Pallets - daft question!

[bubblewrap]

Just a small point.

Do not use any BLUE pallets as they are owned by Chep UK Ltd
The pallets are rented out & remain the property of Chep & only licensed users are supposed to have them.
Chep have been known to seek compensation for persons using(damaging ) their pallets who should not have them.
It happened to the BBC a few years ago when a gardening programme used some for staging.

[Sheneval]

Thanks for info BW - I saw one of these in a Poundworld yesterday alongside another unmarked one.

Never knew there was a difference other than colour

[zazen999]

Great video Moth. I usually use pallets by sawing the straight pieces away from the naily bits, sanding and then using for large plant labels. But I'm going to get some dismantled using that technique now!

[veggiechicken]

Watch this space! I'm on my way to the almost no-nails raised bed (perhaps )

Would you believe it - the lady I scrounged yesterday's pallet from (and I only met yesterday) has just visited to say that there's a skip down the road full of pallets
See you later..........

[Feral007]

Omg just think how much kale she'll be able to grow now............

[veggiechicken]

The bad news is.......I couldn't find the skipful of pallets.......
The good news is.......my neighbour says he gets them in work and never knows what to do with them...............so I gave him an address
The even better news is ..........the nail-less raised bed is almost complete
Photos will follow!!

[sammy_roser]

Years ago before I did any real gardening I worked for a shop which had 6 or so pallets a week which went to the rubbish men. Too think of all the things I could build with them if I still worked there!

[veggiechicken]

Done it!! The No-nail or screw raised bed - requiring only 4 saw cuts and a bit of hammering in of stakes/branches.
Ingredients:-
One pallet
4 pieces of wood - all the same length
Some bits of metal tubing from old clothes lines and a collapsed blowaway type thingy
Some branches of a similar size as I ran out of metal tubing.

Line the base with chicken wire to deter wabbits
Cover base with cardboard and newspaper.
Stuff bits of thin ply down sides of bed
Fill with compost and twigs.

[mothhawk]

Where there's a will there's a way, that's great!

[veggiechicken]

Thanks MH.
I was lucky that the pallet had 8 rails, so could be cut into two equal halves - and that the spacers between front and back were not in the way of the saw. I did try splitting a couple of other pallets, using various methods, but couldn't do even one bit
The 4 pallets are all different - the one I used was the only one that could be cut into two. I may start being selective

[wizzbang]

Fantastic result. Well worth the effort Chicken.
Lynne x

[Sheneval]

Very impressive VC - is there no end to your talents?

[veggiechicken]

I'm afraid there is, Shen. I'm not at all talented in the art of using a screwdriver

[Sheneval]

Buy an electric one (battery) and get one that you can also use as a drill for making the holes before you start - makes the job much easier and very useful where there is no electricity supply

Also get a decent one so you get good battery power.

[out in the cold]

If we were closer, I would come by and split them up for you VC.

If you do split the slats off the pallets and rejoin them, I would say pilot drill one panel before screwing them together however you need them. You could also get a few of those L shaped brackets to help attach corners, or use the pallet blocks to screw through into. Again, pilot drill them, as it makes it easier to screw together. A 3 or 4mm drill bit will be fine if you are using 40mm screws.