Wooden
Pallets to a desk...
Pallet
Computer Desk
Introduction
Often you can get old wooden pallets for the asking as it costs
businesses money to throw them away. Knocking them apart takes
time and the quality of the recycled wood is usually very poor.
Still the price is right and the pieces are short enough to fit
in your old car.
This
poor wood can be made into a solid, good looking computer desk.
The construction is very similar to our wood worker's bench detailed
under 'Freebies' on our web site.
You
rip the wood into slats and drill holes for threaded rods thought
each piece. You then bolt and glue the stacks together into solid
panels. You trim the panels and assemble them with lag bolts and
blocks of wood. You smooth the outer surfaces with a hand plane
or belt sander.
You
spend a lot of time salvaging the wood and ripping the pieces
but the finished desk is so solid it can last for 75 years. It
even makes a good workbench after your student days are over.
One
word of warning, some pallet wood is treated with anti-rot chemicals.
Never work with wood that is has a greenish tint or smells like
creasolt (dark brown stain). The dust put into the air when these
woods are cut could be harmful to your health.
Here
are three drawings, a photograph, and construction hints for free.
This is all the information you need to build this desk. It is
a freebie just for visiting our site.
Be
sure to following the safety instructions that came with your
power tools. Just before using them stop and think. Am I standing
or reaching in a awkward way? Is the scrap and tools in the way?
Is the work under good control?
Sketches
and Photo
Available
at http://www.charm.net/~jriley/pallet.html
Pallet
Computer Desk
At the start of this note is a three view drawing of this desk.
Note that it is made of four solid panels made by bolting long,
thin boards together with threaded rod. The panels are then bolted
together with threaded rods.
Disassembled
-- Sketch #2
This
sketch shows all the pieces as they look when disassembled for
travel. Although they are heavy, they can fit behind the front
seat of the type of old cars commonly owned by students. The panels
are the Top, two Legs, the keyboard shelf, the top back brace,
and the bottom back brace. The bottom back brace is 'T' shaped
and forms a small shelf.
Boards -- Sketch #3
This sketch shows all the board that you must cut to make this
desk. It is best to rip the boards as long as your can from your
material and trim the entire panel off after you have glued it
up.
Materials
You can build this desk with the following inexpensive materials:
Wood
All the wood was recycled from wooden pallets used for shipping
by industry and from through out pieces of furniture.
Hardware
US prices
6
-- 24 inch by 5/16 threaded rods -- $10.50
12 -- 3/8 flat washers -- $ .50
52 -- 5/16 flat washers -- $ 2.00
12 -- 5/16 nuts -- $ .50
2 -- 12 inch by 1/4 threaded rods -- $ 2.50
4 -- 1/4 flat washers -- $ .25
4 -- 1/4 nuts -- $ .25
36 -- 2.5 inch by 5/16 lag bolts -- $ 12.00
8 -- 1-1/4 inch by #8 flat head wood screws -- $ .75
Other Materials US prices
16
oz -- Wood Glue -- $4.00
Omissions and Contingencies
Allow %15 for tax, sandpaper etc. -- $ 5.75
Total
-- $ 39.00
Well the price is right.
Tools
Required
You will need the following tools:
Saw
Access to a table saw is best, but the job can be done with a
radial arm saw, or a circular saw.
Drill
A drill and bits to drill a lot of .5 inches holes in wood.
Work
Bench
This work is best done on a proper work bench with a wood vice.
You can do the work on saw horses or even an old picnic table
but you must be careful to clamp the wood well.
Hammer
You need a heavy claw hammer. Assorted other hammers and pry bars
may also be helpful.
Wrench
A socket wrench works best.
Chisel
A common carpenters chisel but it must be sharp.
Plane
or Belt Sander
If you want a smooth top you will need a plane with a sharp blade.
If you do not have a plane now you can use a belt sander or leave
it rough and promise to smooth it later.
Construction Notes
Getting Wood
This desk is intended to be made from recycled wood. The wood
can come from shipping pallets, discarded furniture, or construction
site waste. The prototype was made from 5 five pallets and two
pieces of discarded furniture.
