You’d think that this would be easy info to find, and at first, google searching appears to have some great links. But upon following dozens upon dozens of links, I am still unable to find the most basic info for my projects. I have also searched at the library AND the bookstore. No luck.
I have a big stack of seasoned oak pallets, a sawzall, a skillsaw and a drill. Oh and some sandpaper. I also have a large garden and live in a very rural area. I already know how to make a basic table and have already made several. What I would like to do is turn the pallets into the most basic, rustic garden furniture, nothing fancy, but I would like to do some comfortable garden benches with backs and arms. I couldn’t care less what they look like, as long as they are sturdy and comfortable to sit on.
All the links I can find require fancy tools, advanced woodworking techniques, etc. All I want is some basic plans to knock together a couple of chairs, a bench or two and maybe some planters, using only the tools I have on hand.
I don’t know of any documentary resources to help you, but as a person who uses a good deal of reclaimed timber. I do have a few small comments:
-The usable length of unblemished timber available from most pallets is quite short - maybe only 18 inches or so. This doesn’t just affect visual appearance - a board with nail holes and splits right in the middle of its length can’t subsequently be used unsupported - it will break at the nail holes.
You can overcome this to a certain extent by carefully selecting your cuts (and wasting more) - if, for example, you’re making something like a futon and you want a row of 36-inch boards that will be supported by rails at either end and another in the middle, it’s best to lose a bit off both ends of your reclaimed board and keep the nail holes in the centre of the board where they are - in the middle, where they will be supported (also, you lose the nail holes at both ends this way)
-You might want to get yourself an electric planer - even if you only use it to finish what will be the top surface of your boards, it makes a massive difference to the appearance and utility of the finished piece.
-You will almost certainly benefit from buying a nail puller (they’re available for less money than that, I think) - trying to prise boards apart with a claw hammer and crowbar so often results in splits.
-I’ve found the best way to construct larger items like tables and benches is to make up a set of A frames like this - sandwich the vertical components (red) between pairs of horizontal ones (blue).
So to make a bench seat, you could make up a series of these A frames (all the same size, trim the top horizontal boards so that they’re not proud of the verticals, then affix some top and side rails to hold the whole thing together - like this
Careful visual inspection is a must too - I’ve ruined new planer blades on small embedded pieces of grit - this is especially a risk with pieces of timber that would have been resting on the ground when the pallet is in use - small stones can get pushed into the wood, then polished flush by subsequent abrasion.
actually, what you want exists. I know because I have seen it. Unfortunately I can’t remember the title of the books.
I am almost positive it was at Lee Valley www.leevalley.com as I remember a blurb describing that the book was printed by US gov. agency as a way to recycle all the lumber used in skids. (Obviously it was a reprint).
Can’t find it on a perusal of their web site though (I saw it in store).
I’ve also seen an old “how-to” at a used book store as well. I’ll try to find names fore either and repost if I find it.
I build with rough lumber (well, first I make the lumber) and I’ll attest to the fact that getting the lumber joined, planed, and dimensioned takes up a huge chunk of time.
Neon Mower, I’ll toss this out as an idea: If you’re not too picky about the finished appearance, you might consider a standard Adirondack (sp?) chair plan. I could see how this could be done with used pallets without too much prep work on the lumber.
Many, MANY, years ago, I helped my dad (mostly off-feeding the table saw) make a reloading bench out of pallets…it came out nice, but as many have mentioned, it was a LOT of work…probably paid us $.50 an hour over buying the wood.
One thing I recall is that the nails were of polygonal cross section, and twisted. They held so tight that the head would fold and break when you tried to pull them with a crowbar. So we had to clamp a small pair of vice grips onto the now stripped shank and then pull them with the crow bar.
As a kid, I knew one family (single mom, two boys my age) that collected old pallets and cut them up for winter heating fuel. They were hardwood, and much better wood stove fuel than the pine normally available in the Denver area. (more heat, less smoke and creasote problems) They’d saw them up with a skil saw, leaving the nails in place. This seemed a much better use than furniture making, given the typical quality and short lengths of the lumber to be had from this source.
This may not be what you are looking for, but maybe it is. I came across this site looking for free plans. A majority of plans are measured in metric, but there are those in inches and feet as well. Not sure as to what all you are looking to make, but it has a good deal plans for all types of projects.
You guys are lucky - most of the pallets I can lay hands on are softwood, which is part of the reason why I jump at the chance of reclaiming the hardwood ones
the other parts are that hardwood is very expensive here and some of the hardwood I’ve had from pallets is nicer than anything I could buy anywhere - some of it has really nice swirly grain (not at all ideal for construction, but very decorative for small items, which are my mainstay).
You’re right about the nails though - they’re often twisted polygonal ones or even annular shank nails that just don’t want to come out at all. My next tool purchase will be a proper nail puller, I think.
