Best saw for pallets?

Eliza_2

I've been offered a supply of pallets for firewood and would like to know which saw people recommend? I've broken up a couple of smallish ones just using a handsaw and brute force but there must be a better way, some of them are seriously solid.

I believe a circular saw is best, though they seem very expensive. Can anyone recommend a make or type or has anyone seen any offers? I've never had one before so no idea what to look for.

Or alternatively, what's another good way of breaking up pallets? Burning them seems a waste of wood but my need for heat is greater than my need for new chicken house/compost bin etc at the moment.

Many thanks

Liz

dacouch

Have you tried taking the pallets apart with either a claw hammer or preferably a crow bar, it show then be relatively easy to cut them with a normal wood saw or even just snap them

victor2

As dacouch says, use a claw hammer to get them apart then a decent heavy saw - the coarsest you can get from B&Q should do. Forget investing in power tools, to get something capable of doing the job would make it very expensive firewood. I tried an axe on a pallet - too much effort to actually get through the wood. Saw the wood about 3/4 of the way through, lie it on the ground with one end raised on something like a brick or two and a sharp blow with your foot will break it (the wood hopefully!).

match

Eliza wrote: »

I believe a circular saw is best, though they seem very expensive. Can anyone recommend a make or type or has anyone seen any offers? I've never had one before so no idea what to look for.

Not the cheapest option but the Evolution circular saws are nice to use - their main advantage is that they will cut through wood and metal with the same blade, so you can saw up pallets without having to go round all the nails (most other circular saws, if you hit a nail, then its often time for a new blade). But you might find you'd have been better off spending the money on firewood pre-chopped!

Claw hammer or small sledge hammers work well, but are hard work if you've got a lot to get through.

A rough-cut hand saw is another option - same overall effort as a hammer, but with less brute force - around 7-10TPI (teeth-per-inch) from a known make (e.g stanley) will make the sawing so much easier.

If the thought of all this work fills you with dread, remember the old saying:

"A fire makes you warm 3 times - once collecting your wood, once chopping your wood, and once burning your wood." :rotfl:

heretohelp

Use a circular saw to cut them up argos do a cheap challenge one for £24.99 710/5025. if you lay two on top of each other and just cut the top one up you wont cut into the floor. if you have never used one before use an rcd just in case you cut the cable. ive cut lots of pallets this way and only use a hammer if im keeping the boards.

Eliza_2

match wrote: »

If the thought of all this work fills you with dread,.......:

No doesn't fill me with dread at all, the satisfaction of having bags full of firewood will feel very good, and there's nothing wrong with a few mornings physical activity.

However I would like to do it in the most efficient way possible. So thanks for all the advice.

Liz

diable

Buy a cheap saw some teabags a nice comfortable chair and badger your other half into sawing the wood for you with the promise of !!!!!! all ;o))))

Eliza_2

diable wrote: »

Buy a cheap saw some teabags a nice comfortable chair and badger your other half into sawing the wood for you with the promise of !!!!!! all ;o))))

That would indeed be cheap - in more ways than one.

However, having disposed of another half some years ago I am more than happy to tackle this myself. Why would I not want to? If a man can do it, it can't be that difficult..

If I had another half I'd still want to - I don't believe in expecting others to do something I don't want to do myself.

Liz

bobhawke

I smash mine up with a 14lb sledgehammer and treat it as a workout.

diable

Eliza wrote: »

That would indeed be cheap - in more ways than one.

However, having cut up and disposed of another half some years ago I am more than happy to tackle this myself.



Liz

so why ask for advice ;o)))))

Eliza_2

diable wrote: »

so why ask for advice ;o)))))

...was asking for most efficient way to saw up pallets, not most efficient way to dispose of other halves - that bit I managed without advice.

Oh hahaha, just realised,you edited the quote. Well you certainly got me there, hilarious!!!