I was going to build one of these this week, but I checked the price of the wood and its cheaper for me to use the bonnet of my new BMW to cut on and then replace it after I'm done.
And it's handy to have the legs together because we gonna Mark to one way into the other way because we need opposite the first thing I do is all marked the bevel straight down the middle of my pencil line and I rotate the timbers to 90° all the same way it is one space inBbb and then I'm going to do the bevel again skidmark transfer these marks I can say that when I found the timbers together and I'm gonna cut this so what have I got there a compound car it's the same table it's a single babble and this will form and sent my legs in the direction I want to go to the beauty of making yourself a small table board instead of holding a sliding bevel or a roofing square will have a device is that it is so much easier and it's so much more accurate you can just keep moving it around the work and it would always be true now I'm going to arrange these into sexes are two sets of four and the easiest way to do this is to make sure you've got all your points an opposite together looking for a set like this you can now see that when their flat and level at the top it's sending the legs in the angle that I want them to be so now I've got my legs prepared ready to be jointed I'm just going to mark the tops of the trestles up again with the same devil this is the single bevel Tressel I will measure in my case 150 into me and I'm gonna write top on here so you can see what's the top so using my single bed for now I'm going to take a mark on those lines here I'm working from the top out with WhatsApp mate little pain you've got it it's quite useful it's got a 6 mm shaft there see you can Bora hole through something and you can Skype with it like that but the best thing about is got the most smallest sharpener in the whole world on this little holder which a cripple new felt on your shirt pocket and it's tiny is like the smallest sharper in the whole world I still have a calm just pencil you know I've always got I've always got my car Mrs pencil we repeat the process on the other side I'm gonna take one of the legs
The problem is how do you teach an apprentice to appreciate such things? It took me 10 years to appreciate why a brush and shovel is so important 😳 Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. Hahaha
I’m not a carpenter- I just grew up building houses and sheds with my dad. Every project started with making a pair or two of sawhorses - all very similar to this. “Gets you in the mood” my dad would say. Every project ended with breaking them up. Great video. Great memories.
Something very relaxing about watching simple joints cut, chiseled and pared in almost real time. A simple tool, beautifully made with just the working needed, no bells etc and it doesn't need it. Top video Robin.
When I started my Carpentry and Joiners course 30 years ago this was exactly how we were taught on how to make saw horses. They still serve me well to this day. Lovely video.
This is great - my son has just started his apprenticeship and this will be a practical test we'll do in the garage together. It was the same practical test I had to do when starting mine...........I might go do a dry run first so I don't embarrass myself.
It was nice to see you performing the strength test and what weight the saw horse is capable of handling. I made my first one of these over 42 years ago. We were taught that the saw horse is constructed in such a way that you're able to stand on the very end and the saw horse will not tip up. Not only is it incredibly strong it's also incredibly well balanced as well. Crazy thing is I was not allowed to take my saw horses on a construction site as they don't meet Health & Safety standards! The world's gone mad!!
Hi Paul, I'm courious where your not allowed to bring a decent set of trestles on site. I not surprised though with some of the bull health and safety come up with. I enjoy making french trestles with saint Andrews crosses etc and wonder what your supposed to use instead on site? I hope it's not those steel ones!
Why do people put a thumbs down for these kind of videos. It is an education video. It isn't political or derogatory. The only reason I can imagine these people would give these videos a thumb down is probably their own RUclips channel as only got 10 subscribers and 2 views lol.
Darren B It is not necessary or even desireable to please all the people all of the time and when you put something out for public consumption it is to be expected.
Indeed this was my first project as a lad , new to carpentry , almost fifty years ago .... yep same degrees , joins and cuts , ways away in distant Aus mentored by a wonderful bloke Cheers
As a time served joiner of 40 years, thank you for restoring my faith in youtube. So many chances out there with their own channel who aren't fit to lace your boots.
This solidifies you as the No.1 craftsman still crafting your trade haha I’ve seen a lot of saw horses made in my time but not one made to this standard, but this isn’t a one off thing where you do things this tedious, every single job you do is absolutely spot on
Robin.......you've forced this enthusiastic DIYER to raise his game. You and Roger inspire me to do better. Thanks for taking the trouble to show us lesser mortals. Best Dave
I absolutely loved this video. I'm a burgeoning carpenter in commercial construction where most workers care nothing about technique or craftsmanship; it's all about power tools, posturing, and leaving a mess behind. Compared to Robin, we're a bunch of blunt tools with expensive power tools.
i think this really shows the diference between now and years ago. years ago trades would take the time and money to show aprentices things like this . there was no rush and teaching skills was no 1 . now the boss wouldnt give you the time to take them out of the van
ATOMIK_NITROUS_160 !! This is so true, I have been learning carpentry on jobs from an expert roofing chippie who really is excellent and for the past two years, our bosses have always been rush rush and trying to pass work through quick and to just an okay standard so I’m nowhere near as skilled as I could be if I was given the time to learn and practice properly. Watching this video made me sad because I can build wardrobes and hang doors and what not but considering this is an apprentice test; I’d have to apply a lot of thinking where as robin just knocked it together masterfully in probably an hour
Thants just not the case, I started 47 years ago and its always been rush rush rush on site especially back then as there were very few power tools, on site was tricks to get quicker. .(no one had time to teach for example it was considered normal to fit 6 internal pine doors with furniture in a day with no electical tools at all. The day or block release in college was were you learnt stuff . Day release started at 8.30 and finished at 9 at night . block release which was 10 weeks straight started at 8.30 and finished at 6 . The city and guilds craft (now what they tell you is a leave 2 NVQ but they lie) had a half day technical drawing exam. one day with two exams on general building two one day exams on carpentry and joiner and a 5 day trade test half on a crpentery and half on joinery , you cut every thing by hand you lost marks if you had to plane it true and they used a rizla paper to see if the joints were tight! Its the lack of good colleges that has buggered things up .
I think that there is a lack of apprentices that care enough to listen and make an effort, if someone wants to learn they jump out of the van with you,
@@teewithey5879 learning is on you, expecting to be told everything won't make you more skilled, if you want to be better then you have to push yourself, a trade is more than a job, jobs are 9 to 5, a trade is a permanent part of who you are.
