Building "sawhorses"

[Engineer]

I need to build four or six ultra-heavy-duty sawhorses for timber framing work.  I know I've seen them somewhere, but I can't find them.  I also know they're not called sawhorses in timber framing terminology.

Can anybody help me out with a link to a picture or plans of these things?

Thanks.

[BrianSimmons]

http://www.northernlightstimberframing.com/sawhorse%20class%20january%202004.htm

[sawinmontana]

If you need quick easy ones I built some from a book by Steve Chappell. He refered to them as ponys.

[jeepman]

Here are a couple pics of some horses I made and use. Sorry the pics are dark, it was dark when I finished building em. They were built from 6X6 and 4X6 poplar timbers. The measure about 48" X 24" high with 18" feet. The mess on the horses are the tools it took to build them.

[Engineer]

Thanx y'all for the posts, got what I needed.  Weekend project, here 8) I come.

[raycon]

I make mine out of spruce(light) and cut the tenons on the mill. While the timbers still clamped on the mill I cut the mortises and  make the cross cuts (with hand saw).

[Jim_Rogers]

I have a set of ponies, too. I use when I need to bore a hole with a boring machine. It's nice to place the timber on the ponies then place the boring machine on the timber, line it up and sit down and bore the hole. Using ponies your feet are on the ground as you bore, sitting down on the machine. Other wise you're up in the air on the machine on top of the timber. I've had to use a step ladder to get up there to get on more than once. :D

Making the heavy duty style sawhorses out of light weight spruce is a good idea. Maybe when I make a set I'll use spruce and see how they come out.
Right now I have quite a herd of sawhorses over in the "corral" for people to use during workshops.
Some of them can be seen in my thread about using horses or ponies.
I like the design of the heavy duty horses, and I've seen that design before in use at different timber framing shops.
Thanks to the "ghost" who lighten up the photos.
Jim Rogers

[FeltzE]

I took some 4x6 pine and 2xwide oak and whipped these together in about an hour and a half with a helper. They knock down for easy storage using tapered pegs the center board is locked in to use and pulled out in seconds for storage.

I've got a long center board for working on timbers and a short board to set up as a work table in the shop.

The pine cross members are mortised fully thru and the oak upright has about 1 1/2 inch shoulders and tennons thru to a flush surface. This provides a very strong central work point that transfers the load straight thru to the ground or floor. The cross board (tressel?) also has large shoulders and plenty of relish to allow a good wedging to make it sturdy.

When I made it the process also served to show how various tools and techniques were used in timber framing. ( A good starter project!)





Eric

[Gilman]

Thanks for the ideas.  I have some 4' x 42" dia poplar that I didn't know what I was going to use it for.  Looks like the saw horses would be a perfect use.

[Jim_Rogers]

I emailed the people in the above link about there sawhorse design.
They suggested that the top height of the heavy duty saw horses be 28".
I designed a set, which I haven't built yet that are similar to the ones pictured above.
I made my design same as his 24" tall. As we are about to start working on 8x8's and I figured that would bring the top of the 8x8 up to 32" around the right height for layout and a little tall for chiseling.
He suggested 28" and said it was short for layout of small timbers like 6x6 and right for chiseling.
I though I'd try 24" first and see if that's right for me and then if not I could always add more to the top beam or push the pegs out and put in longer legs.

Here is a drawing of my design:




What do you think?
Jim Rogers

[beetle]

I am cutting 8x8's and built mine at 24", I felt that was a happy medium so I did not need two sets at different heights.
I am 6 foot, and the 24" height is just slightly high when sitting using my boring machine, however, not uncomfortable. My feet touch, but not flat on the ground.

When I am chiseling the tenons on the ends or crosscutting with a hand saw, I seem to be bending over alot and always grabbing my stool to sit on, I notice this because of back issues.

