Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[Knobby]

I hear you. Do you edge the planks to make glue ups? I don't have an edger, but am going to make a jig to run the planks through my table saw and then the planks would be even, for making glue up panels and such. It's on my long term list of things to do.

None of my projects to date have needed special milling of the pallet wood, but I would like to try some more complicated projects in the future. No glue ups for me in my unheated garage until next spring/summer. Gives me more time to work on my limited skill set, anyways.

Love to hear any comments you might have on topics discussed in this thread. I'm always learning from others.

I don't have a edger tool either. I just run each plank through my table saw to get a straight end on each side and nail away.

 

[gtaus]

The main boards on the pallets are bolted in, those will stay IF I use them for my meatbird manor.

If you remove the bolts from the wood, be sure to save them. I just got done buying some bulk bolts at the Fleet store, and they cost me $3.99 per pound, so it does not take long to add up to some real money. If you buy the nuts and bolts in small prepackaged units, they cost about double that price.

FWIW, I have my misc. nuts and bolts stored in small parts organizers. I'm trying to get more organized so I can find things easier. Having said that, I have also just put my misc. nuts, bolts, and washers in a big plastic jar and will just dump it on a table and look for something I need. I don't throw hardly anything away. But it's not useful unless you can find it when you need it later.

Here is a picture of the small parts organizers I am currently buying at Harbor Freight. Normally they cost $9.99, but are currently on sale for $6.99. The top is transparent, so you can easily what you stored inside. Again, a plastic jar works great for storage, but I'm just trying to get myself a little more organized.

Related to my current pallet project, I have been building some modular workbenches with wheels. I take the wheels off the $10.00 dollies on sale that I got at Harbor Freight. I only need the wheels for my current projects, but I saved all the nuts and bolts that attach the wheels to the wood frame of the dolly. I checked the price of those nuts and bolts, and, if bought separately, they would cost about $4.00 per dolly. Add to that each wheel sells for over $5.00 each, so another $20.00. From a $10,00 purchase, I have managed to save about $24.00 by repurposing the parts for my other projects. I also saved the hard wood frame, but don't have a use for that wood... yet. I also flattened out the carpet and hope to repurpose that on a project someday.

Do I hoard too much? Maybe. But I bet you I find a use for all that stuff I saved! Anyway, get find on those long pallets.

 

[gtaus]

I don't have a edger tool either. I just run each plank through my table saw to get a straight end on each side and nail away.

That's what I have been doing, too.

I am going to build a jig to hold down the planks when I run them through the table saw. Supposedly, that will make the boards square if you want to use them in a glue up to make a wood panel type build. I don't have room for an edger in my garage, and I am probably too cheap to buy one anyways, so a jig on the table saw will have to do for me.

There are any number of videos on YouTube on how to build a jig for edging pallet wood on a table saw. Here is one I found useful...

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

If you remove the bolts from the wood, be sure to save them. I just got done buying some bulk bolts at the Fleet store, and they cost me $3.99 per pound, so it does not take long to add up to some real money. If you buy the nuts and bolts in small prepackaged units, they cost about double that price.

FWIW, I have my misc. nuts and bolts stored in small parts organizers. I'm trying to get more organized so I can find things easier. Having said that, I have also just put my misc. nuts, bolts, and washers in a big plastic jar and will just dump it on a table and look for something I need. I don't throw hardly anything away. But it's not useful unless you can find it when you need it later.

Do I hoard too much? Maybe.

This is my husband 100% minus the organization!!! Drives me batty, but I love him lol

 

[ChicksnMore]

It's a local butcher/processor
Amish ran, just a small little shop. They take care of everything there. We just go pick up our wrapped meat. It's abt 200 for everything.

There's a local college here that has an agricultural curriculum and they charged about $80 for a pig size animal a few years ago...might be more now. At any rate...if you have anything similar there, it might be worth checking into. The students get practice and you get a good deal. Though they do tend to be slow about butchering sweet beasties.

Finally finished my first modular mobile pallet workbench today!

Yep, we had temps hit 60F today, so I finished cutting my wood to finish off the modular workbench I started last week. First of all, a pic of the (mostly) pallet workbench....

View attachment 3298963

For those who have not watched the Ultimate Modular Workbench video I linked to a few weeks ago, here is my finished version of that design using (mostly) free pallet wood. The original design on the YouTube video used brand new lumber and expensive 3/4 inch plywood. Given the current cost of lumber, that would have cost about $50 to build. I built this same design, using (mostly) free pallet wood.

The only wood I bought was the benchtop OSB board which cost me about $4.00. I actually bought an entire sheet of 1/2 inch OSB and had it cut down into four 2X4 foot sections. So, I can make four of these modular workbenches from that one 4X8 sheet of OSB.

