Talking about building stuff out of pallets I'm in the process of trying to build a chicken tractor out of some. Its slow go thought . My little helper is 18 months old and she likes to play with my tools and hide them on me.
At that age my little ones used to "hide" things in the trash can, thinking they were doing me a favor. Car keys, portable phones (I know; I'm showing my age.), bills, just about anything not nailed down went into the trash can. I only have one son left at home now, and he's 14 and a great helper.
My eldest is 33 now (34 next month), and I can remember bringing her to construction job sites when she was five. She was a real joy back then. It seems like only last year.
It can be tough to break down pallets. For some pallets, all it takes is a couple of sawhorses and a good hammer to knock loose the planks. For other pallets, especially the ones with planks nailed with the nail tips bent back, you're better off using a grinder with a cutoff wheel and cutting through the nails.
Anyway, here's one way to make a tractor out of pallets:
1. Make a basic 4' x 8' frame out of one 8' (cut in half) two 10' 2 x 4s, leaving a 1' extensions lengthwise on each side. Use this as the bottom frame or plate.
2. Attach a wheel to each of the two extensions on one side, and attach a 4' cross brace to connect the extensions on the other side (to use as the tractor handle).
3. Construct another 4' x 8' frame to use as a top plate, this time out of three 8' 2 x 4s. (Be sure it is attached identically to how the bottom frame/plate constructed.)
4. Construct four 4' corner studs using two 8' 2 x 4s, and attach to the inside of the bottom frame/plate at each corner.
5. Find six similar 4' wooden pallets, and cutting along the outside of the pallet braces, cut off the plank extensions on one side of each pallet, top and bottom.
6. Measure the outside distance between two of the pallet braces (should be either 39 or 40" depending on the maker of the pallet). This measurement is VERY important!
7. Mark each of the corner studs with the above measurement, and start your measuring from the top of the bottom frame/plate. (If you're going to cheat, make the marks longer, not shorter. It's much easier to shim than to trim.)
8. You'll definitely need a helper for this next step: Using the marks on the corner studs as a guide, attach the top frame/plate to the inside of corner studs so that the bottom of the frame/plate is either at or just above each mark.
9. Except for any pallet you want to use as swing door, insert each pallet between the frames/plates, and the nail or screw the pallets down.
10. For a swing door, use two hinges to attach it to a corner stud.
11. Customize it the rest of the way to your liking.
The materials involved in making the above tractor:
(2) 10' 2 x 4s
(7) 8' 2 x 4s
(24) 1-1/2" metal framing angles
(1) 1 lb box of 1" sheet-metal screws
(1) 1 lb box of 3" gavlanized 10-penny nails
(2) 3-1/2" door hinges
Not including the wheels and pallets, that's about $60 or so in materials.
Of course, you can add an arch top; or even an easy, portable run made from 10' chain link dog-pen panels. To make life a whole lot easier while framing, I would attach the framing using metal 1-1/2" joist angles and 1" sheet-metal screws. You can get the joist angles at Home Depot for 52¢ each. By using joist angles, the framing will end up strong and square, and you won't have to deal with the headaches of toenailing any of the framing pieces. The pallets can simply be fitted/inserted into the framing and nailed into place.
I hope you get your pallet tractor built soon. It sounds like a fun project for you and your helper.
If I hadn't just lost some of mine, I'd give her one of mine....let's see, we're going to Franklin to the Heard County Arena, friday evening the 31st with the camper and the grand daughter who will be riding JR Rodeo on saturday, so if Missy doesn't find something, and y'all get together, I can work it out to get one from you and she can come to Franklin to get one????
