Hi to All
Since Xmas is approaching sooner than any of us would like, I am looking for recommendations for folding saw horses to put on my wish list. Any thoughts on the best/most durable?
Thanks for any advise you can provide.
Tim
Hi to All
Since Xmas is approaching sooner than any of us would like, I am looking for recommendations for folding saw horses to put on my wish list. Any thoughts on the best/most durable?
Thanks for any advise you can provide.
Tim
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Replies
I bought 2 pr of those metal $20 each ones from HD....They sux so dont waste your money....Too lite duty...all of em fell apart/bent
The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Andy.
You better leave the Horses to the cowboys.
YCF Dino
Edited 11/17/2004 10:38 pm ET by YCFriend
I like the "Great Whites". They clamp sturdily to any 2x material. $60 a pair.
These Lee Valley steel folding horses each hold 1000 lbs. Been using the non-adjustable ones for 8 years' reno work and still very pleased. CDN$90.00
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=1&page=32059&category=1,43456,43388
Iowa horses - local carrier here is Carlson Systems. Though, sure there's others. Don't know what they cost. Probably 80. Real worth it. Sturdy as a brick s##thouse. You could probably park on a set of 4.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
I now go with the "disposable" idea ...
at the moment ... Sears has a plastic set on sale for somewhere around $15 for the pair.
usually pick up what every's cheapest when I finally cut thru the last of the last pair ... have 2 or 3 sets in the rotation at any given time ...
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
I liked my heavy duty plastic Storehorses so much I bought a second pair. The tops have a recess in them into which I put sacrificial 2x4s for sawing and polyethylene foam when using them for painting.
W,
I like the storehorse brand too...two pair in the van. Built a deck for my daughter and she bought me a pair for my time, (along with some good home cooked meals) and traded for the second pair...which are the original design. Only thing is ya can't slide heavy materials without pretty much picking them mostly up off the horses, bc they want to fold up and fall over. Otherwise, you can't beat em for what I do. And they actually hold a considerable amount of weight.
Dez
Trigger sawhorses are as bulletproof as I've seen. Light aluminum, excellent locking mechanism. They come in 1' increments up to at least 8'. They make bomber scaffold supports and are much favoured by stucco contractors as they happily hold 2 guys on an aluminum plank plus 200 lbs of stucco mix.
I've used the Falcon aluminum planks a lot as well. They are just as durable as the Triggers and well worth the money.
http://www.falconladder.com/sawhorses.htm
Wally
I have a pair of those like the Lee Valley ones, but I bought mine from HD and they're yellow. Very sturdy. A bit heavy. The adjustable height feature is nice, but they only flod flat when the legs are un-extended.
I also have a pair of aluminum ones from HD. I added a section of 1x4 to the top. They are very light, easy to set up and fold. I have put 4 sheets of 3/4 ply on them, but that was risky. I like them cuz they're convenient.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Depends on what ya plan to use em most for.
I bought a pair of plastic ones about six years ago....can`t think of the brand....got em at HD on sale for $22 a pair, down from $32.
At the time of purchase I had only planned on using them for extremely light duty tasks....painting doors, stacking trim, etc.
They`ve proved much stronger and more durable than I had first considered. I use them for just about everything from setting up a bench to light framing.
Being old school I`m a hard sell on new ideas. I still use my homemade wood sawhorses for the heavy duty framing...but the others see much more daily use.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
I have the heavy ones like the Lee Valleys got them at Menards for about $20 each - beleive they are Fulton brand - non adjustable - good strong horses, very compact - but a bit short
Have some old plastic folders that mostly stay in the garage these days
Oldest pair are the galvanized sheet metal folded up such that the legs fold up and store in the top - sacrifical boards on top - light and fairly compact - tough http://www.7corners.com/7c_store/findprod.cfm?DID=1&sku=1450129104
The Bronco's are on my wish list http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005A1KA/102-8664398-2393749?v=glance not so much for cutting as for staging - each leg adjusts independantly for good footing on any terrain
Edited 11/18/2004 12:56 am ET by Shoeman
Go Broncos. I just got a pair about 2 weeks ago and can't figure out how I got along without them. But, despite the name they aren't really sawhorses. They are really scaffolding and work like a charm. Now that we have them we use them almost every day. They are also too expensive to be cutting wood on in my opinion.
Trojan saw horse legs... available from Amazon.com. I've got a bunch of 'em.
Clicked on this post to provide some more info for mytthor, but looks like he hasn't checked in since he started this thread.
Saw mention of the Trojan legs from Amazon. I shopped these recently and thought I would share my findings
Amazon and many other places $49.99
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/104-6707503-6572704
7 Corners $34.95
http://www.7corners.com/7c_store/findprod.cfm?DID=1&sku=1299334630&cat
Thought they looked like a good horse for framing, but find the Fulton non adjustable Tote a Horse to be more compact for storage and far easier to carry in for the remodeling work I do.
http://www.fultoncorp.com/Sawhorses.HTM
Just bought a few more of the Fultons at Menards this week for $15.88 each
Tried editing to post to all - guess you can't change that
Edited 12/8/2004 11:35 am ET by Shoeman
Fulton Tote-A-Horse. About $20 ea. at Menards for the the fixed leg length version. Rock solid (14 ga. steel ........ not sheet metal), handles make 'em easy to carry and even made in the USA. http://www.fultoncorp.com/Sawhorses.HTM
I think we should leave the horses to the cowboys.
The most important thing in the job site is the materiall support system. This is the Smart table.You can Build one by using folding legs, plywood and the Smart kit. Or you can use your saw-horses and the top kit.
This is something that we all put together in the job site with scrap's but now we get to keep the scrap's for the next job.
Ok, i know. I'm not suppost to use the forum for promoting new Ideas and product's,But on the other hand I'can't leave my friend's on ..the horses forever.
