How to Build the Table-Type Work Horse

"Table-Type Work Horse"
FINISHED HEIGHT 31.5" (L 30")
Width at Floor 24"
© R. Mark Sink

How to Build the Table-Type Work Horse ©

By R. Mark Sink

The following are instructions on how to build our Table-Type Work Horse ©, the TT1. This particular work horse has been designed to maximize the material purchase according to standardized lengths, in this case, we have used 4, 10 foot long 2 X 4 which measure 1.5 inches thick by 3 and 1/2 inches wide. The TT1 Work Horse uses 20 feet with only a fraction wasted, so you'll want to pay close attention to your methodology of measurement and cutting.

STEP ONE: TOOL REQUIREMENTS

It is necessary to cut each board at the angle specified (17.5 degrees) using either a circular saw and squaring a line or using an electric miter saw (recommended).

There are four legs to each horse, and eight lengths cut 29 1/16 inches long from (long point to short point). These two cuts are the exact same angle using up 2 @10 foot. The lengths allow four legs to be cut from one 10 foot piece of lumber. The two top bands are also cut from 1 @ 10 foot which should measure just slightly longer than 10 foot so you can cut these 4 lengths at 30 inches each. Check after cutting the last one to see if all your pieces are an equal length, and if not, cut them to match the shortest piece.

You will also need 4 vertical pieces cut at 17 and 15/16 inches long. The 4 cross pieces underneath the verticals are 10 and 3/4 inches (long point to long point). This material requires 1 @ 10 foot piece of material.

"Adding verticals to the two top band pieces
using clamps to hold in place, and
adding screws to each side."
© R. Mark Sink

Once all your lengths are pre-cut, you can begin assembly. There are two different tools that are necessary to construct your horses. These may be combined into one tool, the battery-powered drill, or electric drill that includes the magnetic driver for matching the type of screw heads (phillips) and a 1/8 inch drill bit to pre-drill the holes about 1 and 1/2 inches deep of a total of 3 inches length of screw. You may also feel that by pre-drilling the holes, you could use a 16 penny nail, and this would be suitable, however, using an coated screw that is suited for outdoor use is recommended.

STEP TWO: ASSEMBLY

When you begin to assemble your pieces, having a flat surface to work on will help tremendously. Also, if possible, you may want to use clamps (see photo) to hold the two top bands (30" L) around the two verticals (17 15/16" L) which should be flush to the top and ends, and sitting at 90 degrees from the top edge (use a framing square to check). You may also want to add an outdoor glue, such as Titebond II to add strength.

© R. Mark Sink

In the example above, two silver/zinc coated screws are placed in each side of each vertical, totaling 8 screws.

In the next step, 4 screws are inserted (two each) in the bottom of the horizontal leg supports (10 3/4" L)  which have been marked with a center line which is then marked 3/4 inches on each side of center, and squared across the board on the glued side. This is done to square the piece to the piece it is being attached to.

Once these two are attached, then simply turn the horse on its side, and the legs can be attached. To fit the legs to the main horse, you may notice that a very slight section has been cut back on one edge where the legs attach at the top. (See close up photo)

"This is close up an end view where the legs meet
up with both the vertical center piece, and the top
banding in which they rest under as support."
© R. Mark Sink

This minor cut helps the legs to fit underneath the top band properly. As a heads up, once a board is cut on an angle at the end of the board, that width is now longer than it would normally be. This keeps the top portion of the leg from sticking out beyond the band cross piece.

The cut that is made is 90 degrees off the angle cut which was made at 17.5 degrees. These edges can easily be cut by jamming the ends up against the electric miter saw fence and eye-balling the cuts to approximate a 3/8 inch reveal.

Then, when you place the 8 legs that will need this small cut onto the horse body, they will fit nicely and not protrude out beyond the top banding piece.

This final step requires first two screws/nails, or what type of fastener you'll be using, for the upper connection drill at 90 degrees from the top plane, and two drill parallel to the horizontal support pieces for each of the four legs on each horse.

"Attach two legs on one side, roll over,
and attach the other two to finish one horse."
© R. Mark Sink

Since all the angles are cut identical, each piece is designed to fit nicely up and against the piece being attached to.

