PHOTO BY TROY GRIEPENTROG

I decided to build some cheap shelves for the basement and was cutting some 2-by-4s on the floor when the saw kicked back. I wasn’t injured, but it was a stupid thing to do. Using sawhorses to keep the wood in position is much safer, so I decided to build a pair.

I used the $6 sawhorses (Build the World's Best $6 Sawhorse?) as a model, but changed a few things to fit my needs. (The sawhorse plans are in the Image Gallery for that article.) You can build these with hand or power tools. I used a combination. Here’s how I built the sawhorses step by step:

Make the Top

Cut the following pieces of 2-by-4 to length.
4 pieces, 10 3/8 inches long (this is slightly more than the original plan)
2 pieces, 14 inches long
2 pieces, 19 inches long
2 pieces, 36 1/5 inches long (this is slightly more than the original plan)

Lay out the longest pieces with a 10 3/8-inch piece on top of the ends to make a rectangle. Square up the corners and attach with four 2 1/2-inch screws at each joint. I had to pre-drill the holes to avoid splitting the pine, even though I was using self-tapping deck screws.

Put the other two 10 3/8-inch pieces in the middle of the rectangle. You’ll know where these fit if you put the 14- and 19-inch pieces on top of them for reference. The 14- and 19-inch pieces should reach the ends, leaving a 3 1/2-inch gap in the middle. This gap is wide enough to fit a 2-by-4, but should be narrow enough that the foot of your circular saw will bridge the gap. (In the original plans, this gap was only 3 inches, but I thought I might want to put a 2-by-4 between the two sawhorses sometime, so I made it a little wider.) Attach the middle 10 3/8-inch pieces with four 2 1/2-inch screws at each joint.

Now attach the 14- and 19-inch pieces. Make sure the space between these is 3 1/2 inches; put a 2-by-4 between them to make sure it fits snuggly without binding. Secure each joint with three 2 1/2-inch screws, but keep them 1 1/2 inches from the outside edges. In the next step, you’re going to cut the bevel for the legs, and the screws would get in the way if they’re too close to the edge.

PHOTO BY TROY GRIEPENTROG

Cut the Bevel for the Legs

Mark the edges of the top with a bevel gauge. I was trying for a 7-degree angle. If you don’t have a bevel gauge, cut a template from a piece of plywood or 1-by-2. Measure 12 inches along a factory edge of the board or plywood. Using a square, make a mark 1 1/2 inches from the edge. Draw a line from the mark to the starting corner to make a triangle; cut along this line. The narrow angle of this piece is about 7 degrees.

PHOTO BY TROY GRIEPENTROG

Mark the top of the sawhorses as in the photo. Mark the angles on the ends; then, straight lines on the top. I wanted the legs to splay out 7 degrees for more stability, so I marked the sides for this, too.

You could cut out these pieces with a saw, but you’d be cross-cutting one 2-by-4 (against the grain) and ripping two 2-by-4s (with the grain). Cutting this by hand is hard work (I tried it). A circular saw will leave a rounded cut where you stop, so that’s not the best solution. You also could make all the cuts before assembling the pieces, but you have to keep the angles consistent and measurements precise.

The quickest and easiest method is to make the bevel cut nearest the center of the sawhorse with a handsaw and chisel out the waste of the pieces you’d be ripping if you used a saw. After you’ve chiseled those two boards, use a handsaw to cut the middle board. (Most handsaws are designed for crosscutting, not ripping.)

PHOTO BY TROY GRIEPENTROG

Cut only to the mark you made on the top. This photo shows the top of the   sawhorse facing the person making the cut. The saw angles down so that it   barely cuts the wood at the back of this cut. Cutting it from the other side would   be a more natural sawing position.

PHOTO BY TROY GRIEPENTROG

Don’t be afraid to use a chisel! Take off little bits at a time — an eighth of an inch   or less. If you’ve never used a chisel before, this is a great project to try it out.

PHOTO BY TROY GRIEPENTROG

After you've removed waste from the outside 2-by-4s with a chisel, cut the middle   2-by-4 with a crosscut saw.

