Building Two Nail-Free Saw Horses
I wanted to keep everything hand crafted and nail-free, so I built two sawhorses using only wood joinery.
| Sawhorse | Construction | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Stick-in-Leg | Four round sticks fitted directly into the leg sockets. | The legs simply sit in the holes; the weight of the horse itself keeps everything tight. |
| 2 Dovetail | Massive legs joined with a classic dovetail joint. | This dovetail style lock is strong, requires no fasteners, and is even easier to craft and assemble than the first design. |
The first Saw Horse
Key points
- No screws or nails The joints rely on the wood's own weight and precise cuts.
- Stability Both models held up well under the weight of sawing boards.
- Ease of repair If a leg ever warps, you can re-cut the joint rather than replace a whole piece.
I've included some photos of the first design and three shots of the second, showing the dove-tail joint from different angles.
The dovetail joint shown here
With a little bit of careful carpentry, you can build a sturdy sawhorse that's entirely free of metal fasteners. The dovetail variant is my favourite for its blend of strength and simplicity. Happy building!