the legs forming a V (that would have three different angles, depending on the height selected). Rebate three different matching Vs into the top-piece so that they are all adjacent to each other. For the middle height the top-piece would be centred, and a rebate on each side of that would match the lower and upper heights. That would mean that when the lower or upper height was set then the top-piece would be offset from centred. Each setting would mean a movement of about 50mm either way from centred (assuming 20mm thick legs x2 plus 10mm separating the different Vs). A more cumbersome alternative would be to have three different top-pieces, but I don't really see that the top-piece moving by 50mm either way would be problematic.

[Lappa]

Have you got a rough picture? From my reading,and I may have it wrong:D , wouldn’t the legs just separate without a nut on each thread to stop them?

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[damian]

Collapsible is very good of course, especially for those with little storage space. The downside is less strength, but that doesn't always matter too much. Here is another option posted by Damian (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f56/sawhorse-plans-43906#post2066900) earlier this year. I made four of those (with a variant) and they are hell strong.

Yeah I was going to link to that thread. I have had a LOT of use from mine since I built them. They aren't pretty but they get the job done, and stack nicely.

[FenceFurniture]

Have you got a rough picture? From my reading,and I may have it wrong:D , wouldn’t the legs just separate without a nut on each thread to stop them?

443654Close, but no smoke yet. :D The rods go into the brace perpendicular, and same into the legs.

[Bushmiller]

Perhaps the easiest way of adjusting the height would be to use a deeper top beam. I can envisage a range between 75mm and 250mm, although most of the designs call for a nominal 100mm: Much more than that and stability may start to be an issue as the wobble factor comes in to play..

I see these style accessories as more akin to trestles than saw horses, but that is me being pedantic and it certainly won't stop me making some. Anybody know where we can get some suitable timber?

:rolleyes:

Regards
Paul

[Chris Parks]

Along the same lines but a bit off topic is a flat pack assembly table

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[woodPixel]

... or a knotted rope

:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup: