Making things from old Pallets

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Making things from old Pallets
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Hill farmer

Joined: 08 Feb 2009
Posts: 49
Location: North Oxfordshire

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 10:04 am Post subject: Making things from old Pallets

I do not get in this site much as I have long been a member of the River Cottage - it seems its shutting down so I thought this is the best site to migrate to.
I wanted to ask if anyone has any good ideas in re configuring old Pallets - I have access to loads ( via a friend ) and have built two sheds for log storing and a garden tool shed. They can be awesome materials if you know how to deal with them.

Sorry if my post is in the wrong forum mods its just I wasn't sure where to put it.
Anyway the whole Pallet thing is a good idea all you need is a few screws a saw large hammer and a crow bar.
Anyone done it ?
Martin/

chickenlady

Joined: 18 Aug 2013
Posts: 413
Location: Dorset

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 10:09 am Post subject:
Hello Martin. I'd be interested in this too...so following.

Hill farmer

Joined: 08 Feb 2009
Posts: 49
Location: North Oxfordshire

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 10:13 am Post subject:
Cool , I now see this should have gone into the DIY forum -- hey ho

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 11:54 am Post subject:

Hill farmer wrote:

Cool , I now see this should have gone into the DIY forum -- hey ho

As if by magic...

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46362
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 12:31 pm Post subject:

hello and welcome aboard .

i have made many things from pallets ranging from work benches to a wood shed/growing platform ,bender floors,beds and the usual stuff such as compost enclosures and higgledypigeldy pens.

three tools i have found very useful are a demolition saw (to cut the nails as well as the timbers),a palm sander and a good drill/screwdriver(with turboscrews) but as you say the basics are hammer ,saw and wrecking bar.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 1:16 pm Post subject:
I have always started with good intentions, got quickly fed up trying to rip nails without splitting wood & ended up taking the chainsaw to them & turning them into kindling. Patience & aptitude aren't my best virtues. I also follow with interest.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46362
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 2:16 pm Post subject:
many pallets are made with annular shanked nails from a nail gun,these are a nightmare to pull out even with a nail puller let alone a wrecking bar or claw hammer. a demolition saw slid between timbers to get to the nail shank separates the timbers but does leave both halves of the nail in place and so prevents the use of a plane ,hence the power sander.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46362
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 2:18 pm Post subject:
untreated for furniture etc,treated for structural.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6634
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 2:45 pm Post subject:
DIY thread cross-pollination: https://youtu.be/U5c91afgPR8 (pulling nails from pallet wood)

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 6:01 pm Post subject:

Slim wrote:

DIY thread cross-pollination: https://youtu.be/U5c91afgPR8

(pulling nails from pallet wood)

Excellent.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46362
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 15 6:42 pm Post subject:

the methods on the video will work with some pallets esp.the single use light ones but the very solid multi use type often need the nails sawn or to use them as whole as possible ,they are usually treated so are not suitable for furniture or firewood but are perfect for structural stuff.

if bashing timber off the nail a pad to protect the wood is sometimes required to prevent splitting (and a club hammer works far better than a claw hammer ).
when popping the head up by hitting the nail tip take care not to bend the nail.

a mix of methods will dismantle all pallets.

cassandra

Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia

Posted: Mon Nov 09, 15 6:26 am Post subject:

The two uses for a pallet that I know of which do not involve modification are: Compost bin (drive steel pickets down the insides of the pallets to hold them in position), or tool storage for your long-handled garden tools (just screw it to the wall of your garden shed and pop the tools in handle-first so you know what you are grabbing).

Wrestling them apart does seem to be the main obstacle to doing all those creative things you see scrolling down your FB page - I am particularly take with the small garden chalet myself, sigh.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16101

Posted: Mon Nov 09, 15 8:01 am Post subject:
A fellow coppice worker who uses the light ones to start his retort kiln has a crowbar type thing with two welded on prongs to go either side of the nail. The nails are cleared out of the fire box after each firing.

Rusticwood

Joined: 01 Dec 2009
Posts: 2154
Location: All over the South West

Posted: Mon Nov 09, 15 11:37 pm Post subject:
Having broken pallets apart for reuse I wouldnt do it again. I found I broke more boards than I could save for reuse. Having said that I have seen these type of things advertised

crofter

Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 2252

Posted: Mon Nov 09, 15 11:48 pm Post subject:

Rusticwood wrote:

Having broken pallets apart for reuse I wouldnt do it again.

Nor would I. Apart from the time and effort required I've always been disappointed by how quickly they rot away (outside) Would still use pallets to block gaps in fences, store stuff off the ground etc where they don't need taking apart, or for firewood!

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