Universal folding trestles. Mobile construction goats-scaffolding What is the name of the construction goat?

When cutting a board placed on this device, you do not have to hold the sawn part with your hand as it falls on the floor. Homemade carpentry trestles conveniently fold for storage, and when in working condition they take a stable position, providing two points of support for workpieces.

The design in question does not have complex carpentry joints, and the process of making a pair of such devices with your own hands takes several hours. Folding sawhorses are easy to transport in a car; they are convenient for sawing long boards or sheets of plywood.

Preparing parts for carpentry sawhorses

Inexpensive pine boards 20–40 mm thick are suitable for work. It is not at all necessary to select ideal lumber; wood with minor defects is quite suitable. To fasten the parts of the carpentry trestles you will need screws, and to connect the sliding halves you will need four hinges.

When determining dimensions, pay attention to the height of the structure, based on ease of use. For a craftsman with a height of about 180 cm, a support height of 80–85 cm is suitable. To avoid mistakes, measure your table or workbench at which you are sawing. The width of the trestles is one meter to ensure the stability of the device in the working position.

Mark and cut all boards to length, making sure to maintain right angles when cutting. Plan the workpieces on all sides. Some parts will require additional preparation.

Sand the surfaces and round the edges of the top rails to reduce the likelihood of the wood chipping during use.

For the same purpose, treat the lower ends of the legs. First, remove the chamfers with a plane.

Then sand the ends with sandpaper.

Assembling homemade goats with your own hands

Assemble each section of the sawhorse separately. Prepare a countersink with a drill to make pilot holes for screws and recesses for caps.

Immediately mark on the legs the location of the lower crossbars, placed at a distance of 150 mm from the end of the workpiece.

Start assembly from any top corner. Align the ends of the workpieces at right angles using a mounting square to connect the parts, drill holes and tighten the screws.

If the workshop does not have screws of suitable length, you can use smaller hardware. You just need to strengthen the connection with wood glue and tighten the screws on both sides.

Now lay out the parts on a flat surface, align them according to the marks and fasten the boards together, checking the perpendicularity of the joints.

Place a spacer on the assembled frame and draw cutting lines for the corners.

Cut off the excess pieces with a hacksaw and install the diagonal board in place.

Assemble the other half of the sawhorses in a similar manner.

Connect both parts with loops. The latter will be easy to install if wicket-type products are used. You will have to select recesses in the crossbars for the door hinges using a hand router or chisel.

The size of the notch should allow the hinge knuckle to rotate freely and not touch the wood.

When installing hinged hinges, remember that the wings need to be placed “discordantly” so that the pins point in different directions.

Screw the loop halves onto the long crossbars.

Select a thin strip that matches the height of your fist.

Place the short section of sawhorses on top.

Drill pilot holes and tighten the screws.

Ready-made trestles can already be used for their intended purpose, paired with a workbench of the same height.

Make yourself a second folding sawhorse and use it to cut lumber up to six meters long. You can store folding structures on nails driven into the wall, but it is better to make simple shelves that will additionally be used for small things.

In any workshop there will always be scraps of chipboard suitable for this homemade product, and the fastening of such a hanging shelf is easy to make from corners.

It is clear that in specialized stores you can choose sawhorses for every taste, but the cost of high-quality models is steep. And the implementation of our project will require less than 20 meters of boards, taking into account trimming of cracked ends. The end result will be to equip your workshop with a couple of useful assistants.

Carpentry sawhorses are an indispensable device in the arsenal of any craftsman or person who decides to build a house on their own. Cutting boards, laying long material, setting up a miter saw, assembling a universal workbench or sawing table - the eight-legged one can handle all these tasks

assistant.

Of course, in specialized construction stores you can choose a model to suit every taste, but the price for such sawhorses is steep. It is not surprising that many users of our portal prefer their own developments to industrial products. Moreover, anyone can assemble carpentry trestles.

1. Basic principles for designing homemade carpentry trestles

Dima009 FORUMHOUSE Member

I haven't done carpentry for many years. Somehow I needed some goats. At first I wanted to assemble them from what was at hand, but after wandering around the Internet, I saw a video of an American who came up with a convenient folding trestle design, which I decided to repeat.

