Let's Talk Sawhorses

[Mike Goetzke]

I use a pair of DeWalt sawhorses, pair of 90" long TrackTubes (aluminum 2x4's), and three 32"x48" MFT style slabs for a large 4'x8' cutting and assembling table. Love this setup but the distance between the slots in the sawhorses for the 2x4's is sort of narrow. So if I lean on a slab sometimes it wants to tip.

After looking I see there are these Bora PM-4550 Speedhorses and ToughBuilt C-700 metal sawhorses with much wider stance so seems like this would solve my tipping issue. Anyone have any experience with either of these and can provide feedback?

Thanks
Mike

[Frank Pratt]

I've got a pair of ToughBuilt horses and they are impressive. Quite versatile with all the height adjustments & ways of supporting the work. I'm sure you could park a good sized car on them with no ill effects.

[Ben Rivel]

ToughBuilt owner here too. Love em and think theyre the best bang for the buck, especially at the Home Depot pricing when I bought mine.

[ChrisA Edwards]

Got the ToughBuilt also, love them.

[Mike Goetzke]

Guess ToughBuilt it is. I was attracted to the Bora Speedhorse because of the auto release of the legs but besides that the Toughbuilt has them beat - and at a lower price.

Thanks for the responses.

Mike

[Paul F Franklin]

Just an FYI..Fine Homebuilding recently did a tool test of saw horses; might want to check it out: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2020/09/10/tool-test-folding-sawhorses

[Frank Pratt]

I got my ToughBuilts on clearance from Lee Valley. It was a bit of an impulse purchase, but the price was almost too good to turn down. I had been considering new sawhorses that were a cut above the old wooden ones my dad made, but these just impress the heck out of me.

[Richard Coers]

You have a woodworking shop right? Seems logical to make something. Japanese style horses are very easy to make.

[ChrisA Edwards]

Yes that's true for most of us, but I get my sawhorses out for projects and put them away when not in use.

My storage space is limited and I can't make compact, strong and versatile sawhorses, out of wood as good as the Toughbuilt.

[Lisa Starr]

I don't use saw horses in my shop much. I made a pair of folding "square folding table bases" years ago that I use for almost everything and store in minimal space. I'll post pictures after I get to the shop today.

[Jim Becker]

I'm very happy with the Bora products I own to-date...don't rule out their Centipede support for some additional utility, too. I alternate between a pair of those and a couple of more traditional (albeit plastic) sawhorses for this kind of portable work support.

[Erik Loza]

I've had the folding steel yellow ones for years but kind of hate the legs. Need to go check out those Toughbuilts.

Erik

[Tom M King]

I won't even get into this discussion, because I have so many different ones for different purposes, from ones I make, to lightweight ones to be easy to get up in the air on scaffolding. The table saw sled you see in this picture, leaning against the cubbies, is for making wooden ones, which I have a lot of, for not only holding work, but for making platforms to stand on for many reasons.





http://historic-house-restoration.com/images/windows3_007.JPG

http://historic-house-restoration.com/images/windows3_007.JPG

[andrew whicker]

On a similar, but not similar note, I fab'd up some metal sawhorsies finally.. Definitely nice to have something that can carry any amount of weight : )

[Jack Frederick]

I bought a set of the Channel-lock sawhorses for my SIL. They are good to work off and fold up to about a 4x6 dimension. They have a regular and HD set . His are the lighter of the two. Pictured ar my 2x2 steel guys. Heavy, but very strong and a sacrificial wooden top.

how do I rotate photos?

[Lisa Starr]

As I said earlier, I rarely us sawhorses in my shop. I built a pair of these several years ago, and use them for everything from breaking down sheet goods to staging material for various operations.

444424444425

The plans were in a Wood Magazine publication "Big Ideas for Small Workshops". FWIW, if I were to make them again, I'd make them slightly shorter.

[lowell holmes]

Make two h legs 30 to 36 inches tall, the top will be joined with door butts and a lenghth of rope ties the legs together.
You will have a set of saw horeses that will support great weight and you can put away when you want to.

[Keith Outten]

Jack, I do some metal work on occasion so I really like the steel sawhorses you made. Nice job!

[Jack Frederick]

Thanks, Keith. I am going to add some HDPE feet to them as I have on the table behind the horses. They have worked out really well on the table.

[Mike Goetzke]

Here are a couple of pic of what I'm using the saw horses for. Notice if I center the slabs on the saw horses there is a significant cantilever. I like the current saw horses but they have a span of 22" verses 37" for the ToughBilt:

444429


444430

BTW - I just picked up a set of the ToughBuilt at Home Depot so will give them a try. Just wondering with the larger span if I will now need some kind of center support.

[bill epstein]

Back when I had a working shop and traveled to job sites (late '80s) I built these https://www.finewoodworking.com/2007/01/09/build-a-classic-sawhorse which lasted more than 10 years and did everything asked of them.

[andrew whicker]

Good idea on the sacrificial top... I'll have to drill some holes.. assuming you just screw the 4x4's in from the bottom?

[roger wiegand]

I bought a pair of the Portamate Speedhorses. Heavy, but awesome. I'm extremely happy with them for use as an extra work surface in my shop.

[Keith Outten]

Thanks, Keith. I am going to add some HDPE feet to them as I have on the table behind the horses. They have worked out really well on the table.

Another great idea, I have never thought about using HDPE even though I have plenty of scrap in my barn. Thanks again!