I'm a chippy from way back ...I use the half inch method , pretty much identical method Good to see someone who loves the industry as much as I do Nick Bell in Australia P.S did my time in a Joiners shop in UK ,built houses for 15 years then went into pub refurbishments and my own projects Still a builder in Australia at the ripe old age of 57 and still going strong A big thumbs up from me :)
I'm am an old git really, and to watch Robin and to listen how he explains what he does in such a skillful knowledgeable way for me is so calming enjoyable its truly really nice to watch someone who enjoys what they do.. All you guys on Skill Builder are brilliant in my book!!
For my civil engineering degree we all had to make a model bridge out of wood, there were all sorts of fancy designs and the strongest one was just a simple triangle. Never forgot that lesson.
I’m 54 been in the window fitting game since I left school and over the years I’ve inherited one or two of these work horses but I’ve never seen them made b4,really enjoyed the video Rob
Thanks for that Robin,i'm in my 66th year & that just took me way back to my 17th when I started out on site. It's a joy watching you work mate,a joy! Recently l had to replace a pair of 'horses' which were 25years old,using the same method,lol. Regards, Chris.
I have an incredibly battered old saw-horse in my garage that belonged to my dear old dad. He was a time served joiner born in 1924 so he will have made it anything up to 80 years ago. I had a look at it this morning and guess what? The design is almost identical and it has a notch in one end which I now know the purpose of. I intend to build a joiner’s bench this winter and I’m going to need a pair of trestles, so thanks for posting, Robin.
I built my current home myself and, as a matter of principle, I have never had another tradesman working on it - but if I needed a carpenter, it would be you!
Does RUclips need any more saw-horse / trestle build content? Clearly yes. Great little project, great filming, sound and production. Even the setting and the workbench complete the effect. Think I could probably do with refreshing my motley collection of saw-horses now.
I’m not a carpenter, but I enjoy watching a master at work. Though you are not the age of my father, you remind me of him and those who appreciate excellence and the time and patience required to do a task with quality. Peaceful and pleasing to watch.
HI Robin. When I was a young apprentice (70 now) what is now called a saw horse was called a carpenter's stool back then. A saw horse was something entirely different. It consisted of a waist-high wooden vice long enough to keep a saw firmly secured while sharpening each tooth. Every carpenter made his own. As nobody sharpens saws any more it went out of use long ago. For some reason, probably because it vaguely resembles a horse, the stool has commandeered the name and is now known as a saw horse. Anyone else remembers?
Hi Bren, the name might change from area to area. I've heard arguments about it all my life. The correct angle, height....I'm a 3rd generation carpenter and we used Carpenters Threstle to describe them. I was told a Stool was 3 legs. I've always got great satisfaction from making them since I was 14 yoa with Dad watching on sitting on a chair while I made them, telling me how to stand, and hold the saw. Best of memories.
I’m 43 and I mad3 these at college,I also have the pair my grandad made when he was a young man.! Fantastic video and thanks for bringing back some fond memories
I built two of these about 25 years ago, and I built a pair that were just over 4 foot long for working with 8x4 sheeting, I don't think I'll ever need to build them ever again, these will last longer than me.
Hi Robin, I have a pair of small ones which were made more than 80 years ago by a carpenter who became the porter at our flat in Chelsea. He gave them to my father who bought his tools when he left in about 1958 and I have them now still in use in France. Sadly the tools including a set of moulding planes were sold when my mother moved from the cottage to which they retired in about 1964. I remember Albert Marshall who made the trestles every time I use them. They are still rock solid. Lovely to see you at work on this apparently simple task which needs a lot more skill than one might think. Mike
One thing seen in this video that should be impressed upon carpenters in training is; let everything you build be your best work. If you learn your craft you’ll find it’s no harder to do everything accurately and precisely than to slap things together because it’s only temporary. If you build precisely you’re practicing your skills, if you don’t you’re practicing your bad habits. 😎👍
Loved this, I’m a cabinet maker , I recently started out on my own. I love watching how the apprentices were taught. I think there is a lot missing these days. Love to see you make a step ladder . Thank for the great video
@@elliotwilliams7421 I don't want to offend you but sparks( and plumbers) do more structural damage to buildings than hurricane Katrina, Correct me if I'm wrong but have you any idea What the "neutral axis" is? I'm yet to meet a spark that owns a brace n bit?
@@elliotwilliams7421 yes I do, and I know how to calculate the relative zs values, BS7671 18th edition. Didn't mean anything personal sorry, All my gear is regularly PAT tested by qualified electricians. But let's leave it there and join forces against the plasterers! Hahaha!
@@elliotwilliams7421 only difference is I can cut sirloin and and make sausages. Each to their own. It's easy to find faults. To be fair I've never seen an electrician produce "Sparks". Nor do I know any electrician who has been electrocuted. Myself I've had a few "Belts" and I have ruined a couple of VDE tools. I assure you it's not nice. I know I'm lucky to still be alive, your trade deserves the highest level of respect. Skill builder has it right, working together across all trades is the best way to achieve the best possible service.
My first project as an apprentice bench-hand joiner was making my toolbox, complete with dovetail jointed assembly and 2 tills for my small tools. Only dumped it last year (38 years later) while clearing my shed out and the piano hinge finally gave up on the old lid.
Not often you see the whole procedure including all the chiselling etc. No editing out the difficult bits where mistakes might have been made. Great video and presentation. Very well produced and a pleasure to watch in lovely outdoor surroundings - what more can I say!
