Most of my favorite channels all tend to favor less frequent uploads at higher quality over a potentially unsustainable high frequency schedule. I hope this is working out for this guy.
@@SteveRamsey I still do. I view some project videos I really like repeatedly, like a classic movie. Finally after 2 yrs, lumber prices are going down 🤞
This seems like one of your most calm and carefree videos ever - I found it very soothing for some reason. Good content as always, thanks for still making free content!
Steve sounded like he had a cold and was probably not feeling his usual spry, peppy self. But still felt well enough to maintain appropriate safety practice and produce top-quality work.
Steve, Even after all the years of watching you, I still enjoy seeing you do what you do. You make myself and all who watch and wait for your videos laugh and learn from you. Thanks and don't stop making the videos.
Just wanted to let you know that my husband enjoys you videos so much..He is 75 years old and has over the past year started his woodworking hobby. He relys on you videos the most.
I love how you show an "excess" of setup and movement between steps. It gives a better idea of how much time and work a project takes, and helps mitigate the thinking/feeling that I should be able to get a project done in the length of a TH-cam video, just like my heroes. 😉
I'm able to break down a few pallets at work every now and then and even though it's certainly not faster than just going to the big box store, I enjoy it. It's part of that zen space I find from doing artistic things with my hands and I think it makes the end product more interesting. Not every project needs it (the majority don't), but then, not every project needs the exotic hardwoods, either.
Same here! My boss even lets me take home the tiny (maybe 2ft by 2ft) pallets and if one of the large ones is in really bad shape I just grab the hammer and break boards off Got a nice pile out back but no actual time to play around with the wood sadly 😅
One caution when deconstructing a pallet that has those twisted nails, where you're planning on actually using the parts of the boards with the nail holes, is that those nails usually come on a large roll that can be belt-fed into the nail gun, and this roll is made by welding the nails to a couple of strands of iron wire, usually 1/16 inch (2.1mm). When the nail is shot into the pallet, this wire gets broken between the nails in the roll, and the nail can drag one or more fragments of the wire down with it, embedding it into the wood alongside the nail. So after pulling the nail, it's best to ream out the hole with a slightly oversized drill bit, and the fluted sides of the bit can often drag out these bits of wire. Otherwise, those little metal bits can take a toll on planer knives, and give you a really bad day.
Steve This is quite possibly the most honest pallet reuse video on the net. I have built your candy dish coffin and the tall corner planter projects which used pallets. I like that you show how to not use planers and jointers as the damage to the blades from this wood can easily outweigh the value of the wood. six thumbs up We call
Thanks Steve. I found the disposal info helpful too.Voiceover format works just as well! So yeah, as ever, time vs. money. I'm cash poor but time rich at the moment so, much as it's a pain, breaking pallets works for me just now. Here in the UK they're all pine so I use the peices mostly for practice/rough work but having seen the lengths you've gone to here has been an inspiration. Cheers.
Hey! I’m in the U.K. too and have found some nice hardwood pallets around and even a nice looking light wood that isn’t pine but I can’t yet identify, so there are some rare gems out there! Keep hunting
Great honest pallet wood video, especially about it actually not saving money unless you luck into a very rare hardwood pallet that isn't all knots. Thanks Steve, glad to see a video from you again, rather than just the shorts.
Nice to see you Steve! This is an honest look at preparing pallet wood! It’s not easy to get some wood like this, but sometimes it’s good to see what’s involved.
I'm with you, C.A.G. I love Steve's project videos. I watch the old ones over and over. I just finished two small space end tables last week and a few weeks ago, I made several of the tablet holder/picture frames. The tablet holder is a real classic. If you have not watched it, you should really check it out. PS: I love project videos if they don't require thousands of dollars of tools.
Steve, I enjoy watching you work because you’re never (?) rushing when using power tools. That should be a lesson to both beginners and pros. Your calm voice is telling us that if we’re careful, we can all do it. And it’s reassuring to see you create without needing many thousands of $$$ worth of tools. Thank you for the lesson.
Perfect timing, Steve! I was literally typing "How to flatten boards from a pallet without a planer" in to the search bar, then saw your video on my home page, before I pressed 'enter'. The algorithm at work!
Steve, I have watched your channel, from what feels like forever. Honestly... I watched the chessboard in parts when they came out. ;) What I love about you and your channel is, you are still humble, you still target your work for everyone and anyone. Thank you. And microjig...
These are the best looking paint stirrers that I have ever seen! Lol but pallets really are great for the person that would rather keep costs as low as possible or practice/play in the shop.
This is the best video I’ve seen on home milling. As someone who tries to use reclaimed whenever possible, I pull my hair out trying to get things jointed with hand planners and sanding. This method seems so easy I can’t wait to try it! Thank you!
You are the 1st person i ever subscribed to on TH-cam in 2013 when u were making weekly pallet project videos. Really miss those days. And when I saw the pallet i thought "yes! a new Steve Ramsey pallet project for spring season" was still nice seeing the pallet master at work. Hope all is good w you steve!
Very useful video, Steve. Especially for those of us who don't have a Jointer or a Planer. It takes time for sure, but that's the price to pay if you don't have money to buy expensive tools. Thanks.
PS- I've used spiral shank nails in flooring applications as well as siding. Screws have taken a lot of their jobs away, but still some uses due to their small heads 👍
This a great video, as I don't have a jointer or a planer as well and I've been making wooden bookmarks from cutting board scraps. I definately learned some new skills that'd make my new batch easier! Thanks Steve, once again.
I liked the projects because of the comments you made while doing them. I don't recall a project that was something I would do with the exception of doors you made for a shed. I miss your existence more than the projects. You had a familiar manor much like watching Engels coach shop with Dave Engels, just enjoyable to watch and listen. Sorry that you've more or less quit.
