What a nice response we’ve had from you folks to our recent blog post about turning skids into usable lumber (“Skid Row”). Looks like we tapped into a good topic here. Keep your comments and suggestions coming in, please!
I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus lately from the blog to get a big tool review ready for the January print issue of the magazine. And, aside from a lot of heavy lifting to hit that deadline, it’s added a third floor to my growing tower of skids outside the shop. Looks like it’s time to start cutting some of them up and figuring out what to build…
In that regard, I thought it might be fun to tally up all the many ways you have commented that you use skid lumber. Hopefully you’ll give the rest of us some good ideas for turning pallets into projects:
• Planter boxes and bird houses, kindling (Paul)
• Burn it and use the charcoal for distilling sour mash (Graybeard50’s idea, not ours…)
• Cutting boards, knife racks, boot jacks, bird houses (Redhawk)
• Corner planes, lumber for shed-building, compost bins, garden fencing (Andrew Erickson)
• Drawers, storage boxes, practice boards for cutting dovetails (Lou Hodson)
• Building lumber for homes (Chris Barnes is planning to become the next shantytown tycoon, apparently)
• Workbench, tissue boxes, birdhouses (Gary Gorman)
• Birdhouses, wall shelves, park benches, paper towel holders, jewelry boxes (Bob H. Gibbs)
• Birdhouses, planters, compost bins, toys, cheap “play” lumber for the grandkids, eventually a fort (Mike Joyce)
• Knickknacks, jigsaw puzzles, toys, toilet paper holders, kindling (Phil)
• A source of lumber to keep the masochists among us busy (Leon, them’s fighting words!)
And, aside from the various uses you guys have come up with for skids, you’ve also salvaged some decent, recognizable wood species: white oak, cherry, pine, maple, something akin to lacewood and mahogany. I’d venture there’s a good chance for finding some other interesting exotics in those pallets. Plenty of them start their lives overseas.
Oh, and here are a few suggestions from the crew regarding processing these things up: forget pulling all the nails first. Cut out the usable parts, and discard or burn the rest. Watch for hidden fasteners and use blades you can afford to lose—sooner or later, you’ll ruin one.
There you have it: lumber on the WAY cheap! Thanks again to all.
Catch you in the shop,
Chris Marshall, Field Editor