In
my neighborhood, large trash is placed out at the curb once a
month. I have often found this a good source of wood.
Scrap
plywood can be cut into strips and used in this desk. This produces
an interesting effect if mixed in with the other wood. The edge
of the plywood is very difficult to plane, so it is best not to
use plywood strips in top and keyboard shelf.
You
can mix two-by and one-by material and even half inch slats. You
can mix hard wood and soft wood. You can even use some painted
wood intentionally leaving thin colored lines. Whatever looks
good is good.
As
recycled wood is generally of poor quality, you will need to collect
a good amount before starting work on the desk. You will be left
afterwards with a good supply of kindling wood.
Taking
Pallets Apart
Pallets are strongly nailed together. It takes some practice to
take the apart without cracking the wood.
Cut
a good supply of scrap wood blocks. Two by Four stock about ten
inches long works well.
Do
not beat directly on the pallet wood with a hammer. Always place
a short block of wood across the grain and beat on you scrap block.
Also
use the blocks to hold the pallet up off the floor, so that you
can drive the pallet pieces down. This is less likely to split
the pieces than prying the up.
Any
time a nail head comes up high enough to get the hammer claw on
it, stop beating and pull out the nail. Again use scrap to protect
the good wood. You will have to turn the pallet over many times.
Carefully
save the nails in an old coffee can. You will reuse a few but
this is mainly to keep the nails out of people's tires.
Best
Ends
When you have a good pile of wood, go though the pieces and cut
off one end square. This gets give you a reference end and lets
you inspect the wood.
You
can often save a piece that is spilt at the end by working glue
into the crack.
Also
sort the wood for length, saving the longest pieces for the top.
Save your very best pieces for front edge of the top and shelf
and good pieces for all the outside edges.
Best
Edges
If you have a plane and work bench, go though the pieces again
planing one edge straight and smooth. This gives you a reference
edge for cutting and will make smoothing the finished top much
easier.
It
will be much easier to get a beautiful flat surface on the top
if it is free of all but the smallest knots. Put your best wood
in the top and put the best edges up.
Cutting
Strips
Cut the wood into strips the correct width. The top and legs are
the same width but the shelf is thinner. This is easy on a table
saw but can be done with other power saws and a fence. Be sure
to clamp the work well and set the saw depth properly so that
you do not cut the support. Take your time with this step.
Drilling
Holes
Select three good pieces for use as drill patterns. Mark them
with a 'P' and mark the top and reference end. Layout the holes
for the treaded rods. The rods should be about 1/4 the way in
from the ends of the finished panels. Drill small holes, just
big enough for a scribe, straight through the patterns.
Drill
the rest of the strips using the patten and only the pattern to
mark each one. Be careful to always have the reference end in
the same direction and the best edge up. The holes should be a
very loose fit on the threaded rods.
Lay
out the strips with the good edge up to be sure you have enough.
Be certain that you have enough strips to fill up the rods with
plenty to spare. The stack compresses at least an inch when clamped
down and you do not want the bold heads to stick out. You can
drill out the patterns for use as soon as you are sure that you
are through with them.
You
may want to trim the second ends now or wait until after the panels
are glued up. It is very hard to get all the pieces straight during
gluing so plan on trimming them afterwards if you can.
You
may wish to build the feet into the leg panels but cutting the
two outside slats one inch longer than the body of the panel.
When glued you can trim only the upper edge and the feet. The
bottom edge between the feet will be a little uneven but this
does not show.
Chiseling
Nut Recesses
Choose good pieces for the front and back of each panel. Two by
material a good choice here. If all you have is one-by or thinner
material, then glue several strips together.
With
a shape carpenter's chisel, cut out a neat pocket around the hole
large enough to easily handle the washer. If all you have is one
straight chisel, you can make the rectangular recesses shown in
the drawings with slopped ends.
The
recess must be deep enough to completely contain the nut, two
washers, and two full treads on the end of the rod. Make them
as beep as you can without cutting though the slats.
Gluing
Up
This is a good use for cheap glue. Also use up any old bottles
of glue you have laying around. The glue area is large and the
treaded rods supply most of the strength.
Lay
out all your slats for a panel. Be sure they have the reference
ends the say way and the best edge up.
