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Best sawhorse 2018 – [Buyer’s Guide]
Last Updated September 1, 2023
Looking for ways to bring your sawhorse to the next level? Then you’ve come to the right place. I’m Brayden Diaz. After putting in 39+ hours of research and testing, I made a list of the best sawhorse of 2018 and explained their differences and advantages.
In fact, it was the first time I had been in this situation and what I thought was going to be a very quick and easy task turned out to be a good many weeks of research. Now I’m going to recommend a few sawhorse you can pick from to get started quickly and easily.
Let’s get to it!
Best sawhorse of 2018
I make the search easier for you, by reviewing the best sawhorse on the market. If you’re scouring the market for the best sawhorse, you’d better have the right info before spending your money. There are dozens of choices for an sawhorse these days. These are composed of modern styling with modern technology to match it. Here are some good examples. After carefully examining the reviews and ratings of the people who have used them earlier this listicle has been made.
Test Results and Ratings
| Rank | №1 | №2 | №3 |
| Product |  |
 |
 |
| Total | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Ease of use |
4 points
|
5 points
|
5 points
|
| Size |
5 points
|
4 points
|
4 points
|
| Durability |
5 points
|
4 points
|
4 points
|
| Value |
5 points
|
5 points
|
4 points
|
| Awards |  |
||
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
How to save up to 86%? Here is little trick.
You must visit the page of sales. Here is the link. If you don’t care about which brand is better, then you can choose the sawhorse by the price and buy from the one who will offer the greatest discount.
№1 – K6S Centipede Tool 6 Strut Sawhorse & Support Kit Includes 6 x-Cups
| Total: |
4.8
|
Why did this sawhorse win the first place?
The product is very strong. Its material is stable and doesn’t crack. The rear part fits perfectly! It is mounted really tight and reliable. I don’t know anything about other models from this brand, but I am fully satisfied with this product. I am very happy with the purchase. It is definitely worth its money. The product is top-notch!
4
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
№2 – All Steel Folding Sawhorse Portamate PM-3300. 33-Inch Tall Fold-up Heavy Duty Saw Horse. Fully Assembled
| Total: |
4.5
|
Why did this sawhorse come in second place?
I like this product. For such a low price, I didn’t even hope it to be any better. It’s decently made. Managers explained me all the details about the product range, price, and delivery. Seems that the material is good. It has a very beautiful color but I don’t really like the texture. This is a pretty decent product that perfectly fitted the interior of our office.
5
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
№3 – All Steel Folding Sawhorse – Pair Portamate PM-3300T. TWO 33-Inch Tall Fold-up Heavy Duty Saw Horses. Fully Assembled
| Total: |
4.3
|
Why did this sawhorse take third place?
It is inconvenient to use due to the size. I am going to get something different next time. It doesn’t squeaks nor bents. Looks great in my apartment. We are very pleased with the purchase — the product is great! This price is appropriate since the product is very well built.
5
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
sawhorse Buyer’s Guide
Toughbuilt C550 Folding Sawhorse
The C550 folding saw horses from Toughbuilt are some of the sturdiest available. Capable of holding 1100 pounds singly or 2200 pounds per pair they should stand up to most woodworkers demands.
The C550 is the replacement for the much loved 470 and has surpassed its predecessor in every way.
Specifications
Although these are priced on the high end compared to most other saw horses in our review they are probably the only ones you’ll ever need and have a lot more features than any other saw horse.
These are some of the most veratile sawhorses you will ever see. The arms have built in notches that allow for a very square work surface to be built if you are looking to create a temporary table.
Portamate PM-3300T Sawhorse The Portamate saw horse offers a no frills alternative to the Toughbuilt above, however they have roughly have the load capacity.
Folding Saw Horse
There are two reasons for having a folding horse; portability and storage. A non-folding horse has a reasonably large footprint, which gets worse if you’ve got more than one and they don’t stack! One thing to bear in mind with a folding horse is how much weight it can cope with, you don’t want to compromise its integrity.
Tool Storage Area
This can take the form of a shelf on the lower section of the legs and can be somewhere handy to store your tools during a project. With this design the shelf can flip up to accommodate a folding horse and can provide additional structural strength and rigidity.
Most saw horses are pretty similar, feature dependent, but there is one type that is a little different.
Chainsaw Saw Horse or Log Saw Horse
This type usually has a profile that looks like an X. This means that you don’t have a flat work area on top. The X makes a perfect holder for a log and will keep it still while you cut it with a chain saw.
