I finally got my shit together and got a cheap ryoba, a cheap japanese block plane, and a chisel, and started building two of these. I did it a bit freestyle but using this video as a guide. I'm using reclaimed wood from a demolition project that I had to glue together to create thick enough stock for the horses, and the feet are a bit different. So it's not going to look anything like these, but even without the feet I could already use the finished pieces of wood that make up the bulk of the body to make some of the rip cuts for the supports. Thanks for making woodworking something that doesn't seem so daunting for complete beginners.
I'm so building these! I just moved to a place where I can actually do woodworking and I want to do hand tool woodworking. I found a hatchet and a cheap set of chisels still in the package at a flea market. I haven't found a good plane so I'm thinking about buying a Stanley 12-004 so I can just get going. Now I'm going to get that saw. First these, then the low workbench, then a mallet. I'll be set for woodworking in the basement this winter!
Keep an eye out at the flea market. You would probably be better off buying an "inexpensive" vintage Stanley/Millers Falls/Ohio plane than that Stanley you mentioned. I know Rex has done a couple hand plane videos. You will learn a lot about hand planes by restoring a vintage one, than buying a modern made one with a plastic knob/tote. The old wooden body planes can be had fairly inexpensively at times too. I bought one for $5 that had a huge crack in it. After some glue, cleaning/flattening/sharpening the blade, and flattening the sole that plane works very well. Depending on where you live, you might be able to find vintage planes at the flea market, thrift stores, antique stores, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay, Etsy and even the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, to name a few. I've picked up vintage woodworking tools at all the places I mentioned, except Etsy, with various levels of success.
Rex I went out and made one foot today because that is all I had time for . What I learned was that I need more practice using my hand tools, I’ve been depending on electricity too long. And my tools need sharpening. So that’s what I spent most of my time doing. Thanks for the inspiration.
I plan on making this my first project working with actual wood. Really like your channel and I think it is a fantastic aproach you are taking with the human series!
I think it's pretty reasonable that, as you noted, the WWFH toolkit's grown in size and the projects being done with that toolkit have gotten more complex. The earliest videos were about starting from nothing and either getting the bare minimum of affordable tools, and then having projects that either helped the viewer practice the skills those tools need to get things done and/or allowed the viewer to use their existing tools and skills to build additional tools or other accessories as needed, with the scope of tools the viewer needs to buy only expanding when absolutely necessary and still aiming to get the ones that were effective but affordable. (Well, it's probably more accurate to say "starting from _more or less_ nothing;" if there's one critique I'd have there, it's that "just some chunks of wood from my vast stockpile of scraps that a beginner isn't going to have" does a _lot_ of heavy lifting in the tool-building videos, IMO.) Given all of that, yeah, someone starting from the most recent videos, a year and a half into the series, is going to find themselves wondering how this is supposed to be a "simple and affordable" series, but that's what they get for trying to jump into the deep end without having learned how to swim. And there's nothing wrong with doing the occasional super-basic project for funsies. But I think that if you'd tried to do all the things that the WWFH series has accomplished while staying at the "hatchet, saw, knife" level every time, that would've gotten _super_ tedious _real_ quick. Not for nothing is this super-basic project the construction of new elements of your toolkit to more effectively use your existing tools. :-) (One thing that might be a good idea, though? Some kind of write-up or recap video covering the full list of WWFH tools and accessories from the beginning, with current recommendations on which ones to buy and which to build, so someone starting from the beginning of the series doesn't have to wade through all the shootout comparison videos and puzzle out how currently valid their results still are.) Thanks, Rex!
agreed, but im glad to see some low level stuff. it lets me practice before i level up. or else the pace goes from, make a sighting sticks to router plane, pretty fast.
I bought the Gyokucho 651 back in June. By far the best saw I ever used, not that I've used any good saws. I can now cut very straight and am not afraid of ripping or whatever anymore. Edit: A tip for cutting all the way to the base line with the japanese saw: when you reach the line on both sides of your piece, use the last (or first) tooth of the saw to cut to the baseline. The tip of the saw has a flat spot you can use as a stop while the last tooth remove the material that's above the baseline.
I’m a metal guy, this was my first hand project based off your video and plans. They are functional, ugly, but functional. Great videos and looking forward to trying more. Thank you
I like these little sawhorses. I’m definitely going to make some. The only modification I might consider making to them is to bond a rubbery material to the surfaces where the work rests. This might prevent slips like we see at 11:14
Just finished making these sawhorses. I elected to do them inside as August in Arizona can lead to sunburn, it was 113 degrees here today. I am not sure how much I will use these sawhorses but I really enjoyed making them. Thank you
I was thinking of making these. Then I simply took a cheapie pressure-treated 4x6 and cut it into one-foot lengths. I just put them on the floor with the 4" side against the floor. Works well enough for me without the complexity.
Used a pair to make the cuts for my bench, worked fine. Worked so well my son in law "borrowed" them and put them in the trailer for repairs around the farm. Right now they are holding the drive axel of the machine used to clean the chicken house floors so the new sprocket can be welded on. Last week it was material for new panels on the birthing sheds. Don't think I'm gonna get them back 😂
Good knife cutting holding tip. Appreciate you showing that, because many people haven't learned the simple things that can keep them and those around them safe. Thank you!