Place
one large washer, one small washer, and a nut on two threaded
rods. Stick them through the front piece with the rods pointing
up. Tack nail or clamp the piece so that the rods do not fall
back through the holes and you stack up the slats on them. Apply
a thin coat of glue to each surface and thread the pieces one
at a time over the rods. Be sure to keep the reference end in
the same direction.
Before
you place the outside edge piece on, place washers and bolts on
the rods and pull them down. You will probably need to back them
off and place one more slat on the stack. If you can just barley
get the nuts started with the outside pieces in place then you
have the right number of slats.
Lay
the panel down and tap the slats as straight as you can with a
hammer and block of wood. Check the square. If the panel is way
out of square then you may need to take the back nuts off so slats
will move around more.
Pull
the nuts down evenly, a turn here and a turn there. Some glue,
but not too much, should run from the cracks. If you have some
long clamps, place them at the very ends of the panel and pull
them down too.
In
the end you should have two threads showing at each rod end. The
end of the rod must not stick our of the recess. If the rods stick
out then you need to get in one more thin slat before the glue
drys.
The
leg panels should be the same width and just a little narrower
than the top panel. If you have a hack saw and file, you may want
to shorten the leg panel rods by .5 inch.
The
keyboard tray is make the same way but uses 1/4 inch rods and
thinner slats. You do need to trim this panel after the glue is
dry.
I
like to scrape off excess glue with a putty knife when it is gummy
about twenty minute after the glue up.
Trimming
Panels
If you have a circular saw it is easy to trim the panels after
gluing. Simply measure them carefully and clamp on a straight
edge for the saw.
You
can trim the keyboard shelf with a table or radial arm saw. It
is the most important to be trimmed properly.
Be
extremely careful that you know exactly where the rods are when
trimming.
Bolting
Blocks
Cut two-by stock into two-by-two bolting blocks. You will need
four long ones for the legs and short scraps for the bottom back
brace. Predrill the blocks for the lag bolts.
Back
Braces
Cut two pieces five inches or wider for the back braces. This
is a good use for scarp plywood. These need to be three inches
longer than the trimmed keyboard shelf.
Also
cut a bottom shelf the same width as the keyboard shelf. Assemble
the bottom brace in a 'T' with the shelf and the bolt blocks.
Use nails and glue. Use additional nailing blocks if the shelf
is made of plywood.
Final
Assembly
Attach the bolt blocks to the inside of the leg panels and the
keyboard shelf with glue, lag bolts, and washers. Drill pilot
holes and always use a washer with any bolt against wood.
Be
very sure that the bolt blocks are even against the trimmed end
and square the the front edge. it is particularly important that
the keyboard shelf blocks be exactly their same width ad the shelf
at their extended ends.
Lay
the top out upside down. Center the keyboard shelf on it. Install
one leg panel with lags but no glue but do not tighten the bolts
completely. Check that it is square to the front of the top.
Install
the second leg panel using the keyboard shelf as width gauge.
Again use no glue and leave the bolts a little loose.
Cut
scrap blocks to hold the keyboard tray up the right amount and
install the back set of lag bolts.
Screw
the top back brace in place. Again not glue. Be sure that the
legs are square before putting in the second set of screws. If
you cannot push things around to get them square then loosen the
lag bolts.
Install
the bottom back back brace with lags and screws, but no glue.
Check the square of the legs.
Turn
the desk over and install the second set of lag bolts supporting
the keyboard shelf. Be sure that the shelf is parallel to the
top.
Tighten
all the lag bolts.
Planing
The top will be much nicer if planed. This is not difficult if
the top does not have too many knots and you have the tools to
keep the plane blade sharp. You will probably need to place a
heavy tool box on the bottom shelf while planing.
You
can take a belt sander to the top if you prefer.
Finish
Optional
Finish for this desk is completely optional. You may do nothing
at all and simply let the wood take color with age. You can stain
the whole thing or you could even paint it. It is up to you.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have complete a good, solid computer desk
largely from recycled materials. You desk could easily be in use
as a workbench a hundred years from now.
Pics
& Sketches can be viewed at;
