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Last month someone on Knots was looking for FWW 208 and when I pulled my copy I saw an article about making Krenov style sawhorses. They looked neat, and today I almost finished making a pair. Wow, are they sturdy. I haven’t glued or wedged them and I haven’t even put on the top rails but they are already rock solid. Two, standing together, take up about an inch more room than one standing alone. I used red oak, but I’m tickled pink.
Pictures when I’m done.
Replies
I agree they look great and look forward to your pictures.
I built two shortly after the article was published, out of QSWO with purpleheart wedges. They're sturdy, I put 100 board feet of QSWO on top of them and they didn't have a problem. I also made a couple of "stringers" with notches near the ends. The notches interlock with the top rail of each sawhorse "tying" them together. The overall height with the stingers in place is the same as the top of my cabinet saw so I can use it as in feed, out feed or side support. I've also used a 24" X 96" piece of plywood on top to serve as additional table space when needed. I'll attach pictures after the shop warms up.
Pete
Krenov sawhorses
Some years ago when I started woodworking as a hobby (still is that) I picked up Krenov books and was fascinated. From one of the pictures of his sawhorses I decided to make two and used oak.
They were very light, sturdy, and compact to store like nesting tables. I used them for years until someone managed to leave them just a little bit too far out in the path of my wife's car. They could not take the stress of the legs being run over by the wheels on a ton-and-a-half car.
Forrest
Here are pictures of my sawhorses.
Pete
Love the purpleheart... think I'm gonna use cherry. Stringers are a good idea.
I don't want to burst your bubble, but FWW had a better design a few years ago, it was in the issue about the super sled. THey look similar to the Krenov horses, but you can slide the top up an down. I built me a pair and they are awesome.
jg, No bubble to burst here.
Slide the top up and down? How do you lock the top in place? Was it FWW #199, the one with the Ultimate Crosscut Sled? I built the sled and it's in the pictures posted above, sitting on the Unisaw behind the sawhorses.
i built an adjustable support stand out of plywood from plans in American Woodworker. It has two interchangeable tops, one with a Formica surface and the other with roller bearings. It uses T-track and star knobs on the sides/legs to lock the top at different heights.
Pete
Adjustable stand
The stand in FWW 199 was to support the overhang of the big sled I think. Finished my two Krenov's and I like 'em. Had trouble with the first wedged tennon, splintering the cherry wedges and not opening the tennon enough. The second one went well as I used maple wedges and cut the kerfs closer to the ends of the tennons. Both seem very stable. Just put a coat of 50/50 boiled linseed oil and terps on them and they look nice.
Ignore if you have seen mine too often
I recommend making four. That way if cutting off a piece the main board is supported and the "falling board" is supported. Of course I made these not very tall so I can put my knee on the stock while hand sawing. Page down.
http://forums.finewoodworking.com/fine-woodworking-knots/new-woodworking/redwood-slab-coffee-table
making four
Good idea. Now that I have made all my mistakes on these two I should be able to knock out two more in a couple of hours. I hadn't seen yours before, though I remember the redwood slab post. Nice.
You call them not very tall... now this is not very tall !
"You 'strong like bull' too, Roc."
That comment from Frosty about your 4 sawhorses was a quote from Blazing Saddles in case you missed it.
Mongo
Some days I feel, like Mongo, that I "just pawn in game of life"
Ray,(" that's HedLEY")
I recommend making four... roc
And so I did.
Making Four
And all in one go, so you really do make the whole set, rather than two this week and two.... whenever!
Almost.
If I remember I built some jigs for my router to make it easier to cut the thru mortices between set one and set two. But I liked set one so much that I knew that a second set would be even better and I was right. I use them all the time. On the far left of the picture you can see part of the surface of a drafting table top that hangs on a french cleat, out of the way 'till I need it and then it sits on top of a pair of Krenov sawhorses. By hooking the front lip of the top over the ends of the sawhorses I get I nice tilt to the top.
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