“THIS!” is exactly the type of video I want to see on this channel! Great job, Rex! Keep things simple and basic and you have my FULL attention. I was becoming a little disillusioned with the direction the channel was going. You “corrected course” with this video and I say “YAY!” Thank you very much, Rex! :)
Excellent as always! Glad to know I'm not completely insane for having wavy twisty cuts with my Japanese saw. It's a challenge to figure out that's for sure.
Your cuts will twist when you're trying to take too big a bite of the material for the speed and power of your cut, causing chatter and vibration that will throw off your line. If you change the angle of approach on your saw at the start of the cut, you'll be taking less material and can build up the speed you need to cut through the material without vibration and stay on your line.
Also, I cannot stress enough the power of a good knife wall! Although functionally it's better with western style saws, taking the time to put in a knife wall even on Japanese cuts minimizes tear out and helps to positively index your cut by starting with a slightly shallow approach every second pull.
Mr.Kruger, (FYI) if you look at the front of your Gyokucho saw ,you will see there are no teeth there about half an inch.That section is used to scribe a line for the saw to follow and it works pretty good.
Hey Rex, one of the things I did pretty regularly on sites was throw together quick I-beam sawhorses. You would always build them to the height you needed. 16-24" for landing stacks of plywood, 26-30" for power tool work, 32-40" for on site desk work. Half the time you'd wonder where your desk had gone, and find someone had cut down the legs to land plywood on it. Maybe look at doing an adjustable trestle build! Hand cut "Saw tooth" style adjustment mechanism with a 2x2 peg.
@@RexKrueger My driveway is a million degrees right now and 8000% humidity. I wanna borrow your driveway. haha. Love the videos and love your style. Thanks so much
Made these today with mostly power tools. I had the same thing happen with the foot while chiseling it out. I put it back on with a drywall screw through the bottom. I also glued two 2x4s on edge since I didn’t have any 2x6s lying around. Waiting for the glue to harden so I can try them out
We've just had a wet and windy August so I'll stick with the garage floor, the three tools and use a brush and shovel to tidy up. Excellent video as ever. Thanks for these.
Just finishing up building my quick stack workbench, have been doing most of the work outside and when I can’t be bothered taking the whole thing outside I have been thinking about another set of legs and use the top outside, a slightly taller version of these are next on my to do list
I like simple tools like this. I've watched many of your videos. I can't recall any about bench hooks. I use them more often than a vice to cut, etc. I even have one I made of a 24" sq, 1/4" piece of plywood.
I've been building things since middle school but at 24 I'm just now getting my own workplace and tools and I've been going through your starter tools and I was going to start with these and then the low bench but I think I will just stick with my 2 concrete blocks with the 2 holes in them, they can be used so many ways, flat for low work, tall for higher work, small enough boards can go in the holes and is almost clamped by itself.. just wanted to throw that out there to beginners that havnt thought of it
I’m SUPER happy to see this! I’ve used these two low benches in my apartment for cutting pieces for larger random construction projects and wasn’t keen on the idea of making full-sized saw horses to get into finer woodwork. Thank you Rex! 💪🏼
Midway through editing my workbench video and Rex posts a cheap workbench build. Finish cutting the lumber for my japanese sawhorses to length and take a break to find Rex post a video about japanese sawhorses. We're really on the same rhythm, man.
I'm a "wing it" kind of woodworker, and that approach stopped working after a certain point. I am laying out these sawhorses, and it is simple, logical, and enjoyable I am following the plans in Rex's "Everyday Woodworking" book. It is a basic and approachable book that lays what I see as the proper foundations for projects. It's like wood shop all over again but with all hand tools.
nice! thanks for showing the split-gone-awry. for those that don't weigh very much (I am shamelessly 128lbs) try adding some cork/cloth/rubber/whatever to the feet, and shift as much of your weight as possible to the "holding foot". think squat lunge.
I purchased a few carving knives, and I roughed a set out! Used the hatchet on knockin out the first four notches , broke out the hammer and chisel for the last four. Really going to have to gob in the wood glue ... gotta lot of loose spots! once I smooth out all the shoulders! Used screws to hold it together for now
started them this evening. looking forward to them being done. kneeling on a concrete patio suuuuuucks! lol. even with a standing desk pad and a cheap vise bolted to plywood glad I am doing this project first. will make the next project a little easier, and gives me lots of practice with my ryoba I would be done already, cept my light ran out cause I rushed to start work at 5pm and the sun was fully set by 6 : 45, and I was super slow at everything cause I was learning how to use the tools
Hi, Rex! Thanks for the awesome build for such a simple tool. I'm just getting started with woodworking, and I built a couple of bookshelves and a table with power tools. Now that I have a young son, I wanted to use safer and more tactile tools that he could use to help me in the work, in a meaningful way. This WWFH project is just the ticket. I was planning to make the low Roman work bench as a first project with him, but I think that we'll work together on the Japanese saw horses first and move on to the work bench afterward. Thank you for putting out such a great series. I'm so glad that I chose to become a Patron.
Hey Rex, the need for a set of these Japanese saw horses has arrived, I downloaded the plans and I have the material on hand so I can knock them together. Thanks for the video.
I just picked up the razorsaw 664, it has 9tpi on the crosscut and 6tpi on the rip. It is awesome! For some reason it’s like 3 times heavier than I think it should be (just by the look) but the extra heft is great for letting the saw do the work. It still leave a really clean cut even on the rip.
