Help with recycled pallets

[KAKBucks]

Anyone know the best way to get staples and cheap bent screws out of pallets after you break them down to use for coop building?

I can get the higher quality nails out without too much trouble, but the cheap ones that have a twisted look to them just bend when I try and pound them out, and the staples are even worse. I'm thinking about either cutting them off as close to the boards as possible and filing them down or pounding them flat against the boards.

Any suggestions?

Kendra

 

[farmgirlie1031]

Sometimes you can use a pair of pliers to hold onto them and yank them out that way. It just depends on how well they are held into the wood.

 

[patandchickens]

My philosophy is 'if it's sticking out, pull it out; if it's not sticking out enough to grab, drive it further in"

Pliers are good for pulling things out, esp. larger ones; if you have a fence tool, that can be really useful b/c it has a large curved end you can use to 'rock' the plier part once you've grabbed onto the nail or staple.

Remember though that some pallets are not really usable, either because they've got too much metal crud in them or because the wood is too cr*ppy.

Good luck,

Pat