Fabricating a pair of Heavy Duty Steel Saw Horses

[@dankolar6066]

The main problem with nice sawhorses is that they tend to wander off in the dead of night. Very nice. Thank you for sharing.

[@butter262]

they are heavy enough that they wont go far

[@lillsmeden]

Sounds like you should write a country song about that, if your horses tend to leave you :)

[@davidduvall4655]

I would suggest adding a 3x4 or 4x4 pad at the bottom of each leg to weight and stop legs from digging into concrete. Excellent work.

[@wi11y1960]

Not only that, yet also if he takes it out side, it wont sink into the dirt

[@TheUlrikkaul]

Just what i thought.

[@madscientist5969]

Absolutely!

[@markramsell454]

Figured someone would mention it. Those pointed feet could gouge concrete if you're not careful. Do the 4x4 pads.

[@aserta]

Unconventional, i now, but on mine, i put four locking wheels. Excellent for moving heavy stuff.

[@chrisrhodes5464]

You can drill holes in the end braces to stick screwdrivers in and other things to hold stuff

[@timbober1]

Fun project thank you for the video Keith

[@outsidescrewball]

enjoyed....Fireball designed/build a great collapsible super strong saw horse....nice build Keith

[@darenscott1718]

I built a set of those. My only complaint is that I didn't build a second set, as my camper shell occupies them most of the time.

[@propulsar]

Nice wee project Keith.

[@shawnhuk]

Good idea for the wood pad on the top.

[@kejay74]

Hi Keith! Liked the comment about 'passable welding'. Brings to mind a common comment for the non-pro welder... "A grinder and paint makes me the welder I ain't." LOL! Good video! Keep 'em coming! As far as the fabbing...Jason over at FireBall Tools has some beneficial items that may have your eyeteeth watering! Bring your own paper towels to wipe up the drools!!! Don't want them things rusting! LOL!! Ken

[@markbernier8434]

Only thing I didn't see below is that a hole in the cross brace comes in handy. Pop a shackle pin in it so you can chain them at a distance so they can't spread apart as you push work around. Nothing worse than that crash as the far one you can't reach starts to tip

[@buckinthetree1233]

Those saws are a great investment. I bought one about a year ago and even my dad that thinks if he made it 73 years without it then we don't need to spend the money on it, thinks it's the best saw ever. I think the wood top is a good choice also. Steel slides around on steel a little too easy. There's nothing worse than trying to work on something that keeps running away from you.

[@cms3424]

Hearing protection!! Face shield. Its worth it! Gloves would not hurt. We all love you man, just do it!

[@wagglebutt]

I was thinking the same thing. It was nice of him to turn the volume down for the video, but his ears are unprotected.

[@silasmarner7586]

Nah.. he won't.

[@zumbazumba1]

Bomb suitwould work better! He is old ,what does he have to worry about? Besides microphone probably adds a lot of noise.

[@xenonram]

Knee pads too. For when you're doing you two-handed peppermill routine.

[@argee55]

I wear hearing aids because I have industrial hearing loss. I spent too many years in the machine/welding shop without hearing protection.

[@donaldshulman6771]

Keith - The metal planer has provided many videos and a lot of work. Someday I might go back and watch them from the start. Can't wait to see the completed restoration.

[@lainechampion8255]

Don't ever talk down about your fabrication or welding skills, you do nice work 👏

[@jeremydoblinger3609]

I may copy those. Nice and simple and one horse out of a 20 ft stick not bad.. nice job!

[@ruperthartop7202]

They will come in handy. Thanks for sharing Keith

[@Farm_fab]

Keith, I bought two metal cutting blades at my local scrap yard, and got them sharpened to use in my metal chop saw. I expect they will last me quite awhile. I like your saw horse idea.

[@MsGamalier]

Wow those came out awesome look super beefy love the channel

[@mikecabe6127]

Good job Keith!!!!!

[@stuartm8335]

Wheels attached on one vertical end pointing horizontally so you could pick up at other end and wheel them ? . Save your back

[@glenlynch9765]

Good job. Nice addition to the shop.

