palet planks knock-down worbench

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by 4n494rc14, May 18, 2016.

  1. 4n494rc14

    4n494rc14 New Member

    I have been working on the design of a workbench made of palet planks and knock down.
    I have made a model of it on sketchup, and a video about the model.



    I would love to get some feedback before i start building it.

    Thanks
     
  2. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

    To be honest I got bored watching the vid, it looks massively over engineered and given that there are many perfectly good work benches on the market, its not really needed.

    Sorry.
     
  3. Big Adam

    Big Adam New Member

    You must have some lovely quality pallets in your part of the world.
     
  4. Superb :)

    But as Phil says, hugely over-engineered and over complex :(

    Is this for your own use - for the sheer pleasure of the challenge? If so, then I really hope you go for it and keep us updated.

    If, however, you are considering this for a market - hoping to put it into production, for example - then I simply cannot see it working out.

    I hope it's the former - and I hope we'll see it built :)
     
  5. 4n494rc14

    4n494rc14 New Member

    Yes, it is probably over-engineered. But if you would take a second to read the description of the video:

    "This is my Sketchup design of a workbench that is built out of pallet planks.
    Before making any comment, you should know that i am not a proffesional carpenter, neighter an engineer. In order to be on the safe side, i usually oversize all pieces of what i build. What i am is one of this guys who uses to make things too complicated.
    [...]"

    it says clearly that i am not a carpenter or an engineer. Which means i dont have the know-how to make it more simple. More specifically " In order to be on the safe side, i usually oversize all pieces of what i build" and i make it "more stable" that it actually would need to be. One way to save me some trouble is to make a video about the project and ask people who have the know-how about how to figure it out.

    I think it is very easy to make general criticism about something, but takes a bit more energy to go into details.
    With the whole idea of sharing the video, i was hoping somebody could help me with some doubts i have about the project:
    - Will the thing hold? (explained in the video)
    - Can i make it less complex in any way?
    Maybe i should have explained this things in the 1st post. Anyway, what i am trying to express is that i was hoping i could get some more detailed help. Something like ..."that piece that u call whatever may break by flexion, maybe u wanna make it a bit thicker in that direction" ... or ... "the idea of the needles is crazy f*ckd up, no way it is gonna work, that "x" piece will probably will probably explode in your face when you try to put a wedge in "somewhere", because the shear stress in the long direction of the "y" piece is gonna be too much for the shape of it"
    These kind of critics take a bit more energy than just a "bah, it is too complicated"


    The workbench is for my own use, in my own appartment, and i will "store it under my bed". Im sorry that was not clear enough.
    I have no budget for the bench, not any kind of money i can or want to spend on it. I wouldnt use pallet planks otherwise. Even if i would have the money and want to spend it in a workbench, is there any bench on the market that can be put appart to pieces that would fit under a bed or in a car (not pick-up, not van, just a regular car) and is designed to be used with wedges instead of vises?

    As i said, the bench is probably over-complicated, but each piece in itself is easy to build with hand tools, even for somebody with my very limited carpentry skills. I dont think there would be any challenge in building it.
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2016
  6. Big Adam

    Big Adam New Member

    No problem with the project, but relying on recycled pallets is a compromise too far. The timber is simply too low grade and/or low density for your application.
    If I were you, start by Googling "Wood recycle" and your home town. Many places have generally council run facilities where a variety of timber can be picked up cheaply. My local Southampton place got demolished in favour of more flats but I still have two lovely old oak beams that I picked up for £10 from there just because I knew I'd use them eventually.
    If you don't have a recycle centre, go with ebay/freecycle. My garage has an apex roof that was just wasted space prior to me buying my house. I boarded it out to create a loft and found a heavyweight wooden futon frame on ebay for £2. I used this to create a stepladder up into the garage loft which pivots on the futon hinges so it can be stored flush with the boarded out loft floor when not needed.
    Your project plan is great. Why not make it? But pallets ain't the way to go.
     
  7. 4n494rc14

    4n494rc14 New Member


    Wouldnt it work if i just oversize every piece a bit more? which part do you think would be more compromised because of the material?

    there is some place i can go and get wood, but not so easy to find nice pieces. Actually it is just a huge pile of random stuff, that i think they use for producing OSB or something alike.
    The good thing with pallets is that i can get them easily.

    i would really like to see some pic of this stepladder
     
  8. philthespark

    philthespark Active Member

    You can use anything if you make it strong enough. The problem is if you add too much timber to overcome the inherent weakness of the timber you want to use you then end up where weight overcomes portability.
     
  9. CraigMcK

    CraigMcK Screwfix Select

    Hi
    I understand that you want help, but as has been said. Pallets are not the answer. The quality is low, there is no finishing on the wood, I doubt if the planks are a constant thickness, all leading to a nightmare trying to re assemble it up.

    Also you would need to consider that the planks would not be straight, so the assembly might be impossible to fix together. It's also a whole lot of assembly for you, which may be a two person job

    Personally if money is tight. I would wander down to your local B&Q and see what's next to the saw. You can often pick up worktops / plywood that have been cut but still a reasonable size. For what you are doing I would say it would be a better solution.

    The other option is gumtree / freecycle for a workbench itself, you never know what people through out.
     
  10. dwlondon

    dwlondon Active Member

    Have you ever taken a pallet apart? Not that easy or likely to give you a neat pile of timber to work with. The timber is made into pallets because there is little else you can do with it.
     
  11. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

  12. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Have you taken into consideration how much this pallet/plank bench will weigh?
     
  13. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    2 trestles and some 18mm ply.
     
  14. 4n494rc14

    4n494rc14 New Member

    why do you think it is pointless?

    i have put appart around 20 pallets so far. Each and everyone of them are different, regarding quality and how damaged the planks are after putting it appart. Of course, for the bench i would use the best planks i can get of each pallet. Leave the really bad ones for firewood, and the rest for not structural pieces on other projects.


    how do you fasten stuff to that without screw vises/clamps?
    btw i try to avoid glue


    I didnt think about it. i guess quite heavy. why? do you think it could be a problem?
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2016
  15. 4n494rc14

    4n494rc14 New Member

    I really appreciate getting so many replies, but i was hopping i would get some advice about the geometry and resistaces of the design (the shearing stress stuff and such i was specifically asking about). I thought about the "unguaranteed" quality of the material before starting with sketchup, i believe i made it quite clear in the video. I feel quite sad that the discussion is only going in the materials direction.
     
  16. dwlondon

    dwlondon Active Member

    You will probably need a workmate to build this...............
     
  17. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

    I think its pointless, simply because of the time and effort just to get something you can buy for about 40 quid thats purpose made, weighs next to nowt and will fold up flat.
     
  18. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

    But if you want the experience ov building it, then fill your boots.
     
  19. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    As chippie says above the best way to make use of the timber and give you want you want is to make some tresstles out of the pallet timber. These fold down and can be put out of the way.

    For the work top you can be a bit more ingenious and make up the top out of the pallet wood by creating a box shape with bracing then use the timber to "board" the top. The advantage is that it will be strong enough to take some abuse and allow you to clamp things to it. You can also drill hole in it to use "dogs" to hold things in place.

    There are a lot of simple designs on places like Pinterest

    upload_2016-5-20_18-19-36.jpeg
     
  20. Ryluer

    Ryluer Well-Known Member

    Two trestles and a couple of planks makes a good work bench. Easily knocked up and easily knocked down. And you can store them under your bed. (if its not a divan)

    The best workbenches are from the ole days. Pre 19th or 20th century. When hand tools ruled the day and the modern diy knock down bench would last about 10 minutes.
     

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