Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[Sally PB]

@gtaus, Now I wish I had a Harbor Freight near me. I know where there are a couple stores that could be on my way somewhere.* I'll have to check them out.

*That's what I get for living out in the boonies. Oh well.

 

[ChicksnMore]

Just wanted to give a shout out to our local Harbor Freight store. Not only did I get lots of free pallets from their parking lot his summer, but I also purchased a number of tools and supplies that I used on my pallet projects. I saved lots of money by building my new raised beds and planters out of that free pallet wood. I also saved money on lots of the small supply type items I bought from Harbor Freight. If you are careful in what you buy, you can get some pretty good stuff at a lower prices than Menards or Home Depot. But, you have to know what you are buying.

Harbor Freight also has a membership program that you or may not be aware of. Last winter, I bought a one-year membership for $30.00 just to give it a try for the first year of the store opening. Their membership is called the Insider Track Club (ITC) membership. Every month they have a new list of items marked down in price just for the ITC members. I saved more than my initial $30.00 on those deals. But, and here is what they don't tell you, I got a $20.00 store gift certificate on my birthday and just recently they sent me another $20 gift certificate for my annual membership. I don't know if they do that all the time, but I got $40 back in HF money just for buying into the $30 ITC membership.

Sometimes they have special items as give aways to ITC members. Like a free 5 gallon bucket with a small purchase, or free flashlights just for coming into the store. I also got a few 4 inch magnetic parts holders for free that I use all the time. Just this past week I got an $18.00 set of step drill bits for free for making a $25.00 purchase. That was nice.

One time I got a free $30.00 brad nailer/stapler for making a $15.00 purchase as an ITC member! I am anxious to use that staple gun on a pallet project. I am planning on making some pallet wood bins and fastening them with that staple gun. Should work out great. They did not have the staples I wanted in stock at that time, but I got a raincheck. I would check in with the store every week or two and talk to the manager. Long story short, one of the managers gave me another 50% discount for having had to wait so long. Menards sold the same staples for $20 a pack, but Harbor Freight had them for $10.00 (on sale) and I managed to get them 50% off the sale price. So, $5.00 for a $20,00 pack of staples for the gun!

Another thing to consider is getting a Harbor Freight credit card for store purchases. You get 10% off on your first HF credit card purchase. At the time, I was buying a nice wood workbench with drawers and vise for $150.00 and a few other items on my list. So, I banked about $20 on the initial purchase with my HF card. After that, you still get 5% on all purchases with your HF card. In the past year, I got about $25.00 back just for using my HF card to buy things I needed. In comparison, my normal bank credit card has a 1.5% cash rewards program, but that is straight cash that can be spent anywhere. Your HF card rewards are only good at Harbor Freight.

The funny thing is that I was like many people and did not consider Harbor Freight for anything other than disposable products and supplies. But now that they have a store in our town, I am finding that many of their HF brands are the same exact brands made in China and sold elsewhere at big box stores under other brand names for 2X the price.

Anyways, just wanted to pass along that I was able to save lots of money at Harbor Freight this past year, and I imagine anyone reading this thread about pallet projects is looking to save money where they can.

As you know, I'll pass on good info from other stores like Menards and Home Depot as appropriate. I'm all into finding good deals and saving money. Kind of goes with my idea of using free pallet wood or reclaimed wood to make projects that I use. Later....

Didn't know about their membership plan! I've always enjoyed the store though, so think I need to sign up

 

[gtaus]

@gtaus, Now I wish I had a Harbor Freight near me. I know where there are a couple stores that could be on my way somewhere.* I'll have to check them out.

*That's what I get for living out in the boonies. Oh well.

I know what you mean. We just got a local Harbor Freight store in our town in 2022. Before that, the closest HF store was 120 miles away. I used to order things from their catalog from time to time, but they don't send out paper catalogs anymore. I don't mean to shill for HF, but I have saved a lot of money buying some tools and supplies there this year - mostly taking advantage of the ITC membership savings and the additional 5% in rewards money for using the HF credit card. For me, it's been a really good deal.