How to Make a Saw Horse
Five seconds on Google will give you a hundred different saw horse plans, so I’m not going to add another one to the list. What I will do is talk about features you might find useful. Once you’ve decided what you want you can search for some plans.
Personally I went for a rock solid design for my first horses with no extra features. Next time though I will definitely make them foldable; there have been a couple of times I would have liked to put them in my car to take them to a friends house but ended up sawing on the floor as they wouldn’t fit. I’m not yet sold on the adjustable height feature yet.
The swivel handle design needs some improvement
As a product of one of the leading provider of superior products, the Black & Decker WM12is a great portable workbench of all time. It is strong and has a capability of withstanding a weight of about 350 pounds. Elegant, simple and highly stable. It opens and closes easily and is made of steel tubes for strength. With retention grooves for versatility in clamping of various materials and swivel pegs, this fixture is a must-have for any craftsman looking for a workbench. It has non-skid legs to give the whole body a firm grip on the ground. The bench is flatly foldable for compactness and storage. This is highly recommended if what you are looking for is a bench that can be moved from place to place.
Versatile and ideal for any DIY user
This is a solution for enthusiasts, hobbyists, novice artisans, construction workers and professionals looking for a tough fixture that doubles as an ideal workmate. With over seven decades of experience in the manufacturing industry, Keter Plastic comes as a reputable company with popular brands of various products. Keter workbenches are a good example. This folding table comes with adjustable feet made from aluminum with the whole system setup taking less than a minute. What else do you need from a workbench that saves you lots of time and ensures efficiency? Keter Adjustable folding workbench is durable, is built with adjustable clamps for firm holds, a rough surface to cater for a wide variety of materials to be repaired on it, as well as being able to withstand up to 700 pounds. This workbench is recommended if you need an adjustable workbench for various projects.
It easily opens and folds for compactness
That this product has made it in the list for Black & Decker, is no surprise; as the manufacturer designs them to cater for the needs we all look for in a work table, that makes for a great companion. Giving you freedom with convenience and carrying out a myriad of tasks, it comes as a versatile and durable workbench, which is lightweight, making it so durable. It interestingly comes with a quick release handle for a snap folding process and easy transport, as well as when it comes to its storage. The solid frame and sturdy structure offers great performance as well as ensuring your safety when you’re working. The WM1000 has a strong and spacious bamboo surface with a heavy gauge and strong steel frames that can hold up to 550 pounds. It also comes with swivel pegs for versatility in clamping. This workbench is recommended for those who want a safe and versatile workbench.
Small for large projects
This is another versatile, attractive, durable work table that doesn’t disappoint when it comes to delivering what it is claimed to do. Though it only supports a total weight of 200 pounds, it is compact and supports the weight without a wobble. What is even amazing and what makes it portable is its ability to fold and save on space and storage. A one hand clamp system allows for smooth operation as well as providing great freedom in the adjustment of saws for a task. This Performance Tool product comes with a printed grid for measurement needs as well as a protractor and a ruler for more convenience and work efficiency. Its jaws are specially designed to be warp-resistant and can be customized to fit the desired angle to hold differently shaped materials. This is a good choice workbench for carrying out different projects at home; it is highly recommended.
Materials
Total cost was around 20 bucks. Step was to cut the pieces for the top of the sawhorse.
This configuration gives the top strength and set the angle for the legs. The pieces here are 4inches in length. If you want a smaller horse then 3inches is more of a standard size.
I used screws to join the pieces together. No glue as I want to be able to replace pieces as they wear out.
The angle of the legs is not something you need to measure. Just lay the leg against the beam and the angle you get is the right one. The bottom of the T beam creates the angle you need. You can mark where to drill for the screws while you have the leg against the center beam.
The next step was to mark the location of the legs using my framing square. Next I lined up the legs with the marks and screwed them in.
I made sure they were square to the T beam by using my framing square.
After I drove the first screw in I used my framing square to make sure the leg was square to the top before I drove in the next screw.
How to Build a Sawhorse
Building a sawhorse is super easy. It makes for a great starter project for the man who has never really worked with tools, but wants to become handier around the home.
Note: This is one way to build a sawhorse. I know there are plenty of other ways to do it. This plan is great for everyday use in a typical suburban garage. If you plan on using your sawhorses for heavy work, you might try another design.
