Thank you. I'm very guilty of using my tools to make me as fast as possible to make a living, but with a project like this it's lovely to take it back to basics.
Chilling out this morning and thought I'd watch this video Kev. Very good method with the 1/2" and 6" from the end. I don't think I've ever made any saw horses (if I did it was with the other guys, as a team build to get them turned around really fast. That's, probably why I can remember making any) Great video. Good to support you too. Have a great day Jamie
I was lucky I think, I could sometimes get the opportunity to make one of these on the job,but never made very many. Thanks for watching! Funny how this one still gets some traction.
Many many thanks for a great video Kiv. Clearly explained every steps. I have been trying to make a saw horse for a long time but failed miserably in every attempt. Having watched your video, I think I am confident to give it another go. Thanks
I feel your pain mate, tried to do the folding sawhorse as my first DIY and I've lost all my hair and gained a few wrinkles on my forehead. Gonna try out this one, the instructions are clear, even a dummy like me understands every step
When I was apprenticed to my father he had me make tons of sawhorses on site. Similar method with just a couple of measurements for the splay and a few compound cuts. Great video. K.
I think it's such a good job for an apprentice to do, involves many of the skills needed, but low risk as it's just a saw horse. I used to love it on site where we had to work in a bigger group and you'd have half a dozen or more sawhorses, all slightly different, made by different carpenters. Great for working on an oak frame together on the flat.
Thank you for the easy to follow video Kev, just bought the same book you’ve got there, I’m a landscaper by trade but looking to move into carpentry and doing these has definitely given me a bit more confidence without all the maths which I’m terrible at 😂 keep coming back to this video whenever I get stuck on the angles n getting the legs right 👍
Beautiful work! I have made a sawhorse very similar to this without the splay and without the notch in the header piece. I will try making yours next time. Thanks!
Enjoyed the video I am a retired old-school linoleum layer pattern or scribe most of my work. I like your approach to woodworking. I like how you use metric and imperial measurements I am in the process of teaching myself the metric system
It's the way I was taught at school was metric,but dad was imperial (he has started to use metric more these days) and the guy who trained me used both. I love using either. If I had to pick metric would be my choice, but imperial works so well for bigger stuff. Thanks for watching. I've tried to do quite a few woodworking videos, you might like the one I did about making a carved trivet.
Back in the day we used to have to make a new set of these on every new site. They make a very good saw horse. The only thing I would add for clarity is that every angled line is the same, the same bevel setting.we used to set the bevel at one in seven I think lol, a long time since I have made one. Perhaps just out of interest we would also bang the saw horse on the ground to settle the legs before marking the bottom of the legs with the block of wood. We would also endeavour to never accidentally cut into them and carpenters would rarely lend them for that reason.we occasionally put stretcher on the long side and used it to cut deep skirting boards securely and easily. Great instruction vidio!
I long for the days where the first job would be to make the shop items needed for the job! When I was an apprentice we'd do stuff like that, and one job where I worked on a gang for a millionaire for 18 months we had a workshop area where I build a workbench and stuff. Was great to have it all set up on the job site. I used to love it if I went on a job with my mate and we'd have four saw horses set up to make soemthing, sometimes more, especially with framing.
This is a great project for hand tools and one that will make every project thereafter easier. I always think they're the kind of thing you never regret building.
Just home DIY when its needed. I planed some doors down today with an electric after it was required when new carpet laid. I bought saw horse from screwfix, plastic types. I had a clamp but In noticed not really able to on the horse. Pressure one hand and planer the other. Took a while as had 5 to do. The planer I have does not take down too much at once hence taking a while. But first time and enjoyed. Hence why watching this.
I use plastic trestles all the time, they're ideal for some things like painting doors, but for using and tools I find them a little high. Saw horses are great as you can use your body as a clamp for hand tools.
About 55 years ago we implemented the metric system in Canada and we're still using the imperial system for lumber, plywood, clothing and you could find many, many more.
I think the metric system is better in nearly every way, and yet I still use imperial for a lot of things. It takes time to be good at both, but I think it's worth it. Being able to switch between them is great. I worked for a year for my dad doing agriculture engineering and being able to switch for the spanners without thinking about it was really useful. But the other night trying to explain to the kids why the vinegar at tea was sold as 586ml was tricky, "but why?" The imperial system is still there all the time!
I'm in the States and I'm only now "sort of" getting used to the metric system. I'm always in awe of people who can effortlessly switch between them, especially in carpentry.