Nice wee project and I love the addition of the wee knife. My Mora knife has been part of my tool kit since I was a wee kid and I used one yesterday for making a tool handle inspired by Rex 😁
I don't have any of my old carving knives (well, a rusty one, but I didn't use it for carving but throwing ... ). We had a teacher in school (back in the eighties) who had all kinds of interest: I learned how to carve, about dinosaurs, about nanotechnology, about plants, animals, and insect, even about computers etc. Good times! I recall very vividly how a few of us sat around and learned how to handle a carving knife securely and how to carve.
@@thomashverring9484 I think my grandfather, who gave me my first Mora 🔪 thought of me as Emil i Lönneberga and thought that teaching me carving (well, tried) would keep me out of trouble 😁.
@@PierreLenoci Haha! Well, at least he tried :D Were you sent to the shed? :) Mine was a painter and smoked a pipe. He didn't carve, but used to be a pretty famous decorator (famous in the trade), so he could build al kinds of stuff - as long as it wasn't supposed to last! :) I remember him making clay sculptures for plaster molds and other little sculptures.
Love going back to basics! Maybe we'll be see some green wood work with hatchet, knife and splitting? I try to use fallen branches from storms. Or stuff road crews left to rot on the side of the road/parking lot.
Another informative and entertaining video Rex. Keep 'em coming! Hopefully, at some point in the near future, I can become a patron, but for now I'll support by watching every one of your videos. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Rex! A while ago, you inspired me to make a bench, and that small scouring tool. I want to do that, but this seems like a better first step. I look forward to trying it in the next couple of months.
When exercise makes you sweat easy you appreciate cool days. As a fellow bald man working in the shade is important as the scalp can only take so much sunshine before becoming an eminator of heat for a fornight.
use of thumb knuckle as a guide is something that could be a good full length subject video 8:26 YES!!!! this is what I've been waiting for. nice explanation for recovery on this issue. you never see pros explain this japanese saws work ok with the low roman workbench, you need to stress that woodworking needs practice
Nice video and a very useful project. You advice about using Japanese saws is spot on. Gyukochu saws are a terrific value for the money, too. BTW: Those small saw horses make nice bench top supports, too. Thanks!
Thank you for mentioning us lefthanded! In my 48 years, you would not believe how many times I have heard things like "its hard to teach since you are lefthanded". Everything from writing, carpenting, cleaning windows all the way up to when I studied to an accountant. And yes. Even when taking an academic course in economics, it somehow got a problem with one of the teachers since I "did everything backwards" with my hands. The only time I can remember that this was not an issue was when my brother-in-law tried to teach me how to weld. He was also lefthanded. I stil cannot weld very good, but thats besides the point. In general - it is really easy to teach a left handed person something. Just show how to do it, and tell them they can do the same - just use the left hand and maybe flip the work over if its easier. This is an actual problem for us lefthanded, especially young ones that may be in school and are perhaps a bit to shy/anxiety ridden to have the courage to just ignor whatever slightly derogative and hopeless remarks that comes our way from time to time.
The attitude you described sounds very unfortunately. Hopefully these days people may more attention to make things more accessible to everyone. Luckily, when you build your own tools etc, you can flip things over in the original design, if necessary. Provided you understand how the tools is going to be used and what has to be flipped over.
I’ve been using the same Opinel #9 pocket knife for carving and refining work for 20 years now. I can’t praise them enough and they’re about 10 euro to buy.
I call them saw "dogs"! (Particularly like Dachshunds, right?) I fell in love with these saw dogs the first time I seen them in Japanese woodworking pictures many years ago. Still use them very often! I made three. Two of the same height and one about 1/2 inch shorter.
@@ringding1000 I am Nordic, what you would call "Scandinavian". One of my best friends slashed his hand open with one of those knives when we were teenagers.
@@DaDunge A sloyd knife is as sharp as you make it, same with any other tool. I wonder what do you mean by "Nordic"? AFAIK, educational sloyd starts at the age of nine, and they use sloyd knives. So supposedly a nine-year old, under proper supervision and instruction, can handle those knives? But I only read about it in a book by Wille Sundqvist, Swedish Carving Techniques. All of the holds described in the book are designed with safety and control in mind. So if the knife is used properly, it can be safe. It should be sharp, too, dull tools are more dangerous, as they need more force to cut, and that invites accidents.
I highly recommend a folding aluminum work platform in the 20" high range. It's handy and makes a nice portable temporary low bench. One of the Werner or Gorilla Ladders ones usually goes on sale a couple times a year for $20-30. I can also throw in another recommendation for the Gyokucho saws. I love my Gyokucho Ryoba. The SUIZAN saws are also excellent, and recommended and sold by Jonathan Katz-Moses. I bought a folding Dozuki from him when I was buying some of his dovetail guides. I haven't used it much yet, but it's really nice.
Great simple project, that I would like to complicate. I'm thinking of making them so the feet will fit into and be held in place with magnets when stored, and maybe even the two horses held together the same way. just a thought.
I have used piles of scrap wood to do this for years. This is a much more stable, and long lasting, way to use the same scrap wood to do the same thing better.
Joke's on me, a sharp saw would have been a big help. Thanks for the video, I'll take a second crack at this later. The sound at 8:29 is both sickening and comforting, as someone who just heard the same thing. Thanks for keeping in the mistakes, it really encourages someone new like me.
Luckily they got them everywhere! I've bought one online and one at a cheap hardware store near me. They are really becoming very common :^) Oh, and I love my saws, although they are fairly cheap. It's an Irwin Ryoba and an Augusta Dozuki (didn't know Augusta before I bought this one), the Ryoba has a plastic handle and the Dozuki has the wooden handle. Good luck with your saw to be!
