How to Make Saw Horses
Saw horses will provide you with a stable and portable working area for your next building project.Carpenters have relied on these basic tools for generations, with some changes over the years. While you can buy saw horses at hardware and home improvement stores, it is much cheaper to make them yourself. With a little knowledge of tools, you can make a set of saw horses to start your portable workstation off right. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Seven 8-foot-long 2-by-4s
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- T-Bevel
- Circular saw or miter saw
- Hammer
- Framing nails or wood screws and drill
Instructions
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1
Measure one 2-by-4 to 4 feet. If you purchased 8-foot boards, this will be the middle point. Measure twice to ensure you have the right cut. Mark the line using a pencil and a T-square at a 45-degree angle.
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2
Saw the 2-by-4 using the miter saw or circular saw. Each half should be the same size. Measure both to be sure. Many times the home improvement store will have lumber that is not exactly 8 feet.
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3
Repeat this process three times, measuring and sawing each 2-by-4 to a length of 4 feet, with a 45-degree angle. Next, saw the opposite end of the 2-by-4s to a 45-degree angle. This will leave you with eight pieces of 4-foot 2-by-4s with a 45-degree angle on each end.
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4
Place two pieces of cut lumber with the angles against each other to form a triangle. Nail or screw them together, keeping angles straight and even. Repeat this process three more times to complete the four legs.
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5
Determine the width of sawhorse you desire. Normal measurements for portability are 3 to 4 feet. Saw the remaining uncut 2-by-4s to the length you desire. Ends should be square and flat, with no angle. This will be the brace between two legs.
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6
Clamp one leg to your workstation, with the joint at the top. Attach one brace by nailing or screwing it the leg. Nail from the outside of the leg, in toward the brace. Repeat the process to attach the second set of legs to the brace.
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7
Saw the last 2-by-4 into four 2-foot sections. Attach this brace to each set of legs, 18 inches from the bottom of the leg. This will give added stability to the sawhorse.
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8
Repeat Steps 5 through 7 to complete the second saw horse.
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1
Tips & Warnings
A piece of plywood placed across two saw horses will create a usable workbench. Using a helper to hold the legs while attaching the brace will eliminate the need to clamp.
Wear safety glasses when using power tools.