What attracted our user to this design was the following:


  1. The folding design of the trestle simplifies their transportation and storage.

  2. Versatility. Goats can be adapted to perform a wide variety of jobs.

The following photographs clearly demonstrate the compactness and convenience of such trestles.

Goats do not take up much space; they can be transported in the trunk of a car, and when work is completed, they can be hung on the wall of a garage or workshop.

Starting point for determining the size of the sawhorse began to calculate their height. This point should be given special attention, because Everyone's height is different. Some will find it convenient to work with sawhorses 80 cm high, while others will need to make sawhorses 90 cm high.

The universal height of a trestle for a person with a height of 175-180 cm is considered to be 80-85 cm, but in order not to guess, before starting work on making a trestle, you can go and measure the height of the workbench or table at which you usually saw or plan boards. There is only one criterion: it is convenient to work or not. This will give an approximate guideline for the optimal ergonomic height.

Dima009 I chose a height of 85 cm.

Having determined the main dimensions, we calculate the lengths of all other parts of the trestle. For clarity, here is a list Dimы009:


  • Four legs, each 95 cm long.

  • For the top support crossbar you need a board 90 cm long.

  • You also need 3 spacers with lengths of 85, 77 and 70 cm.

I also needed wood screws and bolts and nuts to connect the folding legs.

Having knocked down the “total”, to make 2 goats you will need:

For purchase Dima009 I went to the nearest hardware store, where it turned out that it was almost impossible to buy even boards. Having sorted through more than 100 pieces, the user had difficulty selecting 5 pieces. boards of the size he needs. The total cost of the purchase, including fasteners, was a little more than 1200 rubles.

According to Dima009, this is much more profitable than buying ready-made goats at a price of several thousand rubles.

Looking ahead, let's say that the topic caused a wide response among our users, and they actively participated in the discussion of the design features of homemade goats. In particular, concerns were expressed that the goats could collapse under heavy load. To dispel all doubts, Dima009 Upon completion of the work, he promised to carry out a crash test of the goat, loading them with a weight of three hundredweight. We will tell you what came out of this a little later, but for now we will describe the key stages of constructing the trestle.

2 . Stages of making homemade carpentry trestles

Clear planning of all stages of work and competent calculations are the key to success in any business. Homemade goats are assembled according to the principle of a designer. First we make all the necessary parts.

Based on the 3D model, I calculated a list of all parts with dimensions and only after that I started making the trestle.

The process is divided into a number of sequential steps:

1. Take a board 2 meters long (these will be the legs) and use a carpentry protractor to make markings.

3. Turn the board over onto its end and continue the line, drawing it at an angle of 80°.

4. Making cuts.

5. Using a tape measure, measure 95 cm on the board and make the same markings as on the first cut. As a result, both slices should be parallel to each other.

Having made one leg, we, using it as a template, mark the rest of the blanks according to it.

This simplifies and speeds up all the work. Having checked the correctness of the drawn lines, we cut off all the excess and get 4 finished legs.

Now let's start making the upper support. To do this, cut off the end exactly at 90 degrees, measure 90 cm on the board and cut off the other end at a right angle.

We make the spacer according to a similar pattern, only at an angle of 80°. We mark the line, cut it off, then measure 85 cm, take a protractor and draw a line at 100 degrees (this is the same angle as 80°, but the opposite).

By cutting the workpiece along the lines, we get a spacer in the form of a trapezoid.

If you put all the boards together, then the proportions of the trestle already emerge.

All that remains is to cut cuts in the legs for the upper support. To do this, we fold the two legs on a flat surface at the angle at which they will meet in the finished product.

Taking a square, ruler and pencil, we make markings. It should look like this.

Now turn the leg over and repeat the markings on the other side.

By connecting the markings on both sides of the board, we get a closed line.

All that remains is to cut out a seat for the upper support.

