WIP: Bench from Pallets

[Pvt_Ryan]

Ok finally decided to remove my finger and get on with it, this is going to take a while as it will be done as and when I get time.

I do have the odd powertool but this will mostly be done by hand.

I have no design as yet other than to get 4 legs done, once I have the legs glued and flattened I'll see what they look like, then decide the rest. So if anyone has tips / advice or ideas speak up.. Here are the 1st set of pics.

 

[planetWayne]

Hi there Ryan!

May I ask how you managed to salvage the wood from the pallets? Sound like a silly question but SWMBO had a similar idea (using pallets) to make some garden planters so typically - came home one night to a stack of pallets and the 'there you go' look in her eye.

My problem being though - trying to strip the pallets down has been a nightmare! The nails that have been used have got, for want of the correct name, ridges down them that makes them near on impossible to remove without so much force that its wrecking the cross sections of the pallets. Am I missing a technique here or is there such a thing as 'the wrong pallets'

Thanks
Wayne.

 

[Dibs-h]

Hi there Ryan!

May I ask how you managed to salvage the wood from the pallets? Sound like a silly question but SWMBO had a similar idea (using pallets) to make some garden planters so typically - came home one night to a stack of pallets and the 'there you go' look in her eye.

My problem being though - trying to strip the pallets down has been a nightmare! The nails that have been used have got, for want of the correct name, ridges down them that makes them near on impossible to remove without so much force that its wrecking the cross sections of the pallets. Am I missing a technique here or is there such a thing as 'the wrong pallets'

Thanks
Wayne.

Ring shanked nails -

Aren't made to come out easily. Best method is to cut between the timbers with a reciprocating saw. All pallets are3 made with them - so no such thing as the wrong sort of pallet. :wink:

HIH

Dibs

 

[Richard T]

There are many names for that sort of nail. My favourite is "pinappling pinapplartum"

I have had some success in getting them out with jemmies eased gently from both sides between joined boards via lump hammer but I lose about half the patients that way.

Looking good Ryan - it cleans up nice with a nice plane don't it?

 

[AndyT]

This has been discussed before - it's so frustrating to see nearly-usable wood and not be able to salvage it whole.
IIRC, one answer was to use a very small holesaw and drill round the little pineapples.

So kudos to Pvt Ryan for getting on with this the hard way! It looks very promising to me.

 

[planetWayne]

Cool!
I might have another go at these things then (or make some more firewood!) I'm guessing though that if you cut these suckers then the end result is you are leaving both halves embedded in the wood - so don't go near it with a plane !

 

[Pvt_Ryan]

Well I only used the thickest (support (?)) planks as the others were rubbish, so to get the nails out I simply used a claw hammer and a rubber mallet, prised up the cross planks slowly and then used the claw to pull the nails out. A lot of blisters, blood and sweat but I found it easier to just lay the pallet on it's side then start at one end and work along that plank. I had one that was missing its head and only caught it when the hand plane went over it, though no chip in the blade, I just used a pointy bit of metal that looks like a screw driver (no idea what it is) and hit it into the side of the nail on both sides to loosen then used vice grips to pull it out.

As you can see in the pics I am not fussed on looks so i'll prob just used some filler on the holes if I can be bothered, I think my biggest hurdle will be the braces for the legs as I don't think any of the wood I have will be long enough.

The cross planks make good firewood and reduce to such little ash it's great, I dont even remove the nails from those before I burn them.

The first leg (the one with the clamps in the pics is actually the 2nd :roll I didn't clamp very well and has a few gaps where the wood moved, i dont think it will be an issue but if it is I'll just saw it in half and redo it.

Oh and planing on that "bench" (if it can even be called that) is about the most awful thing you can do, trying to keep the damn thing still and level is like trying to get blood out of a stone.

Ryan

 

[studders]

When I first started salvaging pallets it would take me hours to get them apart and I lost most of the wood in the process. The longest ring shank nails are the ones that go into the blocks. Trying to get them out by pulling is hopeless, you'll just split the wood you're trying to save. The easiest way I've found is to use an axe to split the blocks, the nails are then easy to remove. It now takes me about half an hour to completely dismantle the pallet, with no wasted boards.

 

[Pvt_Ryan]

dung, I just realised something I didnt check grain direction before gluing, will that be a problem if the grain runs down in one side and up in the other?

 

[Dibs-h]

Cool!
I might have another go at these things then (or make some more firewood!) I'm guessing though that if you cut these suckers then the end result is you are leaving both halves embedded in the wood - so don't go near it with a plane !

You can use a nail punch to punch a remnant thru, assuming the bit of wood that it's left in isn't 6" thick. :mrgreen: With the bit that has the head on it - it you can pry it proud, cut the head off and then drive the remnant forward.

HIH

Dibs

 

[AndyT]

Oh and planing on that "bench" (if it can even be called that) is about the most awful thing you can do, trying to keep the damn thing still and level is like trying to get blood out of a stone.

Ryan

Excuse me if I'm stating the obvious, but it might help to move nearer that nice solid brick wall, and clamp a spare long piece of wood to the workbench, sticking out and touching the wall, so you can brace against the wall when you push your plane.