My Dad worked at a pallet mill back in the early 70's. He brought home a lot of those spiral nails and used them to build extra strong rabbit cages and nest boxes. He used them for a lot of building projects.
I have dismantled many pallets and you make it look so simple. You got lucky with those nails. I gotta make one of those 2' x 4' push blocks!! Thank you, Steve
When I lived in the French countryside, pallets were a-plenty and I collected over 150 that I used for many projects. I found the best way to break them down was to use a reciprocating saw with a 'wood & metal' blade, cutting between the support blocks and the planks. The nail heads where then tapped out with a nail punch. Where the case was that the nails left in the plank were long, much time was spent tapping them left and right as they refused to go down smoothly - or the head snapped off when pulling them out. I found the best way to get them out quickly was to grip the nail with an old pair of 'vice-grips' and hit the vice -grip whilst holding the nail straight. Worked every time and was quick and efficient. Enjoyed your video, thanks for sharing.
Good to see one of your practical how-to videos again. This is great instruction for just using the tools with techniques that work and are safe. The pile also makes great picture frame wood before you reduced the height.
I'm all for enthusiasm and engagement, but I appreciated the very matter-of-fact presentation in this video. Thanks! (I was also _very_ relieved to see the the throat plate was dropped back down before you started cutting after it rose up with the blade at 13:14.)
When I built my house I used pallet wood for the painted vanities in a couple of the bathrooms. They are 30 years old and still look great. All raised panel construction with raised panel doors. Kilz is you friend here as it hides the different kinds of wood.
Steve I haven't watched in a while. Good to see this video because someone just offered me a couple pallets. Now I have an idea of something to do with some of the wood. Thanks Again!
When I got started 10 years ago I started with pallets and other found materials. At the time I didn’t have the money to buy material to work with. But I had time. So it was worth it to me to take the time to mill up a pallet. Now that I am in a better financial place, it’s worth it to buy lumber that’s ready to work with. But I think you learn a lot from this process. It definitely opens your eyes on many processes. And of course…. Now I like to buy from a lumber mill instead of the box store. And my favorite lumber mill has thick touch sawn boards. So knowing that milling process comes in helpful.
A big reason why the nails are so tough to get out is that they have little spikes on the shaft so they will not vibrate out, a good practice is to use a metal detector to scan the lumber. Those little shards can do a number on jointer/planer blades. Also you can drill out the nail holes, since that's where most on they hide. Just a little psa for you all.
Thanks for sharing this tip! I just replaced the blades on my planer because of the damage that occurred because of running pallet boards through the planer with metal chards still left in the boards.
I can't wait to see the video where he talks about how he made this long form pallet video as an experiment against some algorithm change or something. :)
This video was made for me. I come across tons of pallets delivery guys don't want at work. EDIT: I got to the part about getting into carpentry -- this video really was tailored for me! :D
I have made a lot of different things with pallet wood and other scrap wood. It takes a long time, but I find it satisfying to make something beautiful out of wood that should have been thrown away. Often the thick pieces are some different hardwood I can't buy where I live. Great for small boxes, lamps, toys, etc.
I've only done a few pallet reclamations. One of them the boards were in decent shape but dirty and stained bad. Rather than sanding them, I ran them through my planer just to take a tiny bit of the surface off. To my surprise, they were a beautiful red oak underneath!
I clean really dirty boards with a wire wheel before processing them. Faster than sanding and exposes any nails or staples you may have missed. Plus all that grime isn't good for your planer knives.
Also check inside the nail holes for the little piece of wire that's used to hold the air gun nails in a roll. Sometimes it doesn't come out with the nail.
I’m like you in knowing it’s cheaper in the long run to buy lumber ready to go but the satisfaction of milling your own from wood that ultimately ends up in a landfill is so rewarding.
I get lots of pallets from the flooring store manage. I build stuff too. But I don't cut things as seen in the video. I built a stand that holds one pallet standing up. Then I take a sawzall with a metal cutting blade, then I slide the blade down between the planks and the cross memebers. Pallet planks are intact and only takes about 5 to 10 minutes and I end up with good pieces that can be reused. Hope this helps. Love your videos.
That is a lot of extra work and also using slab rough cut wood your humor and work are all ways well worth watching I have used pallet wood to make some real nice wind spinners lots of natural wood color as long as you don't paint them lol
good one Steve, I think this video also highlights the myth that pallet wood is "free". Once you have sourced/procured the pallets, transported to ur shop, taken apart and then de-nailed and finally squared it off by jointing and planing you could have actually built whatever project you were going to build in the time it takes to do the aforementioned if you just bought the lumber. Also its a very rare pallet that you can get all of the wood from it without either breaking some boards or it already being damaged. That all being said I still like the idea of the wood being used instead of filling up a land fill..."there's gold in them there pallets!"
Sometimes there is gold in those pallets. I got one recently with some pretty nice rough cut oak 2x4s. Bit of work to get the nails out, but oak 2x4s are pretty spendy so I think I made out.
I'm not going to lie, I was so happy to see you run in to the Grr-Ripper a little. I've done that twice, and felt like a failure both times. Now that I've seen it happen to Steve, it feels more like a badge of honor than a mistake. Thanks for the great video, and all the content you've made for us mere mortals.
I have owned grippers and they are well engineered. I think being a woodworker I should have made my own. If I destroy what I have I will certainly do that.
I doubt I would ever try to reuse pine pallet wood but thank you for demonstrating how to make such thin cuts on the table saw. That’s something I struggle with. I already have a Microjig and now I understand why I need to make a wooden push block as well.
