Comments on: Taking Skids to a Whole New Level

By: Dan Powell

Dan Powell — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:59:19 +0000

Please use caution when using pallet wood, particularly oak. I’m not sure about civilian practices, but after 21 years in the Air Force shipping all kinds of material, I know that a lot of pallet/skid lumber is treated to prevent decay. The stuff can be pretty toxic, so you have to use caution. It’s been 25 years since I retired, so I don’t remember specifics. If the wood looks waxy, pass it up!! When I was stationed in Korea, all of our lumber, including plywood was teak. Wish I could have used it for other projects than packaging.

By: James Kleinheider

James Kleinheider — Tue, 07 May 2013 22:45:35 +0000

I have built wren birdhouses and feeders with pallet wood and they hold up well in the weather. Also have built the wife and a few other farmers market venders little display shelves. There’s no limit to what my next project will be. As long as i have access to pallets the happier i am !!!

By: Wooden skids | TouchByAnAngel

Wooden skids | TouchByAnAngel — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:57:08 +0000

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By: wayne cochran

wayne cochran — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 08:28:27 +0000

A couple of years before I retired from GE in Erie, Pa. where we built locomotives, we were getting the snow plows from Indonesia. I happened to notice that the 7 to 8 foot long pallets were made from Indonesian teak. What a find! I salvaged a good supply of this, which varies from softer tan sapwood to hard heavy dark red heartwood. I have made a few jewelry boxes so far. I am always looking for “scrap wood. I might suggest checking out tractor and motorcyle dealers in your area for crate wood from overseas

By: Grapette

Grapette — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 13:05:16 +0000

My husband’s nephew made several sets of very sturdy outdoor chairs and tables out of pallets, we use a set of chairs, a two seater, and a very handy table at our farm. Mr Abrams who has the woodworking shows on television, made a beautiful coffee table from these. He says he often sees maple, oak and other hardwood, as well as the usual pine. My husband also gets wooden crates in his business as well at pallets, and I use the wood from some of them in my craft projects, use some of the small ones as step stools, tables, and of course for storage. Two crates he got were covered in woven strips of bamboo. I am making storage boxes out of them and plan on staining the outsides to make them look even better.

By: Wes

Wes — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:57:27 +0000

I have made several projects using skid wood. Wishing wells, miniture wishing wells, small wheelbarrows, wagon wheels. However here in Hawaii (end of the line for skids) we get nothing but busted-up junk skids. The nails are impossible to remove and there is so much foreign objects embedded that I have decided it’s not really worth the time or expense to recycle them. Also plays hell on my planer, is offsize, often quite warped. But then if you don’t fall into my category, recycling trees is “GOOD”! Aloha

By: mikeb

mikeb — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 03:42:36 +0000

Here are a few Items I have built out of shipping crates, wind spinners, tv trays, cabinet doors for shop cabinets, toy chest for grandson, shelves, and thinking of tryin a rol top desk and coffee table and end tables

By: larry h

larry h — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:08:28 +0000

thanks for the ideas, i to will use some. i get lots of scrap lumber in different species. after seeing grandchild standing on toilet to brush her teeth before bed, 9:00pm,i went straight to the shop, came back in by 11 with a very cute five piece stepstool. grandma went and found some stickers (Dora the explorer) put them on, i spayed it with poly and the child loves it. since then i built 25-30 from butterflys to harley davidson and sold them from $10 to $50. all from scrap wood.

By: Joel N Gessele

Joel N Gessele — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 02:47:16 +0000

Don’t Joint or plane the lumber until you’ve cheched it for embedded sand or trash pressed into the face. Even small particles can nick knives requiring resharpening.

By: John Holbo

John Holbo — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:17:05 +0000

I have used old skids and packing crates for a number of sold products, hence my company name “SKIDWOOD DESIGNS”

By: Matt Hurt

Matt Hurt — Sat, 22 May 2010 11:56:41 +0000

I recycle wood crates and resell them. I would love to know of anyone that buys skids so that I can keep them moving.

By: Rick Williams

Rick Williams — Sat, 22 May 2010 02:14:53 +0000

These are great ideas! I knew there just had to be uses for that lumber. Thanks for the inspiration.