The Pallet Workbench

Greetings fellow DIYers!

While I was working on my very first woodworking project (Which will be a later post once I get everything organized for it), I had an epiphany...

...I am very tall.

I guess not overly tall, I'm only 6'2", but working on the floor of my office trying to make straight cuts and do pretty much everything bent over made me feel like a giant...it also REALLY FREAKING HURT MY BACK!

So I had to stop my first project.  I really needed a workbench, something that would bring my projects up to me, instead of forcing myself down to them.  But how can I afford a workbench, when I'm making my own furniture because we don't have any money...

I've mentioned in the past, I love pallets, but could I turn a pallet into a workbench?

No, I couldn't...it took 3.

The construction was pretty easy, it only took me about an hour and a half from concept to reality.

The top is flipped over for a reason (there's usually a method to my madness).  The grooves where they put the pallet jack or the forklist make *great* grooves to make a cut in, just center your project over them.  So I flipped the pallet over and just screwed it into the others using some cheap 3" drywall screws I "liberated" from one of my server boxes. 

This was great, except that the width of the pallet is wider than my doorway...so I had to disassemble the whole thing again later.  When I brought it outside like the picture above, I got some hefty hinges (again, from the server box) and screwed those to connect the leg pallets to the shelf pallet.  Now I can fold the legs in (most of the way) to be able to get it around a lot easier.

The bottom shelf took a little thinking, but it's funtional now.  I nailed some scrap 1xWhatevers onto some scrap 2x4 joists.  The 2x4s sit on a little lip on the bottom of the leg pallets. 

I really need to learn how to use google sketch so I can have visuals for all of my modifications...bleh, one more thing to do, I guess.  Just be content with my powers of description for now.

One thing I love about my bench (other than the fact that it's free) is that I can do pretty much anything I want to it.  Need bolts run into it to secure the miter saw?  Sure!  Drill away!  Miss a cut and slice over an inch into the bench?  No problem!  back the saw out and try again!  It's a pallet, who cares if it gets destroyed by my inexperience?  If I totally ruin the thing, go get another one from work and screw it into the top!

Getting Started

Ok, so you're excited about starting to build and do things on your own.  What do you need to start off? 

Tools, Materials, and a Workspace

TOOLS:
For my first project, I ended up borrowing a lot of tools from my parents.  I had my own drill and hammer, but I borrowed their circular saw and sander.  These will get you pretty far as long as you're patient with your cuts, measure twice, and all that jazz.  However, unless you've got wonderful people that don't mind you imposing on them a bit, you're going to eventually need your own tools.  Lowes and Home Depot have some pretty good package deals, or you can get them refurbished online by the manufacturer.  Do some digging, google is your friend, and find a deal that works best for you and your family's budget.

MATERIALS:
You'd be surprised what you can get for free.  Pallets are everywhere, and many times they're good wood! Most businesses end up trashing their pallets, sending tons and tons to the landfill each year.  I'm not the greenest person alive, but if I can use something that's going in the trash, they might as well just give it to me. 

Pallets take about a half-hour a piece to tear them down (well, after you know what you're doing...before that it'll probably take you 45min-1hr).  But once you get them torn down, you've got some nice building materials to work with.  I highly recommend taking a peak at this website if you're interested in working with pallets:  http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2008/06/24/woodworking-with-pallets-a-guide-to-finding-breaking-down-and-building-with-pallets/

Craigslist is also your friend.  It is going to take some time to browse through everything, but you wouldn't believe what some people are selling for cheap (or throwing away in some cases).
Also, if you can find a business that gets a lot of server deliveries, you're in for a treat.  Big server towers come in big wooden boxes that have tons of usable 1/4 plywood, 1x4's and even some awesome 3/4inch plywood.  And the hardware, boy oh boy!  Off of 1 server box, I got 30+ 2 inch screws, two smaller hinges, one big hinge, 4 thick bolts and 4 good metal latches.  At Lowes or Home Depot, that would probably cost me 30-40 bucks (Not that I've done a comparison or anything, I'm guessing).  I was able to get my hands on 3 of the server boxes for FREE.  Now don't get me wrong.  The wood is rough, and it took a lot of sanding to get it into usable shape, but I don't mind the workout (Not to mention I desperately *need* the workout).

Now I'm lucky, I work at a place that orders server towers about once a month, but if you do some shopping, maybe phone some Facilities and Building Managers at local businesses, I'm sure you could find a place that's willing to let some of them go.

WORKSPACE:
Now this is the part where I had to get inventive.  Lots of people have a home big enough to set aside a room for a workspace...unless you're like me and live in a *tiny* house.  My wife was gracious enough to let me use the office for awhile, but that didn't work out, so now I do most of my work on the porch.  If you're really into the pallet idea, here is a link to make a shed out of pallets: http://summerville-novascotia.com/PalletShed/ But you've got to be pretty hard-core to do that.  I certainly DO NOT reccommend that idea if you're new to construction.

Work anywhere you can.

You really can DIY on a lot of projects.  It takes some creativity, lots of hard work, and the desire to educate yourself on what's available to you.  There is much more out there than you think.

Some resources to get you started:
http://www.ana-white.com/ (EXCELLENT SITE FOR FREE PLANS AND ADVICE)
http://www.thedesignconfidential.com/

Now go build something!

Up and Running!

Hey there!

Welcome to Reusable Container.  This blog will follow the exploits of a newly married couple trying to make the most out of what's available to them.  We'll share other blogs that we find inspiration from, plans and advice for a DIY lifestyle, and anything special we can offer to you.

(Ok, so this post is mostly just me tinkering around with Blogger to see if I set up everything correctly...deal with it!)