Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[gtaus]

It's in a nice shady spot, a few feet from the compost pile. A little bit of rope wrapped around the trees and four coat hooks from the front porch that I never use is all it took. The compost pile is so close that my feet stay planted in one spot while forking the organic matter into the sifter.

Toss in a few scoops and shake the sifter for a bit to get the finer stuff out. Then I can push the sifter forward to tilt it so the branches and cones roll down to my end. I remove the big stuff with my hands and toss it aside.

I'm glad to hear that hanging/swinging compost sifter setup worked for you. The first time I saw something like I thought to myself that it should be pretty easy to shake the compost frame and sift the compost that way. Much easier than putting the frame on top of a wheelbarrow or cart.

Nice how you put everything together by using and reusing stuff you already had and did not have to spend a lot of money on that project. Those are my favorite projects.

Is the big stuff you toss aside going to be used to start a new compost pile? I find lots of those big pieces are already supercharged with composting life so making a new compost pile or adding them to a different pile would give it a jumpstart. My big stuff gets tossed back into my chicken run composting system for another turn.

Speaking of composting, I was out in my chicken run this morning cleaning off the leaves that have fallen on to my bird netting stretched across the top of the run fencing. I mainly dump all my organic material into the first third of the chicken run, but the litter eventually makes it way to the other end. This morning, I was at the other end of the run and the litter underfoot there was a deep, dark, black fully composted substance that I will only have to scoop out and take over to the sifter. I did not see any big pieces in that stuff, but maybe there is some if I dig down deeper.

 

[electrycmonk]

There might be regional differences as to what that is commonly called. I grew up calling it welded wire or wire mesh. I don't think I ever heard of rabbit floor wire called hardware cloth until I joined the BYC forum. I also grew up buying chicken wire, not poultry netting. It's good to clarify what a person means because we all don't use the same terms.

Where I live, we commonly call Pepsi or Dr. Pepper, for example "pop." When I lived in California, they were called "soda." When I was stationed in Georgia, they called all soda pop "coke." Like when you go to a friend's house, and they offer you a "coke." And you say no thanks, I'll take a Pepsi. Then they hand you a Pepsi and say that's what I asked you, if you wanted a coke!?

Yuppers. Initially raised in Michigan… “soda” & “pop.”
Then formative years in So-Cal…. Then tour of duty in Navy….”coke” …. Yup.

Just like “chicken wire”, “avian netting” & “welded wire” are what I recall from up in Michigan & out in So-Cal….

And as “welded wire” of the size 1/2” x 1” as you used… I have seen several thickness options over the years too. it’s also for sale around here. I just snagged that screenshot for a reference point is all I was aiming for. Due totally to my curiousity.

 

[Smokerbill]

I'm glad to hear that hanging/swinging compost sifter setup worked for you. The first time I saw something like I thought to myself that it should be pretty easy to shake the compost frame and sift the compost that way. Much easier than putting the frame on top of a wheelbarrow or cart.

Nice how you put everything together by using and reusing stuff you already had and did not have to spend a lot of money on that project. Those are my favorite projects.

Is the big stuff you toss aside going to be used to start a new compost pile? I find lots of those big pieces are already supercharged with composting life so making a new compost pile or adding them to a different pile would give it a jumpstart. My big stuff gets tossed back into my chicken run composting system for another turn.

Speaking of composting, I was out in my chicken run this morning cleaning off the leaves that have fallen on to my bird netting stretched across the top of the run fencing. I mainly dump all my organic material into the first third of the chicken run, but the litter eventually makes it way to the other end. This morning, I was at the other end of the run and the litter underfoot there was a deep, dark, black fully composted substance that I will only have to scoop out and take over to the sifter. I did not see any big pieces in that stuff, but maybe there is some if I dig down deeper.

Yep, the stuff that didn't go through the sifter will be put back into the pile to decompose for a while longer. Yeah, having the sifter set up to swing on ropes make it really easy to work with, and it's easy on my back.