Great video Steve. I too had to come up with a safer way of resawing smaller boards. What I came up with allows me to resaw boards as thick or thin as I like and it's much safer because the cut winds up being on the outside instead of between the fence and the blade. Flip your homemade push block on it's side and move the handle to the top and you'll see what I mean. Let's keep those digits away from that sharp spinning thing! What I wound up doing was taking a piece of 4x4 about 2ft long, attaching a hand sized piece of 2x4 for a push handle, then attaching a sacrificial cleat the trailing end to help push the workpiece through and finally, depending on the cut, I often times screw a strip of wood onto the jig (kinda like a ledger) to hold the workpiece down on the table (since the blade tries to lift the workpiece). Super simple and has worked flawlessly for me for a couple of years now.
First, thanks for putting out a video on my birthday :) I'm glad to see you cut into your gripper. I felt like an idiot when I did that and seeing you do that gives me some peace of mind. Great vid as always.
Steve I have a suggestion for a push block for narrow stock. I made a block 5 1/2" long and slightly wider(1/64") than the top of my fence with a nob on top for gripping. I put a piece of 1/2" plywood (you can use what ever you want) on the back side of the fence almost down to the table top. On the saw blade side I screwed a piece of 1/4" plywood to the top and it goes down to the table top. The screws are HIGHER then the saw blade can go AND they are BRASS SCREWS. If you make a strip so narrow the blade cuts into the plywood just replace the 1/4 inch piece when your done. With the block resting on top and having pieces riding both sides of the fence it is very stable and I use mine on anything too small for my push stick. Hope this helps. And yes I also use the feather board and I always enjoy your videos.
The voiceover was well done, Steve and you had just enough background sounds mixed in as well. Great job!! And even though it's pine, you got some great lumber out of a old pallet and a couple hours work. Will be curious to see what kind of project you make out of this stuff. Stay safe and thanks!
Yes it is a big trend but I think it will subside particularly for those people who have a good bank account. It is work. I can afford milled wood but I enjoy the process.
I have gotten into using pallet wood because I found a guy who will deliver them to me for free and let's face it, free is better. I have found the best way to take them apart is using a pallet buster and to get the nails out, I bought a tool called an Air Locker, both on Amazon. I paid around $110 total for both and the amount of time, money and wood these tools have saved me is incredible! Highly recommend them if using a lot of pallet wood!
I have lots of unused pallet wood which I already dismantled but was a bit nervous of running it through my table saw for fear of not removing every single nail. This was interesting, thanks Steve.
Similar situation: Although not pallet wood... after a kitchen remodel, I reclaimed our old red oak cabinet doors (from the dumpster) and I just cut them into center panels and trimmed the rails and stiles to squared pieces (all of various lengths). Thinking about what to do with all this. Thanks for your videos, now I have to do “something.”
No matter how much I watch what YOU can do with all your tools and how versatile you apply technique and workarounds using the table saw ( and I’m always amazed and impressed), I am not going to have a table saw. I’m just too old and not comfortable in my STILL newbie woodworking journey to use one. I just bought my 3rd circular saw though…first one is corded and way too big & heavy for an old woman who is also too big & heavy! LOL. So, I bought the second one, a Walmart battery operated POS that I’ve already worn out…Thank God, as it about wore ME out too, what with the crappy batteries, the unreliable cutting angle and now, the blade guard spring, that popped off mid-cut; no injury, unless you count a near heart attack when the spring let go. All that, to ask this…with how you cut down those pallet boards so beautifully, is it a probable expectation to be able to do that with a circular saw and say, some kind of track saw guide? I’m hoping for better precision with my newest circular saw, or it COULD just be my ineptitude at this point. It’s a Ryobi, so go ahead and laugh…I’m in Texas, so I can’t hear you! Haven’t put the newly charged up battery in yet, but I was hoping it was a step up until I’ve heard so many negatives about Ryobi here on TH-cam, as soon as I got it home, of course. I DID buy a Milwaukee jig saw a couple of months ago and I love it, but still needed a circular saw, sooo, just wondering about the possibilities of it, maybe splitting thin boards like those pallet boards you just processed into even thinner ones. Thanks for all the knowledge you share and for your always interesting verbal delivery of such. It makes what COULD be a boring subject at times, a delight to listen to and learn from.
Genius... I'm going out to make a Featherboard right now! Bought some 5/4 Kingwood yesterday that's 4" wide by 7' long and couldn't figure out how to re-saw it SAFELY as I don't have a bandsaw, but now I'm thinking I got this. Thanks!
Great and informative video. Though some people would argue that pallet wood isn't worth this work, I would counter that doing this is good practice for milling lumber with the available tools. Keeping this in mind the next time I have some lumber that I would otherwise deem worthless.
I still live without a table saw (only a circular saw on a track) and these processes are a great demonstration of how useful a table saw can be. Using a jointer or planer might be faster and safer but they take up even more space and space really is what I do not have. I might get a table saw somewhen though... or find someone who has one that I can use sometimes.
Hey. You don't have to do the whole TH-camr influencer constantly staring at the camera thing and remembering your lines. Just seeing you focus and work with the commentary is actually really enjoyable and I can imagine is a much lower effort way to get videos out, as in probably less stressful and time consuming. I hope to see more of this. It's different than what I'm used to and I imagine is more enjoyable for you. I've personally only watched your how to's, tips, and project videos.
Thanks for going through the whole process. I did something similar a couple months ago without the last resaw you did. I spent quite a bit of time “saving” all the “reusable” wood. As you mentioned pallette wood saves money not necessarily worth the time. In watching your approach I learned several better ways to attack the problem. If I attempt pallette wood reclamation again I will shortcut the whole pulling nails part ( unless as you mentioned I want the character of the holes) by simply cross cutting the upper slats with my circular saw. The lower slats too if not in bad shape. Then jointing and thickness planing as you did here with the table saw. Maybe I worry too much but sending pallette would through my planer is worrisome. Thanks for another great presentation.