[@kevinzucco8358]

Great video on building a pair of steel saw horses especially having the channel facing up for nesting the wood inside of it.

[@dolvaran]

Also, the verticals of the channels are in compression under load, rather than extension.

[@LadyDewBuild]

Okay now I'm going to need to build me some of those! :D As for your welding, From your description we are about the same skill level in welding and I'm building an ocean crossing live aboard boat to retire on. The boat will float and be safe, pretty welds isn't what I'm going for :D

[@kdel9776]

they look great

[@TomTalley]

Nice one, Keith. Always enjoy watching your work.

[@mrc1539]

Kieth, if you use all the suggestions in the comments you would need a boom truck to move your sawhorses , LOL 😂 ! I think they look great and will serve you well as is !

[@ron827]

Excellent! An example of good planning created minimal waste. To learn what one has done wrong, just post the project on MeTube and wait for input from well meaning shop inspectors. This is good because then we viewers can collect all the "useable" suggestions and build it "right". :-) With that said, let me suggest having the open side of each 10" end brace face up so it is available as a tray for misc. small hand tools or a place to hang C-clamps.

[@Hoaxer51]

Ron, it’s true about the comments! I also like the tray idea for a striker or small tools and clamps!

[@mattthescrapwhisperer]

Nice project Keith. I'm building some similar ones only my material is 3" steel well pipe. I received a number of 20 foot sticks for free so I'm going with what I have on hand. I do like your wooden tops; makes yours very versatile.

[@royreynolds108]

Can't beat the price.

[@donaldnaymon3270]

Nice work Keith. Great looking saw horses. Definitely strong. Thank you for sharing

[@capnthepeafarmer]

Grinder and paint make me the welder I ain't! Looks great!

[@ValleyFabrication]

Great Job, thanks for sharing, just what I need

[@geckoproductions4128]

nice video, nice project, thanks

[@gregchilders2942]

Good idea will build me some soon thanks for the idea.

[@WeberSarge]

Just a little tip - If you put your tacks in the center of any structural iron, it will help keep the joints aligned and tight. Consider how the steel will shrink as it cools and use that to pull the joints in the direction you want them to shrink and pull. Hope this helps - good design, btw.

[@z06doc86]

Good looking saw horses. Great job. I’ll take a set. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@roadwarrior692]

Morning Keith, great videos!

[@larryshaw6517]

Looks very strong good job, I'm sure you will find lots of uses for them and probably lots of modifications as well . thanks

[@Mad-Duk_Machine_Werkes]

Those look EXCELLENT! if I had the room, I'd make a set also!

[@catfishgray651]

Great Job...

[@63256325N]

Nicely done. Thanks for the video.

[@bcbloc02]

Those should hold!

[@azenginerd9498]

Another suggestion is to move the leg assemblies inward about the width of the channel to provide an end lip to clamp to. Top channel down provides a flat surface with or without wood, allows any 2x material to be added without ripping to width and profiling to fit the channel. Orientation does not affect strength. Glad to see edge weld prep on second horse. I also concur with the need for foot pads.

[@mlenstra]

Isn’t channel iron stronger when loaded in the direction of the channel? Steel has better tensile than compressive strength so intuitively it would seem to help to have additional “meat” on the compressed side.

[@azenginerd9498]

@@mlenstra , I do not agree that steel (being a ductile material) has different strength in tension and compression. Regarding the preferred orientation, placing the flanges in tension provides for the full yield strength of the material whereas placing the flanges in compression generally fails due to buckling (the flanges splay sidways). Keith's orientation is the latter. All that said, how strong is strong enough? The failure mode of the structure (sawhorse) is much more likely to be at a joint than base material yielding. Which way the channel is oriented is a moot point. A quick FEA simulation on just the top channel shows the onset of yielding around 3000 lbs. That is with a point load mid span and the ends fixed (simple beam). In usage, the loading will be distributed and the additional structure of the legs and braced adds to the capability. Again, the unknown is the welded joint limitations. He can feel comfortable with 2000 lbs per horse.

[@carlwhite8225]

Nice, I am making a set of these soon using your drawing, Thanks.

