Free wood's the best ...

[Ron Smith ... Richmond, VA]

I've been trying to learn how to make some of the nice small boxes I see you guys post on here, so when I found these pallets at work, they followed me home. I've posted the mahogany pallets before, that we get from Panama, but this is the first large pallet I've found that had walnut slats on it. I'd asked the guys on the shipping dock to keep an eye out for any with different wood, and they found this one. I'll take them apart and have my neighbor plane and joint them so I can try them out. I'll be sure and post picts. Wish me luck.

[Keith Starosta]

WOW....walnut slats on a pallet. The best I've been able to find is red oak (pretty common, I know ). My Dad once found three pallets behind his office building one day with QSWO used for slats! He gloated about that for a while....

Keith

[Joseph N. Myers]

Looking good.

Just watch out for imbedded metal, i.e., nails, screws, bullets, etc. A lot of the wood for pallets, even good wood, had metal in it, say being in a yard with a cloth line hanger in it, and hence, saw mills would not touch it. I have ruin more that one set of blades by hitting something that shouldn’t be there.

I bought a metal detector, Little Wizard II that does a pretty good job, about $20.00. They have a larger on for about $80.00 that is a lot better and faster and is on my wish list.

You’re lucky that you have a neighbor that has the equipment to process the wood. For those not so luck, there are numerous places that sell "shorts" for a pretty good price or you might be able to get processed wood for free (i.e., your friend might have cutoffs that he will give you). EBAY has a lot of shorts for sale and sometimes the price is right.

Regards, Joe

[Dennis Peacock]

Congrats Ron.!!!!!

I too look at pallets at work from time to time. I have found QSRO, QSWO, mahogany, maple, and a railroad tie made from black walnut. A guy I used to work with, his dad worked at the railroad "tie grading yard" and he brought this one home. My buddy gave me a piece of it. I never turn down a chance for free wood.

[John Tarro]

About 5 years ago I salvaged the stringers off a 10 foot long equipment pallet. Full 2X4. Looked like nothing special so I stickered it in the rafters of my attic. Took one down the other day and ran it throught the planer . . CHERRY!!!! All of it is cherry. When they put it together they only nailed slats on one side. Other side is perfect . . no nail holes.

[Christopher Pine]

What is QSRO, QSWO?
CHris

[Jim Ketron]

What is QSRO, QSWO?
CHris

Quarter sawed red oak Quarter sawed white oak
Jim

[Joseph N. Myers]

Cris,

In the future, you can look under my thread "List of Acronyms" for things like QSRO and QSWO.

Regards, Joe