Measure and Cut Your Timber
Here I am using a portable compound miter saw to cut the timber. You can use a hand-held circular saw or even an old-school handsaw.
Build I-Beams
I found it helpful to drill a pilot hole before driving the screws in.
In Detail
These all-steel, folding sawhorses are immensely strong, durable and highly portable. Constructed of high-grade steel, each sawhorse can support a weight of 590kg; a pair has a capacity of 1,180kg.
With their fast-open mechanism, setup is straightforward and simple. Unfolding the sawhorse reveals a material support arm at each end, designed to take 95mm high timber and 4xCLS timber. Alternatively, you can trim your timber to the required size. With two sawhorses, a couple of lengths of trimmed 4x 95mm timber and a suitable sheet of ply or OSB, you can create an instant, rock solid site worktable.
The sawhorse legs are telescopic, allowing you to adjust each one individually to compensate any unevenness on the ground. Also fitted with non-marking feet. Powder coating and zinc plating protect the sawhorses from corrosion and ensures a long life in a working environment. The legs fold neatly sequentially into the top rail, forming an 8x 150 x 895mm long package, which is easily stowed in the back of a van. The sawhorses include a carry handle for easy transportation and rolled edges mean there are no sharp corners.
Strength
The strength of a workbench is of utmost importance. You’ll subject it to pounding, clamping, pushing, and stacking heavy materials on top of it. If the workbench isn’t strong enough, it will start wobbling and eventually break after a while.
A sturdy top is also critical for most types of work. Most manufacturers provide a plywood, particle board, or MDF work surface. Of these, the MDF is the smoothest but plywood is stronger. You need to consider if you are going to be pounding on the top and if so, you want to make sure you buy one that will offer soldi support without the top breaking.
Clamping
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Job Site Saw Horses
My Kind of Saw Horse
Then I discovered the folding metal types. Most of these metal sawhorses were heavy and awkward. I eventually found and fell in love with Dewalt’s heavy-duty DWX72work stands which offered me more features than the plastic folding types.
Time Needed
Job site sawhorses like the ones we build will take a PRO 1minutes to build and a DIYer 30 minutes, assuming all of your tools are set up.
Building a sawhorse is super easy and there are several ways to build sturdier, stack-able and more permanent versions. Here is how we build ours.
Measure and cut your lumber to the dimensions listed above.
Install Leg Bracing
Install horizontal bracing approximately 1/up on each side of the sawhorse legs. Fasten a brace to each side, both legs. This adds rigidity and strength to the sawhorse, but prevents it fro stacking.
This is your most basic power tool. You’ll use it on pretty much every project that you attempt. A good drill can make your projects a joy, and a bad drill can make them a pain. I find that the 1volt Milwaukee is a good balance between quality and price. It’s a little more expensive than the 1volt, but the battery life is significantly longer. Makita also has a high quality, reliable drill. If you’re really looking to splurge Festool is the Cadillac of cordless drills. It even comes with right angle chuck that makes it possible to drill in those hard to reach places.
Sawhorse
A sawhorse can save you hours of work on your knees. As someone who has spent the last six months without a sawhorse I have to say, I wish someone would buy me one for Christmas. You can buy a really cheap wood sawhorse, or you can invest in a little more expensive plastic one. The one real advantage is that the plastic one is collapsible and therefore easier to store.
Festool Track Saw
Here’s a fun bonus item! The Festool track saw is essentially a circular saw that runs back and forth on a track. It takes the place of a table saw. Roughly around the same price it’s smaller, safer, and easier to use. Not only that but it gives you a straighter more finished cut. If you’re dealing with projects that involve cutting plywood, this tool is an absolute must have. It may be a little pricier than some of the other items on the list, but it id definitely worth the investment.
Gift Cards
To even the reluctant do-it-yourselfer, a good pair of sawhorses is essential. If you’re still making do with upturned buckets or using a pair with more wobble than Jell-O, take a look at the herd we’ve corralled. They may not resemble the horses your father had or the set in your garage, but this new generation has features you can’t find in older models.
The Porta-fold from MRN Industries, a folding all-wood horse, is as elegant as it is sturdy.
The all-steel Tote-a-Horse from Fulton Corp. features adjustable legs, a powder-coated finish and built-in carrying handle. It’s also fully collapsing.
The Shop Boss from A.W. Engineering joins two metal legs with a 2xbackbone to create a folding horse/bench hybrid.