These have a good mix of both, the housing joints help hold them together and the mechanical fixings pull it all up strong. My last set are 20 years old and I've had to wind a few more screws into them to firm them up, but otherwise they've been trouble free. It's also how much time you want to invest in something that is a work aid.
@samhain689 yeah I think so. Obviously be a lighter duty sawborse, but then not everyone is as heavy as me. Will depend a little on what you use it for.
I used a bit of 4x1 that I think came from a pallet. Anything really that's flat and not too thick. If it's free even better. I think my last horse had a bit of old fencing on it.
That's fora different purpose really this is for using a hand saw on, so your own weight is in the right place, holding down your work. I do use higher ones now, which I call trestles, but they are mainly for power tools and breaking down sheet materials.
Chippies nowadays cant use hand tools, im a 55 year old chippy and i pull my hair out with how bad they are now, but they think they are good, you do that exactly how it should be done.
I think I was lucky with hiw I was trained, first big job I went on was a barn conversion and we had no power there for ages. Cordless tools were only just coming in. I grew up around Ludlow and that town has always been ten years behind! Lol. Sometimes on site now, speed is valued too highly. Not sure if you've been on any new build lately, but my advice would be don't if you want to keep your sanity.
Yes unfortunately i site manage and see these guys with £10k worth of power tools but they dont understand the basics of carpentry, but the worst thing is you cant tell them, they think they know it all. I fitted out a Costa Coffee in Ludlow about 15 years ago, its a strange place on the night time😮 . I have taught in colleges for the last 10 years on and off and they need to learn to do it by hand aswell as with power tools
@@MartsTravel I was a deputy site manager for a while in my 20s and a finishing foreman. I fell out with more than one supposed carpenter. But they're all price monsters, not one cares about the job, even when we had guys that could make £450 a day on a job (talking 15 years ago here) they'd still want to make more and moan when I'd get them back to put something right. Used to drive me mad "I'm only doing one snag list" they'd say, then wouldn't do anything on the list. I had a guts full in a very short time of new build. Hope I never have to go back to those jobs, but never say never and all that.
If you cut them roughly to just over 2ft (600mm) then trim them to a length that works for you when they're all on that should be about right. Finished height (from the floor to the top of the sawhorse I set for about 520mm.
What is the easiest solution to fix cut on bottom of legs I had it pretty good fooled with it and ended up with it rocking now I want to try and get it right 🤦♂️other than that worked out really well
@@ifeellikeiminthematrixagai9720 so I'd find a flat surface, get some wedges of packers and then shim it so it measures evenly to the floor both ends and looks flat across the top. Then get a piece of wood that is big enough to mark right round the bottom of the legs and hold a pencil level with it, mark each leg. Then cut along those lines making sure it's a compound cut and follows the marks right round each leg.
@@englishhomestead in my case the flat surface was the kitchen island...just don't tell my wife 🙂I started with 26" pieces for the legs, but given what I cut off for 21" finished height, could have gone with 25". Thanks for posting this video!
You know - Andy who trained me to be a carpenter had one with a shelf on it, still has I think. But it would forever collect sawdust, it was handy when we'd use them as hop-ups as it was like having an extra step to get up there!
Thank you. I always think a saw horse is such an essential tool for hand tool woodworking as well. Once you have a pair it makes everything so much easier.
@@englishhomestead I built a set 40 years ago and still use them today, a different style but just as handy. I think I’ll build a set of these as well.
@danielgeng2306 mine are about 20 years old now, and used so often. They've held up well but it's nice tk have some new ones which are a bit nearer the start of their life! Such a handy tool. Tomorrow I'm splicing a door frame and I know I'll take one with me to work off.
I mean I'm a professional carpenter and although I use them less than I did they're still an important part of the kit. Especially ideal for a project like this so it can shoe people you don't need to spend a fortune on kit to get stuff done.
I still use mine. If it's a small short/quick cut, when I'm working in someone's home or in a commercial building , you avoid the mess created by a power tool. And if you're using a corded tool, there's the problem of an extension cord and trip hazard. And I still would rather reach for my small 8-point crosscut to finish off a bird's mouth or a stringer. Over-cutting a stringer was a big no-no when I was an apprentice.
Okay, hold on: you said without maths. Measuring from a ruler or tape measure is actually math. You can't do it without math. Perhaps you meant without using complicated math, and a whole lot of figuring.
