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Pallets

Started by Bruno of NH, August 16, 2022, 03:44:21 PM

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Bruno of NH

Got the mini pallet shop set up ,cut station, nailing jig made.
Made 10 HD softwood pallets for the bridge company to try.

 

 

 

 
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

Jim_Rogers

Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

cutterboy

Bruno, you just keep selling stuff! If it's made of wood you sell it. Keep it up, I hope this works for you. All the best.
btw, those pallets look good.
To underestimate old men and old machines is the folly of youth. Frank C.

Nebraska

Those are pretty nice. I hope you are well paid for them.

WV Sawmiller

Bruno,

   Good looking pallets. Is this a salvage operation where you plan to use any accumulated low grade wood or are you buying and cutting the logs with pallets as the intended end product from start to finish? Are you just planning on making one size pallet or will you be making any specialty ones too?

   Are you using air or electric nailers? If not is there any drilling of pilot holes involved? As you can see from my questions I know nothing about making pallets.

   Many of my friends first job as teenagers was working at local pallet mills. The sawmill looked like Eustace Conway's on Mountain Men or on the Waltons with belts flopping and no guards on anything and they were pounding 12-16 penny nails into oak and gum boards using 3 lb baby sledge hammers. 

   Good luck. I hope it all works out well for you. Please keep us posted.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Bruno of NH

Howard
I'm using air nailers I have from my contracting days. They go together fast after building a nailing jig.
The materials are low quality cuts left over from other orders.
The runners are 2"×3.5"x48" and I have many short 5' to 6' logs I can use for this.
I'm hoping the bridge company likes them, if so the order will be for 100 pallets a month and 100 oak or ash 4x4x8 a month plus custom dunage as needed.
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

WV Sawmiller

   Great. Are they or do they have to be all softwood or could you use any hardwood you have available? Can you mix the soft and hardwood if the need/opportunity comes up?

   I love the idea of having a use and market for off cuts and such. Another great idea.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Bruno of NH

They will take what ever hardwood or softwood but they only want to pay softwood price. 
I'm going to use low grade oak deck boards that I saw off the dunage as well.
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

Ianab

Any sawmill operation is going to produce some low grade or short wood, it's just the nature of logs.  Finding a market for it is better than throwing it on the burn pile. 

Buying logs to exclusively build pallets would be a marginal business, it can be done, but you need cheap logs, a VERY efficient operation, and probably end up putting some material into the pallet that's actually worth more. But making some from your lower grade product / short or defect logs etc makes good sense. Even if the $$ are only average, it's another income stream, generated from something that  you didn't have much market for previously. 

Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

customsawyer

Great looking pallets. IMHO this only works if you can find the labor to build the pallets. The math doesn't work for me to park a 50K sawmill to run a $300.00 nail gun, unless they are paying a premium. Hired help is harder to find then equipment in my area.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

Bruno of NH

I'm still running the sawmill and filling orders and sawing inventory. 
I have the help at the moment. 
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

B.C.C. Lapp

Nice work Bruno.   You will get faster as you build more.  This is a good time to have a little extra cash coming in while at the same time using the low grade lumber.    How can you lose? thumbs-up
Listen, or your tongue will make you deaf.

Bruno of NH

One thing I have learned 
The blade needs to be in the wood for me to move forward. 
Everything else is just an add on .
I'm lucky right now I have guys that are my age that retired from their main jobs and the wife doesn't want them drinking beer all day. They work at the mill , which helps me out.
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

240b

Nice!  the semi retired guys are handy to have available.

trimguy

Yes, and I'm sure their work ethic is much better.

Bruno of NH

They work hard and enjoy it
I try to other things as tailing the mill all day might make them lose interest. 
Then I'm back to useless guys 
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

Ianab

Quote from: Bruno of NH on August 17, 2022, 06:09:12 AM'm lucky right now I have guys that are my age that retired from their main jobs and the wife doesn't want them drinking beer all day. They work at the mill , which helps me out


I'm probably in that group. :D

I'm not stacking wood or making pallets, I'm part time sorting and delivering mail and parcels for an old friend. I could hunt for more ~$100 an hour IT work (and still do some), but do I need more of that crap on my blood pressure?  Jump in a van for a few hours and deliver some mail and parcels? Some days I'd do it for free.  (crap weather tomorrow. but at least I'm getting paid)


I'm out of the country for the next 2 weeks, that will probably decide how "valuable" I am. :D 



Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Magicman

I may not have all of the things that I ever wanted but....

I do have everything that I will ever need.  :)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Bruno of NH

I don't drink so their wives know they won't here  :D
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

WV Sawmiller

  Put them to work on piecework and they can make as much or as little money as they want and you know better how much the pallets are costing you to make.

 I know my classmates back when I was in school used to get a set fee for every pallet they made instead of an hourly rate.

  I think that is a good deal for your help/labor force to hire retired people who just want to socialize a little and earn a little mad money and as someone else mentioned, I suspect they are more dependable than most of the help you get these days. I'd bet if you tell them you are in a bind they will step up and work extra hours they might not normally be interested in working.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Deese

Looks good Bruno. 👍 
2004 LT40 Super 51hp w/6' bed extension
Cooks AE4P Edger
Cat Claw sharpener/Dual Tooth Setter
Kubota svl75-2 skidsteer w/grapple, forks, brushcutter
1977 Log Hog Knuckleboom loader/truck

Texas Ranger

The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

WV Sawmiller

Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Bruno of NH

Update 
The check got mailed on time.
They are committed 
They are buying a trailer to leave at the mill to load up the pallets and dunage .
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

WV Sawmiller

   BTW - I see your stringers are all cut square. Are you going to add a pair of notches in the future for the forklift forks to use if picking up from the sides?
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

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