Blinding video. I’m 54 and at 16 this was, as you say, out first test piece. Our joiner made us stand on the very end to show we made it correctly. Making a new pair next. Cheers
Im now a Carpentry Tutor at a College after being on the tools for 35 years, i love the use of the gauge and the handsaw etc, the worse students are apprentices who only use trim saws, tracksaws, etc on site with the guys they works for, and have never learned or been taught how to cut anything by hand or how important it is to use a gauge for example. Its a daily battle with them. 🤣
Also made loads in my working life .little tip allways give a good 6"overhaul at each end.tip 2puncture with gauge at finish line,when you run gauge it will stop at puncture line, general joinery technique
Sometimes it's going back to basics give you the most pleasure. I have been making my daughter some wooden toys like my grandfather used to make for me. Gives me great pleasure. Thanks for sharing
For me this goes back to my early carpentry days of the 1950s and yes it was the first thing learnt. First thing I taught my granson. Back then we didn't have cars and everything had to be lumped to site at the beginning. On start of a new big job the young lads had to make up fresh ones for the whole site and they were binned or taken home at the end of the contract. A little addition was to add a lipped shelf underneath for tools and maybe a hook for a saw. Or a taller one with a fitted 3/4 or 1" ply top for the main joiner or 'setter outerer' with the architect drawing. One bloke even added doors and shelves and made it a toolbox. With a few stoppers you can quickly knock batches of them out fast on a radial arm saw. Made a load of benches for my daughter's wedding using the same design but bigger bits of timber. One very small thing you missed out saying was they don't tip. Because the top is inside the vertical line above the feet you can stand right on the very end without it tipping... really handy for tacking ceilings. Greatt video ; brought back loads of old memories. Cheers.
@@z.w.7292 no ... car ownership in the UK was quite rare for the working classes. I look at picture taken back then of our street and there's not one parked car; this was typical. Public transport or by foot was the norm. Look at these streets now and they're double parked 24/7.
Very popular with plasterers, lost track of my trestles plenty of times only to find they have been taken by the plasterers so they can plaster the ceiling. I make the bevel in the top housing and rip the notch in the leg parallel , my first employer showed me how to make a pair and he always set the bevel as 1/4 " in the width of the top 2". We also cut the legs to length and beveled both ends before assembly. Nice job Robin and well done for passing on the knowledge to millions of others, much respect.
My Grandfather was a construction foreman. When a new carpenter came on site looking for work, he would tell them to make him a saw horse. He based their ability on how they made their saw horses. Needless to say when I visited my Grandfather, we would have saw horses everywhere. haha
Well that was fun. Thank you very much. I marvel at my father in-laws saw horses' (he was 97 years old when he passed in Nov. 2020. He was a builder and cabinet maker) their simplicity and strength, dual bevels etc. And appreciate his talents even more so when I use them.
Always in awe of your skills Robin, your attention to detail, the passion and love of what you do only adds to my enjoyment of these inspiring videos... Keep them coming 😁👍
Built a couple today after watching your video, massive upgrade on the ones I built 20 years ago. Now I have 4 saw horses, and they'll most likely see me out. My boys can have them when I retire.
Bloody hell, better joinery than what was done in my loft conversation. I'm a refrigeration engineer by trade but trade but really enjoy watching Robin, and his passion and skill. A true craftsman, a rarity now days.👍
remember first thing my class had to make in school wood shop. was a 3 piece wooden book shelf. a Dado joint and a foot underneath making in lean. I really proud of that bookshelf as a young boy.
Nice video. Just because it’s a saw horse, doesn’t mean it has to be thrown together. One of the great things I love about wood working is making the tools, templates etc.. needed to make the job much easier. Work smart not hard
The best thing about Skill Builder is that it will spark the enthusiasm and joy that is inherent in so many to go out and learn to build...........and avoid those damned useless office jobs...
I've watched several people build sawhorses/trestles and this video is by far the best of teh lot. I was interested in the 'purlin cut' as I couldn't recall how the legs were attached. I cut my legs with a compound miter saw - bath ends at once - but like the scribe method shown here as well. It actually makes things a bit simpler. Thanks for the instruction.
@Muckin 4on Blood, paint, caulk, silicone, probably some glue, somehow oil, maybe some condiments from the time you put some not quite big enough ply to make a table
I don't use this design as I prefer folding horses (small van see?). I make them to my own design and keep them fairly lightweight and so they need replacing from time-to-time. I always do that in the middle of a job; never turn up for a new job where no one knows you, carrying brand spanking new unused horses - makes a bad impression!
@@Maltloaflegrande, similar to the reason pro golfers don’t wear the hat issued by the tournament they are playing in, they wear the hat from one or two tourneys earlier in the tour. C’mon now, don’t tease. Tell us how your horses are made, won’t you?
I still have a pair of saw horses in my cabinet shop I made in 1982. As solid as the day I made them. I do have an issue with your marking. With a 15° rake and splay the housing can’t be parallel to the edge of the top. With your experience pitching roofs, I’m sure you’ll agree. On another note, love your front doors. Keep up the good work.
@Terry Gleeson, well spotted. As shown, the leg surfaces with the gusset are not actually in plane but twisted slightly away from each other. The small gap that results is tight to the outside, so is ignored. 18:36. This discrepancy shows up in the end grain of the legs, too, where the shoulders of the housing would need a slight angle to accommodate. All the planing and such smooshes the fibers about and hides the discrepancy. It is really small and not obvious. 15:50. This little fault is common to an American way of making sawhorses using 1x6 stock for the legs, where the housing really must be parallel to the length of the saddle for practical reasons. It could easily be cured with a few shavings off the edges of the legs to bevel them and bring the plan view of the end grain back into square, but no one ever bothers; or even notices, for that matter. Where things went astray here was laying out the vertical cut for the leg after first cutting the tops at their compound slope. If the first gauge line had been made on a squared-off timber and the vertical struck from that, then all would be hunky-dory and we would see a wedge shape in the flushed-off end grain.
The long side of the housing can be parallel to the long side of the trestle and this is know as rotated to the long side or they can rotated to the short side. As Lee has pointed out unless the legs or rafters were modified the housing in the header should not be square. Rotated hips are seldom seen so most carpenters havn't learned this.
This is great info, sharing knowledge outside of the 'tribe' makes everybody who learns it better! I do think the lesson with the mini excavator was pretty far off lol, two points don't equally share the weight of an object unless the COG is equal between them, the COG for that mini excavator was not at the arm.
We made several pairs to keep my dad n I. I used cedar 4x4 for the tops n 2x4 legs cut in I think dad liked 10 degrees for our horses. They were made over fifty yrs ago . Still using a few cuts nicks n dings , chips but they're well used . oh braces were cedar shingles no less.nice job brought back memories from my dad teaching me carpentry . Yes he was a builder and cabinet maker..
