Sawhorses - Great gadgets: cools tools for $100 or less

Tools of the Trade, Nov-Dec, 2003 by Bruce Guertin

I use sawhorses constantly. While there are collapsible sawhorses that take up less truck space than my homemade ones, I haven't found many that are light, inexpensive, or durable enough for my liking. But site-built horses also are limited; they don't really lend themselves to building various workstations at different heights, they really aren't great if you get stuck working on a hill or in a tight space, and you can't fold them down when you're done. In other words, two horses make a fine cut station or storage bunk, but for different configurations like outfeed, I have to build more horses, then store or toss them.

Bull Systems' Bull Brackets overcome these obstacles. More than just tough sawhorses, they're a system that enables you to build multiple work surfaces nearly anywhere and in almost any configuration. The solid aluminum bracket is the heart of the system and sets up as a standard sawhorse very quickly, but it's the Bull's channel that allows you to connect a 2x4 perpendicular to your sawhorse setup that makes the difference. This versatile design lets you create multiple setups quickly, like large workstations, custom miter stands, and infeed/outfeed tables.

And, because Bull Brackets work at any height, I can tailor them to whatever ground or space condition I encounter. For city jobs, I can squeeze a narrow sawhorse/outfeed on a sidewalk or in an alley. In the 'burbs, I can make a huge work table or site-built shop. If the ground is wildly uneven, I can custom tailor the leg heights and end up with a level surface. This adaptability gives me an on-site shop regular sawhorses never could. They also disassemble fast and store compactly. * Bull Brackets, One pack: $50; two packs: $95. Bull Systems, 877-265-2855. www.bullbrackets.com. Circle #207.

David R. Crosby is a custom builder in Santa Fe, N.M,, and is a frequent contributor to HANLEY-WOOD'S TOOLS OF THE TRADE.

Bruce Guertin is a contractor in Coventry, R.I.