Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[gtaus]

This design [of the adjustable height modular workbench] is ingenious! I've never seen anything like it! Wow!

The original idea for the modular workbench was from a YouTube video that I have posted a number of times. I like the 2X4 foot size of the modular workbench because I can move them out of the way in my garage when I need to park my cars. It would be much harder to find a space for an 8-foot-long workbench. Those drill holes on the top 2X4 frames allow me to bolt together the workbenches in any number of configurations.

I used reclaimed/pallet wood for my workbench builds. The only wood I had to buy was a sheet of OSB for the bench top. I wanted a completely flat surface to work on and clamp down on. I have another pallet wood workbench with pallet wood planks on top, which is great for many projects, but the different thicknesses of the pallet wood planks make the top surface uneven. For the modular workbenches, I wanted that top to be uniform and smooth from one workbench to the next when I bolt them together.

The mobile concept comes from using those casters. To save lots of money, I buy those dollies at Harbor Freight on sale for less than $10 per dolly and take off the casters for the work bench.

Each wheel on that dolly is rated for 250 lbs. If I had to buy the casters/wheels separately, they cost something like $5.00 each. So, the dolly hack is a much less expensive way to get wheels for my work benches.

I actually use a number of those dollies as dollies out in my garage. I have used them underneath large garbage cans that I have filled up with pallet wood. That would be too heavy for me to carry around the garage, but with the dolly underneath, I can move a container full of wood with a finger!

I also use them underneath my stacks of 5-gallon buckets filled with chicken feed and grains. Very easy to move a stack of buckets from one place to another in the garage.

As to this new adjustable height workbench, the primary objective was to make it work with my new table saw, so I could use it as an outfeed table at the same time. Instead of paying another $50 for a table saw stand out of metal, I was able to build that pallet wood workbench for less than $10.00, with wheels to move it around the garage.

I kept thinking about the adjustable height options when I was planning on making the new workbench. I imagine most of the time it will be down in the default position for holding the new table saw. But I also wanted the option to raise that shelf to be flush with the top and have another complete modular workbench that can be bolted together with my other modular workbenches. Over time, I came up with the idea of the adjustable legs and that rail system to bolt on the movable shelf in any number of adjustable heights. I have other tools, like bench sanders, drill presses, etc... and that might be an option for those tools.

Well, I have only started using that new workbench but I like it. Future upgrades I am considering are adding either shelves or drawers to the left side. Everything has to be removable because I need to access those bolts if I adjust the height of the right-side platform. But for now, I am happy with the build.

For people thinking about making a workbench for their small shop or garage, I think these modular workbenches are great. I was happy to steal that idea and make some modifications to the concept for my particular needs.

 

[Sally PB]

Absolutely wonderful! Great idea, well executed!

 

[fuzzi]

That's the truth.
I graduated HS in 76 and tried to take shop and was not allowed. I lived on what was left of the family farm and thought it would be handy. I took pre veterinarian instead.
When I was working at the college I asked the boss what I could do to become qualified for promotion to the higher paying maintenance job. He said there was nothing I could do to become qualified.
He also had told me I represented what was wrong with the world, woman working, to some of the guys . I ignored it and kept taking classes. I figured they were intitled to their opinion. I was young and had plenty of time. I did get that promotion in 2001 long after that boss retired. I worked a dz more years for a total of 34.

Same here. I wanted to take shop, was told I couldn't because I was a girl. I knew more about home economics than the teacher did, so forcing me to take that class was a total waste of time.

My husband wasn't handy, and now that I am a widow I am glad that I was the one doing most of the projects.

 

[gtaus]

I wanted to take shop, was told I couldn't because I was a girl. I knew more about home economics than the teacher did, so forcing me to take that class was a total waste of time.

That's too bad. I hope it's better for the younger kids today. As much as I enjoyed shop class, I now wish I had learned more about the home economics skills.

We really had sharply defined male and female roles in life and school when I was growing up in the 1970's. As an old man, I don't think that was the best approach to education. I often feel I only learned half of what it takes to get through life. Well, if I was on my own. Dear Wife has those home economic skills I lack, but no shop skills, but together we make it work.

now that I am a widow I am glad that I was the one doing most of the projects.

I'm glad you take care of yourself. My pallet projects are my retirement hobby and keeps me somewhat active. Not so much in the dead of the winter, but I'm out in the garage every day this past week working on stuff.

 

[fuzzi]

That's too bad. I hope it's better for the younger kids today. As much as I enjoyed shop class, I now wish I had learned more about the home economics skills.

We really had sharply defined male and female roles in life and school when I was growing up in the 1970's. As an old man, I don't think that was the best approach to education. I often feel I only learned half of what it takes to get through life. Well, if I was on my own. Dear Wife has those home economic skills I lack, but no shop skills, but together we make it work.



I'm glad you take care of yourself. My pallet projects are my retirement hobby and keeps me somewhat active. Not so much in the dead of the winter, but I'm out in the garage every day this past week working on stuff.

We're the same age, quit calling yourself old!

 

[Smokerbill]

A lot of guys took home economics class when I was in high school. I took it senior year, in '74 or '75. I remember making a shirt and cooking a Reuben sandwich.

I took typing class too, and it was one of the smartest things I did in life. That skill served me well. But I don't remember any girls in woodshop (Jr. high) or the auto repair class in high school.