I mean you're right, but even if I said the legs were the lenght of your shin bone you'd still have to count four of them. Even my breakfast involves maths, counting the piece of toast and number of eggs. You are right though, because everything involves maths, but there's no complicated joinery. Unfortunately maybe I've gone for a "grabby" title to get some views, but I liek to think the maths is all pretty basic, and easy to remember.
Well done that man!
An easy to follow project that requires minimal tools, more videos should be like this.
Thank you. I'm very guilty of using my tools to make me as fast as possible to make a living, but with a project like this it's lovely to take it back to basics.
Chilling out this morning and thought I'd watch this video Kev. Very good method with the 1/2" and 6" from the end.
I don't think I've ever made any saw horses (if I did it was with the other guys, as a team build to get them turned around really fast. That's, probably why I can remember making any)
Great video. Good to support you too.
Have a great day
Jamie
I was lucky I think, I could sometimes get the opportunity to make one of these on the job,but never made very many.
Thanks for watching! Funny how this one still gets some traction.
Many many thanks for a great video Kiv. Clearly explained every steps. I have been trying to make a saw horse for a long time but failed miserably in every attempt.
Having watched your video, I think I am confident to give it another go. Thanks
Ah thank you. I wasn't sure about putting such a long video out there but it was harder to get it shorter
I feel your pain mate, tried to do the folding sawhorse as my first DIY and I've lost all my hair and gained a few wrinkles on my forehead. Gonna try out this one, the instructions are clear, even a dummy like me understands every step
Fantastic to see you posting Kev - thoroughly enjoyed that
Ah thank you! I'm always so nervous about putting videos up!
Saw this video a year ago, liked it, and came back yesterday to make my own. The result was amazing! Can't thank you enough! Greetings from Brazil!
Oh my god thats so cool! Thabk younfor letting me know. Could you email me a picture so I could put it on my blog? Be amazing I'd you could.
When I was apprenticed to my father he had me make tons of sawhorses on site. Similar method with just a couple of measurements for the splay and a few compound cuts. Great video. K.
I think it's such a good job for an apprentice to do, involves many of the skills needed, but low risk as it's just a saw horse. I used to love it on site where we had to work in a bigger group and you'd have half a dozen or more sawhorses, all slightly different, made by different carpenters. Great for working on an oak frame together on the flat.
Thank you for the easy to follow video Kev, just bought the same book you’ve got there, I’m a landscaper by trade but looking to move into carpentry and doing these has definitely given me a bit more confidence without all the maths which I’m terrible at 😂 keep coming back to this video whenever I get stuck on the angles n getting the legs right 👍
@InDiscovery_ ah thank you! Woodworking is such a good skill to have in the bag, and sawhorses make so many woodworking jobs easier.
Beautiful work! I have made a sawhorse very similar to this without the splay and without the notch in the header piece. I will try making yours next time. Thanks!
@@HeroOfTime303 thank you! Let me know how you get on!
Enjoyed the video I am a retired old-school linoleum layer pattern or scribe most of my work. I like your approach to woodworking. I like how you use metric and imperial measurements I am in the process of teaching myself the metric system
It's the way I was taught at school was metric,but dad was imperial (he has started to use metric more these days) and the guy who trained me used both.
I love using either. If I had to pick metric would be my choice, but imperial works so well for bigger stuff.
Thanks for watching. I've tried to do quite a few woodworking videos, you might like the one I did about making a carved trivet.
Back in the day we used to have to make a new set of these on every new site. They make a very good saw horse. The only thing I would add for clarity is that every angled line is the same, the same bevel setting.we used to set the bevel at one in seven I think lol, a long time since I have made one. Perhaps just out of interest we would also bang the saw horse on the ground to settle the legs before marking the bottom of the legs with the block of wood. We would also endeavour to never accidentally cut into them and carpenters would rarely lend them for that reason.we occasionally put stretcher on the long side and used it to cut deep skirting boards securely and easily. Great instruction vidio!
I long for the days where the first job would be to make the shop items needed for the job! When I was an apprentice we'd do stuff like that, and one job where I worked on a gang for a millionaire for 18 months we had a workshop area where I build a workbench and stuff. Was great to have it all set up on the job site. I used to love it if I went on a job with my mate and we'd have four saw horses set up to make soemthing, sometimes more, especially with framing.
Thank you! Many of us don't own a lot of power tools, so your instruction is extremely helpful!