I’m so excited to start building these. They’re so cute! I cheated and got the timber cut to size lol. But I’m planning to do the rest by hand just as you did. Once I’ve used them to build my lightweight journeyman bench I plan to attach a board to the top and use it for shoe storage in my closet.
I found it way easier to use a coping saw for the curves on the corners and then clean up with a chisel/file. I also used another design I saw online instead for the corners with two one inch radius circles stacked on the corners instead of one, and I like it a lot. Although it leaves less of an edge on the two stands if you want to ever use them to support something so only modifying the top wood might be better. I also wish I had rounded the bottom underneath. I might still, but that would give a smaller footprint touching the floor so I probably won't.
Dude I think iv mentioned this before... But man! You are pretty cool! I would have to say passing you in a store I would not think anything like that so I will not judge this book by its cover. I tend to be pretty blunt! Please forgive me! I also tend to do a lot of work from the floor I don't know why but I just do so I'm building these Chinese or Japanese horses and I'm having fun doing it thank you Rex! I plan on purchasing plans from u for a more extravagant work bench in the very near future I can't wait to get started!
REX TEACHES ADVANCED BUSHCRAFT! Great job and entertaining video. I probably won't put this one on my list because low work kills my back... we'll see.
Anyone interested in pull saws, I suggest you try the Shark Corp Japanese pull saws. They are inexpensive ($18-35) and cut better than any pull saws I've tried. Try one with and angled handle, they are awesome. BTW I'm not affiliated with the company.
I really like your videos! Thank you Just wondering, why the fancy foreign saw? Is it because the old fashioned kind are just too big? I seen one of those, that you like to use at the hardware store the other day. But I already have the old fashioned kind. I wish I could post some pics somewhere. I'm going to make a set of these that you are teaching about, but im going to cheat. I'm going to use power tools, I have a hell of a time still with the hand saws. Thanks again! I'm going to get your book this summer
You dont need a tape meassure. A stick, or a string, is perfectly fine since you just need to replicate cuts and forms - not actually knowing what the exact inch, centimeter or whatever is not necessary.
I can only say what I see in videos. Never been to Japan or met a Japanese woodworkers. But it seems to me that Japanese Cull Bin wood seems like our FAS bins here in the US. Anyone!
I finally got my shit together and got a cheap ryoba, a cheap japanese block plane, and a chisel, and started building two of these. I did it a bit freestyle but using this video as a guide. I'm using reclaimed wood from a demolition project that I had to glue together to create thick enough stock for the horses, and the feet are a bit different. So it's not going to look anything like these, but even without the feet I could already use the finished pieces of wood that make up the bulk of the body to make some of the rip cuts for the supports. Thanks for making woodworking something that doesn't seem so daunting for complete beginners.
Would have dropped the second like for showing your mistake AND for telling your fix if i could like twice. You keep peoples soul healthier.
Rex just taught us how to do a reach-around
Sick
Love how you're not too proud to show us your mistakes, Rex!
To not?
Today is international left handed awareness day and the simpler the tool set the less bias and handedness comes into play!
yours in synchronicity
I'm so building these! I just moved to a place where I can actually do woodworking and I want to do hand tool woodworking. I found a hatchet and a cheap set of chisels still in the package at a flea market. I haven't found a good plane so I'm thinking about buying a Stanley 12-004 so I can just get going. Now I'm going to get that saw. First these, then the low workbench, then a mallet. I'll be set for woodworking in the basement this winter!
Keep an eye out at the flea market. You would probably be better off buying an "inexpensive" vintage Stanley/Millers Falls/Ohio plane than that Stanley you mentioned. I know Rex has done a couple hand plane videos. You will learn a lot about hand planes by restoring a vintage one, than buying a modern made one with a plastic knob/tote.
The old wooden body planes can be had fairly inexpensively at times too. I bought one for $5 that had a huge crack in it. After some glue, cleaning/flattening/sharpening the blade, and flattening the sole that plane works very well.
Depending on where you live, you might be able to find vintage planes at the flea market, thrift stores, antique stores, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay, Etsy and even the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, to name a few. I've picked up vintage woodworking tools at all the places I mentioned, except Etsy, with various levels of success.
@@red58impala Thanks! I checked out Ebay and there are several planes I'm watching now.
Rex I went out and made one foot today because that is all I had time for . What I learned was that I need more practice using my hand tools, I’ve been depending on electricity too long. And my tools need sharpening. So that’s what I spent most of my time doing. Thanks for the inspiration.
I plan on making this my first project working with actual wood. Really like your channel and I think it is a fantastic aproach you are taking with the human series!
I think it's pretty reasonable that, as you noted, the WWFH toolkit's grown in size and the projects being done with that toolkit have gotten more complex. The earliest videos were about starting from nothing and either getting the bare minimum of affordable tools, and then having projects that either helped the viewer practice the skills those tools need to get things done and/or allowed the viewer to use their existing tools and skills to build additional tools or other accessories as needed, with the scope of tools the viewer needs to buy only expanding when absolutely necessary and still aiming to get the ones that were effective but affordable.
(Well, it's probably more accurate to say "starting from _more or less_ nothing;" if there's one critique I'd have there, it's that "just some chunks of wood from my vast stockpile of scraps that a beginner isn't going to have" does a _lot_ of heavy lifting in the tool-building videos, IMO.)