At first, I was going to use pallet wood for the benchtop. But I would have had to mill all the pallet planks, plane them down to uniform thickness, and then do a complete glue up of the boards before I could put it on the workbench as the top. I would like to do that someday, if I have the time, but it's now too cold (<60F) for any glue ups in my unheated garage and I really needed to finish off the workbench before winter hits us hard. Hence, the compromise on the OSB workbench top.

What makes these workbenches modular, is that they are all 2X4 feet, and you can see the 4 drill holes on the front top 2X4 frame. There are holes drilled in the sides and back as well. In that way, you can bolt together the workbenches in any number of combinations to make a longer, or wider, or other shape as needed.

I really like the wheels on the bottom so I can easily move the workbench around the garage, and put it away in the evening so we can park the car in the garage for the night. I bought some dollies from Harbor Freight last week for $10 each, on sale, and just took the wheels off the dolly and put them on this workbench.

Essentially, I built this workbench for only $14.00 ($10 for wheels, and $4 for the OSB benchtop). Again, saved about $50 compared to building this project with new plywood and new 2X4's.

I have been thinking of adding some shelves, bins, or drawers to this workbench. But, there is limited space underneath the benchtop and it soon fills up with a few items. For example, I put in some storage bins and a 5 gallon bucket to give you an idea of how much storage space is under the benchtop...

View attachment 3298978

It is what it is, and my original ideas for storage bins and shelves is not going to work like I thought. Nothing like actually building something to get a feel for what more you can do with it.

Anyways, I am rethinking the whole shelves and bins options. I am now thinking of making a rail type system, where I can slide in a shelf at various heights depending on what I want to store under the workbench. Also, I am thinking I will rip down some pallet 2X4 stretchers to half size (1-3/4 inches v. 3-1/2 inches) of a 2X4 for the shelf frame. That will work out good because most of my pallet 2X4 stretchers have those notches cut out for the forklifts. I will just rip those boards in half, toss out the bottom half with the cutouts, and you would never even know.

I might also attempt to make some drawers out of pallet wood. Nothing fancy, but a bin type drawer that can be taken completely out of the rack and carried around to where I am working. I saw one YouTube video where a guy made drawers like that and he really seemed to like that design.

Just wanted to add that I really enjoyed making this workbench. I got to use some of my tools that have been sitting on the shelf waiting for their calling. I had to take out my 36 inch bar clamps on this build because the benchtop was not perfectly square when I went to put on the benchtop. I was able to screw down one side of the benchtop wood and used my 36 inch bar clamps to force the frame back into square. Worked really good.

Also, I finally got the hole drilling situation resolved and drilled 8 perfect holes in the top frame - which will be used to bolt one workbench to another. If you remember, last time I mentioned that my drill holes were drifting all over the place and nothing came out on point. Today, the drilling was on point. Felt good to overcome my previous failures.

Finally, I was attempting to have my finished workbench the same height as my store-bought Harbor Freight woodworking bench. I am very proud to say that my end product was within a fraction on an inch in the height. You need a straight edge level to notice any difference at all. For my DIY skill level, that was an accomplishment I can take pride in!

For anyone coming late to this thread, here is a link to the YouTube video that inspired me to make these modular workbenches, but out of pallet wood...

That looks amazing!

I once helped my grandfather butcher a pig (I kept a big pot to collect blood for blood sausages). but 30+ years later I could not think of butchering my chickens, lol. it is still hard for me to make decision to butcher.


btw, I have not eaten blood sausages for ages. it seems people don't make them any more. blood sausages they sell in supermarket are not even similar to those people made once upon a time.

I love blood sausage too. My hubby's folks still make it on the ranch and share. I want to learn how to make it.

Wow, finally finished going through all (currently) 68 pages of this thread and have gotten alot of inspiration on what my next pallet project(s) will be. I built my first coop using pallet wood. I don't recall how many pallets were used, but I do know it took much longer than expected...mainly because of the time to tear apart each pallet and de-nail them.

That is gorgeous!

@Hedgeland Farms your turkey tower is looking great!

 

[ChicksnMore]

I just got back from a month long trip. I'm looking forward to picking up some pallets and getting started on a coop and a doghouse.

I enjoyed seeing everyone's progress and all the good info!

 

[saysfaa]

Thank you! It has a milk crate nest box in the back corner, one sunny roost and one under the roof. The stain was made out of rusty nails in a apple cider vinegar solution.

Does this protect the wood at all or it just for color and using rusty nails?

 

[McChooky]

Does this protect the wood at all or it just for color and using rusty nails?

I use it to stain the wood and deter bugs thanks!

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

your turkey tower is looking great!

Thanks!

There's a local college here that has an agricultural curriculum and they charged about $80 for a pig size animal a few years ago...might be more now. At any rate...if you have anything similar there, it might be worth checking into. The students get practice and you get a good deal. Though they do tend to be slow about butchering sweet beasties.

Thanks so much for the tip!!! I am gonna look into it!

 

[HillGuy]

Quail Hotel