How To

How to Build a Sawhorse

By eHow Home & Garden Editor
Rate: (2 Ratings)

The sawhorse is a staple in any woodworking environment, and a matching pair of sawhorses is a great asset to any workshop. Sawhorses that you build yourself are often stronger and last longer than sawhorses available on the market. You can position your sawhorses to accommodate any length of board and find just the right place to make your cuts.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Safety glasses
  • Table or circular saw
  • 2 by 6 inch boards
  • Drill
  • Clamp
  • Decking screws 2 1/2 inch
  • 1 by 4 inch boards
  • 3/4-inch thick 9 by 36 inch plywood
  1. Step 1

    Gather all your materials. Be sure you have safety glasses and know how to use your power tools properly and safely. Set your saw blade to a 15-degree angle. Make beveled edges along both sides the length of a 2 by 6 inch board 36 inches long. If you're making two, repeat the process with a second board.

  2. Step 2

    Use 2 by 6 inch boards to create the legs. You need four boards cut to 32inches long for each sawhorse. Bevel the top and bottom ends of the boards at a 15-degree angle to allow the legs to sit flush against the top piece of the sawhorse and the floor.

  3. Step 3

    Drill pilot holes into the four legs 4 inches from the edges. Clamp the legs to the top piece and secure the legs to the top with 2 1/2-inch decking screws. You can use nails instead, but screws give more stability and strength.

  4. Step 4

    Create cross braces, which can also serve as support for a tool shelf. Measure about 14 inches up from the floor on your sawhorse. Mark the length and angle in pencil on a 1 by 4 inch board. Use your pencil marks as a cutting guide. The board should be flush with the legs when finished. Use this first cut piece as a template for your other three cross braces once you're certain it's cut correctly. Cut the other pieces.

  5. Step 5

    Screw the cross braces to the legs, two on the inside and two on the outside of the legs. (For two sawhorses, you need eight 1 by 4 inch pieces.) Be sure you use pilot holes before screwing in your cross braces, as the wood will splinter without them.

  6. Step 6

    Cut a piece of plywood or other wood for a shelf. This piece will lie across the cross braces. Secure it with screws. You can add a lip to your shelf to help keep tools from falling off when you're working.

  7. Step 7

    Add a plywood or other wood top to your sawhorse to make your sawhorse even more useful. The top surface can double as a workbench. Use a 3/4-inch thick piece 9 inches wide and 36 inches elong. Again fasten it with screws, but this time in addition to drilling pilot holes, use a countersink or larger drill bit to create a countersink hole. Then insert screws. This will keep the screw heads from interfering with your workspace.

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eHow Article: How to Build a Sawhorse

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