This is a great project for hand tools and one that will make every project thereafter easier. I always think they're the kind of thing you never regret building.
a lot of it you have to do either way, like knowing where to cut, and a lot of the time hand tools are quicker and more convenient anyway
@@Nilhilustfrederi yeah a healthy mix of both power tools and hand tools works well for a lot of carpentry and woodworking jobs.
Great build and explanation. Thanks
Ah thank you, they're so handy to have around. If you build some let me know!
Just home DIY when its needed. I planed some doors down today with an electric after it was required when new carpet laid. I bought saw horse from screwfix, plastic types. I had a clamp but In noticed not really able to on the horse. Pressure one hand and planer the other. Took a while as had 5 to do. The planer I have does not take down too much at once hence taking a while. But first time and enjoyed. Hence why watching this.
I use plastic trestles all the time, they're ideal for some things like painting doors, but for using and tools I find them a little high. Saw horses are great as you can use your body as a clamp for hand tools.
Thanks for the great video. I have seen a similar saw horse being made but this one was easier to follow.
Thank you. There's many ways to make them but I find this way so easy without all the complicated geometry. Easy to knock up on site.
Great lesson in compound carpentry for beginners too
Yeah, its such a good project in so many ways for learning carpentry. Especially as they're so useful afterwards.
Hello I want to know if I can have the sawhorse that you have at the beginning of the video I love it
Haha, I'd be sad to see it go. Funny how I get attached to things. It's been a good sawhorse over the years.
About 55 years ago we implemented the metric system in Canada and we're still using the imperial system for lumber, plywood, clothing and you could find many, many more.
I think the metric system is better in nearly every way, and yet I still use imperial for a lot of things. It takes time to be good at both, but I think it's worth it. Being able to switch between them is great. I worked for a year for my dad doing agriculture engineering and being able to switch for the spanners without thinking about it was really useful.
But the other night trying to explain to the kids why the vinegar at tea was sold as 586ml was tricky, "but why?" The imperial system is still there all the time!
I'm in the States and I'm only now "sort of" getting used to the metric system. I'm always in awe of people who can effortlessly switch between them, especially in carpentry.
Very informative video kev
Thank you! I was worried with how long this video is people might loose interest, but for my little channel it's done pretty well.
Are sawhorses stronger if held together by screws or nice, interlocking joinery?
These have a good mix of both, the housing joints help hold them together and the mechanical fixings pull it all up strong. My last set are 20 years old and I've had to wind a few more screws into them to firm them up, but otherwise they've been trouble free. It's also how much time you want to invest in something that is a work aid.
Would this work using 2x2 timber for the legs?
@samhain689 yeah I think so. Obviously be a lighter duty sawborse, but then not everyone is as heavy as me. Will depend a little on what you use it for.
Ok thanks. Good easy to follow instructions👍
@@samhain689 thank you!
What would you use for the sacrificial top ?
I used a bit of 4x1 that I think came from a pallet. Anything really that's flat and not too thick. If it's free even better. I think my last horse had a bit of old fencing on it.
Thanks for that, great instructions
@@barrytorrance6088 thank you! Honestly the right work holding is what makes carpentry more of a pleasure.
Good video bud.
@@marcusevarus thank you ❤️
Make the saw horse taller.. Hip or stomach height.
That's fora different purpose really this is for using a hand saw on, so your own weight is in the right place, holding down your work. I do use higher ones now, which I call trestles, but they are mainly for power tools and breaking down sheet materials.
Chippies nowadays cant use hand tools, im a 55 year old chippy and i pull my hair out with how bad they are now, but they think they are good, you do that exactly how it should be done.
I think I was lucky with hiw I was trained, first big job I went on was a barn conversion and we had no power there for ages. Cordless tools were only just coming in. I grew up around Ludlow and that town has always been ten years behind! Lol. Sometimes on site now, speed is valued too highly. Not sure if you've been on any new build lately, but my advice would be don't if you want to keep your sanity.
Yes unfortunately i site manage and see these guys with £10k worth of power tools but they dont understand the basics of carpentry, but the worst thing is you cant tell them, they think they know it all. I fitted out a Costa Coffee in Ludlow about 15 years ago, its a strange place on the night time😮 .