[Jim_Rogers]

When using a boring machine, I place my timbers on "ponies" so that my feet are on the ground and comfortable.
I have back issues as well, I know if I do to much I'm in deep trouble.
I was trying to think up a catchy name for these heavy duty horses. I was thinking as the small ones are called ponies, we could call the big ones "draft horses" or Clydesdales? ;D

Jim Rogers

[L. Wakefield]

   Those are some rugged hosses, alright! Some could probably do double duty as a balance beam for budding gymnasts, I shouldn't doubt!  lw

[Gilman]

Jim,
About how wide are those feet on your new design?

[Jim_Rogers]

Gilman:
The top beam and the feet are 6x6 and the leg is 4x6.
I have a detail drawing of these in pdf format if you want one, I can email it to you.
Jim Rogers

[Gilman]

That would be great Jim.  Thanks again!

[FeltzE]

Sharp design Jim!  Great drawing too. What program did you draw that in?

Eric

[Jim_Rogers]

Eric:
That's Dietrich's D-CAM. It's a 3d timber frame drawing program created by timber framers for timber framers.
This is a screen capture of a openGL rendering showing the wood texture as well as the lines.
I like to show people drawing in a style that is familiar to them, as we are all use to looking at wood grain, it makes it nice. And it's fun.
Jim Rogers

[Dave Shepard]

I like the design Jim. I cut out some red oak 6x6's this afternoon. When it warms up a little in my garage I'll give them a try. I hate trying to pare across a timber and the timber just wiggles back and forth with the slick. I don't think a real set of sawhorses are going to do that.


Dave

[ironstumper]

Jim, Could I request a copy of that PDF file as well?

[Brad_bb]

I also built cribbing ponies per Steve Chappell's book.  Small and easy to move around, they don't take up much space in storage either.  You can sort of stack them too.  They are much lighter weight than the big heavy saw horses.  It can be done because you use two of your timbers across them to make the timber bed.  It seems most efficient to me.

[Jim_Rogers]

Making long cribs for placing many timbers on can work, but it has it's draw backs too.
First of all you don't have anyplace to have a tool table for storing your tools within arms reach.
And when you have several timber framers working on one crib and one person rolls his timber over it upsets all the other timber framers who are on the crib. It is procedure to announce that you are "rolling" so that all other framers on that crib can stop working while the rolling is taking place. This disrupts their work and concentration and can lead to problems.
Although several timber framing schools and companies due use this method.

Personally I like to have tall horses for layout, so I don't have to bend over to far to draw lines and scribe joints.
If chopping a joint you need to have some horses that are somewhat shorter than layout horses. This is so that the top of the chisel handle is at the right height for hitting with your mallet. If the timber is too high then there can be problems getting the correct swing with your mallet.

I like ponies for boring with a boring machine or using a chain mortiser.

Jim Rogers

[Brad_bb]

I'm actually building a separate roll around 2X3 cart for my timber frame hand tools.  It will hold squares properly, and chisels so they can't fall on the floor.  It will have carpet on the top to lay chisels etc and slots either in the cart top or sides of the cart for holding chisels.  It will also have a drawer.  This cart will also also have an area built into the top or a separate tray that fits on the top to hold my glass for sandpaper sharpening and a place to hold water stones.  The tray will then lift off and get stored in the cart under the drawer (open front except for the drawer).   The cart will have a place for everything - chalk line, calipers, pencils and a sharpener, razor knife, drink holder...etc.   My blog will have pics when it's done.  I've also build roll around power tool cabinets for all my power tools.  It will have a build in charger station for my cordless tools too.  I have a pic on my blog now.  I'm not done partitioning the inside yet though.
Brad
http://www.bradstimberframeprogress.blogspot.com

[shinnlinger]

Hi,

Here is a shot of the horses I use in action.


They are light and easy to move around and not so high you cant run a tall chisel into an 8x10.  I inherited a set of oak timber frame horses, but as you can see they aren't in the picture.  They are only used for storage as they are too big. 

My vote is Keep it light and easy and build at least two sets so you can always work on your own horse and the extra sets comes in handy if you have to shuffle beams by yourself from one spot to another.

[swampfox]

Nice sawhorses, when I build some new ones I think I might taper the ends from the legs out to possibly help the power cord move off the sawhorse instead of getting stuck (especially when ripping).  I hate that.