I still buy lots of stuff from our local Fleet store, Home Depot, and Menards, but the new Harbor Freight adds more competition in town and that means if I take the time to shop the stores, I can usually find the best value for what I need.

Since I get my free pallets from Harbor Freight, I like to give them the advantage on a purchase when I can.

None of the other tool stores give out free pallets. Probably because Menards and Home Depot sell lumber. So, no incentive to give away free wood...

 

[gtaus]

Didn't know about their membership plan! I've always enjoyed the store though, so think I need to sign up

Paying for the Harbor Freight ITC membership is only worth it if you plan on buying supplies and tools from HF throughout the year. You have to actively take advantage of their sales and promotions. I have a fairly healthy tool and supply budget for the year, so the ITC membership worked out for me.

 

[gtaus]

It's been a few months since I picked up any pallets in town, but I found an interesting pallet this afternoon outside our local NAPA Auto Parts store for free pickup. The top had solid 3/4 inch plywood in great condition! It was pretty darn heavy, but I threw that sucker in the back of the old Explorer and brought it home. I hope to use that plywood on another modular workbench I plan on making when it gets warm enough out in the garage. That plywood should make an excellent benchtop. First time I ever scored a pallet like that with solid plywood in great condition. Glad I was driving the old Explorer today!

I also picked up one regular pallet, too. That's all the room I had for pallets today. I had previously stopped at our local church Thrift Shop and one of the guys there gave me a big wooden box/bin - 3X3X3 feet in size. The box is made out of some kind of pressed board, but it's in great condition. I got one just like it late in the fall because they had 3 of them, but the worker there wanted to keep the other two. Anyway, he gave me one of his today. Those boxes are well built. I am storing my scrap lumber and wood from my pallet breakdowns in those boxes. I ran out of scrap wood storage boxes for all my unused lumber. I guess that's a good thing. So, now I have another scrap wood storage box to fill up.

My old 1993 Ford Explorer only gets 13 mpg, so it costs me about $7.00 to drive to town and back. But I don't feel so bad on a day like today when I am hauling back about $75.00 in "free" wood and pallets. That old Explorer still has value to me!

 

[gtaus]

Tool Alert!

I picked up a nice little 48-piece project kit of screw bits, drill bits, and multitool blades at Home Depot today. It comes with a nice plastic case to keep everything organized. It is one of those value kits that claims over $90.00 of stuff if you purchased them separately. These kits were on sale at Christmas for $20.00, but are now on clearance for $10.00. It has basically all the accessories I use on my pallet projects, which I use and wear out, so I bought this kit to refresh my supply of accessories.

The screwdriver bits are impact driver rated. So, that was a nice bonus on a kit at this price. What really caught my eye was that there are 2 multitool blades in this kit. I checked the "normal" price of these blades and they were selling for about $7.00 each. Definitely a better deal buying them in this kit.

For the veterans out there, I was able to get my 10% military discount in addition to the clearance price. So, I only paid $9.00 plus tax for this purchase.

 

[BDutch]

Tool Alert!

I picked up a nice little 48-piece project kit of screw bits, drill bits, and multitool blades at Home Depot today. It comes with a nice plastic case to keep everything organized. It is one of those value kits that claims over $90.00 of stuff if you purchased them separately. These kits were on sale at Christmas for $20.00, but are now on clearance for $10.00. It has basically all the accessories I use on my pallet projects, which I use and wear out, so I bought this kit to refresh my supply of accessories.

The screwdriver bits are impact driver rated. So, that was a nice bonus on a kit at this price. What really caught my eye was that there are 2 multitool blades in this kit. I checked the "normal" price of these blades and they were selling for about $7.00 each. Definitely a better deal buying them in this kit.

For the veterans out there, I was able to get my 10% military discount in addition to the clearance price. So, I only paid $9.00 plus tax for this purchase.