 

[chickengr]

I will never raise goats again... They are high-maintenance and difficult to keep contained. Good fences and pasture rotation is a must. But I know a lot of people love them and they might be good for you and your situation. If you only have weeds and grass to manage, Katahdin sheep would be my recommendation.

I plan to get a pair/trio of goats. I hope they will be manageable.

 

[chickengr]

Trying to get a little more painting done on the chicken coop before it gets too cold and/or snow falls. I have been replacing some rotted trim I made with OSB strips with some of the better pallet wood planks I have salvaged. It's been raining almost every day, so the painting job is not going fast. Well, neither am I.

Ran into a little problem with my white barn paint which is getting soaked up into the wood. Have had to give each board 3-4 coats to stop seeing the wood underneath bleed through. Looking better now, but a lot more painting than I expected. Also, painting trim is a real pain in the butt. Seems like I paint a little, but spill a lot. That white trim paint really sticks out if you spill some on the red barn paint.

I won't be able to repaint everything to make it look new, either. Some of the wood is behind wire and some of the wood around the bottom of the coop is covered by compost. I'll just have to do what I can.

I don't like doing a half-baked job, but that is what I will end up with when all done. Oh well, the chickens don't care and from a distance, you probably won't notice all the shortcuts I had to take.

use primer before the paint.

 

[dawn335]

The siding inside and outside of my coop Plastic pallets too for their homes. (It’s not quite finished but it’s liveable.)

 

[dawn335]

I am proposing this separate thread dedicated to showing off your DIY Pallet Projects and perhaps a little discussion on the topic of pallet projects. I know there are pics and posts about pallet projects here and there on the BYC forums, but some people suggested I start a dedicated thread to the subject so we can all share our pallet projects and maybe pass along some good idea for others.

I'll start off with a simple pallet project I built for the garden. It's a tool holder for hoes, rakes, shovels, etc.. I made one full length pallet to hold my longest handled tools, but I added another pallet cut down 3/4 size and 1/2 size for my shorter handled tools. I connected the pallets with some 2X4's long enough to fit my 5 gallon buckets between the pallets. What I like about this project is that it was super simple to make for a beginner. Secondly, I now have my tools all stored in one place instead of laying all over the garden. Third, the stand is light enough to move wherever I want, but heavy enough not to blow over in a good wind. Here's the pic...

View attachment 3208481

Here is what it looks like on the backside.

View attachment 3208485

Love it! And I love pallet projects.

 

[gtaus]

use primer before the paint.

Well, that is what I was looking into. But the only primer I could find was like $30 per gallon and my barn paint I bought a year ago was only $13 per gallon. I still had a lot of barn paint left over from last year, so I decided it was cheaper to apply 3-4 coats of barn paint than to buy a gallon of primer for the first coat, and then one coat of barn paint over it.

I am checking out our Menards for some clearance primer. When they get a gallon of primer on the clearance shelf, it's usually only about $10 per gallon. But you have to be there at the right time to pick up on that deal.

 

[gtaus]

Love it! And I love pallet projects.

Yeah, check out the thread for lots of good pallet wood ideas. Also, be sure to upload some pictures of any pallet wood or reclaimed wood projects you may have built. We all love to see what others do with free pallet wood and/or reclaimed wood.

I have been sharing some mini reviews of tools I use in my pallet wood projects. Everything from saws, hammers, nail pullers, pneumatic punches, pliers, saw horses, gloves, etc... Just items I find useful and somewhat related to pallet wood projects. Feel free to share anything you use to make your projects easier.

And don't be afraid to ask any questions or share a project that has been discussed before. The thread is long enough that some people have come and gone and it's always nice to talk with new people about things that may have been discussed a year or so ago. New people find this thread for the first time and might not have the time to read all the previous ~2000 posts.

Hope to hear more from you soon.

 

[gtaus]

The siding inside and outside of my coop Plastic pallets too for their homes. (It’s not quite finished but it’s liveable.)

Plastic pallets! Interesting. Is that what you get up there in Alaska? I have only seen wood pallets for free around here. I know some of the big box stores have plastic pallets, but they must be on some kind of exchange system because nobody puts out plastic pallets for free pick up.