YCF Dino
View Image
I would say ---build 'em yourself.
I ripped off---errrr I mean adapted a design I saw in FHB years ago.
I had a sub that hinted around for a year trying to get me to build a pair for him. finally I gave him my old set---made out of rough sawn cedar-----and built a new set out of some leftover redwood.
Problem is the new set is so pretty----I am kind of afraid to cut on 'em.
they travel on my truck at all times-----I use 'em most often as a stand for a sheet metal brake. If I have to do any serious cutting-----say more than I can do with a cordless saw-------then I lug along any of 3 pairs of fixed horses that are ugly but bomb proof.
Stephen
Haz...I used to make pretty sawhorses too...and always bummed when I'd see a saw kerf in them.
Now my goal is to make them fast....and light. I can whip up an ugly, but functional pair in a coupla minutes using three pieces of bridging stock (1x3) and two studs (92 5/8"). I cut the legs at 32", eyeballing a 2/12 angle. I cut the studs in half (no measuring there either...I teeter the stud to find center.
These things, when properly put together will hold a very surprsing amount of weight. Someone mentioned 1000#s. I think mine would hold a thousand pounds... the key ingredient is splay....
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
blue,
a couple of things come to mind
1) your horses don't fold.
2)IF---( that's a big IF )----I did as much cutting at one site as you do------I would probably do exactly what you suggest.
But----I am operating in a different enviornment. You are more whole sale----I am more retail.
most of my jobs are 2-3 days at most-------and I often work 2-3 places in the same day-----
So I want portability #1
and
good looks a close #2
'cause I am putting on a show for the homeowner and auditioning for the neighbors at the same time
If I was working as a sub in new construction-----I could get by with some things in the area of personal appearance etc.---that won't fly selling retail to the homeowner.
Tools,trucks, equipment, personal appearance etc. all become part of the sales process and reputation building. Part of the "portfolio"
and if I was doing a lot of interior remodeling and finish work of a high caliber, working closely with the homeowner-------I have another horse design in mind that would be a real gem of workmanship----hell, I might even varnish 'em.
BTW long ago I worked for a framer that specialized in condo's and town houses----like 3plexes and 4 plexes. we would spend 2-3 weeks at one location---and then move right to the next one. I couldn't believe that Al would have us lugg along those collections of splinters and firewood he called horses---from job to job.
Stephen
Very good points Stephen. I especially liked your "auditioning for the new clients" line.
I never really appreciated those folding styles until now. I do agree that interior work requires a different mindset. I also agree that as a remodeler, selling retail, sometimes you have to "wow" them. All of your gear sends a message.
I"m also amazed at how many junk horses get around. When my apprentices build their first horses, I grade them and tell them that I won't let their horses travel unless they're at least a "B". The newest guy on our crew Steve, earned an "F-" on the last attempt! He splayed them too much and they collapsed when I started loading them up with a piece of plywood and several boxes of nails!
The lessons that the new guys learn by building horses are good lessons.
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
I saw a new pair of folding sawhorse today at Lowe's.
They were an aluminum frame with plastic top with saw notches built in that could also hold 2x4's to make a table frame and each leg was adjustable.
Made by stanley I believe and around 60$ a pair.
Rated for 2000 lbs.
Looked pretty good.
My only problem with manufactured horses is that I can not keep my crew from cutting them up.
ANDYSZ2I MAY DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOUR SAYING BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT.
Remodeler/Punchout
Nothing works as well as the horses I made but they take up a lot of room under the topper in my truck. I’m SOL if I have a lot of material or other tools to transport too.
I bought a pair of the folding, adjustable leg, yellow, POS, horses from HD. I like the fact they fold up in a relatively small package and the height can be adjusted, but they severely lack lateral stability. I’d like to take the torches and welder to these things for some modifying but I haven’t quite figured out the best approach, anybody have ideas?Scott R.
Howdy Scott....Hey, I got your email...I just haven't figured out how to be available during lunch hour. I'll have to wait till after the holidays and I'd like to get together and hear how that real estate stuff has been happening for you.
Regarding those horses: I've used other peoples folding gizmos and noticed the same lack of stability. The only ones I've seen lacked splay. Maybe the more expensive models incorporate that into their design. In the absence of this important detail, I'd create some splay by altering the angle of the 2x4 by slicing a wedge off the part that inserts into the metal housing. I'd have to experiment a bit, but it wouldn't be hard to do.
I'd also create some sort of horizontal spreader between the legs. A simple block about 12" long would do wonders. I'd also scribe the bottoms of the legs once I had the first two suggestions completed.
You also could effectively knock down your handbuilt ones by using screws instead of nails. I used to simply flatten my legs to get them into my van, but now since my bed is open, I just toss the set in.
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
Dont forget, they also weigh a ton. I swear at them everytime I use them, wobbly pieces of crap. Thought I would like them becuase they are adjustable, put it takes awhile to adjust them (unscrewing and screwing 8 wing nuts). They can hold a lot of wieght though.
m2akita
wobbly pieces of crap.............ahhhhh
We have the trojan in 35" and 27" and they are great. The other crews keep taking them from us :-) (same company). What I like about them is that you can make them as long as you want and they support a lot of weight. Here is a link. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000224RN/qid=1101321564/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_5/002-1969993-2268842?v=glance&s=hi
Here are a couple of pics. In the first one, we put 2x12s in the saw horses and after we were done with the barrel, we moved the horses and used them as scaffolding
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/5177572/74380892.jpg
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/5177572/74380881.jpg
Trigger is one of the best..............used by drywall guys mostly but I like them because they are light, hold a ton, and can be used as a ladder.
they run about $75. each and well worth it if you want something that lasts.....
http://www.falconladder.com/sawhorses.htm
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob