Early Access Video: Japanese Sawhorses (Limited tool build).
Added 2020-08-08 11:01:00 +0000 UTCFriends:
I'm a bit nostalgic for the early days of Woodwork for Humans. You know, back when we used to take a hatchet and a saw and make something cool. Well, let's get back to it!
This week, we're making super-handy Japanese sawhorses. These things are amazing with a Japanese Ryoba saw and they're easy to make. We'll do the whole build with a hatchet, a knife, and a saw.
Hope you enjoy a little trip back ultra-basic tools and techniques!
--Rex
Comments
When you say more like this one, what specifically did you like about it? I like this kind of feedback!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-15 11:53:32 +0000 UTCThank you! I long for a place I could put a workbench. More projects like this one, please.
Elisabet K
2020-08-15 06:42:32 +0000 UTCIt's nice when a seemingly simple project leads to learning opportunities. Notching the legs, I used my Japanese saw, then used my conventional saw to slice up the waste. On another leg, I took out the waste with my seldom-used oscillating tool. Trimming the notches to size, I went between a rasp and a chisel. And I've always wanted to try threaded inserts, so I'll use those in the cross beam and 2-inch 1/4-20 hex bolts through the legs. I had fun. Thanks Rex!
Dean Wight
2020-08-13 12:31:09 +0000 UTCEspecially enjoyed this video. It was a throwback to when I was a kid and used 2 timber cutoffs. I forgot how it really works. I've been backing away from my power tools as I only have time late at night for woodchuck activity. Your approach works for me. My wife loves it because I'm not running high decibel tools that scare the birds off the trees. Because I can't bend so well I'm going for a split top saw bench. I like how your practical and entertaining. Can't wait for the next Rex "You can do it" Show
Dennis Archuleta
2020-08-13 11:50:01 +0000 UTCWe've all been there. I've had many a nasty cut from this craft. Live and learn!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-11 12:48:04 +0000 UTCMy pleasure!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-11 12:47:13 +0000 UTCSo, after rebuilding my sharpening station to be like yours, and it is very good. I went out today with my bearded axe and a pair of wedges and started slabbing off 2x from a douglas fir that came down this winter. I will have about 10 30ft 2xs when done, gonna try to do one a day. Simple tools. Simple work. I love these builds! Thanks kindly for the inspiration and motivation.
William Allen
2020-08-11 02:25:46 +0000 UTCLove Love Love Morakniv. I have a Mora 120 for carving and Mora Kansbol for camping and general cutting of my own fingers. I haven't managed to stab my own thigh ... yet. It is good to have goals.
Joseph Scone
2020-08-10 23:58:14 +0000 UTCI have a pretty much identical Sloyd Knife (looks like a Mora 106?) that is my primary roughing-out knife for Woodcarving. It's a great tool, but I learned to my cost how sharp it is... a few months ago at my Carving Club I dropped it, grabbed the handle in my right hand... and accidently pushed it into my left thigh. So sharp there was no pain - but quite a bit of blood, resulting in a quick trip to A&E (ER to those in the US) for them to glue the hole shut, the disposal of the jeans I'd been wearing as they looked like they belonged to a murderer, and a realization that I'd been a VERY lucky boy.... Not for nothing do you get told to carve away from your body, even if most carvers do at least from time to time!
Rob Weir
2020-08-10 20:33:45 +0000 UTCIt was slightly tongue in cheek. I do find it easier to make straight accurate cuts with the European style tenon saws. All a matter of trial and error, especially the error part ;-)
John Lamb
2020-08-10 17:07:17 +0000 UTCThat's good to know Rex - perhaps it'll do me some good who knows? A nice project and it is a bit of a struggle to finish off long rip cuts which I do by hand with a bench vise.
John Lamb
2020-08-10 17:05:11 +0000 UTCThat
John Lamb
2020-08-10 17:02:59 +0000 UTCVery well; esepecially the Dozuki.
Rex Krueger
2020-08-10 11:05:50 +0000 UTCThe Ryoba is really suited for the whole system of Japanese woodwork. When used within that system, it works better.
Rex Krueger
2020-08-10 11:05:26 +0000 UTCI am not the most flexible guy in the world, but working like this requires practice. The average American body might not be accustomed to getting up and down, but you really do get used to it.
Rex Krueger
2020-08-10 11:01:43 +0000 UTCIt is NOT wrong. You must pursue the craft your own way. That being said, I've moved away from mixing and towards more Western tools for the WW4H series. Perhaps in the future, I'll do a series that focuses on Japanese tools.
Rex Krueger
2020-08-10 11:00:43 +0000 UTCGreat video as always Rex! Being I suspect older than you, do you find it a strain to bend down like that to almost floor level? Perhaps I should try it and see for myself
John Lamb
2020-08-10 05:42:40 +0000 UTCIs it wrong somehow to mix using European and Japanese style saws on the same job? Or even the same joint? I've taken recently to initially cutting deep lap joints corner to corner with a Disston but switching to the Ryoba for the final deep part as it has less friction being narrower (yes I oil/wax my saw blades)
John Lamb
2020-08-10 05:37:34 +0000 UTCSpatula's and spoon making - great opportunities for using the hatchet for the roughing out. It's what got me started back in to wood working again
John Lamb
2020-08-10 05:30:46 +0000 UTCThis is great. I never thought of the struggles im having with Ryoba being related to how im using it. I persevere with it on my low bench though
Stuart Woodcock
2020-08-09 18:05:32 +0000 UTCI have the ryoba saw and just got a 6” dozuki, I wonder how well these will will work for joinery.
Spencer Salmon
2020-08-09 12:12:44 +0000 UTCI'm actually quite tan in person. The camera iris was a bit too open!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 11:37:08 +0000 UTCIt's totally my pleasure! If you're hitting knots when making (i think you mean tenons) then I suggest hunting some better stock. Knots will weaken those tenons a lot.
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 11:36:30 +0000 UTCI've got an axe/hatchet coming tomorrow. I was building the $30 bench without one, but making the round mortises wasn't going well with a chisel. Especially once I hit some knots. I'm hoping I can do better with the axe. This video came at the perfect time. It will be a really good way to try out the axe and practice with it. After one simple crosscut and some penciling, it gets right to chopping the radius. The radius is low stress. It can be as nice or ugly as can be, and the project will still work. And it is perfect practice making curved things. Kind of like leg mortises for a $30 bench. Thanks for the videos.
A. J. Giurato
2020-08-09 03:54:25 +0000 UTCI HAVE to build your joiner’s bench! This Harbor Freight “joiner’s bench” is crap!! I have an old low bench I found down in the church basement and I’ll convert that into a low Roman bench for now.
Sean O'Neill
2020-08-09 00:50:02 +0000 UTCOh, I will be asking many questions in the forums
Thrifty Woodworker
2020-08-09 00:47:11 +0000 UTC100% thought Rex was going to burst into flames when that eggshell white skin hit the Sun.
Eric Paisley
2020-08-09 00:35:50 +0000 UTCIt's totally my pleasure!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:14:11 +0000 UTCI hope you document that for us! I want to see it!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:13:53 +0000 UTCI hope to get to some spatulas soon!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:13:35 +0000 UTCI hope you find them as useful as I do!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:13:20 +0000 UTCI hope you do!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:13:07 +0000 UTCIt's intersting to read Toshio Odate's book on Japanese tools. He says these were most commonly just one board with feet nailed on. I guess Japanese craftsmen made them both ways.
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:13:00 +0000 UTCNot cheesy at all! Many of us start with more ideas than skills....I'm kinda still in that place. Just making something simple will really help.
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:10:20 +0000 UTCI hope you'll post yours on the Discourse and tag me!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:09:28 +0000 UTCThose sizes of lumber will get get it done, for sure!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:09:12 +0000 UTCIt's been a steep learning curve for me, too!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:08:46 +0000 UTCI think that's where I first saw them!
Rex Krueger
2020-08-09 00:08:24 +0000 UTCThis is exactly what I've been wanting. Have been wanting to make them for awhile and this is a simple build that I can use my new hatchet on that I had gotten to help with gardening. Thanks for making this video.
Trinidad Regaspi
2020-08-08 23:57:37 +0000 UTCI bought a cedar strip sail boat today. It is going to be my new project. It is in horrible shape. But now I know what to build to keep it off the floor of my garage. Very excited to get started on these.
Thrifty Woodworker
2020-08-08 17:10:58 +0000 UTCThanks, Rex! I love those back to basics videos. And I’m a big fan of the Sloyd knife. I carved a spatula out of poplar with one. Well, after I roughed it out with the band saw first!
Sean O'Neill
2020-08-08 15:21:12 +0000 UTCThanks so much for this. Simple, straightforward and satisfying. And very useful.
Laura Reutter
2020-08-08 15:09:43 +0000 UTCBack to basics! Great video, I'm going to make these this weekend!
Kevin Lundquist
2020-08-08 14:55:54 +0000 UTCI accidentally made one of these... Ok, I didn't accidentally *build* But I needed a saw horse for my table top table saw... nothing I did would match up the saw to the horse. So I made what is essentially one of these. Two differences - mine is longer, and has a harbor freight aluminum ruler screwed to the top edge to provide a smooth sliding surface. But something occurred to me when Rex said what he did about them not needing to be perfect. Everything I've read and watched about Japanese craftsmanship - be it wood or any other traditional craft - this seems wrong. Now, it is true that function for a tool is higher than form of the tool. Even a lowly saw horse, which is a base tool, would be given days of work to be crafted, not just built. Every cut, every chip, would be an opportunity to refine and hone one's skills. A set of these horses (should be wall them ponies, since, ya know, they're so small?) built by a traditional Japanese apprentice would be required to be crafted to be so much more aesthetic. Again, this is just what I believe from all I have read and watched. I also know that, for hobbyists who are needing a tool to do the work they're wanting, form has little bearing on the tool's creation. As long as it does the job properly, and allows the end product to be created properly, that's what matters. I could see a pair of these being created with some dense woods, maybe Sunuke, Isu or even oak. They may be more finished, with super smooth corners, bevels, possibly some decorative work too. Searching images, there are examples which are just as simple in build, but more refined. No, I'm not attacking Rex's methods here - he's designed a very simple and basic tool for the every day wood worker. Even a sawhorse can be a beautiful tool, and for no more money, just some additional effort. Of course, the Japanese craftsman wouldn't limit himself to 3 tools, and for that alone, these are amazingly well built. When Rex said he was dying to plane the boards - I was right there with him! I guess my point is - you can build the basic, simple tool; or you can use it as an opportunity to test your skills and make something even better, if not now, in time. But this can be said for almost everything Rex has taught up to create, and I believe he's been teaching us we can do better than simple and basic, given time and practice. It's just highlighted, at least, so much more for me in this video.
Jeremy Denslinger
2020-08-08 14:19:10 +0000 UTCRex, this might sound cheesy or something, but I would like to thank you a lot for this video. Mostly, I do everything in my head. I know a LOT of theory how things work, or how they should be build. However, I do not have the practical experience with it. It is hard to have the plans of a professional woodworker in my head, while my hands have the experience of an amateur. That is why i get frustrated easily, or don't even start at all at some projects, just because i'm afraid i get stuck in my own projects. This project is one of many I will need to overcome that hurdle, and get that experience in my hands, while enjoying woodworking.
Bas Noblesse
2020-08-08 14:08:25 +0000 UTCGreat build. Loved it. I made a set of these a while back and made them in a much more complicated way. These would get the work done just as well.
Amy Holderness
2020-08-08 13:16:42 +0000 UTCPerfect timing! Just happen to have some scrap 2x6, and 2x4 from a home project. I've had a Ryoba saw for about 3 months, and I love using it.
Kevin S Thomas
2020-08-08 12:41:19 +0000 UTCGreat little project to add to my list! I have a ryoba saw and love it! I built your English joiners bench with it, takes a little getting used to, but I found once you let the saw do the work it cuts very accurately.
James Milne
2020-08-08 11:58:18 +0000 UTCThere's a pair of these under the bench on the cover of Christopher Schwarz's workbench book, now I know what they are!.
steven davidson
2020-08-08 11:47:50 +0000 UTC
