Wooden Pallets - What do you do with yours?

[Timja]

When we get deliveries from suppliers, these are often on pallets. We don't have masses delivered, but can quite easily get 5-10 on a busy week, 1-4 on a quieter week.

I was just wondering what other small companies do to dispose of them?

Ours usually get taken by someone randomly driving past asking if they can have them, and we did have a scout group take them to use for fires but often we end up with a build up of them and struggle to get rid of them (especially if they are broken) and we dont really have the space to store them.

I would have thought that the pallets have a value and people would want them, but when i have asked pallet suppliers they would charge to get them.

[edb49]

There are people who will come and take them away.

It is coming up to Nov 5th too, so people will be after them for marshmallow roasting.

[Piglet]

Try your local Freecycle group, they'll be loads of people will take them off your hands.

[dilbert]

I know people who have made whole sheds out of pallets!
Local Free Ads are your friend!

[B17NNS]

Get yourself a log burning stove. Free heat.

[Sideways Tim]

Yup, woodburner in our workshop (we don't get any where near as many pallets as you though). It's a full time job chopping and chucking them into the stove.

[CR0X]

are these euro pallets or standards?

In our industry (food and beverage), we often get charged by our suppliers for pallets. It is refundable if we return the pallets, but if people are looking to get rid of some, we often have a requirement for some.

[dougc]

Are they Chep pallets? If so, Chep will come and pick them up.

[stumpage]

We take ours to the local scout camp. They need pallets for the camp fires and I don't like paying to have them removed.

We all win.

[Timja]

Thanks for the replys.

We have tried the scout groups, but they dont want any more. Last year we even put an advert out on a local radio station and no one came to collect them for bonfire night!

We have a vast array of sizes from small ones, Euros, standard and even bigger ones.

Are Chep ones the blue ones? - We have 2 of these at the moment.

I will ask our staff to ask around for anyone who can burn them, but as you say it does taken quite a while to cut them up.

I'm amazed that no one seems to want them - I always thought there were places that bought them off you?

I will give freecycle a try and maybe any other free ads.

Cheers.

[dilbert]

I can't believe they don't get nicked!
Perhaps you are located somewhere too posh.

[Golfman]

We have loads of odd size pallets that we can never get rid of.

Does anyone know of machinery that could extract the metal (nails etc) from the wood, and then shread the wood into small chips...

[dilbert]

Golfman said:

We have loads of odd size pallets that we can never get rid of.

Does anyone know of machinery that could extract the metal (nails etc) from the wood, and then shread the wood into small chips...

Claw hammer?
I guess that's not what you were thinking of!

[Simpo Two]

With the massive increase in woodburning stoves - how about approaching your local stove place and helping each other out? They can give their punters a free source of timber, and you get shot of it

[HiRich]

Timja said:

I will give freecycle a try and maybe any other free ads.

Cheers.

As well as stove/bonfire timber, also suggest them as compost bins (as seen on Gardeners World) - either stripped into staves, or just nail three or four complete pallets together. Custom-built units are £50 on the web
In that vein, browse your local council website for allotment services, and drop them an email? Might get some free veg in thanks.

[richardxjr]

We re-use some sending goods out and force our (paper) suppliers to take the surplus back.

[Reidy10_0]

I am sure a Euro pallet is worth about £5 each.

http://www.classic-pallets.co.uk/sell.cfm

There must be loads of these people about, search for someone in your area.

Edited by Reidy10_0 on Wednesday 29th October 13:30

[Golfman]

dilbert said:

Golfman said:

We have loads of odd size pallets that we can never get rid of.

Does anyone know of machinery that could extract the metal (nails etc) from the wood, and then shread the wood into small chips...

Claw hammer?
I guess that's not what you were thinking of!

Not quite, I want a big machine that eats pallets and spits out the metal and wood seperately, if anyone can help with this I have an idea that would make serious money...

[Timja]

Surely you just need a machine that chops the pallets into small chips, then come out on a conveyer with a magnet above to extract the nails?

[Golfman]

Timja said:

Surely you just need a machine that chops the pallets into small chips, then come out on a conveyer with a magnet above to extract the nails?

Like a big paper shredder, great if the nails were made from toffee. Problem is the pallets are held together with hardened steel nails and would damage any such machinery they went through.

Similar problem when trying to recycle car tyres, the wire bands that give the rubber strength are also an issued when trying to shred or recycle...

saying that.... http://www.wastemachinery.co.uk/waste_shredders_ra...

Edited by Golfman on Wednesday 29th October 21:25