Given all of that, yeah, someone starting from the most recent videos, a year and a half into the series, is going to find themselves wondering how this is supposed to be a "simple and affordable" series, but that's what they get for trying to jump into the deep end without having learned how to swim. And there's nothing wrong with doing the occasional super-basic project for funsies. But I think that if you'd tried to do all the things that the WWFH series has accomplished while staying at the "hatchet, saw, knife" level every time, that would've gotten _super_ tedious _real_ quick. Not for nothing is this super-basic project the construction of new elements of your toolkit to more effectively use your existing tools. :-)
(One thing that might be a good idea, though? Some kind of write-up or recap video covering the full list of WWFH tools and accessories from the beginning, with current recommendations on which ones to buy and which to build, so someone starting from the beginning of the series doesn't have to wade through all the shootout comparison videos and puzzle out how currently valid their results still are.)
Thanks, Rex!
Did we get one of those?
been looking at the hongkong jack plane. Trying to figure out which planes I actually need is kind of a pain.
agreed, but im glad to see some low level stuff. it lets me practice before i level up. or else the pace goes from, make a sighting sticks to router plane, pretty fast.
I bought the Gyokucho 651 back in June. By far the best saw I ever used, not that I've used any good saws. I can now cut very straight and am not afraid of ripping or whatever anymore.
Edit: A tip for cutting all the way to the base line with the japanese saw: when you reach the line on both sides of your piece, use the last (or first) tooth of the saw to cut to the baseline. The tip of the saw has a flat spot you can use as a stop while the last tooth remove the material that's above the baseline.
I’m a metal guy, this was my first hand project based off your video and plans. They are functional, ugly, but functional. Great videos and looking forward to trying more. Thank you
No No !!! Must hide from giant flaming ball in sky. Go basement. Close curtains. Ahhhh cool dim comfort.
Ha!
Rick Boatright 😲😆😆😆😆😆
The great indoors
Ach! It burnz, it burnz ussss!
I like these little sawhorses. I’m definitely going to make some. The only modification I might consider making to them is to bond a rubbery material to the surfaces where the work rests. This might prevent slips like we see at 11:14
Built these months ago. Can’t believe how often I use them, and how I use them. Thx, Rex!
You are like the Bob Ross of wood working.
and also amazing work mate
gonna try me this out when I have a decent plank o wood.
Just finished making these sawhorses. I elected to do them inside as August in Arizona can lead to sunburn, it was 113 degrees here today. I am not sure how much I will use these sawhorses but I really enjoyed making them. Thank you
I was thinking of making these. Then I simply took a cheapie pressure-treated 4x6 and cut it into one-foot lengths. I just put them on the floor with the 4" side against the floor. Works well enough for me without the complexity.
Used a pair to make the cuts for my bench, worked fine. Worked so well my son in law "borrowed" them and put them in the trailer for repairs around the farm. Right now they are holding the drive axel of the machine used to clean the chicken house floors so the new sprocket can be welded on. Last week it was material for new panels on the birthing sheds. Don't think I'm gonna get them back 😂
good thing is you can make new ones lickety split
Good knife cutting holding tip. Appreciate you showing that, because many people haven't learned the simple things that can keep them and those around them safe. Thank you!
“THIS!” is exactly the type of video I want to see on this channel! Great job, Rex!
Keep things simple and basic and you have my FULL attention. I was becoming a little disillusioned with the direction the channel was going. You “corrected course” with this video and I say “YAY!”
Thank you very much, Rex! :)
Excellent as always! Glad to know I'm not completely insane for having wavy twisty cuts with my Japanese saw. It's a challenge to figure out that's for sure.
There's a lot to learn about these tools. I'm still learning.
Your cuts will twist when you're trying to take too big a bite of the material for the speed and power of your cut, causing chatter and vibration that will throw off your line. If you change the angle of approach on your saw at the start of the cut, you'll be taking less material and can build up the speed you need to cut through the material without vibration and stay on your line.
Also, I cannot stress enough the power of a good knife wall! Although functionally it's better with western style saws, taking the time to put in a knife wall even on Japanese cuts minimizes tear out and helps to positively index your cut by starting with a slightly shallow approach every second pull.
Mr.Kruger, (FYI) if you look at the front of your Gyokucho saw ,you will see there are no teeth there about half an inch.That section is used to scribe a line for the saw to follow and it works pretty good.
Hey Rex, one of the things I did pretty regularly on sites was throw together quick I-beam sawhorses. You would always build them to the height you needed. 16-24" for landing stacks of plywood, 26-30" for power tool work, 32-40" for on site desk work. Half the time you'd wonder where your desk had gone, and find someone had cut down the legs to land plywood on it.
Maybe look at doing an adjustable trestle build! Hand cut "Saw tooth" style adjustment mechanism with a 2x2 peg.
Thumbs up for the Gyokucho saw. That saw was my first quality tool years ago and literally changed my worldview on tools.
It's a GREAT tool!
I just finished building these, and they’re damned sturdy! I’ve got a (110 year old Doug fir) 7’ 4 x 8 beam sitting on them now, ready to be prepped.
thanks for thinking in people who dont have so many fancy tools . Ivan from Argentina
Another quality production Rex!! Driveways are most woodworking hobbyists starting location - me included.
Nothing wrong with the driveway!
@@RexKrueger My driveway is a million degrees right now and 8000% humidity. I wanna borrow your driveway. haha. Love the videos and love your style. Thanks so much
2:02 love the kid's drawings on the wall with blue tape. Same here.
