The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word SAWHORSE
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
S
A
W
H
O
R
S
E
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SAWHORSE mean?
SAWHORSE noun- A structure with a crosspiece used to support timber or other material for working.