I bought the microjig and found it much harder and much less safe to use than traditional push sticks. The microjig almost NEVER stuck the boards as I pushed through, and I always felt like my hand/arm/body was going to fall forwards directly toward the blade. I don't know if I got a bad microjig or what, but I tried something else similar to it and felt the exact same way. It was also super impractical to keep changing the orientation and height of the microjig for different size cuts/boards/etc. Just my two cents...
I found cleaning the grippy surface with rubbing alcohol removes saw dust which creates a sick surface. give it a try. Additionally Steves gripper as well as the commercial Gripper has a neat feature on the back: the piece of wood on the back than can be dropped down to catch the end of the work piece. as you are pushing. It is easily replaced when chewed up..
Glad to see this type of video on your channel again! This would be good if i ever find myself in possession of a pallet with cool wood! Keep up the good work!
Nice. I came across 2 pallets made of white oak that were used to transport concrete pavers. The top boards are mostly junk because of the nails and splitting, but the main internal members (6) are 3x3x48", arrow straight and nearly perfect. You bet I saved those to mill down. Not sure what for yet, but I will find a use for them. The rest is used for kindling in the fireplace. (Yes, I checked to make sure they were not treated.)
There's just something extremely satisfying about taking some piece of trash or junk that would otherwise never see the inside of the shop, and turning it into a fine or useful piece of craftsmanship. While a ready-milled board from the big box store may convert faster into the latest project, or even may be cheaper once milling time is figured in, you still can't beat that little feeling of accomplishment that comes from a successful and beautiful piece of upcycling. Oh, and a tip about harvesting the boards from the pallet: The only two options are not either cutting them free in smaller pieces with a saw, or prying them with a pry bar that lifts at an angle and deepens existing splits. A third option is to push the board straight up (or down, depending on the method and pallet orientation) from the pallet's 2x4, by making a 'bridge' that lifts up part of the pallet, and allows for hammering on a chunk of scrap 2x4 that directs the hammer force onto a pallet board, pulling the board straight away from the pallet's 2x4. There are several videos on YT detailing a couple of methods, either bridging a single slat at a time, or bridging under the 2 end slats and driving down all the middle ones. And it's a quick, easy disassembly, where once you have your technique down, you can do one in about 10 minutes. Enjoy!!
Very nice and clever use of what you have,... those boards came out very very nice. You opened up some gates in my mind ;P hahaha thanks for sharing your technique cheers from the Netherlands
i found a roofing/slate hammer with a pointy end is quite useful for taking pallets apart, I use the point to shatter the wood that is useless at the junctions, so the nails fall out of the wood. This works especially well for corner blocks, but any broken up and cracked bits succumb quickly..
Starting the day with this video in particular is kind of a gift for me, i deeply wanted to start a projet with palet wood but thought i would definitely need a jointer planner for it but you showed another way! This revive the project =)) And thanks a thousands times for speaking slowly, articulating and not putting fancy effects or music in the background! That said =) What don't you ever use a thiner insert plate for every work and why the genuine insert plate whole is that large please?
Spiral nails are used more often than you think. The first Deck I built with my Father as a teenager was with Spiral nails in the decking boards to hold them in place in Red Cedar boards. I only recently tore down that deck and rebuilt it for my mother (my father passed away in 2012) after 43 years of the deck being there without any major issues until several of the stringers had rotted from water out of the pool over the years. Over the years I have built several sheds and other outdoor projects and used spiral nails because they just work.
I understand the days of weekly project videos are gone, but it's nice to see videos made every so often from our main man Steve
Most of my favorite channels all tend to favor less frequent uploads at higher quality over a potentially unsustainable high frequency schedule. I hope this is working out for this guy.
Thank you! It's hard to believe it's been 7 years since I made weekly project videos! Project videos have definitely fallen out of favor with viewers.
I like projects. Almost all I watch, as a mater of fact.
@@SteveRamseyhaha but I watched this thing entirely without having a pallet or a table saw...soothing?
@@SteveRamsey I still do. I view some project videos I really like repeatedly, like a classic movie. Finally after 2 yrs, lumber prices are going down 🤞
This seems like one of your most calm and carefree videos ever - I found it very soothing for some reason. Good content as always, thanks for still making free content!
agree!
Steve sounded like he had a cold and was probably not feeling his usual spry, peppy self. But still felt well enough to maintain appropriate safety practice and produce top-quality work.
I thought it was very soothing as well. Lol
ASMR
Steve,
Even after all the years of watching you, I still enjoy seeing you do what you do. You make myself and all who watch and wait for your videos laugh and learn from you. Thanks and don't stop making the videos.
Just wanted to let you know that my husband enjoys you videos so much..He is 75 years old and has over the past year started his woodworking hobby. He relys on you videos the most.
I like the format of you providing voice over to what you're doing.
I love how you show an "excess" of setup and movement between steps. It gives a better idea of how much time and work a project takes, and helps mitigate the thinking/feeling that I should be able to get a project done in the length of a TH-cam video, just like my heroes. 😉
I'm able to break down a few pallets at work every now and then and even though it's certainly not faster than just going to the big box store, I enjoy it. It's part of that zen space I find from doing artistic things with my hands and I think it makes the end product more interesting. Not every project needs it (the majority don't), but then, not every project needs the exotic hardwoods, either.
Well said! Woodworking enjoyment can come in a lot of different ways. 👍
Same here! My boss even lets me take home the tiny (maybe 2ft by 2ft) pallets and if one of the large ones is in really bad shape I just grab the hammer and break boards off
Got a nice pile out back but no actual time to play around with the wood sadly 😅
Prices have pushed all wood into the exotic territory. Green burials are becoming more popular in part because of walnut prices.