Just want to say your videos are really helpful for a beginning hobby woodworker! Straight to the point with some humor to go with it :D
Made these today with mostly power tools. I had the same thing happen with the foot while chiseling it out. I put it back on with a drywall screw through the bottom. I also glued two 2x4s on edge since I didn’t have any 2x6s lying around. Waiting for the glue to harden so I can try them out
We've just had a wet and windy August so I'll stick with the garage floor, the three tools and use a brush and shovel to tidy up.
Excellent video as ever. Thanks for these.
Just finishing up building my quick stack workbench, have been doing most of the work outside and when I can’t be bothered taking the whole thing outside I have been thinking about another set of legs and use the top outside, a slightly taller version of these are next on my to do list
I like simple tools like this. I've watched many of your videos. I can't recall any about bench hooks. I use them more often than a vice to cut, etc. I even have one I made of a 24" sq, 1/4" piece of plywood.
I've been building things since middle school but at 24 I'm just now getting my own workplace and tools and I've been going through your starter tools and I was going to start with these and then the low bench but I think I will just stick with my 2 concrete blocks with the 2 holes in them, they can be used so many ways, flat for low work, tall for higher work, small enough boards can go in the holes and is almost clamped by itself.. just wanted to throw that out there to beginners that havnt thought of it
I’m SUPER happy to see this! I’ve used these two low benches in my apartment for cutting pieces for larger random construction projects and wasn’t keen on the idea of making full-sized saw horses to get into finer woodwork. Thank you Rex! 💪🏼
From here, that knee-high log looks like cherry. As a carver, I love cherry. I also enjoy your videos: clear instruction and delivery.
Thank you.
Midway through editing my workbench video and Rex posts a cheap workbench build. Finish cutting the lumber for my japanese sawhorses to length and take a break to find Rex post a video about japanese sawhorses. We're really on the same rhythm, man.
this is my next and first project.
I'm a "wing it" kind of woodworker, and that approach stopped working after a certain point. I am laying out these sawhorses, and it is simple, logical, and enjoyable
I am following the plans in Rex's "Everyday Woodworking" book. It is a basic and approachable book that lays what I see as the proper foundations for projects. It's like wood shop all over again but with all hand tools.
nice! thanks for showing the split-gone-awry.
for those that don't weigh very much (I am shamelessly 128lbs) try adding some cork/cloth/rubber/whatever to the feet, and shift as much of your weight as possible to the "holding foot". think squat lunge.
Excellent tuition, great attention to detail and reassurance. Really useful and concise. Thank you.
Love going back to the roots.
Who needs a tool chest when you got a bucket ;)
My bucket wears a toolbelt...
@@bobdeath5508 Those things are awesome. Teacher's also have a rolling milkcrate that has a cloth cover with pouches of all kinds.
Hat off to this brilliant story telling man. I really enjoy the opening lines of your.
I purchased a few carving knives, and I roughed a set out! Used the hatchet on knockin out the first four notches , broke out the hammer and chisel for the last four. Really going to have to gob in the wood glue ... gotta lot of loose spots! once I smooth out all the shoulders! Used screws to hold it together for now
started them this evening. looking forward to them being done. kneeling on a concrete patio suuuuuucks! lol. even with a standing desk pad and a cheap vise bolted to plywood
glad I am doing this project first. will make the next project a little easier, and gives me lots of practice with my ryoba
I would be done already, cept my light ran out cause I rushed to start work at 5pm and the sun was fully set by 6 : 45, and I was super slow at everything cause I was learning how to use the tools
This is literally where im gonna start
Hi, Rex!
Thanks for the awesome build for such a simple tool. I'm just getting started with woodworking, and I built a couple of bookshelves and a table with power tools. Now that I have a young son, I wanted to use safer and more tactile tools that he could use to help me in the work, in a meaningful way. This WWFH project is just the ticket. I was planning to make the low Roman work bench as a first project with him, but I think that we'll work together on the Japanese saw horses first and move on to the work bench afterward.
Thank you for putting out such a great series. I'm so glad that I chose to become a Patron.
Shetland saw horses 🦄💕
Hey Rex, the need for a set of these Japanese saw horses has arrived, I downloaded the plans and I have the material on hand so I can knock them together. Thanks for the video.
I just picked up the razorsaw 664, it has 9tpi on the crosscut and 6tpi on the rip. It is awesome! For some reason it’s like 3 times heavier than I think it should be (just by the look) but the extra heft is great for letting the saw do the work. It still leave a really clean cut even on the rip.
Made these with a single 2x8 8' doug fir, came together great
Nice wee project and I love the addition of the wee knife. My Mora knife has been part of my tool kit since I was a wee kid and I used one yesterday for making a tool handle inspired by Rex 😁
I don't have any of my old carving knives (well, a rusty one, but I didn't use it for carving but throwing ... ). We had a teacher in school (back in the eighties) who had all kinds of interest: I learned how to carve, about dinosaurs, about nanotechnology, about plants, animals, and insect, even about computers etc. Good times! I recall very vividly how a few of us sat around and learned how to handle a carving knife securely and how to carve.
@@thomashverring9484 I think my grandfather, who gave me my first Mora 🔪 thought of me as Emil i Lönneberga and thought that teaching me carving (well, tried) would keep me out of trouble 😁.
