If you do many home repair activities, sooner or later you'll need sawhorses. They get your work off the ground and raise it to a height that's easier to work with. They also come in handy when you need a work table--just lay a sheet of plywood on top of two sawhorses for a temporary work space.
One of the drawbacks of traditional sawhorses has been their size. They tend to be bulky and difficult to store. The solution: folding sawhorses for easy storage.
Materials:
2"x6" lumber (top piece)
2"x4" lumber (legs)
1"x4" lumber (braces)
1-5 /8" all-purpose screws
measuring tape
straightedge
eye bolts (wood-screw type)
short light-weight chain
gate hinges
circular saw
drill, with drill bits and driver bits
safety glasses
(optional: metal handle)
- Measure and cut the 2x6 to create a top piece for your sawhorse. Most sawhorses are about 36 inches wide, which provides a stable base for a 4'x8' sheet of plywood. However, you can adjust the size to suit your taste.
- Measure and mark 2x4s to create four legs for the sawhorse. The legs should be between 32 and 36 inches to create a comfortable working height.
- Before cutting, unplug your circular saw, and set the angle gauge to 15 degrees. This will bevel the top and bottom of the legs so that they'll provide a flat surface when the legs are open (figure A). Be sure to make the top and bottom angles parallel to one another.
* To speed up the project, lay all the legs side-by-side so you can make all the cuts in one pass.
- Measure and mark 1x4s to create two braces. The braces should be six inches shorter than the top piece of your sawhorse. Unplug your circular saw and reset the angle gauge to create a straight cut.
- Dry-fit the braces onto two legs, six inches above the bottoms of the legs, so that the ends are flush with the outer edges of the legs (creating a figure "H"). Drill pilot holes to prevent the braces from splitting, and secure the braces to the legs using 1-5/8" all-purpose screws.
- Attach gate hinges to the tops of the legs.
- Measure and draw a center line down the length of the 2x6. Center the leg assembly on the 2x6 so that the top of the hinge is flush with the center line (figure B). Mark and drill pilot holes, and then secure the hinges to the 2x6 with screws. Repeat the procedure to attach the second set of legs for the sawhorse.
- Finally, use eyebolts and a small chain to prevent the legs from opening too far. This will provide additional stability to the sawhorse.
* Optional: Attach a metal handle to the side of the top piece for easy carrying and storage.
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