One caution when deconstructing a pallet that has those twisted nails, where you're planning on actually using the parts of the boards with the nail holes, is that those nails usually come on a large roll that can be belt-fed into the nail gun, and this roll is made by welding the nails to a couple of strands of iron wire, usually 1/16 inch (2.1mm). When the nail is shot into the pallet, this wire gets broken between the nails in the roll, and the nail can drag one or more fragments of the wire down with it, embedding it into the wood alongside the nail. So after pulling the nail, it's best to ream out the hole with a slightly oversized drill bit, and the fluted sides of the bit can often drag out these bits of wire. Otherwise, those little metal bits can take a toll on planer knives, and give you a really bad day.
Good tip
Wand or pinpoint metal detector and a screwdriver with a pointed tip to dig out any metal fragments.
Steve
This is quite possibly the most honest pallet reuse video on the net. I have built your candy dish coffin and the tall corner planter projects which used pallets. I like that you show how to not use planers and jointers as the damage to the blades from this wood can easily outweigh the value of the wood. six thumbs up
We call
Thanks Steve. I found the disposal info helpful too.Voiceover format works just as well! So yeah, as ever, time vs. money. I'm cash poor but time rich at the moment so, much as it's a pain, breaking pallets works for me just now. Here in the UK they're all pine so I use the peices mostly for practice/rough work but having seen the lengths you've gone to here has been an inspiration. Cheers.
Thank you. Yeah, free wood is free wood. If you have the time, pallets are a great way to get free wood!
Same here. I've found it quite relaxing just pottering along at my own pace. Not sure some of the neighbours feel the same way. ⚒️🔨
Hey! I’m in the U.K. too and have found some nice hardwood pallets around and even a nice looking light wood that isn’t pine but I can’t yet identify, so there are some rare gems out there! Keep hunting
Bought my 1st table saw a week ago and I'm beginning my woodworking journey! So glad I found this channel at the start!
GOOD PLACE TO START.
Great honest pallet wood video, especially about it actually not saving money unless you luck into a very rare hardwood pallet that isn't all knots. Thanks Steve, glad to see a video from you again, rather than just the shorts.
Nice to see you Steve! This is an honest look at preparing pallet wood! It’s not easy to get some wood like this, but sometimes it’s good to see what’s involved.
I knew all of this, but still kept watching just because it's fun to watch Steve work in his shop. I hope he'll make some project videos soon!
Hope so too!
I'm with you, C.A.G. I love Steve's project videos. I watch the old ones over and over. I just finished two small space end tables last week and a few weeks ago, I made several of the tablet holder/picture frames. The tablet holder is a real classic. If you have not watched it, you should really check it out.
PS: I love project videos if they don't require thousands of dollars of tools.
Thank you Sir for coming back. I love it when you produce a video.
Your welcome. But it's only been 2 weeks since my last video!
Still…
You've given the wood a second life and offered reminders related to safety. Thank you
Steve, I enjoy watching you work because you’re never (?) rushing when using power tools. That should be a lesson to both beginners and pros. Your calm voice is telling us that if we’re careful, we can all do it.
And it’s reassuring to see you create without needing many thousands of $$$ worth of tools.
Thank you for the lesson.
Perfect timing, Steve! I was literally typing "How to flatten boards from a pallet without a planer" in to the search bar, then saw your video on my home page, before I pressed 'enter'. The algorithm at work!
We missed you, Steve! Great video topic
Steve, I have watched your channel, from what feels like forever. Honestly... I watched the chessboard in parts when they came out. ;)
What I love about you and your channel is, you are still humble, you still target your work for everyone and anyone.
Thank you. And microjig...
Thank you! I really appreciate that. 👊 Glad you're still watching!
These are the best looking paint stirrers that I have ever seen! Lol but pallets really are great for the person that would rather keep costs as low as possible or practice/play in the shop.
You have been such a huge influence and help to me for all things wood shop. Thanks for being so informative and making great, easy to follow content.
This is the best video I’ve seen on home milling. As someone who tries to use reclaimed whenever possible, I pull my hair out trying to get things jointed with hand planners and sanding. This method seems so easy I can’t wait to try it! Thank you!
You are the 1st person i ever subscribed to on TH-cam in 2013 when u were making weekly pallet project videos. Really miss those days. And when I saw the pallet i thought "yes! a new Steve Ramsey pallet project for spring season" was still nice seeing the pallet master at work. Hope all is good w you steve!
Very useful video, Steve. Especially for those of us who don't have a Jointer or a Planer. It takes time for sure, but that's the price to pay if you don't have money to buy expensive tools. Thanks.
As long as I see you enjoying what you do Steve, its a win for me
This is one of the types of videos I like from WWMM, keep making them! Steve for President !!! (Podcasts … move over 🤣)
Great job Steve! Love the voiceover format, it suits you! And I know it makes shooting a video a lil easier than trying to do both at same time 💕👍
PS- I've used spiral shank nails in flooring applications as well as siding. Screws have taken a lot of their jobs away, but still some uses due to their small heads 👍
This a great video, as I don't have a jointer or a planer as well and I've been making wooden bookmarks from cutting board scraps. I definately learned some new skills that'd make my new batch easier! Thanks Steve, once again.
Thank you for this video. I’m finally ready to replace my old table saw. Was unsure what to buy so I downloaded your tool list. Very timely.
I started watching and the next thing I knew 19 minutes had passed. Great material, as always. Love your demeanor and presentation.
Wow, saw your comment and looked at the time, you’re right, can’t believe that was 19 minutes. Relaxing I guess!
I liked the projects because of the comments you made while doing them. I don't recall a project that was something I would do with the exception of doors you made for a shed. I miss your existence more than the projects. You had a familiar manor much like watching Engels coach shop with Dave Engels, just enjoyable to watch and listen. Sorry that you've more or less quit.
My Dad worked at a pallet mill back in the early 70's. He brought home a lot of those spiral nails and used them to build extra strong rabbit cages and nest boxes. He used them for a lot of building projects.
I have dismantled many pallets and you make it look so simple. You got lucky with those nails. I gotta make one of those 2' x 4' push blocks!! Thank you, Steve
I appreciate the videos because it shows me i dont need to go buy all the expensive tools to do this relaxing hobby.