 

[gtaus]

Dust Collection Upgrade for Table Saw Workbench

I found an old 5-gallon Shop Vac downstairs that was not being used. Looked small enough to fit under the modular pallet wood workbench I just built for my new table saw. I put it under the left side that is fixed height, and hooked the hose into the dust port of my table saw. This afternoon, I cut a number of boards for shelving in another workbench to see how much sawdust would be flying around in the shop and not captured by the shop vac.

I am happy to report that there was no sawdust anywhere after cutting with the shop vac attached. Very nice. Usually, I have to cut all my wood and then, when all done, I have to use my leaf/hard surface blower to clean out the garage. Not this afternoon. There was nothing to clean up!

Well, no expense on that shop vac upgrade to the workbench! I might just leave it there because it works so well. For the amount of wood that I cut for my pallet projects, I don't need an expensive shop dust collection system costing hundreds, or more, to setup.

Since I did not spend any money on the shop vac itself, I am considering getting one of those nice, automated switches for the table saw and a shop vac. They look pretty nice on YouTube. You first turn on the table saw, then in about a 1 second delay, it turns on the shop vac. That 1 second delay is there to prevent both units turning on at the same time and possibly tripping the electrical breaker. Then, when you shut off the table saw, the shop vac continues to run about 7 seconds and then shuts down itself.

That automated switch looks pretty interesting to me. I found a number of them on Amazon that have 2 inputs, like a table saw and a miter saw, in addition to the shop vac outlet on the delay.

Is that an absolute needed accessory? No. But it would nice. I just put it on my Wish List for now.

I mean, who really wants to flip the on/off switch on the shop vac every time you use the table saw or the miter saw when you can have an electronic doohickey do it for you automatically!

I'll have to give the shop vac a try on my miter saw as well. I am expecting it might not work as well. Also, I would need a different hose and hose connection on the miter saw, so I'll have to think about that.

In reality, sawdust collection is usually not an issue for me because I wheel my saws outside and cut wood in front of the garage. I really don't care where the sawdust blows when outside. Right now, it's still cold here with temps around 36F in the daytime, so I have been cutting the wood in the garage (about 48F) and cleaning it up later.

 

[gtaus]

Simple Pallet Wood Planter Boxes

Dear Wife just requested I make some square, wooden planters to put on top of some tree trunk rounds she has in her wild garden. Yeah, I think I can do that.

Currently, she puts plastic pots on top of the rounds in her garden. Something like this Google picture...

Anyways, I cut down a big tree a few years ago and got a bunch of 12–16-inch rounds like that which she put in her garden. She has been putting some plastic pots filled with flowers on top of those rounds. Looked nice, I thought. She wants me to make wooden planters to put on top of those rounds this year.

Here is a picture on Etsy of some planters that she likes...

Those planters on Etsy start at $18.00 each. Pretty much a scrap wood project, I think. Should be able to pound a few pallet wood planks together to make planters that like. She wants about 6 of those boxes at 8X8 inches, about 5 inches high. Pretty much pallet wood plank sizes on many of the pallets I have out back.

Like I have said many times, I don't often think of things like that. But I'm happy to make some square pallet wood planters for Dear Wife.

 

[Smokerbill]

Simple Pallet Wood Planter Boxes

Dear Wife just requested I make some square, wooden planters to put on top of some tree trunk rounds she has in her wild garden. Yeah, I think I can do that.

Currently, she puts plastic pots on top of the rounds in her garden. Something like this Google picture...

View attachment 4102388

Anyways, I cut down a big tree a few years ago and got a bunch of 12–16-inch rounds like that which she put in her garden. She has been putting some plastic pots filled with flowers on top of those rounds. Looked nice, I thought. She wants me to make wooden planters to put on top of those rounds this year.

Here is a picture on Etsy of some planters that she likes...

View attachment 4102387

Those planters on Etsy start at $18.00 each. Pretty much a scrap wood project, I think. Should be able to pound a few pallet wood planks together to make planters that like. She wants about 6 of those boxes at 8X8 inches, about 5 inches high. Pretty much pallet wood plank sizes on many of the pallets I have out back.

Like I have said many times, I don't often think of things like that. But I'm happy to make some square pallet wood planters for Dear Wife.

Would you have the tools to hollow out one of those log sections and turn it into a pot? It would be a Hugelkulture pot. LOL

Probably wouldn't last many years but it would be an interesting experiment.

 

[gtaus]

Would you have the tools to hollow out one of those log sections and turn it into a pot? It would be a Hugelkulture pot. LOL

Probably wouldn't last many years but it would be an interesting experiment.

I have a big stump out in the yard, about 3 feet high. I thought it would be great to dig out a hollow in the top to use as a planter. I have used my chainsaw on it - didn't work so good. I used a hammer and chisel - again, not so good. I used a wood carving disc on my angle grinder - not so good, either. In short, I have thrown out a bunch of things at carving out a bowl in that stump and nothing I used worked very well.

It was a lot of work with very little success. I had thought I could carve out some of those rounds and make them into planters, but I gave up on that idea after fighting with my stump planter idea.

Maybe there is/are a tool out there that would work better than what I tried? If you have any suggestions, let me know.

In any case, if Dear Wife wants some small square pallet wood planters to put on top of a round, I think that would be easy.