We're just in the process of preparing to build a timber frame next summer and want to build a couple of saw horses capable of handling the associated beams. I saw a drawing a few years back of a sawhorse designed specifically for timber framing but can't remember where I saw it (Timber Framer, Joiners Quarterly, Benson's or the TFGNA books???). If anyone has plans or can guide me to the right resource it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Eamon

Eamon, In Steve Chappell's book A Timber Framer's Workshop on page 159 there are plans for crib ponies, and also in Timber Framing issue #61 on page 13 Jack Sobon has plans for saw horses. I am 6ft.2in. tall so I added 2" to Jack"s plans which is a comfortable working height, but a little hard to climb on with a boring machine. Good luck, John

I am 6'5" and have the same problems ;-( Traditional saw horses are about a foot too short for me. Thanks for the pointer to these plans.

Greg

I am 5'11" and I made 4 of the crib ponies referred to in Chapell's book. I laid a 4"x6"x8' beam across each pair of ponies and then laid the beams I was working with on top of the 4x6's. This was a perfect working height for me. I shimmed the ponies so the 4x6's defined a level plane. This arrangement gave me plenty of room to load 8- 8"x8" beams on the 4x6's and work them. jekbear

I'd have to agree that most sawhorse ponies are for holding up the bunk timbers under the intended timber to be cut. This will raise the working level and create a temporary stable work area to a comfortable height. By using different size bunk beams you can adjust the working height for different sizes of timbers. Good luck, Jim

Hello Bernie and all on this forum:
It sure is a treat reading over all the suggestions by the group. The research that I have done here in Canada on a technique to use as a working display involving framing of long heavy or light timbers, came from old text books on the subject dating in my case to mid 19th century when this type of work was the norm.
Examining closely sketches of building construction from that time period, vast timbers were laid out on bed pieces slightly imbedded in the ground to afford stability. The long timbers to be worked were then placed on top either for hewing or layout and boring. From my experience it is better that these timbers are not placed too high during this phase of operation. After the layout and boring operation is completed the timbers can then be raised to a higher level on tressels for the handwork. We constructed heavy saw horses using a design from a sketches that appears in various different books on the subject, and they seem to work very well for us. One of the main features was a wooden shelf fashioned in between the four legs under the top cross piece, that afforded an invaluable spot to lay down the sharp chisels, mallets, or any other items being used. The "horses" were created from 4" by 4" white pine of good quality, with the legs being let into the sides of the top cross piece, and secured with wooden oak dowling about 1\2" in diameter. The wooden shelf sat on a spanner piece motised into and between each set of legs, on either end, and it in turn was pinned with oak pegs at each mortise location where its tenons passed through each leg. Upon assembly of the unit the spanner had to be slid into position before attaching to the upper cross piece. These "horses" were about 28" high, and could eisily hold the weight of 12 by 12 timbers 30 feet long. Over a period of 12 years of intensive timber frame construction we never experienced a failure in any of the units. The legs were placed right at the ends of the cross pieces, and were shouldered as well as let into the upper cross piece.
Well that is all that I have to say on the subject I hope it helps you make a decision
The Northern Hewer