Steve Ramsey - Woodworking for Mere Mortals - Build a pair of simple sawhorses

Short Summary

Main recommendation: Build a simple pair of sawhorses from three 2x4s, using a miter saw set to 22.5 degrees to cut the eight legs, then cut separate cross braces, glue and screw everything together without a bottom shelf. The sawhorses come in pairs, and placing a board or old door across them creates an instant portable workbench.

Key Points

• Sawhorses are best built in pairs because one alone is not very useful, while two can support a board or door as a workbench.
• Clamp-style sawhorse brackets are a cheaper alternative, using hinged clamps to hold cut 2x4s together.
• The speaker's older sawhorses are sturdy and reinforced but include a shelf he finds awkward to move around.
• The leg length is cut to 30 inches, and the speaker accepts a slightly imprecise method for matching lengths as "close enough for sawhorses."

Details Worth Noting

• Concrete instructions:
  • Use three 2x4s to make all eight legs, and do the entire project on a miter saw.
  • Set the miter saw to 22.5 degrees with the positive stop, and make the leg cuts with the board on its edge.
  • Slide the board up to a mark at 30 inches and cut. Repeat for the remaining seven legs, making each one flush against the previously cut piece to match the length.
  • Take four legs and cut a 45 degree angle on only one end, keeping the long edge against the fence so the cut reaches the corner.
  • For the cross braces, cut them about 15 inches long, with 45 degree bevels that face each other. Glue and screw the bevelled ends to the legs, pre-drilling pilot holes near the edges to prevent splitting.
  • The 22.5 degree bevel sits flat against the ground.
  • Attach the two 4-foot pieces (one 8-foot 2x4 cut in half) as cross pieces with an overhang, using long deck screws without pre-drilling.
  • Add a smaller center brace piece.
• The speaker used longer deck screws for the cross pieces and pre-drilled only where the screws sit close to board edges on the braces.
• The glue was still wet when the speaker finished, so allow it to dry before loading the sawhorses.

Bottom Line

Two simple, glued and screwed 2x4 sawhorses with no shelf provide a sturdy, easy-to-move base for a makeshift workbench.