is this an ok deal?

Tony

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Board foot is 12" x 12" x 1", any combination thereof. 4/4 is 1" thick. 6/4 is 1-1/2" thick, etc. Tony
 

lvstealth

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thanks!

so... basically, in the 4/4 thing it is 1 per 1/4". i feel like i am learning a whole new language!
 

rocky1

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One in the center is definitely red oak, two on the sides are likely sapwood, although end grain maybe suggests white oak. And, there is no rhyme or reason to what pallets are built out of. Many are remanufactured, and then it gets really iffy.
 

Schroedc

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Another way to figure board foot is it's 144 cubic inches. So 12x12x1 is one board foot, 6x24x1 is a board foot, etc. I usually measure in inches, multiply length, width, and thickness (round 3/4 inch thick to one inch) and divide by 144 to get the appropriate board foot amount.
 

lvstealth

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the one in the center does look different from the other two. but i will use the two that look sort of the same and make it. my calculations are that it will take two of them.

thanks on the board feet info! it is sometimes difficult reading some things with such a limited knowledge. i will get there though!

when i pick out pallets now, i like the ones with the 2x4s as the base, stringers. i like the ones without the forklift notches. so far... knock on wood (hehe), i have discovered several very pretty boards. most, i have no idea what is under the scunge and yuck, so i just go for the 2x4s, pine or anything else are good for making things, and learning. i do use the slats, many are pretty good, but i have lots, so breaking them is not as important as trying to make it easier. the hardwood ones dont seem to break so easy unless they are already cracked. most of the pallets i get that turn out to be hardwoods are very yucky, till i sand them they just look dark and dingy. i like the ones from anywhere outside the US of A. i think that is just a fantasy/romantic thing (the far far away aspect). the best pallets for me come from a big equipment place (like Caterpillar) that is just down the road. i pick up one or two each time i go to town. so... with all the rain and a visit to moms, i have about 19 pallets to take apart now and i have a pile of slats and boards. i have set aside most of the hardwood, as though it were precious, hoping to improve my skills enough to make something really nifty. so... i said all that to explain... i am not sure about using my "pretty" wood for a tool i have lost a bit of confidence in. i will think on it for a few days and maybe improve the design and see how that goes.

again... you all are the bestest!!! thanks for all the info, and the explanation on board feet. you have explained it so i can understand. sometimes i feel like i am on overload learning, but i am enjoying it! - L
 

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Don't get overwhelmed or discouraged Lisa! It can seem like overload sometimes, just take in what you can, ask all the questions you want. We're here to help you. Tony
 

rocky1

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Should you ever want to be truly entertained watching someone build something, you should go watch a crew of Mexicans building pallets. There is a pallet company in southern California, will build any kind of pallet, made to order, ridiculously cheap. As in materials and labor $10- $12 cheaper than we could buy materials.

Year we were out there working bees on the almonds we went to pick up a truckload - (24 ft. flatbed loaded front to rear, 8 ft. high)
I was watching them assemble pallets while they chased our pallets down and loaded the truck and was blown away at how fast the two guys were moving, without really looking like they were moving. Had a jig set up on a turntable, one would grab 3 - 2 x 4 and drop them in, the other would grab all the slats and literally throw them across the jig, then drag his hand across them to spread them nailing as he went. In the meantime the second buy was nailing bottom slats on the previous pallet, and stacking it on the pile.

It took them awhile to get paper work done, pallets found, and truck loaded, (there was about 20 acres of pallets there stacked 30 feet high), so we checked the time on assembly of a pallet, and those 2 guys were turning a pallet out in under a minute. Next time you look at one, with all those slats, all of which have 3 - 4 nails in them, imagine trying to put all of that in a jig, spread the boards, shooting that many nails and pulling it out of the jig in 45 - 50 seconds. Handing it off to your partner, who flipped it, nailed bottom slats on it and stacked it to be carried away and grabbed your 2 x 4s to start over in the same time.
 

lvstealth

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I think i would love to see that! i wondered how they make them, should have known they had a jig.
 

rocky1

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It really wasn't much of a jig. Table with three slots to drop the 2x4s in, was mounted on a truck hub so it would turn. One guy throw the 2x4s in, grab the previous pallet and flip it to nail bottom slats. The guy nailing top slats would grab a handful, and literally throw them across the 2x4s, run his hand over them to level them, sliding several toward the far side, then drag them back to him, spacing and nailing as he drug his hand across. He'd then spin the table to spread and nail the other side with final run down the middle nailing.

Between the two of them, it literally sounded like machine gun fire or there. It was unbelievable!
 
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