Fig. 1
The sawhorse for the average boy ought to stand about twenty or twenty-two inches high, so that you can kneel with one knee on it easily.
You must get two pine boards:
A, 6 feet long, 6 inches wide, 1½ inches thick.
B, 12 feet long, 6 inches wide, 1 inch thick.
Take A, cut off two and one half feet: if not already planed, plane nicely on all sides. (Unplaned boards are cheaper than planed boards.)
Take this two and one half foot board and measure four inches from the end. Lay on try-square and draw a line across the board at dotted line. (See right end of [fig. 1].)
Then measure five and one half inches more from this line: with try-square extend second line across the board. Measure one inch on all these lines from the outer edge of board, and connect by lines b b and c c. With cross-cut saw cut carefully through the one inch from a to b; then with chisel cut out on line b b. Don’t cut quite as deep on the lower edge, for these openings are for the legs, and should slope out a trifle, that the legs may be farther apart on the floor than at the top when nailed on—one eighth of an inch will make difference enough for a good slant. All four leg sockets must be done alike, else your horse will be bow-legged and unsteady.
Now plane the twelve-foot board B (unless it is already planed). Square one end nicely; measure off twenty-two inches. Lay try-square and draw a line across the board. Take the cross-cut saw and saw neatly on the line. Smooth the end with a block-plane, bevelling it slightly, so it will fit firmly on the floor. This is for one leg. Do three more legs in the same way, always trimming the ends with block-plane, to make them stand upon the floor true and even.