"Ken S. Tucker"
Google: "disassembling pallets"...
Some results:
rec.woodworking
------------------------- " ...The easiest way I've found to disassemble them is to use a s*wz*ll but I guess you could pry the boards up slightly then use a hacksaw to cut the nails. Then use a nail set to pop out the nails. This works better for me than simply prying the boards up since they're generally assembled with ring shank nails which tend to split the boards. A pair of vise grips on the remainder of the nail in the skids usually works. I rarely use the skid wood since they're usually notched for forklifts and have lots of nails. Sometimes I just cut off the boards where they meet the skids since this area usually has a nail every half inch and the wood is generally unusable. I keep a beater saw and hammer in the trunk just in case I find any pallets while driving around so I can break them up and cram them into the trunk :) "
-------------------- "Any type of saw blade will cut this, steel or carbide. You don't need a diamond saw to cut wood. But yes, it IS difficult to pull nails from pallets, which is why I bought a 2 lb sledge hammer and a wrecking bar. The sledge hammer is pounded on the slats from the bottom, pushing them (and the nails) outward. Then the wrecking bar is used to pry the nails out. There is so much pressure on the nails they often pop out and go flying across my garage! BTW, a "wrecking bar" is made from 1" hex steel with usually 1 straight end and one curved end, and usually around 30" long. They are specially treated so as not to bend when you put pressure on it. If you make your own from untreated hex stock, it will bend the first time you use it. I got mine from a store for $7 brand new. They are usually $12US. Each end is flattened and has a notch for pulling nails. You use the curved end to grab a nail, then pull back using the bar like a lever. A lever is a wonderful tool for getting more strength from an action. So now you know my secret method for disassembling pallets:
- Put pallet on edge, use sledge hammer to loosen top boards.
- Put pallet skids down (face up). Push wood down while leaving nail head poking up. Use wrecking bar to pull out nails."