# old pallets to make tops and bottoms



## giant pumpkin peep (Mar 14, 2009)

i feel like ive been seeing alot people trying to get rid of old shipping pallets lately. Anybody take these break em down, and make bee stuff? 
thanks


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

The wood used for pallets is the lowest grade. You will get what you paid for.


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## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

I use the ribs out of the 4 ribbers for sawhorse legs and the slats as supports for the legs. If I get some straight nails when I'm breaking them down I save those, they have a really nice bite. Most of the slats break so I use those in the winter for fuel in a mass heater or we use them for campfires. Unless you can find the 1" thick slats I wouldn't consider using them for much of anything other than firewood. I rip the thicker slats into 3/8" shims to put under my top covers in the summer. Except for the few hardwood ribs I come by, pallets are pretty much garbage as far as wood is concerned.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

odfrank said:


> The wood used for pallets is the lowest grade. You will get what you paid for.


Trust me, if Odfrank thinks pallet wood is cheap, it's cheap. He knows cheap!


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## Jim 134 (Dec 1, 2007)

Charlie B said:


> Trust me, if Odfrank thinks pallet wood is cheap, it's cheap. He knows cheap!


:lpf::lpf:



BEE HAPPY Jim 134


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## d.presson (Jun 14, 2006)

In my area of Ky, the pallets are made locally, with locally grown lumber. I use them for bottom boards, paint them and they seem to last as longer as the wood from the big box stores.


David


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Yes, plan on making about 100 roofs and 100 innercovers from shipping skids. One has to know where to "dumpster dive".

Crazy Roland


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Start w/ junk, end up w/ junk. Isn't there something sows' ears and silk purses?

Knock yer self out.


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## New Ky Beekeeper (Jun 27, 2011)

Roland said:


> Yes, plan on making about 100 roofs and 100 innercovers from shipping skids. One has to know where to "dumpster dive".
> 
> Crazy Roland


bahahahahahahaha


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Charlie B said:


> He knows cheap!


Hey I thought that wazs part of beekeeping *"CHEAP"* I use pallets for hive stands and as you are looking for them you may find crates along wiht them my bee bud and I and gotten some good stuff from an overhead door Co. got some 1'x4"sx14` that were strighter than what I could buy from the BIG box stores around here, so keep you eyes open and remember "cheap is good FREE is better :banana:


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

I always tear down the pallets i get freight on and slice and dice it for the demensional wood pieces on my plywood covers and floorboards. Free is good. I don't use old ones that might hide nails.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

SQKCRK wrote:

Start w/ junk, end up w/ junk. Isn't there something sows' ears and silk purses?

True that, but after I am finished sawing and planing, you will be hard pressed to tell that the wood is used. A few nail holes are the only clues. Ask "JohnK and Sheri", they have seen my work. In the words of the "Bull of the Woods" , "We ain't making furniture here, just bee houses". The bees don't seem to mind the nail holes.

Just did a count, looks like 160 roofs on the way.

Cheap????, us Krauts can't help it, its in the blood.

Crazy Roland


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

No Use Roland! The gentlemen farmers of Squeak Creek have high standards and impeccable taste! They spend a lot of time making those little smoking jackets for their drones and it interferes with salvaging wood.


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## millerwb (Oct 31, 2011)

I got some really good 1x6 pine from some crates that glass came in for a building in town. Could have taken lost of 2x8 and 2x10 as well. Have also recovered several pallets made of white oak and cherry. Just have to know where to look I guess.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

That figures, us scavenging low Germans are not good enough for those classy High Germans in New York.

And the cat is out of the bag.... Garage door and glass places have the best lumber,

Crazy Roland (old VW owner)


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## 100 td (Apr 3, 2011)

Well although I had money to buy Hives, Frames and Bees; I decided I wanted to catch a swarm, hive it in old recycled pallets to make a hive, and make the foundation less frames from the pallet pine bearers. It worked, and I've done it, and the bees make their own comb.
The hives may not last to many years, but there are plenty more bits of timber and pallets going to the dump every day.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

certianly any pallets coming from overseas are treated...with whatever they use to treat them (and kill any bugs) overseas. I wouldn't use them for hive parts, although I have been tempted.
http://www.cheaplikemeblog.com/environment/dont-reuse-wood-pallets/

deknow


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

I bought some hives a few years ago off a guy in TN that made his own equipment, mostly out of free stuff and pallets. You could tell what was made out of pallets. Didn't last very long.

I broke down about a dozen or so to see what I could get. Tried glueing some pieces together to make bottoms and tops. In the end it was all a bunch of junk, and I decided not to use it. 

I could use the ribs for random things though.