Same as mine, although can’t believe no one has mentioned about a 4 x 1 cross rail on both sides of the trestle across the legs. Great for standing on if the top of the trestle is too high, can also put a piece of ply across and use it to put tools on whilst working etc. Strengthening the legs too
I like my mates variation on these. His top is 2 pieces of 3x2 side by side and joined together underneath by two butt hinges, so that they fold flat when you pick them up. Much easier to store in the van, but don't pinch your fingers when you open them out!
Brilliant, every joiner should know how to do this, This is the first thing I did as a newly qualified joiner on a new build job, it was a large 45 house new build project, and for 2 months I used them every day, After a weeks holiday I returned to find someone had stolen my saw horses, even though I had clearly carved my name on them. A year later on another site I saw a first year apprentice using MY trestles, (with my name still clearly carved on them), copying and utilising them to make his own pair. The fact they had lasted so long and someone was copying them was a great feeling, Love learning something new with every video, keep up the amazing work!
In the 80's a framing boss said "make some horses". I started mitering notches just as you've done & he came back over 15min later said I didn't know what I was do'in. Then preceded to "teach me" the proper way to build them by slapping 2x4's into a T & nailing cross cut (no bevel) legs onto that so the only thing holding the load were spikes. They eventually collapsed after everyone on the job had a go repairing them every time they were used. I took some scrap home, finished the ones I'd started & they lasted for years until the legs rotted. A convenient thing to do by making horses less than 14 1/2" wide is that they'll fit between studs when going through walls. The ones you made are the perfect size.
Well done. Robin, Brings memories back at college. Making horses. Also I had to make push sticks for table saw. Anyway great stuff .so much has changed since 1987.still love my job as a chippy.
The old guy i did my apprenticeship with did his at 22.5 deg. I was always knocking my toes on the legs. So i did mine at a 15 degs too. Im 60, i buy mine now 🤣
A great beginer project. As a lifelong DIYer I made some about 40 years ago, but admit I cheated and used a radial arm saw to cut the angles. Built from 3×2 and ply salvaged from a skip. Still have them but badly scarred with circular saw cuts and paint. The notch for the door is a handy idea. I have also seen tressels with the top made of 2 bits of wood side by side held together with a long bolt so you can use it as a vice.
Class act Robin,a man who loves every bit of carpentry it’s not just a job to him he lives and breathes it.We are privileged he shares his vast amount of knowledge on here.
Mine are 50 years old and still going strong! I put a gusset up the underside between the end ones for extra strength! Next time I hire a 3t digger I'll give it a go!
I enjoyed the video very much. I also enjoyed Paul Sellers' video which made similar horses differently. I kinda mixed both methods. I marked out the leg joints by making and using 15 degree and 75 degree profiles that I made. I didn't cut the dihedral angle at the top of the leg, but rather marked it out leaving the top of the leg still on. After mounting the leg into the housing I then cut the top bit off to get an exact joint without needing to plane the last bit off. i also worked out the mathemarics (trig), that decided how far from the end you need to place the leg as a function of leg length. Also I found that I get a much better cut for the 'plumb' cut with a ripping saw rather than with a crosscut saw. Many thanks for all your excellent videos.
I was going to build one of these this week, but I checked the price of the wood and its cheaper for me to use the bonnet of my new BMW to cut on and then replace it after I'm done.
And it's handy to have the legs together because we gonna Mark to one way into the other way because we need opposite the first thing I do is all marked the bevel straight down the middle of my pencil line and I rotate the timbers to 90° all the same way it is one space inBbb and then I'm going to do the bevel again skidmark transfer these marks I can say that when I found the timbers together and I'm gonna cut this so what have I got there a compound car it's the same table it's a single babble and this will form and sent my legs in the direction I want to go to the beauty of making yourself a small table board instead of holding a sliding bevel or a roofing square will have a device is that it is so much easier and it's so much more accurate you can just keep moving it around the work and it would always be true now I'm going to arrange these into sexes are two sets of four and the easiest way to do this is to make sure you've got all your points an opposite together looking for a set like this you can now see that when their flat and level at the top it's sending the legs in the angle that I want them to be so now I've got my legs prepared ready to be jointed I'm just going to mark the tops of the trestles up again with the same devil this is the single bevel Tressel I will measure in my case 150 into me and I'm gonna write top on here so you can see what's the top so using my single bed for now I'm going to take a mark on those lines here I'm working from the top out with WhatsApp mate little pain you've got it it's quite useful it's got a 6 mm shaft there see you can Bora hole through something and you can Skype with it like that but the best thing about is got the most smallest sharpener in the whole world on this little holder which a cripple new felt on your shirt pocket and it's tiny is like the smallest sharper in the whole world I still have a calm just pencil you know I've always got I've always got my car Mrs pencil we repeat the process on the other side I'm gonna take one of the legs
I just rip apart pallets and use that wood for my sawhorses.
@@rodneyhanson9884 That comment would set the world record for the longest incomprehensible sentence in history.
@@chnacr2 For when the comment was left it says,
3 weeks ago till just now...
@@rodneyhanson9884 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
Never thought i could enjoy watching sawhorses be made so much. Thank you Robin!
I am a veteran carpenter and have to tell you, you're a pleasure to watch.
I built my trestle 39 years ago, still using it. Cheers Robin great work my dad would of loved the videos.
There's peace and tranquility in the sound of the hand saw, plane iron and chisel being used to cut and shape the wood. :)
The problem is how do you teach an apprentice to appreciate such things? It took me 10 years to appreciate why a brush and shovel is so important 😳
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. Hahaha
Planes in the hand and overhead. I’m guessing, the site is south of Gatwick?
I’m not a carpenter- I just grew up building houses and sheds with my dad. Every project started with making a pair or two of sawhorses - all very similar to this. “Gets you in the mood” my dad would say. Every project ended with breaking them up. Great video. Great memories.
Something very relaxing about watching simple joints cut, chiseled and pared in almost real time. A simple tool, beautifully made with just the working needed, no bells etc and it doesn't need it. Top video Robin.