Your more than welcome to offer up this fine product to others in your neighborhood, and I'll share with you ways in which you can accomplish that and make extra income doing it.

Your last step of finishing your assembly to to check each horse to see if all four legs rest evenly upon a perfectly flat surface. Often, you'll need to make slight adjustments to the bottom of the legs by cutting a sliver off, or grinding the bottom edge of the longest legs (usually two cater-cornered sides) so the work horse doesn't tilt continuously between the shorter legs. Don't panic when this occurs, just trim the legs as when buying material that is considered used in a manner that forces the lumber into a specific position, or such as that of rough material, often these pieces are somewhat imperfect. It is best to hand-pick the lumber and choose pieces that are not bowed or twisted, but are good and straight, and keep these pieces out of exposure to the weather until you have had time to assemble them into work horses.

STEP THREE: GETTING SET UP

As you can see, this project is quite simple if you have a few tools, and a place to assemble your horses. Running ads on Craiglists are free, and this is a great place to start, but you will need a digital camera to upload your photos of the completed version of your horses.


1. Material costs

Currently, and as of the time of this creation, it is cheaper to buy 2 X 4 lumber than it is to buy 1 X 4, which may seem mad, but it is true. This is why 2 X 4 is being used, and to allow the builder/designer the maximum amount of play between cost and profitability when product sells.

In the area I currently live, 2 X 4 lumber cost for 10 foot lumber (Spruce #2) was .472 per foot, or $4.72 each. If you use the high quality screw I preferred in this project, they are about $27 for a 5 pound box. It is estimated that each horse uses a third of 100 screws, or 28-32 screws each horse. The cost for the screws is about $1.80 per horse. I also add 50 cents per horse for glue. Florida tax is 7%, so here are the calculations for a set of two horses.

$19.68 - 4 @ 10 foot 2x4
$3.60 - 56 screws
$1.00 - glue
$1.70 - 7% tax

$25.98 Total material cost for set of two

If we round that up to $15 each horse, this is a reasonable area to work with in an assembly function. If you build four horses each time you purchase and assemble for production, have the proper equipment in place and ready, four horses can easily be constructed in about 3 hours or less.

Your labor must be reasonable, let's say $20 per hour to start. If you charge $60 labor for 3 hours time and add this to the material cost for four horses as used above, let's say another $60 (includes a charge for the workshop at $2 per horse), each horse would sell for $30 cash, and each time you assemble, you would be able to keep $60 for your time spent and also ensure some overlay to maintain the equipment and the specialty tools such as saw blades which do not last and must be replaced.

To see your product, simply run ads as mentioned above while asking for contact as a way to provide directions to your location for pick up of the work horses. Of course, this is only one idea to get you started, as they are obviously many ways you could promote the sale of your home building and project aids.

2. Copyrights

The TT1 as described, and the name Table-Type Work Horse © name is a trademark of my production, and may not be used. However, you can recreate these horse as long as you do not make claims to the design or the name.

The Table-Type idea is built out of the concept where the horses are double-banded, and wider at the top than the so-called saw horses often observed display. Each work horse is 4 and 1/2 inches wide at the top, and this in itself provides tremendous support.

3. Naysayers and Disemblers

The reason for this design is to provide a need that project people appreciate for the simple fact they purchased this product for a primary function which is the increased stability they provide. Many inventors create saw horses today. In the workshop I have a plastic set that folds up, you've seen them probably yourself. Although what I have found in researching this project is the petroleum products don't last as long as we think they are going to, as the plastic soon becomes brittle. When all the chemical juice that has been added to these products has evaporated into your storage space, they break much easier. They also do not provide substantial support.

Horses considered as parts or made to fold up cannot provide the support and safety required for the various ideas that arrive from the use a raised surface provides. This design is extremely stable and may be used for a wide variety of uses and sold for such as table tops, garage sales or flea markets, and those who expect their purchase to be based on the stability this design provides. As I have said, these are the strongest work horse design in the world unless you can design a better one.

Carpenters can find these provide the best possible support to rip sheets of plywood, or stack large amounts of lumber without worrying about the horses breaking. Stick with the plan, and keep your customers happy, as this will increase overall sales when you provide details of your project to each neighbor or contact.

If you enjoy this type of work, you will likely receive offers for other ideas in which you may want to proceed on your own.