These tubular aluminum legs from Clyde & Dale’s weigh little more than a lawn chair but can support more than a half ton.
The angle iron legs from Trojan Manufacturing are backed by a lifetime guarantee.
Better Brackets
Bracket hardware may require extra wood and assembly time, but it allows you to create a horse with the leg height and crossbeam height you want.
However, not all sawhorse brackets are created equal — something you already know if you own a pair of the cheap sheet-metal versions. For a few extra dollars, you can get much greater dependability. For instance, the Sawhorse Connection’s welded-aluminum brackets are made from 1/4-inch-thick stock. The Jaws brackets from A.W. Engineering lock positively in place and are designed to keep the legs from slipping out in use without having to pin the brackets to the legs with screws. Lee Valley’s plastic horse brackets are unique because they can accommodate beams of different widths to match the job.
The only problem with owning a good pair of horses is that they sometimes “walk” away. You might want to “brand” your pair with a splotch of spray paint or some other mark to make sure they don’t stray.
Homemade Horses
The mortise-and-tenon joinery may look intimidating, but Snyder made each of the posts and legs in two pieces by notching the lumber with a circular saw then gluing them together to create the mortises. Except for the replaceable top, the horse is glued together with water-resistant glue. However, you could use screws instead of clamps to hold things while the glue dries, or even bolt the assemblies together without glue for a knockdown version.
After thoroughly vetting over 3circular saws and testing four, we feel the best one for most people is the SKILSAW SPT67WM-2It excels at every task a good circular saw should and has great features we didn’t see on the rest of the saws we tried.
In our tests, this saw had the power to cut through dense, wet pressure-treated wood and thick slabs of engineered lumber, but it also had enough precision to take on more delicate finish work. For added safety and control, the handle of the saw is set lower than on other models, putting the pushing force behind the saw rather than above it. One standout feature you see on top-quality saws like this one is a magnesium footplate and motor housing, which makes it durable and lightweight—it’s 9½ pounds, compared to the 10-plus pounds of some others. The depth of cut gauge is marked according to common lumber thicknesses, rather than a straight imperial scale like on the other saws, making accurate depth adjustments on this tool faster and simpler. Its easy-to-read bevel gauge can angle the blade to an extra-steep 5degrees (others stop at 45), and accurate cut line indicators are at the front and back of the baseplate. It also has convenient on-board wrench storage for changing the blade.
Pull Quote
I’ve used circular saws on an almost daily basis for about 1years.
I’ve also written a number of articles specifically about circular saws. In 2015, I did large-scale testing of 18-volt cordless circular saws and track saws, both for Fine Homebuilding.
For this guide, I also read many online reviews from respected sources. Chief among these were the round-ups by Popular Mechanics and Family Handyman. The Popular Mechanics piece is a little older and contains some outdated models, but many are still available. The Family Handyman guide is up to date with most current models as of early 2016.
Who should get this
A circular saw isn’t an entry-level tool, but if you’re getting into heavier DIY work, it’s essential. Projects like building a treehouse, adding on a deck, rehabbing the front steps, replacing windows, or even building shelving are much easier to handle with a circular saw in hand. For smaller tasks, or if you would rather not deal with the inherent danger of a circular saw, we also have a recommendation for a handsaw.
How we picked and tested
After reading everything we could on the topic of circular saws and tapping into my own knowledge, we feel that the best saw for most people is one that has a direct drive motor and a blade-right orientation. Most saws manufactured today follow this pattern, and we didn’t feel it necessary to deviate from these norms. For specific features within this framework, we looked for saws with either an aluminum or magnesium baseplate, a bevel that goes beyond 4degrees, an easy-to-use depth-of-cut adjustment, and a relatively light weight, below pounds.
Direct drive saws, commonly known as “Sidewinders,” are designed so that the blade is connected directly off the motor, which positions the two perpendicular to one another. This is the standard saw that most people use and are comfortable and familiar with. The other prominent style is called a worm drive (or hypoid drive). These larger saws are geared down, reducing blade speed in exchange for more torque.
The tested saws.
Getting past these basics, we recommend a saw with either a magnesium or aluminum baseplate (also called the shoe). Both of these materials are more durable than the alternative, stamped steel. Steel baseplates are basically a thin piece of sheet metal curled up at the edges. If the saw takes a tumble (and all saws do at some point) these can bend very easily. The Family Handyman piece also raises the good point that the rolled edge of the steel makes it difficult to cut against a thin straight edge like a framing square. All of the less expensive saws have stamped steel baseplates, but we feel that the added durability of magnesium or aluminum is worth the cost.