I have great respect for this gentleman. He packs so much info in such a short time. Very addictive .
When I started my Carpentry and Joiners course 30 years ago this was exactly how we were taught on how to make saw horses. They still serve me well to this day. Lovely video.
This is great - my son has just started his apprenticeship and this will be a practical test we'll do in the garage together. It was the same practical test I had to do when starting mine...........I might go do a dry run first so I don't embarrass myself.
me too mate, working on site in the 70s first job site foreman asked me to do.
"Don't just blast straight through - we're gentlemen." Good advice for carpentry and life.
Yes, don't go too hard or you'll smash the back out of it.
@@londontrada Beat me to it 😂
It was nice to see you performing the strength test and what weight the saw horse is capable of handling. I made my first one of these over 42 years ago. We were taught that the saw horse is constructed in such a way that you're able to stand on the very end and the saw horse will not tip up. Not only is it incredibly strong it's also incredibly well balanced as well. Crazy thing is I was not allowed to take my saw horses on a construction site as they don't meet Health & Safety standards! The world's gone mad!!
Hi Paul, I'm courious where your not allowed to bring a decent set of trestles on site. I not surprised though with some of the bull health and safety come up with. I enjoy making french trestles with saint Andrews crosses etc and wonder what your supposed to use instead on site? I hope it's not those steel ones!
Why do people put a thumbs down for these kind of videos. It is an education video. It isn't political or derogatory. The only reason I can imagine these people would give these videos a thumb down is probably their own RUclips channel as only got 10 subscribers and 2 views lol.
Darren B
It is not necessary or even desireable to please all the people all of the time and when you put something out for public consumption it is to be expected.
@@SkillBuilder its thumbs down from cnc companies 🤣
Indeed this was my first project as a lad , new to carpentry , almost fifty years ago .... yep same degrees , joins and cuts , ways away in distant Aus mentored by a wonderful bloke
Cheers
watching Robin share his skills and using tools without power is a huge joy .... more please!
As a time served joiner of 40 years, thank you for restoring my faith in youtube. So many chances out there with their own channel who aren't fit to lace your boots.
Thank you!!!
This solidifies you as the No.1 craftsman still crafting your trade haha I’ve seen a lot of saw horses made in my time but not one made to this standard, but this isn’t a one off thing where you do things this tedious, every single job you do is absolutely spot on
Robin.......you've forced this enthusiastic DIYER to raise his game. You and Roger inspire me to do better.
Thanks for taking the trouble to show us lesser mortals.
Best
Dave
I absolutely loved this video. I'm a burgeoning carpenter in commercial construction where most workers care nothing about technique or craftsmanship; it's all about power tools, posturing, and leaving a mess behind.
Compared to Robin, we're a bunch of blunt tools with expensive power tools.
i think this really shows the diference between now and years ago. years ago trades would take the time and money to show aprentices things like this . there was no rush and teaching skills was no 1 . now the boss wouldnt give you the time to take them out of the van
Most accurate thing I’ve read
ATOMIK_NITROUS_160 !! This is so true, I have been learning carpentry on jobs from an expert roofing chippie who really is excellent and for the past two years, our bosses have always been rush rush and trying to pass work through quick and to just an okay standard so I’m nowhere near as skilled as I could be if I was given the time to learn and practice properly. Watching this video made me sad because I can build wardrobes and hang doors and what not but considering this is an apprentice test; I’d have to apply a lot of thinking where as robin just knocked it together masterfully in probably an hour
Thants just not the case, I started 47 years ago and its always been rush rush rush on site especially back then as there were very few power tools, on site was tricks to get quicker. .(no one had time to teach for example it was considered normal to fit 6 internal pine doors with furniture in a day with no electical tools at all. The day or block release in college was were you learnt stuff . Day release started at 8.30 and finished at 9 at night . block release which was 10 weeks straight started at 8.30 and finished at 6 . The city and guilds craft (now what they tell you is a leave 2 NVQ but they lie) had a half day technical drawing exam. one day with two exams on general building two one day exams on carpentry and joiner and a 5 day trade test half on a crpentery and half on joinery , you cut every thing by hand you lost marks if you had to plane it true and they used a rizla paper to see if the joints were tight! Its the lack of good colleges that has buggered things up
.
I think that there is a lack of apprentices that care enough to listen and make an effort, if someone wants to learn they jump out of the van with you,
@@teewithey5879 learning is on you, expecting to be told everything won't make you more skilled, if you want to be better then you have to push yourself, a trade is more than a job, jobs are 9 to 5, a trade is a permanent part of who you are.
I'm a chippy from way back ...I use the half inch method , pretty much identical method
Good to see someone who loves the industry as much as I do
Nick Bell in Australia
P.S did my time in a Joiners shop in UK ,built houses for 15 years then went into pub refurbishments and my own projects
Still a builder in Australia at the ripe old age of 57 and still going strong
A big thumbs up from me :)
I'm am an old git really, and to watch Robin and to listen how he explains what he does in such a skillful knowledgeable way for me is so calming enjoyable its truly really nice to watch someone who enjoys what they do.. All you guys on Skill Builder are brilliant in my book!!
Thank you!!
For my civil engineering degree we all had to make a model bridge out of wood, there were all sorts of fancy designs and the strongest one was just a simple triangle. Never forgot that lesson.
then you must have realized that this sawhorse in this video is unnecessarily complicated and weak.
I’m 54 been in the window fitting game since I left school and over the years I’ve inherited one or two of these work horses but I’ve never seen them made b4,really enjoyed the video Rob
Thanks for that Robin,i'm in my 66th year & that just took me way back to my 17th when
I started out on site. It's a joy watching you work mate,a joy! Recently l had to replace a pair of 'horses' which were 25years old,using the same method,lol.
Regards, Chris.
I recently replaced a pair a made in 97....😁👍
."measure twice ..cut once" was a motto that was drilled into me so many, many years ago Robin !