Now let's start assembling the trestle. We need to connect the two legs using the scissors principle using one bolt. To do this, you need to find the axis of rotation. Dima009 I decided to go the experimental route. To do this, he placed the inner leg on the stool.

Then I took the top support, inserted it into the seat and added the second leg. Having combined all the parts so that they fit snugly together, Dima009 I pulled them together with a clamp.

Next, I took a square and marked the intersection of the legs on one edge. I made similar markings on the other side and connected the lines using a ruler, and using a square I marked the longitudinal axis. The point of intersection of the lines is the axis of rotation of the legs relative to each other. Now all that remains is to drill the hole.

Almost every repair and construction work is not complete without performing some operations at height. The average person is not tall enough to reach the ceiling. Therefore, it is necessary to use various devices. A stepladder or even a regular stool is suitable for performing spot work. But when work needs to be done over a large area, while moving, then they will not be enough. Then construction goats come to the rescue.

Construction trestles - what are they?

If previously scaffolding products were made only by hand, today they can be bought ready-made in the store. Shop sawhorses are typically made of aluminum, making them both lightweight and durable. You can find both folding trestles and monolithic structures. But all such goats have one huge drawback - they are quite expensive. That is why the topic of making construction trestles with your own hands always remains relevant.

As we have already noted, construction trestles or scaffolding come in two types:

  1. 1. Foldable. Their advantage is high mobility and compactness for storage after completion of work. But such scaffolding means should be handled with extreme caution. Before working on them, you need to make sure that they are very stable.
  2. 2. Not foldable. They are more reliable, since when finished they represent a single structure.

Making aluminum trestles yourself is quite difficult and very expensive. And in terms of the cost of materials, a homemade design will be even more expensive than one from a store. Wood is the most practical and cheapest material.

In order to assemble wooden scaffolding, you will need the following materials:

  • drawing;
  • roulette;
  • hacksaw or jigsaw;
  • carpentry corner;
  • simple pencil;
  • screwdriver;
  • self-tapping screws;
  • boards;
  • bolts, washers and nuts (for dismountable trestles).

You need to choose lumber that is dry and smooth, without cracks, chips or knots. If they do not meet these characteristics, then they are only suitable for firewood.

What is needed for production

For wooden trestles with a height of 110 cm, you will need lumber of the following sizes:

Boards:

  • 1700x100x30 mm - 2 pcs.;
  • 1500x100x30 mm - 7 pcs.;
  • 1500x50x30 mm - 2 pcs.;
  • 1100x100x30 mm - 4 pcs.;
  • 700x100x30 mm - 2 pcs.;
  • 500x100x30 mm - 7 pcs.

Bars:

  • 100x100x30 mm - 4 pcs.

You will need self-tapping screws:

  • 4x50 - at least 32 pieces;
  • 4x80 - at least 8 pieces.

Hardware must be prepared with reserve, since during assembly they may bend and become unusable.

Before starting work, prepare all the boards according to the list above. You can do this yourself or order it cut into pieces. It is advisable to draw up a drawing for yourself in order to have an idea of ​​the object being created.

Assembly diagram

To make the goats reliable and comfortable, you need to follow the following manufacturing scheme:

  1. 1. Place five boards 1500x100x30 mm and three boards 500x100x30 mm side by side on a flat surface. Place two short boards on edges so that the distance between their edges is 1500 mm. Place the third similar board in the middle, measuring the distance by eye. Lay two long boards on top of the short ones to create a rectangle. Align the central board, 500 mm long, using a tape measure so that it is exactly in the middle. Check the evenness of the structure, lay two more 1500 mm boards and connect them all with screws.
  2. 2. Take two more boards 1500x100x30 mm. Turn the already assembled structure over with the short boards facing up. Lay the long boards on top to form a rectangular frame. Connect everything with self-tapping screws. You will get a flooring or work surface.
  3. 3. Prepare four boards 1100x100x30 mm. Screw them to the work surface from the ends. The result was a structure similar to a table.
  4. 4. We strengthen the structure with oblique crossbars made of boards 1700x100x30 mm and 700x100x30 mm and straight ones 1500x50x30 mm. They are screwed to the legs in such a way that the projections of opposite reinforcements intersect (in other words, they are in different diagonals).
  5. 5. The last step is to screw in the steps, the function of which will be performed by 500x100x30 mm boards. For convenience, the lower steps are made with a projection, so two such boards are screwed to the legs of the trestle with blocks (bars 100x100x30 mm). The height of the steps can be chosen at your discretion.

