Must have tools when crafting with pallets!
Crafting with pallet wood can create awesome and unique projects (like a pallet wood Bottle opener and this Pallet Wood key holder) that will look great in almost any home. One of the benefits of working with pallet wood is that it is free and can be found in almost any industrial park across the country. (Make sure you know you can take the pallets by checking with the business first)
Depending on what you are making you’l have to disassemble the pallets to get the the individual pieces of wood that you will use to make anything and everything. I have two videos that explain how I take apart my pallets on my YouTube Channel, which I have posted on this site. If you want shorter boards you can watch this video using a circular saw or you can watch this video for full length boards with a reciprocating saw.
Now that you have your pallets (legally) and you have disassembled them to meet your project requirements you’ll need woodworking tools to help you continue working them into your finished project. If you are really going for the one off budget option you can buy a hand saw and a basic dill/driver. The list below is a little more advanced then that, but just know you can get by with basic hand tools.
Pallet Buster Tool
Once you finally find where to get pallets you have to figure out how to take them apart. While there are many different ways to take apart pallets depending on the project, if you are looking to get full length boards, almost hassle free, then a tool like this is for you. It applies even pressure under both sides of what I call the stingers to evenly remove the boards with less chance of shattering the top boards. This tool is invaluable for quickly and efficiently braking apart pallets to get large full boards.
Ryobi P1832 18V One+ Handheld Drill/Driver and Impact Driver Kit
This is the entry level drill and impact driver kit from Ryobi. If you are looking to have some tools in your house and don’t want anything crazy you should at least have these two. These will allow you to drill holes and efficiently drive screws with the impact diver.
Ryobi P884 18-Volt ONE+ Lithium-Ion Combo Kit (6-Tools)
This is probably the best kit to have if you are doing wood working around the house, including working with pallets. This is the kit that I have and it offers the best variety of tools for the best price. you get the drill driver, as well as a recip saw, circ saw, multi tool, and light. This kit will help you with disassembling and making almost anything you can set your heart to.
DEWALT Random Orbit Sander, 5-Inch (DWE6421K)
Once you have the pallets dissembled and are ready to craft your project you may need to sand down all the rough sawn wood. This is a 5 in random orbit sander that will be perfect addition to your woodworking needs. You’ll be able to sand down the pallet wood and get it ready for whatever finish you plan on using.
Ryobi 90 Piece Drilling and Driving Kit for Wood, Metal, Plastic, and Masonry
Bits, bits, and more bits. This kit or any like it will give you the all the bits and tools you need to drill holes and prep your pallet boards for any project. This kit in particular has numerous driving bits, and a bunch of drilling bits such as paddle bits, hole saws, and drill bits.
Irwin Tools Combination Square, Metal-Body, 12"
Once you have your pallets taken apart and you have decided what you want to make it’s then time to measure the cuts. The combination square will allow you to make numerous measurements fast and accurate. It makes quick work of 45 and 90 degree marks as well as any other length using the adjustment screw.
Stanley FatMax Tape Measure
If you don’t already have one, any good workshop is not complete without a tape measure. This Stanley Fat Max 25″ tape measure is a great addition to any wood shop, and will help you complete any pallet project and any other measurement project around the house.
Safety Glasses
Safety first. Working in any shop you should have the proper PPE (personal protective equipment). When working with power tools at the bare minimum you should be wearing safety glasses. These wrap around and hug then face helping to keep debris out of and protect the eye.