Two saw manufacturers confirmed to us that the durability of magnesium and aluminum is about the same, but magnesium is considered better due to its lighter weight. We found that the majority of high-end saws have magnesium shoes.
Weight also played a big role in our selection process. Direct drive saws have a wide range of heft, with the majority in the 10-1pound range and the minority in the 8-pound range. We read enough very positive reviews of saws in the under 10-pound range that we didn’t feel it necessary to go above that limit. This lighter weight is going to make a big difference in comfort, particularly with the part time DIYer who may not be used to handling circular saws.
Regarding blade sizes, the standard is 7¼ inch, which, with one exception, is what we considered. 7¼-inch saws have a manageable weight and they can cut all common dimensions of lumber without issue. Going smaller or larger than a 7¼-inch blade really gets into specialty saws with the larger ones designed for timber framers and the smaller ones for small amounts of trim work. The one oddball we tested has a 6½-inch blade, which is a unique model made by RIDGID. Even with the slightly smaller blade, the saw has similar power and cut capabilities as a 7¼-inch saw. It’s designed to compete with the 7¼-inch tools.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The SKILSAW isn’t perfect. There are a few small negatives that caught our attention, but none of them even come close to offsetting all that we like about the saw.
The SKILSAW’s (right) depth adjustment lever is between the handle and the blade, which can make it difficult to operate. The lever on the RIDGID is positioned to the outside of the handle where access to it is much easier.
Secondly, the bevel action is tight, so the body of the saw really has to be pushed to the proper angle. No other review mentioned this, so it’s possibly only an issue with our test saw. Our best guess is that this will loosen over time. In fact, in the couple weeks that we’ve been using the saw, the action has become easier.
I also didn’t care for the fact that the lever for manually retracting the lower blade guard is small and not as easy to grab as on the other saws. Honestly, this is probably just as well. Messing with the manual retraction of the blade guard isn’t recommended. Any inconvenience here is more for the knuckleheaded 2year-old kid on a framing crew who thinks it makes him more of a man if he pins the guard open with a bent coat hanger.
In going through the customer feedback at various retailers, I saw a couple mentions that the saw-to-footplate connection is weak. I didn’t see any indication of this on our test saw. I even tried to flex the connection back and forth a little, but it was stable.
The RIDGID isn’t as full-featured as our pick, but its lighter weight and great ergonomics make it a pleasant, easy saw to use—and it’s often sold at a lower price than our pick, too.
The ergonomic design of the RIDGID is fantastic.
The ergonomic design of the RIDGID is fantastic. The main handle is lightly textured and perfectly contoured to the hand. The front pommel handle was by far the most comfortable on any of the saws we tested. On the other saws, this secondary handle feels like a design afterthought, but on the RIDGID it’s evident that care was taken with its shape and it makes a difference while holding the tool.
6½-inch blades are not as ubiquitous as 7¼-inch blades, but they’re still widely available.
The RIDGID saw is sold exclusively at Home Depot, so they have a good supply, as do many retailers online. I’ve also noticed that most local hardware stores also have a selection. Most cordless circular saws use 6½-inch blades, which helps explain their easy availability.
How to save up to 86%? Here is little trick.
You must visit the page of sales. Here is the link. If you don’t care about which brand is better, then you can choose the sawhorse by the price and buy from the one who will offer the greatest discount.
Final Word
First of all thanks for reading my article to the end! I hope you find my reviews listed here useful and that it allows you to make a proper comparison of what is best to fit your needs and budget. Don’t be afraid to try more than one product if your first pick doesn’t do the trick.
Most important, have fun and choose your sawhorse wisely! Good luck!
So, TOP3 of sawhorse
- №1 — K6S Centipede Tool 6 Strut Sawhorse & Support Kit Includes 6 x-Cups
- №2 — All Steel Folding Sawhorse Portamate PM-3300. 33-Inch Tall Fold-up Heavy Duty Saw Horse. Fully Assembled
- №3 — All Steel Folding Sawhorse – Pair Portamate PM-3300T. TWO 33-Inch Tall Fold-up Heavy Duty Saw Horses. Fully Assembled
Questions? Leave a comment below!
Chatting about sawhorse is my passion! Leave me a question in the comments, I answer each and every one and would love to get to know you better!