So, the construction trestles are ready. Since work even at low heights is dangerous, the manufactured structure requires testing. To do this, you need to place a load on top that is larger than the one that will affect the structure during operation. Any heavy objects will do. If the goats have passed the test, then you can safely use them.

Universal folding trestles significantly expand the capabilities of the home craftsman. The transformable device is convenient to store, quick to install, and can be manufactured within a few hours. It costs at least half as much as factory modifications and has a long service life.

Design and use cases

Unlike classic trestles, universal trestles are folding, which makes storage and transportation easier. The design of the carpentry and construction device is as follows:

  • legs with spacers, hingedly connected to each other
  • removable support bar
  • belt tie at the bottom

The device allows you to harvest firewood, cut long lumber and support scaffolding panels (you will need 2 pairs of trestles) by default. A wooden table top can be attached to the support crossbar to accommodate power tools (for example, a cross-cut machine, a drilling machine, a sharpening machine).

If you assemble a lightweight frame from boards or plywood, you can build a large-sized carpentry table-workbench from two trestles for assembling furniture.

Cutouts in the support strip allow you to work with tubular workpieces and press the lamellas of the joinery parts being glued together. On one side of the trestles you can attach a sheet of plywood, gypsum board, OSB for marking, straight or figured cut.

Do-it-yourself production budget

For trestles with a height of 0.8 m, the following dimensions are valid:

  • legs (4 pcs.) – 0.95 m
  • top crossbar – 0.9 m
  • spacers (3 pcs.) – 0.85 m, 0.77 m and 0.7 m

Therefore, to manufacture two sets of devices you will need lumber and fasteners in the following quantities:

  • board 95 x 45 mm – 5 pieces 2 m each
  • board 90 x 20 mm – 1 piece 2 m
  • board 90 x20 – 1 piece 3 m
  • furniture bolt M10 x 100 with nut – 4 pieces
  • M10 washers – 12 pieces
  • self-tapping screws 4 x 45 – 50 pieces (for wood)
  • belt – 2 pieces

Attention: The main problem when buying boards is choosing dry wood with stable geometry. Tregs do not have a rigid frame, so “propellers” and boards with a difference in thickness or flash are not suitable.

An approximate estimate for the production of universal folding trestles is as follows:

  • belt – 140 rub. (2 pieces per pack)
  • bolts included – 75 RUR.
  • self-tapping screws – 30 rub.
  • board – 1000 rub.

You can meet the amount of 1.25 thousand rubles, that is, at least four times cheaper than when buying ready-made trestles.

Manufacturing technology

The general principle of carpentry work is the production of parts and final assembly from the resulting “constructor”. All elements can be treated with antiseptics, fire retardants and paints and varnishes, reducing consumption and efficiently treating mating and rubbing surfaces.

Cutting blanks

All parts for one side of the legs are marked separately:

  • from 2 m of board two elements are obtained
  • Marking with a protractor starts from the very edge
  • on the 45 mm side there is a line at 65 degrees
  • its continuation at the end (inch board) line at 80 degrees
  • cutting is carried out with a hacksaw with a fine tooth, since the cut occurs simultaneously in two planes

The second cut is parallel to the previous one, made at a distance of 0.95 m from it. It is easier to mark the second leg and saw off according to the template, which becomes the first part.

The cutting line of the upper support is straight (90 degrees), there are no problems here. All spacers are cut on both sides at an angle of 80 degrees, tapering upward. The lengths of the workpieces are different - 0.85 m, 0.77 m and 0.7 m. The cut is made in the same plane; there is no need to bevel it at the end. The result is a set of parts for one trestle.

