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In this post we’ll look at the steps taken to make a pallet useful for various projects.

Here are a few pallets in my shop, ready to be dismantled. It may seem that the work has just begun, but I needed to…

Get the pallets

1. Find the pallets
   • Search for free pallets, I found facebook markets search for free pallets very effective. I also see some ads on craigslist as well.
   • Contact the owner to confirm it’s ok to take them, and/or to get the location. The posting for the pallets usually has some instructions indicating how to acquire them.
2. Get the pallets
   • I currently have a Subaru Outback, so I was a little limited on the size of pallet I could collect. I found a “standard” 40 x 48 inch fit in the car with the seats down.
   • Use a moving blanket or something so you don’t mess up the interior.
   • I wish I had a pickup truck, you can fit a lot more in, and you don’t need to be concerned about the interior.
3. Unload them
   • My current shop is on the third floor of an industrial building without an elevator, so I had to carry them upstairs. Be sure to wear some good work gloves.

Dismantle them

This is where the fun begins, they may look like they are falling apart, but there are built withstand having tons of cargo stacked on them and handling with forklifts. So they are actually strong and well built. I thought a simple pry bar would be enough, but it’s a lot of work to pry them apart.