Does anybody include a Pallet setup with their Mill???

just_sawing · October 17, 2015, 09:54:56 AM

Have been approached by a friend that need some specialty pallets and wants me to consider suppling him. It appears feasible and we are looking in to it.
Just wondering if anyone has this as a part of their operation?

4x4American · October 17, 2015, 11:14:37 AM

Subscribed :P

Ron Wenrich · October 17, 2015, 12:16:50 PM

I worked with one outfit that made specialty pallets as a sideline. It's feasible if the price is right. Figure out what the bf price is, and see how it stacks up against selling blocking. I'd build one, just to see how much time is invested. Then you'll know if it's worthwhile or not.

drobertson · October 17, 2015, 12:48:28 PM

done a few, nothing on the order of regular, I figure anything that fills the bill if the bills are met. Good prints with all the dimensions and criteria very important. Stringers are at the top of the list for strength, then the proper decking with the proper fastening. Strength is critical .

JB Griffin · October 17, 2015, 01:37:05 PM

I have sawed and built a few special pallets for a stave mill.

The key in my book is to have cheap logs that won't make anything worth more.
The ones I built had 3 3x4x42 stringers and 3 4/4x6x72 deck boards and were screwed together, got $12 apiece for em.

Kbeitz · October 17, 2015, 05:22:18 PM

It's a lot of work for the money...

WH_Conley · October 17, 2015, 08:44:07 PM

I have one company that I build a specialty pallet for. It comes up to $1.75 a board foot. Most of the material is salved as I cut other orders.

YellowHammer · October 17, 2015, 11:56:00 PM

Quote from: Ron Wenrich on October 17, 2015, 12:16:50 PM
I worked with one outfit that made specialty pallets as a sideline. It's feasible if the price is right. Figure out what the bf price is, and see how it stacks up against selling blocking. I'd build one, just to see how much time is invested. Then you'll know if it's worthwhile or not.

I tried it for a little while for a guy who built custom sized specialty pallets. After I'd made enough to get a good handle it it, I realized the $$ margins were too tight, and got out of it. It just wasn't my thing.

Brucer · October 18, 2015, 01:57:55 AM

If you're actually making the pallets, and not just the wood, you can really speed things up using jigs and standardizing everything.

Quebecnewf · October 18, 2015, 05:05:49 AM

I did about 60 or more for the local fish plant. These were your standard skid in softwood. These were one way palettes so nothing special. Nailed together with air twisted wire nails.
Was a great way to get rid of substandard boards and wane boards as well as 2x4 of lower grade.

You will need to jig it up for speed but that's pretty simple. No longer do this as they have to use hardwood palettes or heat treated wood not green.
If you have scrap lumber to get rid of you can make money. If your using good lumber maybe not so much. More wood and work in a palett than you think.

Quebecnewf

CaseyK · October 18, 2015, 07:52:58 AM

Just Sawing
Do you already have a mill? If not you might want to consider one of the D&L twin blade mills.

One of the members named Doublecut (i think) had one that he used mainly for cutting up materials for building pallets. I remember he said he was building them part time on the weekends.

I have searched the forum for information concerning the same thing and most replies were that it was mainly just a way to use up low quality boards and/or the only way you could compete with the big pallet plants was to build special order items like MH_Conley had mentioned.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

just_sawing · October 18, 2015, 05:20:55 PM

Have Resaw, edger, 20 Inch Chop Saw and a LT70
With the Rail operation I currently have three employees and this looks to be a good feel in job.
I have a farm that I need to reduce a lot of too small for tie trash trees. I am moving a Storage container that the back 14 feet will be a dry kiln and the front would make a assembly room. It will have a 24X40 shed attached to it.

starmac · October 19, 2015, 01:08:29 AM

Odd that this thread has come up at this time. Just yesterday I was talking to an old logger that is in the process of going back in business and he used to make pallets when he was in business before (different location. This time he is planning on just logging, no mill, but he mentioned the market should be good, as the biggest supplier of pallets in the state has gone out of business.
What does a finished, standard pallet usually sell for??