Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[gtaus]

I love my hackzall but ya, it's slow for something's. DH gets nervous when I use the chainsaw though. Love him but he has his little sillies. I do use it when needed, but calm hubby's are easier to be around.

Yep, if I saw Dear Wife outside with one of my chainsaws, I'd be calling 9-1-1 on my way to stop her from killing herself. If she didn't kill herself with the chainsaw, I'd probably go down with a heart attack from the anxiety I was under.

More seriously, chainsaws are dangerous and will cut through flesh and bone regardless of who you are. I started out using chainsaws as a child, under supervision, and grew up with them. I have some nephews that have never touched a chainsaw and I would not let them look at my chainsaws let alone use them without supervision.

Lots of YouTube videos of idiots with chainsaws and things do not work out very well for them. Having said that, even experienced arborists can get surprised. Fortunately for me, I have been able to take a knee when I don't know how to safely cut down a tree. No shame in admitting that you need more help on a project to keep things safe. So far, I have stayed within my limits.

One thing that concerns me is the move to all these electric/battery chainsaws. Because they are not loud and smelly like the gas chainsaws, I think some people don't treat them as a powerful tool that can cause you serious damage or take your life. I really like my battery chainsaws and I can tell you that they can cut through wood as fast as my gas chainsaw, which means they could mess you up just as fast as a gas chainsaw. Also, if you don't know how to cut down a tree properly, you could drop it on yourself or others regardless if the chainsaw is gas or electric.

 

[Sally PB]

I've always had a healthy respect for tools. I have two ideas of where this respect came from: (story time)

1. My dad and brother did the "guy thing" in my dad's shop. I wasn't invited, ever, so I figured I couldn't/wouldn't ever be able to use power tools, as it was a guy thing, only. Hogwash. Guys, teach your daughters how to work with tools, if they're interested. I'm getting that experience now, thanks to my hubby.

2. I took shop in 7th grade. (All the kids had to take shop, Home Ec, and art. Good.) The teacher told us that yes, the bandsaw WOULD cut off fingers/hands. It was a saw, and saws cut whatever was in their path. Hopefully, only wood. He told the following story from when he worked at another school.

He wanted to impress the danger aspect of the bandsaw on his students. So he gave a "demonstration" of how to use it, and "accidentally" cut off his (fake) finger, which was filled with ketchup. One of the girls fainted.

We all laughed, including him. Then he got very serious and said it was only funny because nobody got hurt.

 

[ChicksnMore]

The funniest thing though is that my DH definitely has less experience then me with power tools . I grew up with a father that was happy to teach his girls how to use tools and loved to diy. Hubby grew up in a family that hires everything done. But, peace is precious so I still respect his feelings.

I used to use the the chainsaw while he was at work, and as long as he didn't see me using it he never wondered how I got the work done. I worry every time I see him using a chainsaw too...I had no worries using it myself.

These days though I tend to just tell him if we have major branches that need the chainsaw and he hires someone to come do it. They even chip the wood for me. I have a funny foot that I just don't trust anymore, so somethings just don't feel safe anymore too.

Life is funny sometimes

 

[BDutch]

I've always had a healthy respect for tools. I have two ideas of where this respect came from: (story time)

1. My dad and brother did the "guy thing" in my dad's shop. I wasn't invited, ever, so I figured I couldn't/wouldn't ever be able to use power tools, as it was a guy thing, only. Hogwash. Guys, teach your daughters how to work with tools, if they're interested. I'm getting that experience now, thanks to my hubby.

2. I took shop in 7th grade. (All the kids had to take shop, Home Ec, and art. Good.) The teacher told us that yes, the bandsaw WOULD cut off fingers/hands. It was a saw, and saws cut whatever was in their path. Hopefully, only wood. He told the following story from when he worked at another school.

He wanted to impress the danger aspect of the bandsaw on his students. So he gave a "demonstration" of how to use it, and "accidentally" cut off his (fake) finger, which was filled with ketchup. One of the girls fainted.

We all laughed, including him. Then he got very serious and said it was only funny because nobody got hurt.

My father wouldn’t even teach me how to fix my bike when I had a flat tire.
So YES, teach your daughters and granddaughters how to work with e-tools!
AND your sons, grandsons how to clean, cook and change diapers ! Just as important imho.

 

[gtaus]

Guys, teach your daughters how to work with tools, if they're interested.

Agree.

I took shop in 7th grade.

That's great. When I was growing up, girls only took Home Ec and guys only took shop class. That changed a few years after I graduated from high school. I think it's good for girls to have an understanding of power tools and guys should know their way around the kitchen. After that, to each their preference.

 

[gtaus]

I grew up with a father that was happy to teach his girls how to use tools and loved to diy.

That's great. We had a wood burning stove along with our fuel oil furnace, so I would help dad cut down wood with the chainsaw. Other than that, he really did not have a shop of tools. Most of what I learned about tools was from shop class at school.

After I had my own house with garage, I started buying and using power tools. Most of what I have learned was self-taught, with a big help from YouTube videos. I am thankful for my shop class in middle school as an introduction to power tools. At least I learned how to safely use most of the tools I now own.

 

[gtaus]

My father wouldn’t even teach me how to fix my bike when I had a flat tire.
So YES, teach your daughters and granddaughters how to work with e-tools!
AND your sons, grandsons how to clean, cook and change diapers ! Just as important imho.

Total agreement.

Diapers...

 

[Sally PB]

Total agreement! Diapers:

 

[ChicksnMore]

That's great. We had a wood burning stove along with our fuel oil furnace, so I would help dad cut down wood with the chainsaw. Other than that, he really did not have a shop of tools. Most of what I learned about tools was from shop class at school.

After I had my own house with garage, I started buying and using power tools. Most of what I have learned was self-taught, with a big help from YouTube videos. I am thankful for my shop class in middle school as an introduction to power tools. At least I learned how to safely use most of the tools I now own.

Sadly I didn't learn an eighth of what he could have taught me and he passed when I was 16...but I did learn that I'm capable and that's the best place to start.

 

[ChicksnMore]

It was snowing here when I woke up! It melted as soon as it fell...but it was real deal snow . Rare treat here. Also meant it was cold enough that I didn't get much done. But I putzed around a little. I used smaller pallets for the second tier so that my roof will slope, and left spaces for a window in each coop, though I might change my mind on that. Long side.

Short side.

Everythings held together with rebar wire still. Braces and screws will be the next step.

Rebar wire by itself really adds a lot of strength. Here's one of our kitties testing it out.