I have taught in colleges for the last 10 years on and off and they need to learn to do it by hand aswell as with power tools
@@MartsTravel I was a deputy site manager for a while in my 20s and a finishing foreman. I fell out with more than one supposed carpenter. But they're all price monsters, not one cares about the job, even when we had guys that could make £450 a day on a job (talking 15 years ago here) they'd still want to make more and moan when I'd get them back to put something right. Used to drive me mad "I'm only doing one snag list" they'd say, then wouldn't do anything on the list. I had a guts full in a very short time of new build. Hope I never have to go back to those jobs, but never say never and all that.
What is the length of the legs 🦵?
If you cut them roughly to just over 2ft (600mm) then trim them to a length that works for you when they're all on that should be about right. Finished height (from the floor to the top of the sawhorse I set for about 520mm.
@@englishhomestead ok thanks buddy
What is the easiest solution to fix cut on bottom of legs I had it pretty good fooled with it and ended up with it rocking now I want to try and get it right 🤦♂️other than that worked out really well
@@ifeellikeiminthematrixagai9720 so I'd find a flat surface, get some wedges of packers and then shim it so it measures evenly to the floor both ends and looks flat across the top. Then get a piece of wood that is big enough to mark right round the bottom of the legs and hold a pencil level with it, mark each leg. Then cut along those lines making sure it's a compound cut and follows the marks right round each leg.
@@englishhomestead in my case the flat surface was the kitchen island...just don't tell my wife 🙂I started with 26" pieces for the legs, but given what I cut off for 21" finished height, could have gone with 25". Thanks for posting this video!
Thought the chickens were about to break out then
Most of the year they wonder about the place as I'm here all the time. Just locked up at the moment due to avian flu restrictions.
I like to throw a shelf on my sawhorses.
You know - Andy who trained me to be a carpenter had one with a shelf on it, still has I think. But it would forever collect sawdust, it was handy when we'd use them as hop-ups as it was like having an extra step to get up there!
Nice tutorial, great little hand tool primer for someone looking to get a taste of woodworking old school! Thanks
Thank you. I always think a saw horse is such an essential tool for hand tool woodworking as well. Once you have a pair it makes everything so much easier.
@@englishhomestead I built a set 40 years ago and still use them today, a different style but just as handy. I think I’ll build a set of these as well.
@danielgeng2306 mine are about 20 years old now, and used so often. They've held up well but it's nice tk have some new ones which are a bit nearer the start of their life! Such a handy tool. Tomorrow I'm splicing a door frame and I know I'll take one with me to work off.
Who is using hand saws 🤔
I mean I'm a professional carpenter and although I use them less than I did they're still an important part of the kit. Especially ideal for a project like this so it can shoe people you don't need to spend a fortune on kit to get stuff done.
People who love working with hand toolsg; or people who can't afford power tools.
@@patriciajrs46 even as a carpenter of 20 year I still love getting the handsaw out. I certainly don't use it as much as I did though!
People with advanced skills;)
I still use mine. If it's a small short/quick cut, when I'm working in someone's home or in a commercial building , you avoid the mess created by a power tool. And if you're using a corded tool, there's the problem of an extension cord and trip hazard.
And I still would rather reach for my small 8-point crosscut to finish off a bird's mouth or a stringer. Over-cutting a stringer was a big no-no when I was an apprentice.
Okay, hold on: you said without maths. Measuring from a ruler or tape measure is actually math. You can't do it without math.
Perhaps you meant without using complicated math, and a whole lot of figuring.
I mean you're right, but even if I said the legs were the lenght of your shin bone you'd still have to count four of them. Even my breakfast involves maths, counting the piece of toast and number of eggs.
You are right though, because everything involves maths, but there's no complicated joinery. Unfortunately maybe I've gone for a "grabby" title to get some views, but I liek to think the maths is all pretty basic, and easy to remember.
@@englishhomestead It's okay. I'm just picky. I'm sorry for that.
Maths not Math
@@MartsTravel what, exactly, does your answer mean?
@@patriciajrs46 it means the correct way of saying the shortened version of Mathematics is Maths, not Math, which is wrong.
Too much talking - difficult to understand w/your brogue. The presentation appears mor ad hoc than well-organized.
We're not all from california and and having an English and Herefordshire accent is something I'm proud of. Sorry you didn't like it.
@notcharles What a ridiculous thing to say about his accent. You need to get out more.
Kev speaks good English with a clear, clean speaking voice and minimal accent.
@vickypins3034 thank you 🙏
Hey Smart ass , why don't you post us a video on how to do it and we'll offer you some constructive criticism