Pallets 101

[rawbutter]

Here's a question for all you build-your-own-field types. What's the best way to prepare pallets for a field that is both economical and timely?

I've gotten probably hundreds of pallets over the years, and I just dropped off a few more dozen at my field, but I'm getting tired of getting them prepped.

Most of the pallets I get have gaps between the slats, obviously, and they don't make good cover that way. Back before lumber cost $99.99 for a 2x4, I used to buy cheap plywood and cut it into strips to fill those gaps, but that's not feasible any more. 😒 So more and more I'm taking the slats off the pallets and then hammering them back on without any gaps between them.

Getting the slats off, however, is a whole other headache. I can't use a crowbar to get them off, because the slats are old and they crack. I also can't use a nail puller because the nails are rusted and the heads break off. 🤬

So far the best method I've devised is to use a metal blade on a sawzaw, stick it in the crack between the slats and the support boards, and cut through the nails. This works okay, but there are 3 to 5 nails in each slat. That's a lot to ask of my saw. I have three batteries for it, but that only gets me through 4 or 5 pallets, and it takes about two hours.

Anyone else got some tricks up their sleeves?

[Arthur]

IF you have an abundance of pallets, you could double them up but flip one pallet the opposite direction. Secure both pallets to each other, not sure how.

[Toestr]

Maybe cannibalize the boards from a couple then put a board or two on the back of each pallet. Then stand up some fallen branches and other brush in the space between the front of the pallet and the boards you put on the back (I don't know how much brush you have). Not perfect but will stop most of the shots.

Other than that, try doubling up as was said.

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[moving_target]

IF you have an abundance of pallets, you could double them up but flip one pallet the opposite direction. Secure both pallets to each other, not sure how.

we used to do something similar at my old field. take two pallets and basically jam them into each other making a solid "core" it wasn't perfect, and could be a pain in the ass (and they were big and unwieldy as hell) but they were pretty solid and made solid cover

[rawbutter]

Yup, I've done this too. Problem is that pallets are like snowflakes. No two are perfectly the same. It's rare that I get two pallets that can be nailed together without a significant gap somewhere, which I would like to avoid.

[Shaftski]

Look at the concept of wattle fencing. Cut a bunch of green branches off of trees and weave them into the pallet slats.

[rawbutter]

I've done this before, but it's also a LOT of work to find all that wattle. My field is in the woods, though, so it's always an option.

[Arthur]

Yeah you can jam really anything in there. Doesn't have to be pretty if you want the job done.

[glaman5266]

If you’re not picky about how the fronts of your pallets look, you could take some boards off a few extra pallets and just nail them over the slats. No pulling boards & lining them up perfectly. But no flat fronts either & they probably won’t be the prettiest.

Do they have to be 100% wood pallet? Assuming plywood & sheet metal are not an option, can you get some old linoleum or shingles or something? Just tack a big square of linoleum on the front of the pallet.

I dunno. That’s all I got. :shrug:

[rawbutter]

That's a great suggesting, but I'm trying to stick to only wood. That way if we stop using it as a field, we can pile all the pallets together and have a bonfire to clear everything out.

[THE SHOOTIST]

Cheap tarps from Harbor Freight. Wrap them like a Christmas gift, tie them with cheap nylon rope.

[rawbutter]

That's a great idea too, but I'm trying to only use wood and other safely burnable materials. Although I have thought about canvas. Duck cloth is a little more expensive than a tarp, but it should last a few years outside.

[JeepDVLZ45]

What about a “Pallet Buster”?. They strip boards off faster and easier and the slats are less prone to cracking. That should make it simpler for you to re-use the slats.

I only used one 1x a few years ago, but it was pretty simple. I had a buddy that bought one. He was making an “accent wall”

[Grendel]

Personal experience with multiple outlaw and 2 legitimate business fields; keep wood pallets away from the field. They are a short term solution that becomes a long term problem. The make crappy cover, the wood typically is not good quality and rot, they start falling apart becoming hazards and then the nails. Been there done the pallet thing multiple times including salvaging them for their material to manufacture good bunkers and they just do not last and always become a problem. I do like the "Plastic" pallets they last longer and hold up pretty well overall but still have a finite life and are a hassle to dispose of properly.

