Hello everyone 🙂  I know I haven’t posted for a little while. That’s what happens when you get lots of projects going and don’t know what to do.

I sure I’m not the first one who experiences this lack of time to do everything you want to do.

Well I was recently able to get some really nice pallets 🙂 So i can start building stuff for spring and our local farmers market opening soon.

Today I decided to do a Pallet serving tray. Similar to what i found on pinterest.  I spent one day cutting down all the full pallets i got.

So the first picture is a rough mock-up of what it will kinda look like.  I’m a visual person so i have to layout my cuts to get a visual of what i’m going to do and the next step.

I have to learn the different wood types , because i have no idea what some of this wood is because it is a hard wood.

So the obvious next step is to sand all the parts down, I used my handy orbital sander and started at 80 grit to get all the rough stuff off.

Then you can see what you are working with and get a better idea with the fit..

Because this is all reclaimed wood you quickly learn that NOTHING is perfect. But that’s the beauty of reclaimed wood; everything in different and unique.

Sorry for the little blur 🙂  After i sanded all the boards down the next step was to attach all the boards on the handle stringers.  I used my recent purchase of a RYOBI Airstrike nail gun.

And i’m so happy I took the step in getting this. It has made my recent projects way easier to complete.

(I’m giving my personal opinion and under no obligation to any specific company at this time.)  I got this gun because other DIY bloggers use it and i value their opinion and reviews.

So thus far I’m quite impressed and hope to get more RYOBI products.

So after nailing all the boards in place with a little glue , I’ve finished most of the assembly and sanding of my Pallet Serving Tray.   All that’s left is the handles and stain.

Update : I stained the pallet serving tray. Using KONA Varathane wood stain.

While i was shopping at our local building supply store this past summer I came across a package. It was a Simpson Work Bench or Shelving Hardware Kit. 🙂

So I already made a workbench but i wanted to try something a little different and use a new technique i saw called torching. 🙂  And if you know me and even if you don’t know me yet you’ll soon know that i don’t always follow the rules. 🙂  It seems that the torching technique is very old.

The term “Shou-Sugi-Ban” is Japanese (焼杉板) and literally translates to “burnt cedar board”. The term is commonly used to describe the centuries old Japanese technique of charring “Sugi” (cedar) planks used for residential siding, fencing, and decking projects.

So i decided to make a couple of end tables using this technique.  So i determined what size i wanted and took measurements off  an end table we had inside.

I used a simple propane torch that I had on hand, and a spray bottle standing by.  I only lightly torched the wood and used the spray to put out any flames.

I torched each piece individually.

For this project i made a list of all the materials i needed.

2×4’s  – 8 at 8ft each   $25.00

4 Simpson Ties per table or 1 Box Simpson Workbench Kit $50.00

For the Top of the side table i had some re-claimed cedar fence boards on hand. So I decided to use the same process on them as i did on the legs. And WOW was i ever pleased with the results .

The next step was assembling the base, which was extremely easy using the Simpson Ties.

When i was starting to assemble the base, I discovered the easiest way way to do it upside down !! That way everything stays in relatively the proper position and the top of the table is flush when your ready to attach the top. 🙂

The top was a little bit more of a challenge since nothing ever goes exactly accordingly to plan.  I was using re-claimed fence boards.

3 full boards was going to almost work but i needed a couple small pieces of 1 inch filler board.  So I made a jig that i could use to cut a small strip of ceder board.

I used my handy Back & Decker Matrix multi tool with the circular saw attachment.

After all the boards were cut and attached with finishing nails I decided that a coat of Triple Thick Varathane was the perfect finish since i wanted to keep the grain look.

FINISHED PRODUCT

Stenciling is a new project challenge.  I’ll be giving more step by step descriptions in future projects.

First you need wood of course. I have been using some reclaimed pallet wood. You have to be a little more cautious about the pallet wood you get considering all the different products are shipped on it.

I usually clean it with a spray bottle filled with vinegar.  That should kill any typical bacteria.

I also lightly sand it to get the entire rough surface off, since you need relatively smooth surface to use your stencil on.

I have use 2×2 wood and nailed my planks onto it using finishing nails. It keeps your project fairly light but strong

I’ve used acrylic paint and a technique called dry brushing.