I have an incredibly battered old saw-horse in my garage that belonged to my dear old dad. He was a time served joiner born in 1924 so he will have made it anything up to 80 years ago. I had a look at it this morning and guess what? The design is almost identical and it has a notch in one end which I now know the purpose of. I intend to build a joiner’s bench this winter and I’m going to need a pair of trestles, so thanks for posting, Robin.
Carpenter of 30 yrs, we couldn't hold a candle to your Dads generation. Take care.
I built my current home myself and, as a matter of principle, I have never had another tradesman working on it - but if I needed a carpenter, it would be you!
Does RUclips need any more saw-horse / trestle build content? Clearly yes. Great little project, great filming, sound and production. Even the setting and the workbench complete the effect. Think I could probably do with refreshing my motley collection of saw-horses now.
This was my first carpentry project. My second was an old fashioned english joiners bench. Both are still in my garden workshop 25 years later.
I’m not a carpenter, but I enjoy watching a master at work. Though you are not the age of my father, you remind me of him and those who appreciate excellence and the time and patience required to do a task with quality. Peaceful and pleasing to watch.
HI Robin. When I was a young apprentice (70 now) what is now called a saw horse was called a carpenter's stool back then. A saw horse was something entirely different. It consisted of a waist-high wooden vice long enough to keep a saw firmly secured while sharpening each tooth. Every carpenter made his own. As nobody sharpens saws any more it went out of use long ago. For some reason, probably because it vaguely resembles a horse, the stool has commandeered the name and is now known as a saw horse. Anyone else remembers?
Hi Bren, the name might change from area to area. I've heard arguments about it all my life. The correct angle, height....I'm a 3rd generation carpenter and we used Carpenters Threstle to describe them. I was told a Stool was 3 legs. I've always got great satisfaction from making them since I was 14 yoa with Dad watching on sitting on a chair while I made them, telling me how to stand, and hold the saw. Best of memories.
I’m 43 and I mad3 these at college,I also have the pair my grandad made when he was a young man.!
Fantastic video and thanks for bringing back some fond memories
I made lots of those in 1979 when i started out as a apprentice joiner, the forman had a template for the legs 👍👍
I built two of these about 25 years ago, and I built a pair that were just over 4 foot long for working with 8x4 sheeting, I don't think I'll ever need to build them ever again, these will last longer than me.
the amount of information and skill in robins head is amazing truley a master of his trade and a great teacher
From South Africa,its always a pleasure seeing a craftsman at work, we are a breed on our own
Hi Robin, I have a pair of small ones which were made more than 80 years ago by a carpenter who became the porter at our flat in Chelsea. He gave them to my father who bought his tools when he left in about 1958 and I have them now still in use in France. Sadly the tools including a set of moulding planes were sold when my mother moved from the cottage to which they retired in about 1964. I remember Albert Marshall who made the trestles every time I use them. They are still rock solid. Lovely to see you at work on this apparently simple task which needs a lot more skill than one might think. Mike
Nicely put Mike. I like your appreciation for craftsmanship
Steven Harrison Sadly all to rare nowadays Steven. Mike
80 years old, and only had the legs replaced 3 times, and the tops replaced twice! 😆
Sorry, I couldn't resist. 🧹
Sally Ward Actually still original Sally. They are a bit cut about on the top though.
@@sally6457 I got it. 😂 Very good
One thing seen in this video that should be impressed upon carpenters in training is; let everything you build be your best work. If you learn your craft you’ll find it’s no harder to do everything accurately and precisely than to slap things together because it’s only temporary. If you build precisely you’re practicing your skills, if you don’t you’re practicing your bad habits. 😎👍
Loved this, I’m a cabinet maker , I recently started out on my own. I love watching how the apprentices were taught. I think there is a lot missing these days. Love to see you make a step ladder . Thank for the great video
@Muckin 4on you forgot to blame the decorator for making it look bad!
@@elliotwilliams7421 I don't want to offend you but sparks( and plumbers) do more structural damage to buildings than hurricane Katrina,
Correct me if I'm wrong but have you any idea What the "neutral axis" is?
I'm yet to meet a spark that owns a brace n bit?
@@elliotwilliams7421 we prefer the term "wood butcher" hahaha
@@elliotwilliams7421 yes I do, and I know how to calculate the relative zs values, BS7671 18th edition.
Didn't mean anything personal sorry,
All my gear is regularly PAT tested by qualified electricians.
But let's leave it there and join forces against the plasterers! Hahaha!
@@elliotwilliams7421 only difference is I can cut sirloin and and make sausages. Each to their own. It's easy to find faults.
To be fair I've never seen an electrician produce "Sparks". Nor do I know any electrician who has been electrocuted. Myself I've had a few "Belts" and I have ruined a couple of VDE tools. I assure you it's not nice.
I know I'm lucky to still be alive, your trade deserves the highest level of respect.
Skill builder has it right, working together across all trades is the best way to achieve the best possible service.
My first project as an apprentice bench-hand joiner was making my toolbox, complete with dovetail jointed assembly and 2 tills for my small tools.
Only dumped it last year (38 years later) while clearing my shed out and the piano hinge finally gave up on the old lid.
It's a joy to watch someone who loves their work 🙏
Not often you see the whole procedure including all the chiselling etc.
No editing out the difficult bits where mistakes might have been made.
Great video and presentation.
Very well produced and a pleasure to watch in lovely outdoor surroundings - what more can I say!
15:37 "Take the first leg, push it into the housing, and then we need to screw that up."
Lucky for me, screwing things up is my specialty.
We just watched some serious manual sawing skills! You wedded function and form perfectly. Nicely done!
Great trick when cutting the 4 legs flat !! Thanks for sharing !!
Blinding video. I’m 54 and at 16 this was, as you say, out first test piece.
Our joiner made us stand on the very end to show we made it correctly.
Making a new pair next. Cheers
It’s been a privilege to watch such excellence. So rare today. A true artisan. Thank-you.
Agreed. Always facinqting watching skilled craftsmen.