[Grendel]

That is another thing is disposal of pallets. If your pallets are for CONUS us then they will most likely burn but if they are international they are near impossible to burn them in a pile to dispose of them. International pallets are treated with fire retardants, they make pretty colors if you catch them on fire but usually will not stay lit for long.

[rawbutter]

Is there any easy way to tell which are which? The pallets I usually get are from a small local furniture-building business.

[Grendel]

https://www.universalpallets.com/2018/01/ultimate-guide-pallet-markings/

This is a convenient link to standard pallet markings.

[Tarsun2]

ive learned allot when i did my pallet wall.

1) the nails will not pull out like a normal nail. dont waste youre time.
2) a good blade is a MUST for the sawsall. the blade that works the best for me is the Milwaukee TORCH carbide blade. (not a generic metal blade)
3) different pallet companies make different pallets. Different woods, different widths, and different thickness's. also indoor stuff MUST BE "HT". heat treated. the last thing you want is to get sick from your pallet wall outgassing chemicals and pesticides. (not a problem in your case)
4) being selective about your pallets rather than just breaking everything down to increase stock will save your time and hassle.
5) furniture store pallets are only useful for starting fires.

my system was as follows.

cut the nails at the edges of the slats.
remove the two side runners and put them to the side.
take one of the runners, lay it on the ground, and lay what's left of the pallet on top. (you want the runner on the ground parallel to the slats and perpendicular to the center runner).
now make sure the spine of the pallet is on the runner on the ground and not one of the slats.
(dang, this is hard to describe).
take a short piece of 2x4 and hammer the slat down (out) from the spine. you have to alternated from one side of the spine to the other.
you will have easy access to half on one side, flip it over and get most on the other side. Now you have a bunch of unbroken slats and enough room to get the sawsall back in there to finish the pallet.

maybe ill try and take a few pictures if anyone's interested. (id just need someone to post them for me)


i use the runners for a whole bunch of things as well.

[Cyberpyr8]

Yeah I was going to suggest the sawsall too. They make quick work of it and save the wood.

[rawbutter]

I've never heard of a Torch blade. I'll have to try that out. I just have a long metal-cutting blade, which works great for the nails, but it takes forever to get through the wood.

[rawbutter]

What about a “Pallet Buster”?. They strip boards off faster and easier and the slats are less prone to cracking. That should make it simpler for you to re-use the slats.

I only used one 1x a few years ago, but it was pretty simple. I had a buddy that bought one. He was making an “accent wall”

Okay, this thing looks awesome. Thanks for the suggestion. This is just what I was hoping for. The pallet buster is more money than I was expecting to spend, but it's a one-time purchase and should be useful for years to come.

[Seajay]

As a player... I'd suggest only using pallets to construct something, but don't use them as bunkers on their own. They don't weather that well and they have a ton of nails, the boards can break easily on some of them.

When they fall over on the ground and get covered with leaves... they are a terrible tripping hazard. I had a guy next to me absolutely destroy his knee when he tripped over one at a run. We were going from an open field into a tree line and there were pallets propped up against trees. This one lost whatever little support was used and was basically a pit trap.

I'd use them to create bunkers as the building blocks, but then use a facing to secure it.

[rawbutter]

Sorry to hear about that guy who hurt his knee. I had a friend who slipped on wet leaves at our field, reached down to catch himself, and dislocated his shoulder. Ouch.

We do make it a point to always inspect the field and the bunkers before we play each time. So far we've caught all the pallet problems before anyone hurt themselves. But you're right. We should probably phase them out.

[Millar156]

I've stapled burlap to them. Works fairly well if you have that option.

[Mr. Hick]

If you can source a local sawmill that isn't so big that it chips and grinds all it's slabs and cants then you should be able to get them for a song and just ratta-tat-tat those things onto your pallets of choice with a nail gun.