Fricasseekid Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 I've heard that many shipping pallets are made of woods that are exotic to the US. I found this in a pile the other day and thought that the grain was pretty so I salvaged it. I was think it would do well in a small coffee table. Can anyone tell me what kind of wood I have here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keggers Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Looks like either red oak or white oak. Some of it is quarter sawn. That may be why it looks odd to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Well I suppose it's possible. I had considered that whatever was shipped on the pallet may have discolored the wood some. It is very dark. Maybe some planing/sanding is in order. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatworks Today Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 A little off topic, but still related to your comment about exotic woods for US, but common lumber for wherever they were assembled.. Back in the 70's, many of the boats that were built in Taiwan were shipped on wood cradles; and the cradles were MADE OF TEAK!!! Granted it wasn't very high quality, but still.. Most of the timbers used in the cradles were 8x8 and anywhere from 10'-16' in length !! Not anymore..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Looks like oak to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatworks Today Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Looks like oak to me... My guess as well; quartersawn white.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 white oak, QS take a few shavings with a block plane... just avoid the nails... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunken Woodworker Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Reclaim the wood and make something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Any idea what was shipped on it? Hopefully the stains are not from some sort of toxic liquid..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 It was an HVAC supply house, so I doubt there was anything dangerous that got on it. Well I'm a bit disappointed that it is only oak. But nonetheless the wood is pretty and gonna use it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 I would make sure you clean it very well before running any tools over it. Reclaimed wood is infamous for wrecking blades and bits. Scrub it with a stiff brush, and then vaccuum it off with a shop vac. If still dirty, repeat. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Scrub it? Like soap and water?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 I chipped a jointer blade by running a dirty piece of 2x4 over it. No metal (screws, nails, staples). I think the blade just hit a something between a large grain of sand and a small pebble. I think I'd use a stiff deck brush or a soft wire brush. No water or soap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Ok, I've been running some reclaimed pallet boards through my table saw for a while and haven't had any problems other than a dull blade after a year. I guess a jointer has less tolerance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birds&boards Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 If a pallet could only tell its story... many pallets are reused many, many times. Before the HVAC equipment it could have been loaded with boxes of foot stools or maybe illegal guns or even something more weird and interesting. It could have been born in Iowa, spent some time in the California sun before visiting China and Korea and ended up back in the states. With the global trade we see today many American pallets have been around the world and there are likely many Chinese made ones around the states. It is actually hypothesized that the emerald ash borer hitchhiked to Detroit on a pallet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Yeah, I'm with everyone. Long ago I also reclaimed some QSWO from pallets...once. Even if you don't hit a piece of metal, it's still murder on your tools. Ripping with an old blade on the TS is one thing, but you still gotta joint and plane the stuff at some point. Never again in my shop. Not worth the risk, at least for oak. I'd probably take the gamble on a cocobolo pallet, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Hmm, It should be safe if you clean off any large dirt particlesremove all nails and check with a stud-finder (or metal detector if you have one)rip 1/8" off all four sides with a table saw and a junk blade That should give you clean sides that are safe to joint and plane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Scrub it? Like soap and water?! No need for soap or water. Just dry scrub it, and they blow it with compressed air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 If you have a belt sander you're dying to get rid of, I'd take a swipe or seven with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted October 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Sometimes that rough and dirty layer on the outside is what gives reclaimed wood it's charm. If you take it down to fresh wood what's the point of using old wood anyways? Case in point: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 That does look like oak. I was fortunate to find a pallet a number of years ago where half the boards were walnut. I salvaged them and have accented many, many projects with it. Made a nice set of pistol grips out of that walnut as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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