The most difficult cutting operation is making cuts into which the removable upper support strip will fit. Seats are marked in the following way:

  • the legs are located on a flat area when unfolded for use (the lower supporting surfaces are on the same line, can be supported with a long board)
  • the cut is marked with a square set 5 mm from the edge of the upper bevel of the leg, with a ruler located at a right angle to it at a distance of 8 cm

Attention: In this case, 8 cm is the depth to which the support bar sits in the groove; with the indicated dimensions, it will be 15 cm above the legs, and not flush with them, which will avoid damage by accidental contact with the cutting tool.

The result should be a groove shown in the figure:

It is better to process the parts before assembly; after drilling the holes, it is enough to apply paint and varnish to the newly created surfaces to ensure the maximum service life of the device. Painting the legs after assembly is inconvenient, since access to individual areas of the boards that touch each other is limited. In addition to paint and varnish, you can use stains, wax, and oil compounds. Before this, all surfaces must be sanded.

Leg assembly and fitting

The performance of the device depends on the quality of the marking of the hole for the bolt. Therefore, preliminary fitting using technology is necessary:

  • the leg is placed on the table so that the cutout hangs over the tabletop (you can use a stool, chair)
  • the support bar (upper) is installed vertically in the groove
  • a second leg is added on top of the first (the bar should fit snugly into the cutouts in both parts)
  • the structure is temporarily tightened with a clamp

Then the following operations are performed:

  • Using a vertical square, the intersection of the legs is transferred to the side surface on both sides of the structure
  • the resulting points are connected by a line, which becomes the vertical axis of rotation
  • the longitudinal axis of the leg is marked with a square
  • at the intersection of these lines there will be a center for the hole of the M10 bolt, which is the hinge of the connection

Attention: The holes must be perpendicular to the plane of the boards, so a jig is required. They can serve as a cut in a block pressed to the leg with a self-tapping screw or a clamp. If the hole is inclined, the legs will not be able to transform into the working position.

The legs are assembled in stages:

  • the bolt goes through one piece
  • two washers are put on it to facilitate the rotation of the wooden elements relative to each other
  • the second leg is put on the threaded part
  • the hinge joint is secured with a nut

The result is a set of two legs, into the cuts of which a support bar is easily inserted from above.

Fastening the spacers

The structure does not have the necessary spatial rigidity and collapses from minor lateral loads. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the tragus with spacers:

  • the legs are folded lengthwise and laid parallel to the floor
  • on external parts 15 cm from the bottom is marked
  • the longest spacer is applied (95 cm)
  • holes are drilled for self-tapping screws to prevent wood from splitting when tightened
  • fastening is carried out with one hardware on each side to ensure some mobility
  • the structure is turned over, marks are created at exactly the same height of 15 cm, only on the internal parts
  • the 77 cm spacer is attached similarly to the previous one with one self-tapping screw on each side

Then the last upper strut is attached:

  • universal trestles fold out into operating position
  • a support strip is installed in the cuts
  • distances of 20 cm are laid down from the grooves
  • the spacer is installed on top of these marks
  • attached with self-tapping screws in the same way as the previous parts

If necessary, adjustments are made; if all parts are positioned without play relative to each other, the second screws are screwed in on all spacers.

Lower tension strap

The support bar prevents the legs from folding inward. However, a home craftsman can accidentally move them outward, causing the structure to “corrode” and lose its rigidity. To do this, a belt tie is used to secure the opposite lower struts. It is installed using the following technology:

  • trestles fold out
  • the middle of the lower strut is marked
  • a through hole is drilled with a 10 mm drill (for an M10 bolt)
  • a hole is punched 40 cm from the belt carabiner into which the bolt is inserted

After that, it is enough to secure the bolt with the belt in one spacer with a nut, tighten the belt around the opposite spacer, and cut off the excess length. The same strap secures the support bar to the legs during transportation or storage when folded.

Thus, universal folding trestles can be made on your own with a minimum set of tools within a couple of hours. All parts are ready-made templates, which facilitates the further assembly of the required number of these transformable devices.

Construction or renovation involves working at heights. Sometimes you have to climb higher than your height, so you cannot do without special devices. Craftsmen are drawn to stepladders, but such a device limits their freedom of action.