I am limited on cash and space.
When I lived in the French countryside, pallets were a-plenty and I collected over 150 that I used for many projects. I found the best way to break them down was to use a reciprocating saw with a 'wood & metal' blade, cutting between the support blocks and the planks. The nail heads where then tapped out with a nail punch. Where the case was that the nails left in the plank were long, much time was spent tapping them left and right as they refused to go down smoothly - or the head snapped off when pulling them out. I found the best way to get them out quickly was to grip the nail with an old pair of 'vice-grips' and hit the vice -grip whilst holding the nail straight. Worked every time and was quick and efficient. Enjoyed your video, thanks for sharing.
Stop spamming me, you are not Steve Ramsey
I have a pallet from our new flooring delivery I've been wanting break down. Perfect timing, thanks Steve!
Good to see one of your practical how-to videos again. This is great instruction for just using the tools with techniques that work and are safe. The pile also makes great picture frame wood before you reduced the height.
You'd never guess that lumber came from a pallet. You cleaned it up so nicely!
Good to see/hear someone going through the full process. Lots of content you see do explain why some boards are not used or discarded
Perfect timing Steve. I woke up to this video. This was my plan for the day. Thanks for tips
I'm all for enthusiasm and engagement, but I appreciated the very matter-of-fact presentation in this video. Thanks!
(I was also _very_ relieved to see the the throat plate was dropped back down before you started cutting after it rose up with the blade at 13:14.)
When I built my house I used pallet wood for the painted vanities in a couple of the bathrooms. They are 30 years old and still look great. All raised panel construction with raised panel doors. Kilz is you friend here as it hides the different kinds of wood.
It's so nice to see you again Steve! Kind of like old times.
A Steve Ramsey classic. Thank you
I learned a lot from this video
Much more than working with timber
Thank you
Steve I haven't watched in a while. Good to see this video because someone just offered me a couple pallets. Now I have an idea of something to do with some of the wood. Thanks Again!
I really liked this video Steve. It has a super relaxing vibe to it. It reminds me of a Blacktail Studio video.
I've just ruined a brand new blade on my thicknesser running pallet wood through it. Wish I'd seen this video first. Excellent, thank you.
When I got started 10 years ago I started with pallets and other found materials. At the time I didn’t have the money to buy material to work with. But I had time. So it was worth it to me to take the time to mill up a pallet. Now that I am in a better financial place, it’s worth it to buy lumber that’s ready to work with. But I think you learn a lot from this process. It definitely opens your eyes on many processes. And of course…. Now I like to buy from a lumber mill instead of the box store. And my favorite lumber mill has thick touch sawn boards. So knowing that milling process comes in helpful.
A big reason why the nails are so tough to get out is that they have little spikes on the shaft so they will not vibrate out, a good practice is to use a metal detector to scan the lumber. Those little shards can do a number on jointer/planer blades. Also you can drill out the nail holes, since that's where most on they hide. Just a little psa for you all.
Thanks for sharing this tip! I just replaced the blades on my planer because of the damage that occurred because of running pallet boards through the planer with metal chards still left in the boards.
Love this format! Would watch even longer, keep doing them.
Love seeing your videos again! :D
really useful to see the techniques without the need for a jointer/planer
I can't wait to see the video where he talks about how he made this long form pallet video as an experiment against some algorithm change or something. :)
This video was made for me. I come across tons of pallets delivery guys don't want at work.
EDIT: I got to the part about getting into carpentry -- this video really was tailored for me! :D
A fantastic video as always. Very informative and I really like the narration of the process. Keep up the good work.
WHAT A WASTE OF TIME!
I have made a lot of different things with pallet wood and other scrap wood.
It takes a long time, but I find it satisfying to make something beautiful out of wood that should have been thrown away.
Often the thick pieces are some different hardwood I can't buy where I live. Great for small boxes, lamps, toys, etc.
I've only done a few pallet reclamations. One of them the boards were in decent shape but dirty and stained bad. Rather than sanding them, I ran them through my planer just to take a tiny bit of the surface off. To my surprise, they were a beautiful red oak underneath!
Life is like an old pallet. You never know what you're gonna get. It's usually beaten to hell and full of holes.
I clean really dirty boards with a wire wheel before processing them. Faster than sanding and exposes any nails or staples you may have missed. Plus all that grime isn't good for your planer knives.
Also check inside the nail holes for the little piece of wire that's used to hold the air gun nails in a roll. Sometimes it doesn't come out with the nail.
I’m like you in knowing it’s cheaper in the long run to buy lumber ready to go but the satisfaction of milling your own from wood that ultimately ends up in a landfill is so rewarding.
I get lots of pallets from the flooring store manage. I build stuff too. But I don't cut things as seen in the video. I built a stand that holds one pallet standing up. Then I take a sawzall with a metal cutting blade, then I slide the blade down between the planks and the cross memebers. Pallet planks are intact and only takes about 5 to 10 minutes and I end up with good pieces that can be reused. Hope this helps. Love your videos.
great content, ive wached most if not all of your videos. This one is calming for some reason I'd love to see more of these types of content
That is a lot of extra work and also using slab rough cut wood your humor and work are all ways well worth watching I have used pallet wood to make some real nice wind spinners lots of natural wood color as long as you don't paint them lol
good one Steve, I think this video also highlights the myth that pallet wood is "free". Once you have sourced/procured the pallets, transported to ur shop, taken apart and then de-nailed and finally squared it off by jointing and planing you could have actually built whatever project you were going to build in the time it takes to do the aforementioned if you just bought the lumber. Also its a very rare pallet that you can get all of the wood from it without either breaking some boards or it already being damaged. That all being said I still like the idea of the wood being used instead of filling up a land fill..."there's gold in them there pallets!"