[@piccilos]

looks great

[@elsdp-4560]

THANK YOU... for sharing. Very nice. Watched and very much enjoyed.

[@butter262]

i like blue too

[@arnoldsmachinetool4632]

Nice build and paint. They look more like Clydesdales instead of horses. Will definitely hold up anything you ask them to. I could see some 4x4 wooden V-blocks add to them.

[@millwrightrick1]

Not bad at doing the crosspieces without a third hand. I have done the same but with stick welding and no autodark.

[@exilfromsanity]

Something to store out under the "lean to " when you get it built.

[@aserta]

Heh, i just made a pair of these myself. I used square section tube tho, had a bunch left over from a work piece i did. Much better than wood saw horses, cause i can land some pretty heavy stuff on top. Excellent for cutting 10 mm plate without messing my work bench.

[@gofastwclass]

Nice job. Thanks for the audio ducking during the saw cuts.

[@jesusjacobo3423]

That’s a really good idea I’m going to have to make some for myself 👍🏽

[@robertweigle7591]

Built a set just like that at work only difference I welded angle across the bottom to help from digging into concrete with heavy loads on them

[@Cromwell648]

Top job 🇬🇧

[@MrRShoaf]

I'm thinking that you can fab a set of feet that have cam actuated rollers you can pivot into place making them easier to move when you need to. To the same end, a handle on the ends might also be good to have.

[@dtoad48]

Why didn't you switch the a-frame support pieces so each horse and two up and two down?

[@Smallathe]

Wonderful. Hope you will find a lot of use for these... :)

[@kdel9776]

channel up gives you a good holding tray

[@criggie]

Did you put two U side braces on one and two n side braces on the other, or was it one of each? Could use the U shaped side as a tray for holding things, and put some holes down through the n side for dropping screwdrivers etc into.

[@donmittlestaedt1117]

Thank you

[@rodneycassidy6037]

Nice

[@phillipjones3342]

Great comments on the build nice job though could be better but it’s yours and you live with what you have

[@alfredpalmiter4398]

At 13:15 did you notice that the ground electrode is not clamped to the work while welding ? Just laying on the table ;)

[@nevetslleksah]

Alfred Palmiter - yes you are right, I missed that. But since it is a steel table the ground is transferring through the table top to the work.

[@Zerostar369]

Good stuff. I see that saw has come down in price recently. I might pick one up. Thanks Keith!

[@TupperWallace]

From the sine of 70 degrees, I calculate that the height of these horses is about 32 inches, am I close?

[@crockteerden4023]

Just a thought, we always used oil paper on tup of the wood before we put finished surface to prevent rusting

[@BobOBob]

I submit that your diagonals are both upside-down. Simply because they form pockets at the bottom joint, for junk to gather and promote rust. Drilling a weep hole might make some sense, depending on the use environment.

[@alt-w7130]

Have some 2 x 4 I beam would be making a pair. Thanks for the idea.

[@waynep343]

you almost need to add more cross braces between the legs about 6" up from the floor.. so you can add some wide C channel for the pallet jack to slip under for at least one saw horse.. but you have that nice gantry crane to move stuff around with.. so its just a thought.. i would think about adding even some thinner channel between the lower legs.. so if something heavy gets set down in the middle of the top beam.. it does not get all spread legged..

[@andyZ3500s]

Forty feet of material and two handfuls of left over stock. Good planning. They wood on the top was a good idea.

[@kenny5174]

Thought you had some fireball tool angles for welding?

[@brucetuckey7909]

Looks like it should hold a Mack Truck. Very Good.

[@dalebennett8169]

how big is your metal shop

[@samueltaylor4989]

Drill 3 holes into the bottom of the channel for 3 large screws up into the wood.

[@Niticess]

I think I would like a pair of these too.

[@LightAndSportyGuy]

Too late now, but FWIW, welding the legs on with an inch or two of overhang on the ends would make it easy to clamp to the ends if there ever is a desire...

[@philmenzies2477]

Yep, coupla inches minimum. And cut compound angles and have the legs canted slightly also.

[@alir4864]

I could be added with simple angle bar with hole in it to tie or clamp anything if needed.