The industry has not yet advanced so far that such structures are mass-produced in factories, but you can make construction trestles with your own hands.

It is inconvenient to hold water-based paint on the step and at the same time work with a roller. Here, scaffolding is used, popularly simply called goats. You can climb such a structure with an assistant to carry out the planned amount of work twice as fast. The second advantage is that there is a place to lay out working tools and materials - everything you need is at hand.

How to make construction trestles with your own hands, let's figure it out in order.

Analysis of the concept of “construction goats”

The etymology of the term has not been reliably studied to this day. But some masters make assumptions.

The scaffold is a design characterized by practicality and versatility. Having a trestle for the period of repair allows you to forget about the discomfort when carrying out work at height.

Using this design, the repairman has the opportunity not only to work under the ceiling, but also to work on the section of the wall against which the structure stands. In this case, the master has complete freedom to move around the room without much effort. Construction trestles are lightweight and not bulky, so they can be carried or pulled to the right place without much difficulty.

Species diversity of building goats

Based on the type of material used in the manufacturing process, there are:

  • wooden construction scaffolds;
  • metal construction scaffolding;
  • combined type scaffolds.

Let's look at how to make wooden trestles (construction) with your own hands.

Features of using scaffolding

If necessary, scaffolding is made along the entire length of the wall. They take with them a bucket, painting tools, all the necessary materials and even apprentices. This eliminates the need to constantly jump off or bring up material. The stand will have to be moved less often. You will notice this, especially if you had to work with a stepladder.

If you have 3-4 sawhorses, you can make an improvised portable workbench with your own hands, equipped with a primitive vice or other fixing element. From it you can make, like those shown in the photo below, do-it-yourself construction trestles, which can easily be used for assembling or repairing, cutting or cutting parts.

Subtleties of scaffold design

Folding construction trestles are distinguished by their practicality. This is a good option for those who want to keep everything at hand, while classic scaffolding models take up a lot of space and get in the way if construction or repairs are not planned. Therefore, the prefabricated option is the best solution for practical people and will suit the yard of the owner of a summer house or country cottage.

Looking at just one photo, it is easy to see that the scaffold is a simple four-legged structure.

All that remains is to decide on the linear dimensions of the structure. The main parameter is the height of the legs.

It has been experimentally established that the optimal height of a “construction goat” made with one’s own hands is the height of a master working at a height of minus 10-15 centimeters. The number of spacers for structural rigidity and the cross-section of the timber for constructing the frame are arbitrary.

To connect the upper ends of the frames, ordinary door fittings - awnings - are used. The legs are fixed with stops or replaced with rafter tape, which is secured to the lower struts, adjusting the height and distance until maximum structural stability is achieved.

Transformable construction scaffolds

Now let's talk about the technology for producing dismountable construction trestles with your own hands. You can also use good old nails to connect all the parts together. Only the technology is not practical and reliable compared to assembling the scaffold using special screws. To do this you will need wood screws and a screwdriver.

If necessary, you can disassemble the structure, although you will have to work with a hammer and a crowbar. Choose the option that is closer and more convenient for you. During the design process, follow the instructions to get a truly reliable scaffold and not fall off it during work.

Work area

The space where it is planned to carry out work on construction trestles is called a site. Boards are installed on the scaffold, and the size of the surface is selected individually, based on needs.

Do-it-yourself construction trestles made of wood must withstand a weight no less than the body weight of the person working on the scaffold along with the tools and materials placed on the site. The optimal figure is 150-170 kilograms. In terms of dimensions, the platform should be such that it fits into the doorway in the house, that is, up to 70 centimeters. Despite the fact that it is possible to make construction trestles along the entire length of the wall, craftsmen recommend not to get carried away and construct a scaffold no longer than 150 centimeters. Otherwise it will be awkward to maneuver.

Now you have an idea of ​​how to make construction trestles with your own hands. With such auxiliary construction equipment, it is easier to construct a structure or repair a house, because you can reach any surface and even the ceiling.