Pallet Workbench

****** My first instructable. In portuguese and english. ******

BR:
Uma bancada pare servicos gerais constuida com pallets de madeira descartados.
Simples e funcional para quem tem pouco espaco e dinheiro curto.
Mede 1,20 x 0,7 m, com 0,9 m de altura.
Custo total: em torno de R$40,00 (parafusos, verniz, pincel).

ENG:
A simple workbench constructed from disposable wood pallets.
Measures: 1,20 x 0,7 m, 0,9 m height.
Costs: few bucks (screws, some varnish)

Step 1: Pallets

BR:
Consegui alguns pallets em uma empresa de cargas. Geralmente, os pallets sao descartados e enviados para reciclagem e as empresas nao se importam em doa-los.
Os que consegui sao de madeira boa, porem o acabamento das madeiras inferiores eh bem ruim.

ENG:
I found some pallets on a cargo company. They generally dispose it, so they will don't mind give you some.
The wood on top was nice, but in the bottom it was not so good.

Comments

[unkldave]

I used discarded pallets to fashion an outdoor storage box. It lasted a long time. The hardest part was disassembling the old pallets. They were put together tightly.

[snoyes]

An instructable on how to disassemble a pallet in a timely fashion would be most welcome. Those things don't like to give it up!

[rcaproni]

Nice idea! I will add it in this Instructable. Thanks.

[will1947]

Not an instructable as such but it pretty much explains all you need to know.

I use lots of old pallets in my garden and workshop and over many years I discovered the ideal way to de-construct the pallets without splitting the boards which is what happens when you use a pry or crow bar. By using to use a jig saw with a metal cutting blade to cut the nails and later knock the remains of the nails out with a pin punch or centre pop. I have since progressed to a B+D scorpion saw or you could use a sabre saw all of which have longer and more flexible blades than a jig saw.

I have a deconstruction day every so often so always have a stock of timber and the left over blocks have many uses including burning in my Chiminea.

I have made all sorts of planters fencing etc. over the years from this free source of wood.

[jagman111]

very nice is the wood oak ?

[rcaproni]

Thanks! No, its a kind of pine, very soft. Pallet's wood are the cheapest they could find.

[will1947]

The place I get mine from tend to have oak pallets, not the best quality oak but tough as old boots for garden use or for making benches. just have to remember to pre-drill before screwing or you end up with lots of broken screws.

[thepelton]

I have learned how to recognize hardwood pallets. They are probably about a quarter of the pallets made. The wood looks different, has no resin spots on it, and smells different. Ask someone who is more experienced if you are not sure it's hardwood.

[niquattx]

This method of removing boards is work intensive! GET A HACKSAW AND SAW THE NAILS OFF!

[red-king]

 I would have suggested a crowbar. I don't think it would be very easy if you sawed the nails off.

[will1947]

Use a jigsaw, scorpion saw or sabre saw to cut the nails then use a nail punch to remove the remains of the nails from the planks this also has the advantage of having pre-drilled screw holes.

[bugzapper]

It won't let me download the sketchup file, just comes up with a whole lot of letters in Korean, how can I fix this?

[rcaproni]

Hi:
I uploaded the file again.
Please, try to download.
Rodolfo

[rcaproni]

Hi:
I don't know why is not working.
Try click wuth right button and "save link as".
I will re-upload the file soon.

[smaster]

Olá amigo, obrigado por compartilhar as informações!
Abraços!

[ricardo4265]

Excelente trabalho. Continue postando.

[shoppe]

I love the two wheels on the side of the legs.  I just built a stand for my table saw and I will be using this trick to keep it stable when I'm cutting, but still allow for it to be rolled around.

[pheenix42]

Do they make a hole saw in a small enough diameter to drill around the head of the nail?  If so, that would be the most effective way to disassemble a pallet as the only thing you would have to do after would be to cut off the nail with an angle grinder or some such tool.

I thank you for the instructions, sir..very clear and easy to follow!

[opanocat5]

 In  Portuguese as well!


Obrigado amigo multa Portugues!

[mikedoth]

I've always seen a secondary use to pallets yet never had time/space to experiment. I'll keep this in mind when I finally get a house and need a workbench, good job!

[DIY-Guy]

A secondary use for used pallets, even partially broken ones- Pallets make nice large compost bins. A three walled square with the fourth side open works well for dumping wheelbarrow loads of organics onto the compost pile.

[thepelton]

I made a workbench from two identical pallets stood on end, a piece of chipboard sheet, and some two by fours. The chipboard sheet was screwed into the end of the pallets, and the two by fours braced it, resting on the crossbar pieces. For more stability, I bolted it to the wooden pillar in the center of my garage. It worked quite nicely, until I had to take it apart.

[Bam82693]

Thats a lot of words for deep nail holes.

[rcaproni]

Sorry, my English is not so good. Do you have some suggestion?

[mynameisjonas]

don't listen to him. your English was just fine! it's always nice to see instructables in languages other than English.

[Bam82693]

i didn't want to sound mean, i just thought that the translation for deep nail holes had a lot of words, and that it was funny. His English is good.

[mynameisjonas]

this is a great instructable! a neat way to recycle those old pallets. I need a new workbench & I think that this would be perfect! thank you very much!

[grunthos]

I like the pictures showing the disassembly using the wedge. Nice work!

[old_code]

Good job; clean and straight-forward. I've looked at pallets for a while and wondered what sort of things I could turn the wood into. This could be a great start.

[sr1sws]

Nice job!

[sdallesasse]

Great idea! I work in construction and there seems to be pallets on every job. This would be a great surface for plans etc.