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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
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    Default Giving a pallet a new life: Plant and shoe shelf

    The missus frequently asks when I'm "going to make something useful". Apparently garage fit-outs don't count.

    We have had a couple of tons of backfill delivered on some hardwood pallets recently, so when she suggested she was going to buy a shoe rack-cum-plant shelf to tidy up outside the front door, I thought it'd be a good time to make that useful thing instead.

    Scrappy pallet needed breaking up and de-nailing - I've settled on a few favourite tools for this task after doing umpteen meters of old roofing timbers.

    pallet.jpg

    Started out looking rough, but tidied up quite nicely. The Hammer A3 is one of my favourite machines. It's so accurate. Dial in 40mm, and it spits out 40mm.

    to process.jpg processing the top.jpg processed pile.jpg

    I needed to use the larger fence range on the big domino to put some tenons into the top, so I got to use my Seneca bits for the first time. They make an adaptor that allows you to use the DF500 cutters in the DF700 - which makes 4mm dominos possible on the big machine.

    seneca parts.jpg seneca in domino.jpg top dominos.jpg

    Lining things up, and a chance to prove the new bench's vertical work holding:

    lining things up.jpg vertical holding.jpg

    Works very well.

    Domino glue-ups are always a bit stressful. So many little bits to smear. After this little project, I bought more clamps!

    shelf clamp.jpg clamps front.jpg clamps side.jpg

    Dominos make good shelf pins too.

    domino shelf pins.jpg

    Ready for some finishing:

    complete - to oil.jpg

    Came out pretty nicely. Edges are recycled roof timbers. It's not fine furniture, but it'll do nicely for the job.

    complete front kitchen.jpg outside in use side.jpg outside in use front.jpg

    And look at how accurately the Kapex makes mitres:

    kapex mitre.jpg

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Albury
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bernmc View Post
    The missus frequently asks when I'm "going to make something useful".
    Yes well there are quite a few dollars worth of tools in evidence there, she was obviously wondering when she was going to reap a reward for her forbearance. It certainly appears that you could use a few more short clamps though - good luck with that.

    Although the dimensions are not large you don't think that hard connecting the top to the frame with dominoes will cause any movement problems down the track? If it was an inside piece of furniture I suspect it wouldn't be a concern, but since it has to live outside?

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Newcastle
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    Default

    Yes, I suspect there'll be some issues down the track - I had to beat it a bit hard to get it all together!

    All down to limited experience and making it up as I go along. Be interesting to see how long it lasts.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 1999
    Location
    Westleigh, Sydney
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    9,542

    Default

    Nice result. Nice timbers in the pallet, too. Were there many splits in the timber? Sometimes you need to fill them with epoxy.
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  6. #5
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    Nov 2018
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    Newcastle
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    This one was pretty good. I had to do a few joins (hooray for the domino again) to get enough 40x40 for the frame, but the wider planks were pretty decent.

    If it was an indoor piece (beyond my limited skillz at the moment), I'd have filled the defects with epoxy. I think it would look quite striking with some metallic coloured streaks and spots.

    I have another two hardwood pallets to break up once the bulka bags are empty, but they don't look like they'll be quite as nice. Then again, you never know until you make that first jointer cut...

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Elizabeth Bay / Oberon NSW
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    76
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    934

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    Nice looking piece, Bernmc! I like the proportions and the contrasting edges. It's also good to see pics with descriptive labels.

    Ditto to Aldav's comments. You might get away with the framed top, I hope so.

    mick

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