Sometimes there is gold in those pallets. I got one recently with some pretty nice rough cut oak 2x4s. Bit of work to get the nails out, but oak 2x4s are pretty spendy so I think I made out.
I'm not going to lie, I was so happy to see you run in to the Grr-Ripper a little. I've done that twice, and felt like a failure both times. Now that I've seen it happen to Steve, it feels more like a badge of honor than a mistake. Thanks for the great video, and all the content you've made for us mere mortals.
I have owned grippers and they are well engineered. I think being a woodworker I should have made my own. If I destroy what I have I will certainly do that.
Nice to have you back Steve! Have missed your regular posts.
Thank you. I just posted a video two weeks ago.
@@SteveRamsey and it was a masterpiece
I doubt I would ever try to reuse pine pallet wood but thank you for demonstrating how to make such thin cuts on the table saw. That’s something I struggle with.
I already have a Microjig and now I understand why I need to make a wooden push block as well.
Great video Steve. I too had to come up with a safer way of resawing smaller boards. What I came up with allows me to resaw boards as thick or thin as I like and it's much safer because the cut winds up being on the outside instead of between the fence and the blade. Flip your homemade push block on it's side and move the handle to the top and you'll see what I mean. Let's keep those digits away from that sharp spinning thing! What I wound up doing was taking a piece of 4x4 about 2ft long, attaching a hand sized piece of 2x4 for a push handle, then attaching a sacrificial cleat the trailing end to help push the workpiece through and finally, depending on the cut, I often times screw a strip of wood onto the jig (kinda like a ledger) to hold the workpiece down on the table (since the blade tries to lift the workpiece). Super simple and has worked flawlessly for me for a couple of years now.
How do you keep the piece being cut straight without using the fence?
First, thanks for putting out a video on my birthday :) I'm glad to see you cut into your gripper. I felt like an idiot when I did that and seeing you do that gives me some peace of mind. Great vid as always.
I'm fairly new to woodworking and this channel has been so useful, thanks steve
Thank you for watching! 👍
Steve I have a suggestion for a push block for narrow stock. I made a block 5 1/2" long and slightly wider(1/64") than the top of my fence with a nob on top for gripping. I put a piece of 1/2" plywood (you can use what ever you want) on the back side of the fence almost down to the table top. On the saw blade side I screwed a piece of 1/4" plywood to the top and it goes down to the table top. The screws are HIGHER then the saw blade can go AND they are BRASS SCREWS. If you make a strip so narrow the blade cuts into the plywood just replace the 1/4 inch piece when your done. With the block resting on top and having pieces riding both sides of the fence it is very stable and I use mine on anything too small for my push stick. Hope this helps. And yes I also use the feather board and I always enjoy your videos.
Another fantastic video by one of our favorites, Steve. keep up the amazing work brother🙌💥🙌
thanks for sharing
The voiceover was well done, Steve and you had just enough background sounds mixed in as well. Great job!! And even though it's pine, you got some great lumber out of a old pallet and a couple hours work. Will be curious to see what kind of project you make out of this stuff.
Stay safe and thanks!
Wow, who would have thought about reclaiming pallet wood?! I bet this trend blows up on TH-cam.
Still a relaxing and helpful video, thanks Steve
Yes it is a big trend but I think it will subside particularly for those people who have a good bank account. It is work. I can afford milled wood but I enjoy the process.
Great demo and tips. Thank you. Peace and good fortune and good health to you and your family. 😃
I have gotten into using pallet wood because I found a guy who will deliver them to me for free and let's face it, free is better. I have found the best way to take them apart is using a pallet buster and to get the nails out, I bought a tool called an Air Locker, both on Amazon. I paid around $110 total for both and the amount of time, money and wood these tools have saved me is incredible! Highly recommend them if using a lot of pallet wood!
I have been lucky enough to get a lot of oak pallets, so it's definitely worth it to go through all the work to get the boards usable.
I have lots of unused pallet wood which I already dismantled but was a bit nervous of running it through my table saw for fear of not removing every single nail. This was interesting, thanks Steve.
Great stuff, although I was mesmerized at the beginning by those glowing white shoes!
Similar situation: Although not pallet wood... after a kitchen remodel, I reclaimed our old red oak cabinet doors (from the dumpster) and I just cut them into center panels and trimmed the rails and stiles to squared pieces (all of various lengths). Thinking about what to do with all this. Thanks for your videos, now I have to do “something.”
I would make bunch of different sized lazy Susan's. Good luck with your projects 🤞
No matter how much I watch what YOU can do with all your tools and how versatile you apply technique and workarounds using the table saw ( and I’m always amazed and impressed), I am not going to have a table saw. I’m just too old and not comfortable in my STILL newbie woodworking journey to use one. I just bought my 3rd circular saw though…first one is corded and way too big & heavy for an old woman who is also too big & heavy! LOL. So, I bought the second one, a Walmart battery operated POS that I’ve already worn out…Thank God, as it about wore ME out too, what with the crappy batteries, the unreliable cutting angle and now, the blade guard spring, that popped off mid-cut; no injury, unless you count a near heart attack when the spring let go.
All that, to ask this…with how you cut down those pallet boards so beautifully, is it a probable expectation to be able to do that with a circular saw and say, some kind of track saw guide? I’m hoping for better precision with my newest circular saw, or it COULD just be my ineptitude at this point. It’s a Ryobi, so go ahead and laugh…I’m in Texas, so I can’t hear you! Haven’t put the newly charged up battery in yet, but I was hoping it was a step up until I’ve heard so many negatives about Ryobi here on TH-cam, as soon as I got it home, of course. I DID buy a Milwaukee jig saw a couple of months ago and I love it, but still needed a circular saw, sooo, just wondering about the possibilities of it, maybe splitting thin boards like those pallet boards you just processed into even thinner ones. Thanks for all the knowledge you share and for your always interesting verbal delivery of such. It makes what COULD be a boring subject at times, a delight to listen to and learn from.