Im now a Carpentry Tutor at a College after being on the tools for 35 years, i love the use of the gauge and the handsaw etc, the worse students are apprentices who only use trim saws, tracksaws, etc on site with the guys they works for, and have never learned or been taught how to cut anything by hand or how important it is to use a gauge for example. Its a daily battle with them. 🤣
Also made loads in my working life .little tip allways give a good 6"overhaul at each end.tip 2puncture with gauge at finish line,when you run gauge it will stop at puncture line, general joinery technique
That is a great tip. Thank you
Sometimes it's going back to basics give you the most pleasure. I have been making my daughter some wooden toys like my grandfather used to make for me. Gives me great pleasure. Thanks for sharing
For me this goes back to my early carpentry days of the 1950s and yes it was the first thing learnt. First thing I taught my granson. Back then we didn't have cars and everything had to be lumped to site at the beginning. On start of a new big job the young lads had to make up fresh ones for the whole site and they were binned or taken home at the end of the contract.
A little addition was to add a lipped shelf underneath for tools and maybe a hook for a saw. Or a taller one with a fitted 3/4 or 1" ply top for the main joiner or 'setter outerer' with the architect drawing. One bloke even added doors and shelves and made it a toolbox.
With a few stoppers you can quickly knock batches of them out fast on a radial arm saw.
Made a load of benches for my daughter's wedding using the same design but bigger bits of timber.
One very small thing you missed out saying was they don't tip. Because the top is inside the vertical line above the feet you can stand right on the very end without it tipping... really handy for tacking ceilings.
Greatt video ; brought back loads of old memories. Cheers.
You didn't have cars in the 1950s?
@@z.w.7292 no ... car ownership in the UK was quite rare for the working classes. I look at picture taken back then of our street and there's not one parked car; this was typical. Public transport or by foot was the norm. Look at these streets now and they're double parked 24/7.
Watching Robin work is so good for mental health. I'd love to see more small projects like this if possible
I remember when hand made step ladders were common. Not all that long ago about 30 years I think. Gate hinges and sash chord. Excellent videos thanks.
@James Dyas, I would love to see such a design. Could you oblige in any way?
Well, damn ! I thought step ladders were obtained by stealing mine !
Very popular with plasterers, lost track of my trestles plenty of times only to find they have been taken by the plasterers so they can plaster the ceiling. I make the bevel in the top housing and rip the notch in the leg parallel , my first employer showed me how to make a pair and he always set the bevel as 1/4 " in the width of the top 2". We also cut the legs to length and beveled both ends before assembly. Nice job Robin and well done for passing on the knowledge to millions of others, much respect.
My Grandfather was a construction foreman. When a new carpenter came on site looking for work, he would tell them to make him a saw horse. He based their ability on how they made their saw horses. Needless to say when I visited my Grandfather, we would have saw horses everywhere. haha
Did he want ones like these or was the modern 2x4 quicky but goodie alright with him?
Well that was fun. Thank you very much. I marvel at my father in-laws saw horses' (he was 97 years old when he passed in Nov. 2020. He was a builder and cabinet maker) their simplicity and strength, dual bevels etc. And appreciate his talents even more so when I use them.
Always in awe of your skills Robin, your attention to detail, the passion and love of what you do only adds to my enjoyment of these inspiring videos...
Keep them coming 😁👍
Built a couple today after watching your video, massive upgrade on the ones I built 20 years ago. Now I have 4 saw horses, and they'll most likely see me out. My boys can have them when I retire.
I used to call mine Sharon after a bird I used to know. The legs were set at 180 degrees
PMSL
🤣🤣🤣👍🏻
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I had one of these! Threw it in the skip due too a rotten gusset! Stunk the van out! 😥😆
Bloody hell, better joinery than what was done in my loft conversation. I'm a refrigeration engineer by trade but trade but really enjoy watching Robin, and his passion and skill. A true craftsman, a rarity now days.👍
remember first thing my class had to make in school wood shop. was a 3 piece wooden book shelf. a Dado joint and a foot underneath making in lean. I really proud of that bookshelf as a young boy.
harley hawk wow! They don’t make anything like that now!
AWESOME! Robin Clevett is an incredible carpenter. Love the way he thinks and works.
Nice video. Just because it’s a saw horse, doesn’t mean it has to be thrown together. One of the great things I love about wood working is making the tools, templates etc.. needed to make the job much easier. Work smart not hard
Just a beautiful simple/complicated carpentry project. Well done sir.
The best thing about Skill Builder is that it will spark the enthusiasm and joy that is inherent in so many to go out and learn to build...........and avoid those damned useless office jobs...
I've watched several people build sawhorses/trestles and this video is by far the best of teh lot. I was interested in the 'purlin cut' as I couldn't recall how the legs were attached. I cut my legs with a compound miter saw - bath ends at once - but like the scribe method shown here as well. It actually makes things a bit simpler.
Thanks for the instruction.
Thoroughly enjoyed it thanks Robin. So therapeutic to watch a true master craftsman at work. Thanks for sharing. Cheers.
The reason why you love this work , all by hand and no MDf , great job
It's doing my head in seeing those looking so new and shiny. I thought they only came in dull grey and battered!
@Muckin 4on Blood, paint, caulk, silicone, probably some glue, somehow oil, maybe some condiments from the time you put some not quite big enough ply to make a table
I don't use this design as I prefer folding horses (small van see?). I make them to my own design and keep them fairly lightweight and so they need replacing from time-to-time. I always do that in the middle of a job; never turn up for a new job where no one knows you, carrying brand spanking new unused horses - makes a bad impression!
@@Maltloaflegrande, similar to the reason pro golfers don’t wear the hat issued by the tournament they are playing in, they wear the hat from one or two tourneys earlier in the tour.
C’mon now, don’t tease. Tell us how your horses are made, won’t you?
@@dotChrollo and don't forget a splash of tea.
I still have a pair of saw horses in my cabinet shop I made in 1982. As solid as the day I made them. I do have an issue with your marking. With a 15° rake and splay the housing can’t be parallel to the edge of the top. With your experience pitching roofs, I’m sure you’ll agree. On another note, love your front doors.
Keep up the good work.
@Terry Gleeson, well spotted. As shown, the leg surfaces with the gusset are not actually in plane but twisted slightly away from each other. The small gap that results is tight to the outside, so is ignored. 18:36.