@@PierreLenoci Haha! Well, at least he tried :D Were you sent to the shed? :) Mine was a painter and smoked a pipe. He didn't carve, but used to be a pretty famous decorator (famous in the trade), so he could build al kinds of stuff - as long as it wasn't supposed to last! :) I remember him making clay sculptures for plaster molds and other little sculptures.
Love going back to basics! Maybe we'll be see some green wood work with hatchet, knife and splitting? I try to use fallen branches from storms. Or stuff road crews left to rot on the side of the road/parking lot.
Interesting approach to simple woodworking.
Another informative and entertaining video Rex. Keep 'em coming! Hopefully, at some point in the near future, I can become a patron, but for now I'll support by watching every one of your videos. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Rex!
A while ago, you inspired me to make a bench, and that small scouring tool. I want to do that, but this seems like a better first step.
I look forward to trying it in the next couple of months.
Ha! Winter is when i want to work outside. You know the only downside to being a patron now is I never remember to go to the premieres lol
Ha!
When exercise makes you sweat easy you appreciate cool days. As a fellow bald man working in the shade is important as the scalp can only take so much sunshine before becoming an eminator of heat for a fornight.
use of thumb knuckle as a guide is something that could be a good full length subject video
8:26 YES!!!!
this is what I've been waiting for. nice explanation for recovery on this issue. you never see pros explain this
japanese saws work ok with the low roman workbench, you need to stress that woodworking needs practice
I like to use fingers and knuckles to calibrate my hammering accuracy.
right on, man. fun video. easy to understand, helpful and unpretentious. way to keep it mellow.
Glad it was helpful!
I personally love working in grass. I I didn't need a workbench and power tools, I'd do everything in the grass! (in the summer of course)
Good information presented clearly in an entertaining format. Thanks Rex.
Nice video and a very useful project. You advice about using Japanese saws is spot on. Gyukochu saws are a terrific value for the money, too.
BTW: Those small saw horses make nice bench top supports, too.
Thanks!
Thank you for mentioning us lefthanded! In my 48 years, you would not believe how many times I have heard things like "its hard to teach since you are lefthanded". Everything from writing, carpenting, cleaning windows all the way up to when I studied to an accountant. And yes. Even when taking an academic course in economics, it somehow got a problem with one of the teachers since I "did everything backwards" with my hands. The only time I can remember that this was not an issue was when my brother-in-law tried to teach me how to weld. He was also lefthanded. I stil cannot weld very good, but thats besides the point.
In general - it is really easy to teach a left handed person something. Just show how to do it, and tell them they can do the same - just use the left hand and maybe flip the work over if its easier.
This is an actual problem for us lefthanded, especially young ones that may be in school and are perhaps a bit to shy/anxiety ridden to have the courage to just ignor whatever slightly derogative and hopeless remarks that comes our way from time to time.
The attitude you described sounds very unfortunately. Hopefully these days people may more attention to make things more accessible to everyone. Luckily, when you build your own tools etc, you can flip things over in the original design, if necessary. Provided you understand how the tools is going to be used and what has to be flipped over.
I’ve been using the same Opinel #9 pocket knife for carving and refining work for 20 years now. I can’t praise them enough and they’re about 10 euro to buy.
I call them saw "dogs"! (Particularly like Dachshunds, right?)
I fell in love with these saw dogs the first time I seen them in Japanese woodworking pictures many years ago. Still use them very often!
I made three. Two of the same height and one about 1/2 inch shorter.
What do you use the 3rd, shorter one for?
Working on a log reminds me of ripping 2x4s for skate ramps as a kid. And I think that says enough to affirm the title of the series. :^)
I love your perspective on everything. I just ordered your book. You'll probably get more of my money eventually, lol.
No mention of how kid-friendly this build is...
My ten yr olds kids will be making these, for sure!
Ten years after I start having kids, that is...
Not with a slöjd knife, those are way to sharp for anyone but an experienced woodworker who is really careful.
@@DaDunge The Scandinavians would disagree with that.
You have to find someone of the opposite gender first
And before that you have to start talking to people.
@@ringding1000 I am Nordic, what you would call "Scandinavian". One of my best friends slashed his hand open with one of those knives when we were teenagers.
@@DaDunge A sloyd knife is as sharp as you make it, same with any other tool. I wonder what do you mean by "Nordic"? AFAIK, educational sloyd starts at the age of nine, and they use sloyd knives. So supposedly a nine-year old, under proper supervision and instruction, can handle those knives? But I only read about it in a book by Wille Sundqvist, Swedish Carving Techniques. All of the holds described in the book are designed with safety and control in mind. So if the knife is used properly, it can be safe. It should be sharp, too, dull tools are more dangerous, as they need more force to cut, and that invites accidents.
I highly recommend a folding aluminum work platform in the 20" high range. It's handy and makes a nice portable temporary low bench. One of the Werner or Gorilla Ladders ones usually goes on sale a couple times a year for $20-30.
I can also throw in another recommendation for the Gyokucho saws. I love my Gyokucho Ryoba. The SUIZAN saws are also excellent, and recommended and sold by Jonathan Katz-Moses. I bought a folding Dozuki from him when I was buying some of his dovetail guides. I haven't used it much yet, but it's really nice.
Next time you're at the flea market look for an old carpenter's hatchet. They are amazing.
It took me a while to realize that Japanese woodworkers work mostly on the floor. Not easy for my old bones, but it keeps you supple.
You know what? I'm going to make a few of those! They really seem useful! 😃
Thanks a lot, Rex!