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## ctgolfer (May 4, 2011)

The company next to me has a dip tank that they have to dip every pallet they use or reuse in, they cannot ship anything on a pallet until it has been dipped. Much of the stuff they make ends up overseas. So-the question is what are they dipping in? It kills bacteria and bugs but how long does it stay in the wood? What will it do to your bees? Maybe nothing until summer temps get high and that stuff starts to fume out, maybe nothing at all. I just don't think its worth the risk.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

That is why it is best to look for the American lumber stamps on the wood. Material gets removed from all 6 sides, just to be safe.

Crazy Roland


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

If I were to make bottom boards out of pallets or even 1x4s from lowes would I need to rabbet the edges or would paint be sufficient?
Mike


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

Kingfisher Apiaries said:


> would I need to rabbet the edges or would paint be sufficient?
> Mike


 Walk to school or Carry your Lunch

Tommyt


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## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

My solid bottom boards are made out of plywood that has been painted and cut exactly to the size of my hives, no rabbets. I use top entrances. I would however make hive stands and bottom entrance style bottom boards out of pallet ribs if I used them.


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## zumbrovalleybees (Dec 8, 2010)

I have made 2500 deep frames from old pallets. Its alot of work but I saved the cost of the frames. About $2300 dollars. My end bars, bottom bars, and top bars are thicker and sturdier than any you will find from suppliers. I will have made enough equipment this winter for 50 hives by scavenging. Didn't cost me a dime. I could sit in front of a TV or spend my time on Beesource and not get anything done or I could work in the shop 2 hours a night.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

>>I could sit in front of a TV or spend my time on Beesource and not get anything done or I could work in the shop 2 hours a night. <<


hahahahahahaha I love it !
I completely agree,
its how we start from the bottom


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## zumbrovalleybees (Dec 8, 2010)

I don't break them down. Too much work. Cut the slats out with a chainsaw or circular saw. Burn the rest in your woodstove. Once you have the slats cut out, cut to length, rip for width, dado the ends( if making side bars for frames ). Alot of work and time consuming but my hives are made entirely by me. Theres alot of satisfaction to that not to mention the amount of money I have saved.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

tommyt said:


> Walk to school or Carry your Lunch
> 
> Tommyt


Just now got back to this thread....what i was getting at is this. Will the paint fill up the cracks between boards and therefore sealing them off or is rabbeting totally necessary to keep water out of the hives?


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## quevernick (Feb 22, 2011)

I've made bottom boards, hive bodies, and frames out of Pallet wood. The wood you get from Pallets varies widely. After getting apart I separate out each piece by width. Anything around 3/4 gets used for making hive bodies, around 5/8 gets used for Top pieces for frames, and anything smaller gets used for bottom boards.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Top covers must be waterproof, else you will find your bees die from cold water showers or simply abandon the hive for better quarters. Bottom boards do not need to be completely watertight, but tongue and groove boards will keep more small critters out than cracks between the boards. Paint will not seal cracks as the wood expands and contracts with water content changes during the year.

Pallets are not made of quality lumber most of the time, so you may only get firewood, but if the top and bottoms are decent wood with no cracks or splits they can be used for inner covers and things like that. The ribs are usually better, but too narrow for most beehive parts other than bottom board sides.

Peter


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

zumbrovalleybees said:


> I could sit in front of a TV or spend my time on Beesource and not get anything done or I could work in the shop 2 hours a night.


 Amen brother. I work in the shop 2 hours every day for my bee's and I mean every day and then most saturdays and sundays and some week days. Expansion is a lot of work.

I use Pallets for Pallets. Add a few cleats and I have locking 4 ways. I go to construction sites and take some 2x4 scrap etc. You only need 22 inches long anything so scrap works great. burn the rest= Heat.


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

0


sqkcrk said:


> Start w/ junk, end up w/ junk. Isn't there something sows' ears and silk purses?


In general I'd agree with you, Mark.

I have used pallet slats for a lot of things in the past. If you are selective about what you use and what you cull it can be a good resource. 
It is true that you get what you pay for. If you don't pay for serviceable wood with money or trade, you will surely pay for it in time spent in selection and culling.

But if you are more rich in time then in money, it can be well worth the price!


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## w7rms (Jan 12, 2007)

Pallet wood tends to have lot of dirt and grit embbeded in it. It can be really hard on saw blades and especially planer knives.


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## quevernick (Feb 22, 2011)

Pallet wood definately takes more time. First you have to break apart the pallets either with a saw or crow bar and hammer. Then you have to sort through the wood you've gotten and then you almost inevitably have to work around flaws in the wood. Regular Lumber is infinitely easier to work with however if you have no money to buy lumber with Pallet wood is a viable option. If it wasn't for Pallet wood and scrap lumber I would maybe have 2 hives at most. Whereas now I have about 8 hives waiting for bees and probably enough wood for another 8 hives or so. I do have a lot of time to spend on scrounging together hives though. If I did have a reliable source of income I would spend it on good lumber


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