Looking great, but do expect Chinese ‘quality’ for such a price.

I avoid Chinese product as much as possible. One reason is to avoid these is that they make crap products most of the time. E.g. I bought bathroom articles of stainless steel a few years ago for a very nice price. But it started to rust after 1-2 years and the shop didn’t want to take them back for being such a poor quality. Then I found out they were Chinese.

 

[gtaus]

Looking great, but do expect Chinese ‘quality’ for such a price.

I got a good idea of the quality of the products, and they should be OK for my needs. It's hard to find anything NOT made in China, or other Asian nations. For example, the company that makes Ryobi, also makes Milwaukee and Rigid tools. They all come from the same factories.

On a positive note, Ryobi opened up a US plant during the COVID-19 lockdown era. They are making the Ryobi Link Storage system line of products. I'm all for US manufacturing and hope to see more products made in the USA.

Obviously, I bought into the Ryboi line of tools 18+ years ago because their tools were targeted and marketed for the home owner/DIY'er. I typically pay half the cost of a contractor brand tool when I buy a Ryobi tool. I have been very happy with the quality of the Ryobi tools I bought and am still using my original drill, saw, and flashlight from my that first purchase 18 years ago. That's a testament to the quality of their tools. But I don't use my tools all the time and I take care of them. Contractors use their tools all the time and they often get misused.

Here is a short YouTube review of Ryobi accessory kits with an honest review and testing of the products. Although the video is now 2 years old, I think his conclusions probably still hold true. No surprises for me in the results....

 

[Sally PB]

The top had solid 3/4 inch plywood in great condition!

YAY! SCORE! What size was the pallet? 3/4" plywood is worth a lot!

DH is working this week and next. When I think of it, I'll ask him to see if they have any pallets sitting around. It means taking the trailer to work, so it has to be a plan ahead thing. I have a couple of things I'd like to make.

Oh, for his birthday, he got a DeWalt cordless palm sander. I've told him any tools he wants are an automatic "buy it" blessing from me. One caveat: He has to teach me how to use it!

 

[gtaus]

YAY! SCORE! What size was the pallet? 3/4" plywood is worth a lot!

It was a standard 48"X40" pallet. So, I should be able to make at least one complete modular workbench 2X4 foot top out of it. I don't know what I will do with the leftover smaller section yet. But it will get used. And yes, 3/4" plywood costs something $5,000 per sheet where I live! Well, not quite that much, but it sure seems like it.

I'll ask him to see if they have any pallets sitting around. It means taking the trailer to work, so it has to be a plan ahead thing.

Yeah, I mentioned that my old 1993 Ford Explorer only gets about 13 mpg. So, if we take Dear Wife's car into town, I usually drive by the places where I pick up my pallets to see what they have available. If I see something worth making a trip, I will go back with the Explorer (holds 6 pallets inside) or hitch up the trailer for a really big haul (holds 8 more).

Oh, for his birthday, he got a DeWalt cordless palm sander. I've told him any tools he wants are an automatic "buy it" blessing from me. One caveat: He has to teach me how to use it!

That's very nice. Sounds like a win-win for the family.

Over the years, I have purchased many tools. Dear Wife has no interest in most of the tools. But she has come around to using my smallest battery grass trimmer and my lightweight battery mini cultivator for working in and around her flower gardens. She also likes my small battery leaf blower which is not too powerful and just about the right power to blow out debris around her plants without hurting them.

I know most guys want to buy the biggest, fastest, and most powerful tools they can get their hands on. But Dear Wife wants a power tool that is small, lightweight, and very easy to control. So, I often have both a small trimmer and leaf blower which she uses, but I also have bigger versions which I mainly use. Some tools, like our small cultivator, work fine for both of us.

Frankly, I could easily get by with the smaller, less powerful tools. They just take a little longer to get the job done in most cases. I don't get paid by the hour, anyway. In fact, I don't get paid at all come to think of it!

I especially like that automatic "buy it" with blessing list concept! Very nice!