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
Great simple project, that I would like to complicate. I'm thinking of making them so the feet will fit into and be held in place with magnets when stored, and maybe even the two horses held together the same way. just a thought.
I just love your woodworking approach and learnt so much from you!
This is favourite video so far.
I have used piles of scrap wood to do this for years. This is a much more stable, and long lasting, way to use the same scrap wood to do the same thing better.
I’m so excited! My double sided Japanese saw is getting delivered tomorrow 😂.
well this was my first projec. if I manage to make it a habbit I will make sure to support you apropriately
Joke's on me, a sharp saw would have been a big help. Thanks for the video, I'll take a second crack at this later. The sound at 8:29 is both sickening and comforting, as someone who just heard the same thing. Thanks for keeping in the mistakes, it really encourages someone new like me.
This is my bedtime content 😄💪
This is a great project. I just have to find somewhere to buy my first ryoba saw! Amazing work Rex, keep it up.
Luckily they got them everywhere! I've bought one online and one at a cheap hardware store near me. They are really becoming very common :^) Oh, and I love my saws, although they are fairly cheap. It's an Irwin Ryoba and an Augusta Dozuki (didn't know Augusta before I bought this one), the Ryoba has a plastic handle and the Dozuki has the wooden handle. Good luck with your saw to be!
There are many of them out there. Even Harbor freight sells them.
Rex Krueger no harbour freight in Australia sadly, and the huge hardware chain doesn’t have them. I’ll have to go online
@@AlexSouthwell ...or order from Amazon through Rex' channel. This will help him out
Thanks for this! I’ll give this a shot and definitely try not to mess it up
I’m so excited to start building these. They’re so cute! I cheated and got the timber cut to size lol. But I’m planning to do the rest by hand just as you did. Once I’ve used them to build my lightweight journeyman bench I plan to attach a board to the top and use it for shoe storage in my closet.
saw pony
This is great! Love learning about these new tools - and this is a great project to learn how to use the Ryoba saw. Thanks Rex!
My pleausre!
I found it way easier to use a coping saw for the curves on the corners and then clean up with a chisel/file. I also used another design I saw online instead for the corners with two one inch radius circles stacked on the corners instead of one, and I like it a lot. Although it leaves less of an edge on the two stands if you want to ever use them to support something so only modifying the top wood might be better. I also wish I had rounded the bottom underneath. I might still, but that would give a smaller footprint touching the floor so I probably won't.
Your presentation reminds me of Steve from Blue's Clues, in a good way.
Dude I think iv mentioned this before... But man! You are pretty cool! I would have to say passing you in a store I would not think anything like that so I will not judge this book by its cover. I tend to be pretty blunt! Please forgive me! I also tend to do a lot of work from the floor I don't know why but I just do so I'm building these Chinese or Japanese horses and I'm having fun doing it thank you Rex! I plan on purchasing plans from u for a more extravagant work bench in the very near future I can't wait to get started!
Seems like these would be good for making quick cuts on a job site with a circular saw?
Great video as always, Rex! I have a Fiskars chisel knife that I've never used, but it would probably be handy for this kind of project.
I have the Mora chisel knife. It would work well for this.
@@RexKrueger I like how the chisel knife is such an all-round tool. That's why I bought it. And this video inspired me to finally use. Thanks, Rex.
Would you recommend the morakniv knife? It looks very similar and also has a large bevel.
Ooo that a mora? I actually got into your series by *branching* out from wood carving. I have a big soft spot for moras. So many spoons.
It's a Mora. I need to learn a LOT more about carving.
@@RexKrueger fun fact. Slöjd means woodwork or woodcarving in Swedish, so your knife is actually perfect for you. 😉
REX TEACHES ADVANCED BUSHCRAFT! Great job and entertaining video. I probably won't put this one on my list because low work kills my back... we'll see.
You think this is bushcraft, wait till you see what I have in 2 weeks!
Rex Krueger
Bodging?
Anyone interested in pull saws, I suggest you try the Shark Corp Japanese pull saws. They are inexpensive ($18-35) and cut better than any pull saws I've tried. Try one with and angled handle, they are awesome. BTW I'm not affiliated with the company.
Oooops! Love it! Never ever thought of using my hatchet. Thank you!
It's a very traditional tool for even furniture work. I was surprised when I found out.
He uses it a lot in the early WWFH videos to build a chair and other things. Check it out. It made me add one to my workbench.
I really like your videos!
Thank you
Just wondering, why the fancy foreign saw? Is it because the old fashioned kind are just too big? I seen one of those, that you like to use at the hardware store the other day. But I already have the old fashioned kind. I wish I could post some pics somewhere. I'm going to make a set of these that you are teaching about, but im going to cheat. I'm going to use power tools, I have a hell of a time still with the hand saws. Thanks again! I'm going to get your book this summer
Rex Kreuger back at it again with anotha one 😎😎
I live in the unforgiving desert hellscape of Arizona. Going outside in August would be an act of bravery. I am happy to live a coward's life
I think that crosses the fine line between bravery and foolishness.
why don 't you move up north?
I actually just started making knives like that carving knife! :) they are super handy!
You dont need a tape meassure. A stick, or a string, is perfectly fine since you just need to replicate cuts and forms - not actually knowing what the exact inch, centimeter or whatever is not necessary.
I can only say what I see in videos. Never been to Japan or met a Japanese woodworkers. But it seems to me that Japanese Cull Bin wood seems like our FAS bins here in the US. Anyone!