Cutting the Legs

Use the bevel gauge or template to mark the ends of four 2-by-4s. This will have two bevels (if you look down on the finished sawhorse from the top, the legs will jut off from the corners at an angle, not just to the side or front and back of the sawhorse). Before you make the cut, check that your lines match the notches in the top of the sawhorse.

Measure 32 inches from your first cut and mark matching bevels. Check against the notch in the top of the sawhorse again. Depending on your height, you may want to make the legs shorter or longer. Remember it’s easier to cut more off later than to add wood back.

Attach each leg with six 2 1/2-inch screws.

The cross braces add strength to the sawhorse. You can use 1-by-4s, 1-by-6s or 2-by-4s. Attach these to the legs with two 2 1/2-inch screws at each joint.

I leveled the sawhorses using a method for leveling table legs described in Build Your Own Tables. (Read Make Your Table Stable at the end of that article.)

Read Circular Saw Safety Tips to learn more about using the sawhorses safely.

Do-it-yourself projects have so many benefits. Many people enjoy woodworking, plumbing or metal working as a hobby. You can save money by doing things yourself, too. And you have the satisfaction of doing something for yourself and knowing it’s been done right (or at least you know how it was done, even if it’s not quite “right”).

But there are some risks. Slivers, minor cuts, bruises and sore backs are to be expected. Other accidents are more serious: cuts from a circular saw, burns while welding or electrocution during a wiring project.

What’s the worst injury you’ve experienced while doing a DIY project?

PHOTO COURTESY ECO-MOW

The Hustler Zeon (see Finally — electric riding mowers) isn’t the only electric zero-turn lawn mower around — or at least it won’t be for long. Eco-Mow has a proto-type electric zero-turn mower that will be available soon.

The base model can cut up to one and a half acres on a single charge and costs $4,500. Larger models can cut up to three acres on a charge. Details were announced in Spartanburg firm's electric mower cuts carbon footprint.

Check out these other electric riding mowers:

Electric Ox
Modern Electric Tractors Incorporated
Whisper Mow

The Zeon is still pretty cool, though. Here’s a quick video for you.
 

I’ve recently started testing the Power 8 Workshop. This 18-volt rechargeable tool package includes a circular saw, drill/driver, jigsaw and flashlight. The setup includes two batteries and the charging station. But the thing that really sets this package apart is that you can attach the power tools to a small table (it also functions as a toolbox) to make a small table saw, drill press and scroll saw.

I haven’t tested the tabletop features yet, but I’ve drilled pilot holes for screws and driven up to 3-inch screws with the drill/driver. The keyless chuck is convenient. The batteries recharge quickly; I haven’t had to stop working to wait for a fresh battery.

The blade of the circular saw is to the left of the handle — an important safety feature that most saws don’t have. It takes a little bit of getting used to, but it’s a good feature. The saw cuts just deep enough to get through a 2-by-4. Sometimes it leaves a sixteenth inch of wood at the bottom of the cut. Cutting dry cedar 1-by-6s was easy.

Have you seen similar rechargeable tool packages or tried the Power 8 Workshop? How do you like them?

Ever wanted to build your own wind turbine, install your own solar panels or convert your car to electricity but never thought you could really do-it-yourself? Then think again.

Dan Chiras, one of Mother’s contributing editors and leading expert in the field of green building and renewable energy, is now hosting hands-on DIY workshops at his recently opened Evergreen Institute Center for Renewable Energy and Green Building in Gerald, Mo. Topics cover a wide range of energy efficiency solutions from passive solar heating and cooling to designing and building your own backyard wind turbine. “We won’t just tell you what’s out there, we’ll tell you where to find it and teach you how to do it” Chiras told The Missourian’s online newspaper, emissourian.

Courses range from one to six days in length, and prices start at $125 for a one-day workshop and increase to $750 for a lengthier, six-day course.

Chiras is extending  his teachings to out-of-towners by inviting them to pitch a tent during the longer workshops, giving folks nationwide the opportunity to attend.

You can read the original article, Teaching Others How to Be Green, on the emissourian website.