This discrepancy shows up in the end grain of the legs, too, where the shoulders of the housing would need a slight angle to accommodate. All the planing and such smooshes the fibers about and hides the discrepancy. It is really small and not obvious. 15:50.
This little fault is common to an American way of making sawhorses using 1x6 stock for the legs, where the housing really must be parallel to the length of the saddle for practical reasons. It could easily be cured with a few shavings off the edges of the legs to bevel them and bring the plan view of the end grain back into square, but no one ever bothers; or even notices, for that matter.
Where things went astray here was laying out the vertical cut for the leg after first cutting the tops at their compound slope. If the first gauge line had been made on a squared-off timber and the vertical struck from that, then all would be hunky-dory and we would see a wedge shape in the flushed-off end grain.
The long side of the housing can be parallel to the long side of the trestle and this is know as rotated to the long side or they can rotated to the short side. As Lee has pointed out unless the legs or rafters were modified the housing in the header should not be square. Rotated hips are seldom seen so most carpenters havn't learned this.
That was almost meditative. Really enjoyed that!
197 thumbs down!? WTF ! This guy has some amazing skills with that saw. A beautifully produced instructional video IMO.
If Carlsberg made saw horses they still wouldn't be as good as Robin's. Cracking work gents
Absolutely loved watching true craftsmen @ work, the carpenter & the cameraman. Well done both of you another classic Skillbuilder production
This is great info, sharing knowledge outside of the 'tribe' makes everybody who learns it better! I do think the lesson with the mini excavator was pretty far off lol, two points don't equally share the weight of an object unless the COG is equal between them, the COG for that mini excavator was not at the arm.
We made several pairs to keep my dad n I. I used cedar 4x4 for the tops n 2x4 legs cut in I think dad liked 10 degrees for our horses. They were made over fifty yrs ago . Still using a few cuts nicks n dings , chips but they're well used . oh braces were cedar shingles no less.nice job brought back memories from my dad teaching me carpentry . Yes he was a builder and cabinet maker..
The last trick... spot on
Same as mine, although can’t believe no one has mentioned about a 4 x 1 cross rail on both sides of the trestle across the legs. Great for standing on if the top of the trestle is too high, can also put a piece of ply across and use it to put tools on whilst working etc. Strengthening the legs too
What a craftsman, love watching you work Robin. Keep up the great content mate.
Wow! 1 of the most satisfying back seat of the van drive homes ever! Take control of that wood! 🙌🏼
I like my mates variation on these. His top is 2 pieces of 3x2 side by side and joined together underneath by two butt hinges, so that they fold flat when you pick them up. Much easier to store in the van, but don't pinch your fingers when you open them out!
Brilliant, every joiner should know how to do this,
This is the first thing I did as a newly qualified joiner on a new build job, it was a large 45 house new build project, and for 2 months I used them every day,
After a weeks holiday I returned to find someone had stolen my saw horses, even though I had clearly carved my name on them.
A year later on another site I saw a first year apprentice using MY trestles, (with my name still clearly carved on them), copying and utilising them to make his own pair.
The fact they had lasted so long and someone was copying them was a great feeling,
Love learning something new with every video, keep up the amazing work!
I’m a site joiner with every power tool imaginable,I think it’s time to go old School and refresh my hand tool skills 😆 cheers Robin👍🍻
I know the feeling lol
In the 80's a framing boss said "make some horses". I started mitering notches just as you've done & he came back over 15min later said I didn't know what I was do'in. Then preceded to "teach me" the proper way to build them by slapping 2x4's into a T & nailing cross cut (no bevel) legs onto that so the only thing holding the load were spikes. They eventually collapsed after everyone on the job had a go repairing them every time they were used. I took some scrap home, finished the ones I'd started & they lasted for years until the legs rotted. A convenient thing to do by making horses less than 14 1/2" wide is that they'll fit between studs when going through walls. The ones you made are the perfect size.
Brilliant , Shared with my college students.
Well done. Robin, Brings memories back at college. Making horses. Also I had to make push sticks for table saw. Anyway great stuff .so much has changed since 1987.still love my job as a chippy.
The old guy i did my apprenticeship with did his at 22.5 deg. I was always knocking my toes on the legs. So i did mine at a 15 degs too. Im 60, i buy mine now 🤣
Great to see this. My first job as an apprentice carpenter 37 years ago!
Great craftsmanship also good camera work- all the right details close up
Built a pair over 40 years ago, still have them, though very badly scarred, gouged, slashed and barely hanging together.
Nice relaxing video, I was with you all the way even when I had to adjust the cushion I'm leaning on. 🐝👍
first things first... i may need to sharpen my chisels... you and your work are an inspiration Robin, thank you
A true Craftsman. ..
We salute these skilled people .
Always neat mr R.C
A great beginer project.
As a lifelong DIYer I made some about 40 years ago, but admit I cheated and used a radial arm saw to cut the angles. Built from 3×2 and ply salvaged from a skip. Still have them but badly scarred with circular saw cuts and paint.
The notch for the door is a handy idea. I have also seen tressels with the top made of 2 bits of wood side by side held together with a long bolt so you can use it as a vice.
Class act Robin,a man who loves every bit of carpentry it’s not just a job to him he lives and breathes it.We are privileged he shares his vast amount of knowledge on here.
Mine are 50 years old and still going strong! I put a gusset up the underside between the end ones for extra strength! Next time I hire a 3t digger I'll give it a go!
Top notch instruction. Cheers.
I enjoyed the video very much. I also enjoyed Paul Sellers' video which made similar horses differently. I kinda mixed both methods. I marked out the leg joints by making and using 15 degree and 75 degree profiles that I made. I didn't cut the dihedral angle at the top of the leg, but rather marked it out leaving the top of the leg still on. After mounting the leg into the housing I then cut the top bit off to get an exact joint without needing to plane the last bit off. i also worked out the mathemarics (trig), that decided how far from the end you need to place the leg as a function of leg length. Also I found that I get a much better cut for the 'plumb' cut with a ripping saw rather than with a crosscut saw. Many thanks for all your excellent videos.
👍👍👍 nice informative video and trestles. Better legs than the Mrs! 🤪