[@lineshaftrestorations7903]

How is your hearing? I hate the idea of hearing damage that can be prevented.

[@railfan439]

I second Dave Duvall's suggestion on adding foot pads. Saves on the concrete and spreads the load. See you at the Bar=Z. Jon

[@oby-1607]

Finally, someone made some real sawhorses. Those could hold up the Titanic. Good work Keith.

[@PaulBenedict1]

Forgot your ground clamp on the second A-frame... you noticed all those sparks jumping around but didn’t notice the cause.

[@jamesreed6121]

Nice little project, I just might do a smaller version for my small shop. I can see how you could very easily over engineer a project like this one. Keeping it simple is sometimes hard to do.

[@WilliamTMusil]

Hiya Keith

[@leeroyholloway4277]

Im gonna have me a cold saw - next major purchase for sure

[@douglaspierce316]

I love mine don't miss the smell of the old chopsaw

[@joeduda8507]

look great thanks for the video

[@trufix72]

Those saws are great, The last a long time only if you cut the material its rated for.

[@stephencarpenter1384]

Add some drop down caster type wheels along the cross pieces

[@wolfiemcwolf6617]

I hate to be that guy Keith, but earplugs and better eye protection should be the go. I use muffs and a face shield when using gear at work. But each to their own. Still a great watch as always. 👍

[@joshward7896]

There's a stress riser at the junction of the braces.....use that last waste piece to bridge the 2 braces, if you know what I mean.

[@bmw1894]

I would have flipped the diagonal braces up the other way as dust and debris currently has a place to accumulate.

[@jamesschrum8924]

I kind different on that, I like it the way he has it. I always seem to have small tools around when using saw horses and the tools fall to the floor, this would give me a place to put them and they would stay put, besides sticking me in my pocket every time I moved. A shop vac takes care of the dust, and my old aged back does not have to bend over so much picking up the markers and small tooling. Another way to think of it, but to each our on, that's why the good God made us different. Great job Keith.

[@jacobpoucher]

hes not the smartest.

[@jacobpoucher]

@jacktheripped not yet but thanks for reminding me!

[@xenonram]

@jacktheripped Jacob is a sour little puss. He's always whining on Keith's videos. He's too dumb to realize that besides the view and his comments, thumbs up or down count as viewer interaction and promote the video in the algorithm. (Get mad at this comment, Jacob. Hahaha.)

[@Hoaxer51]

jacktheripped, it seems that I’m always agreeing with you or giving you a thumbs up!

[@philiptipping6738]

Keith I think we are all good welders when others a grinder close to hand.

[@misiukowalski5653]

Are you using gas mig or flux core? Trying to learn before I buy a welder lol

[@JanLarssonfred]

Nice!

[@ashleyknight723]

Admiring these saw-horses from Europe. I have a personal rule that all my work surfaces have the same top level height. This is very practical as I don't waste time compensating for differences. Are these horses the same level as your work-benches?

[@JaapGrootveld]

That was a deep dive Kieth,

[@Devin82m]

So how much weight are they rated for?

[@jusb1066]

not rated, unless you pay an engineer to workit all out then test a representative sample, its all a guess, they might fail sooner than store bought ones, etc

[@davekummer6587]

remember want Norm Abrams said before The New Yankee Workshop --real nice job though

[@coconutpie333]

is that a metal devil blade ?

[@dougborrett3566]

20 foot "Sticks" is that the same as 20 foot lengths?

[@nevetslleksah]

Doug Borrett - the channel is 5lb/ft so each horse weighs about 100 pounds.

[@thomasjake3920]

Ooooh! Ooooh! Like #900. I feel special.

[@ericcommarato7727]

If you turned the angles both with the legs up on the horizontal of your “A” you would have a place to store bolts, small parts, tools etc.

[@trufix72]

not sure if i heard the thickness on the channel. what is it Keith ?

[@nevetslleksah]

Steve T - his sketch shows 3 x 1-1/2” channel so looking on speedymetals.com site at steel channel that would be 5lb/ft .258”. So they weigh about 100 pounds each.