Sweet paint job on that jigsaw.! Ramone would be proud.
Genius... I'm going out to make a Featherboard right now! Bought some 5/4 Kingwood yesterday that's 4" wide by 7' long and couldn't figure out how to re-saw it SAFELY as I don't have a bandsaw, but now I'm thinking I got this. Thanks!
Great and informative video. Though some people would argue that pallet wood isn't worth this work, I would counter that doing this is good practice for milling lumber with the available tools. Keeping this in mind the next time I have some lumber that I would otherwise deem worthless.
I like this style of voice over
I still live without a table saw (only a circular saw on a track) and these processes are a great demonstration of how useful a table saw can be. Using a jointer or planer might be faster and safer but they take up even more space and space really is what I do not have. I might get a table saw somewhen though... or find someone who has one that I can use sometimes.
Hey. You don't have to do the whole TH-camr influencer constantly staring at the camera thing and remembering your lines. Just seeing you focus and work with the commentary is actually really enjoyable and I can imagine is a much lower effort way to get videos out, as in probably less stressful and time consuming. I hope to see more of this. It's different than what I'm used to and I imagine is more enjoyable for you. I've personally only watched your how to's, tips, and project videos.
Thanks for going through the whole process. I did something similar a couple months ago without the last resaw you did. I spent quite a bit of time “saving” all the “reusable” wood. As you mentioned pallette wood saves money not necessarily worth the time.
In watching your approach I learned several better ways to attack the problem. If I attempt pallette wood reclamation again I will shortcut the whole pulling nails part ( unless as you mentioned I want the character of the holes) by simply cross cutting the upper slats with my circular saw. The lower slats too if not in bad shape. Then jointing and thickness planing as you did here with the table saw.
Maybe I worry too much but sending pallette would through my planer is worrisome.
Thanks for another great presentation.
I bought the microjig and found it much harder and much less safe to use than traditional push sticks. The microjig almost NEVER stuck the boards as I pushed through, and I always felt like my hand/arm/body was going to fall forwards directly toward the blade. I don't know if I got a bad microjig or what, but I tried something else similar to it and felt the exact same way. It was also super impractical to keep changing the orientation and height of the microjig for different size cuts/boards/etc.
Just my two cents...
I found cleaning the grippy surface with rubbing alcohol removes saw dust which creates a sick surface. give it a try. Additionally Steves gripper as well as the commercial Gripper has a neat feature on the back: the piece of wood on the back than can be dropped down to catch the end of the work piece. as you are pushing. It is easily replaced when chewed up..
Only the master could disassemble a pallet and keep those white kicks looking fresh!
Are we not going to talk about how clean your shoes are?! 😂
Great video!
People seem to love my shoes!
Very Cool! Thanks so much for this video Steve!
Glad to see this type of video on your channel again! This would be good if i ever find myself in possession of a pallet with cool wood! Keep up the good work!
Nice. I came across 2 pallets made of white oak that were used to transport concrete pavers. The top boards are mostly junk because of the nails and splitting, but the main internal members (6) are 3x3x48", arrow straight and nearly perfect. You bet I saved those to mill down. Not sure what for yet, but I will find a use for them. The rest is used for kindling in the fireplace. (Yes, I checked to make sure they were not treated.)
There's just something extremely satisfying about taking some piece of trash or junk that would otherwise never see the inside of the shop, and turning it into a fine or useful piece of craftsmanship. While a ready-milled board from the big box store may convert faster into the latest project, or even may be cheaper once milling time is figured in, you still can't beat that little feeling of accomplishment that comes from a successful and beautiful piece of upcycling.
Oh, and a tip about harvesting the boards from the pallet: The only two options are not either cutting them free in smaller pieces with a saw, or prying them with a pry bar that lifts at an angle and deepens existing splits. A third option is to push the board straight up (or down, depending on the method and pallet orientation) from the pallet's 2x4, by making a 'bridge' that lifts up part of the pallet, and allows for hammering on a chunk of scrap 2x4 that directs the hammer force onto a pallet board, pulling the board straight away from the pallet's 2x4. There are several videos on YT detailing a couple of methods, either bridging a single slat at a time, or bridging under the 2 end slats and driving down all the middle ones. And it's a quick, easy disassembly, where once you have your technique down, you can do one in about 10 minutes. Enjoy!!
Very nice and clever use of what you have,... those boards came out very very nice. You opened up some gates in my mind ;P hahaha thanks for sharing your technique cheers from the Netherlands
i found a roofing/slate hammer with a pointy end is quite useful for taking pallets apart, I use the point to shatter the wood that is useless at the junctions, so the nails fall out of the wood. This works especially well for corner blocks, but any broken up and cracked bits succumb quickly..
I thought there was a massive lens flare, but it was just your shoes :) Great video!!
Digging the shoes too!
Thanks for the video
I'll keep an eye on your other channel to see if you were doing some secret experiment with this video. 🤘🏻
Starting the day with this video in particular is kind of a gift for me, i deeply wanted to start a projet with palet wood but thought i would definitely need a jointer planner for it but you showed another way! This revive the project =))
And thanks a thousands times for speaking slowly, articulating and not putting fancy effects or music in the background!
That said =) What don't you ever use a thiner insert plate for every work and why the genuine insert plate whole is that large please?
Spiral nails are used more often than you think. The first Deck I built with my Father as a teenager was with Spiral nails in the decking boards to hold them in place in Red Cedar boards. I only recently tore down that deck and rebuilt it for my mother (my father passed away in 2012) after 43 years of the deck being there without any major issues until several of the stringers had rotted from water out of the pool over the years.
Over the years I have built several sheds and other outdoor projects and used spiral nails because they just work.