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Workbench or saw horses?

legopoint
Cultivating a Following

Workbench or saw horses?

Hi

I am at level 0 with woodworking but wants to build some shelves in garage.

After watching some videos and reading some blogs about DIY and woodworking, I think I can safely use circular saw,  multitool and jigsaw.

Should I get workbench like https://www.bunnings.com.au/craftright-folding-bench-n-vice_p5860871  or saw horses https://www.bunnings.com.au/toughbuilt-2-piece-sawhorse-and-jobsite-table_p5820831 ?

 

Workbench seems good choice but need advice from experts.

 

What are some good workbenches or saw horses?

Thanks

 

Tyro
Becoming a Leader

Re: Workbench or saw horses

Hi @legopoint 

Welcome to the world of diy beginners!  I'm also as green as when it comes to diy.  I tried the Craftright saw-horses and returned them when one of them died mid-project.  I started using some stacked pallets as a quick fix and am so pleased with the stability  I've kept using them!  😁  If you have the room, a workbench would be my preference mainly because of the stabiity, but also to set your tools up permanently. There are lots of diy workbench projects on the Workshop site (drop down the menu, open Garage & Shed).  The Bunnings facilitators and community members are incredibly helpful with a massive bank of knowledge.  And I've been told by a tradie that diy sawhorses are super easy to make.  If you want to stick with buying sawhorses, don't be shy with the cost and go with a better brand like Irwin.  I strongly recommend some online research too.  If a sawhorse collapses while you're using the circular saw then it's likely you'll need an ambulance and a long recovery.

Cheers 🤗

MitchellMc
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Workbench or saw horses?

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @legopoint. It's fantastic to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about selecting a workbench or saw horses.

 

Neither of those are necessities to your project, but they will come in handy. If you are working with large panels for this shelving, I'd go with the saw horses, but if it's a smaller unit, you could use the folding table. The folding table would be useful for other smaller projects in the future. I'd recommend you consider the Ryobi Foldable Workbench With Adjustable Angle and possibly pick up an additional set of quick-clamps. 

 

Folding workbenches are a great solution for someone with limited space or just beginning; I worked off one for years. If you were considering really getting into woodworking, then a great project is building yourself a workbench. Have a look at this step-by-step guide on How to build a workbench, and check out our Top 10 most popular workbench projects for inspiration.

 

If you did want to go for the saw horses, I can recommend the Craftright Folding Metal Leg Saw Horse, as I've never had any issues with those. @Tyro's experience might have been with the plastic versions.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Mitchell

 

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Dave-1
Community Megastar

Re: Workbench or saw horses?

Good Afternoon @legopoint 

I was reading the comments on sawhorses so thought Id throw in things I use :smile:

I was lucky enough to get some ex telstra stools. These work well in three planes, On the feet, on its end and when stacked flat. 

 

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Essentialy its a box with feet, I have used upside down drums for resting lengths of timber on, brickwork, benches. Id suggest you start with your shelves and see what you "need" as your needs will rock up fast. Someone in Telecom industries worked out the right dimensions for multiple uses and made these for the works to use in telephone exchanges. (OHS wise :surprised: but they are supper handy)

Only rules are

Needs to be solid and support the weight of what you are cutting.

Needs to be able to be leaned on.

Needs to be light to be able to be moved about.

Storage of the horses afterwards. 

 

Some things to remember when cutting (I still make these mistakes when I dont listen to my internal voice.)

Cut after the last supporting horse not before it (Think like a ruler between two supports, if you cut in between the blade gets jamed as the timber is cut)

If the piece that you are cutting has a long overhang support it with another (Horse/drum) so you dont get a jagged edge.

 

Dave

 

 

EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Workbench or saw horses?

Hello @legopoint 

 

It's fantastic that you've received excellent feedback from our members. Just to add to the suggestions made, I recommend thinking about building your own sawhorse. This would give you an opportunity to practice your D.I.Y skills and build a project that will help you in your workshop.

 

I've placed a sample sketch below to give you an idea of how you can build one. This is roughly based on my grandfather's sawhorse which doubled as a worktable. He purposed built it to 700mm so that your legs would fit under if you placed a seat next to it. It also served as a toolbox for some of his tools. 

 

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

 

Eric

 

legopoint saw horse1.jpglegopoint saw horse2.jpglegopoint saw horse3.jpglegopoint saw horse4.jpg

 

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Noyade
Kind of a Big Deal

Re: Workbench or saw horses?

Hi @legopoint 

 

All of the above.

Plus - should you decide to upgrade to a larger workbench, I highly recommend a vice, even a small one - you'll never regret it. 👍

 

20230815_175610.jpg

legopoint
Cultivating a Following

Re: Workbench or saw horses?

Thank you very much @Tyro , @MitchellMc @Dave-1 @EricL @Noyade 

I have a lot to learn.
Design shared by @EricL  looks interesting but I don't have enough confidence yet, so I have saved the design for future.

 

I also found a dismantled table from Ikea with metal legs. Assembled it and it looks it is going to hold some minor projects.
Bought 2 clamps. I have some MDF board left from previous job by a contractor.
Got jigsaw from Aldi(Am I allowed to mention other stores?). it says 710 W.
Going to experiment with it tomorrow just to build some confidence.

Another thing I realised that I must buy a vacuum for the garage to collect dust from projects.

 

I'll go though projects submitted by community members for inspiration.

 

EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Workbench or saw horses?

Hi @legopoint 

 

Just remember to post your project and share it with the community so that our members can see what you've built. If you run into any issues while building your project, don't hesitate to ask questions. We'll be more than happy to provide advice and information.

 

I also suggest having a look at the Bunnings Tool line up. When investing in tools, I recommend going for brands that offer battery flexibility. One battery to run multiple tools like the Ozito or Ryobi sets. You'll find both the convenience and functionality of these tools to be outstanding.

 

Here are some handy topics that will help you on your D.I.Y journey:

 

 

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

 

Eric

 

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Dave-1
Community Megastar

Re: Workbench or saw horses?

Morning @legopoint 

:smile: Toolsl! You get to play with tools :smile: Strange how that inspires the need for other tools as our list of what we have grows.

If you havnt used power tools before it can seem a little daunting, my scariest was a jigsaw of all things. I struggled at first  to figure out how to use it. 

A saber saw is another one I dont own but my brain baulks at  :smile: Just remember in here there are no bad questions of how to. Ask and there is a fair chance someone will be able to show you what/how to do it.

 

I use Ozito stuff mostly as it just keeps on going. Who would have thought a cheap brand is decent but yep it is. (Love the warranty period on them)

Never used the warranty but it was a deciding factor in going down the route of what brand to use.

 

Hope to see some projects down the track.

 

Dave

Tyro
Becoming a Leader

Re: Workbench or saw horses?

Hi @Dave-1 

Thanks for the tips for sawing timber.  Those boxes were a great save and so versatile!  If you have the time, it would be really helpful to get the dimensions.  

 

I haven't even taken my  circular saw out of the case yet, but your tips are  welcome and an encouragement for me 😂.  I'm a bit confused with what you mean "Cut after the last supporting horse not before it" ... can you explain that a bit more  please?  Does than mean not to kill the power too early?

Thanks! 🤗

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