Category Archives: Recycling

Creating A Simple And Inexpensive Rain Water Collection System

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Our entire farms watering needs are met 100% with reclaimed rain water

100% of our watering needs are met using collected rainwater

Our barn's metal roof is our supply of water for the entire farm

Our barn’s metal roof is our supply of water for the entire farm

Visitors to the farm are usually surprised to learn that we water the entire garden and landscape with reclaimed rain water. Our system, which collects and stores rainwater from our barn’s metal roof, provides 100% of our annual watering needs. The best part, it was extremely easy to install, and can be inexpensively adapted to almost any home, shed or roof with a gutter.

We spent the past week hooking our tanks back up from winter storage – and within 24 hours  - we had just over 150 gallons stored from a single rain.  It’s been over a year now since we first completed the rain collection system – and I honestly don’t know how we survived without it.

It gives us access to free water, and with our two plastic tote tanks, can collect as much as 550 gallons from a single downpour.  And that’s only using rain from the back portion of the roof!  This spring, we will add a third tank fed by the front gutter – increasing our storage to just shy of 900 total gallons – enough to handle our watering needs for nearly two months of complete drought.

How it works:

Our system starts with the rain coming into simple gutters and downspouts

Our system starts with the rain coming into simple gutters and downspouts

Through a simple in-line diverter - the rainwater is carried to our main capture tank

Through a simple in-line diverter – the rainwater is carried to our main capture tank

The water then empties into our main storage tank

The water then empties into our main storage tank

This is from one single rain last week - about 125 gallons

We quickly filled almost 150 gallons from a single rain last week, the day after we hooked the totes back up.

A second tank sits above the garden for watering all of the plants with simple gravity and a hose

A second tank sits above the garden for watering all of the plants with simple gravity and a hose

We connect a standard garden hose to the tanks with a simple threaded adapter

We connect a standard garden hose to the tanks with a simple threaded adapter

The system collects rain water from a simple adapter made to fit our existing barn’s gutter. The barn has a standard gabled metal roof measuring 13 wide’  x 32′ long on each side.  A  32′ section of guttering runs along the bottom of each side of the metal roof, slanted slightly to carry all of the water to the eastern side of the barn.   From there, both sides empty into standard downspouts.

The front downspout (not used currently), runs down and out to the field for normal drainage. On the back downspout however, we installed a simple 2-way in-line diverter (See Picture). When the metal lever is slid to the left, rain water is diverted into a 275 gallon storage tank located below the downspout. When all tanks are full, the switch can be slid back for normal drainage.

From the main storage tank, we pump and fill a second 275 gallon tank installed above our garden. With that, we can water all of our plants quickly, using gravity and a standard garden hose connected to the tank.

To increase capacity and mobility, we are adding a second diverter to the front gutter this year.  That will fill a 3rd tank mounted on wheels – giving us the ability to pull water anywhere it’s needed with our tractor.  That will be a huge time saver when it comes time to water the newly planted grapevines and fruit trees on the hill this year.

Here is a look at the system’s components and cost:

Totes: $40 each  We found ours for $40 each after searching on Craigslist.  You can also check with local food plants that may receive their raw materials in them.  One word of caution – make sure you know what was originally in your tanks and that it is safe.  Our tanks were used to hold maple syrup and molasses – simple food products that can be cleaned out and re-used.  You will want to avoid using tanks that held harsh chemicals. Most tanks come with a 6″ threaded cap on top, and a 2″ threaded outlet valve at the bottom.  You can convert the bottom 2″ valve to accept a standard garden hose with a few adapters found at your local hardware store.

Diverter Switch :  $15  You can find standard gutter diverters at your local home improvement store for about $15 – they install in minutes with rivets or screws.

Threaded Valve and Hose Adapter: $15 Your local plumbing or hardware store can hook you up with a simple threaded connection valve to convert the 2″ drain at the bottom of your tank to handle a regular garden hose.  We also installed a ball valve ($10) on our tank for an extra shut off point.

A couple of final notes on collecting and using rainwater:

Keep It Dark:  You will want to keep the water from getting direct sunlight to keep algae from growing in the stagnant water. Algae can only grow if there is light.  If your tank is translucent like ours, you will want to cover it.  We use a black covering like a grill cover to cover them up once the sun and algae become a problem. Not only does it dress it up, but it keeps the water and the flow line crystal clear.  For the pictures here, we have the covers off to show the tanks.

Keep It Covered: No matter what system you use to store your water, you will want to keep closed.  Water that sits is an open invitation to mosquito larvae .  Our totes came with 6″ caps and lids on the top.  We simply cut out the hole for the downspout, and then sealed the edge with some inexpensive foam.

Know What To Use The Water For:  We only use our reclaimed water for watering plants or washing off equipment ,etc.  Since we do not treat it in any way, we do not use it for drinking.

Check to make sure your allowed to collect rain water.  Although it sounds crazy, in some states out west you are not allowed to collect rain water, as the water rights still belong to the state.  So to be on the safe side, check with your local or state government to make sure it’s legal where you live.

Happy Gardening!! - Jim and Mary

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How To Build An Indoor Seed-Starting Rack – Cheap!

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Our seed-starting rack stand - room for over 500 seedlings!

Our seed-starting rack stand – with room for almost 600 seedlings!

The dining room table / mini garden area last spring

Our dining room table / mini garden area last spring.

For the last few years, in the late winter months, our dining room table transforms into our seed starting area – or as we like to call it – our mini garden. We actually had it down to a science, using a few inexpensive shop lights to grow our plants healthy and strong. The mini garden set-up unfortunately also rendered the dining area useless for the 6 to 8 weeks it took to germinate and grow all of the ornamental pepper and garden plants we use.  Not to mention, some strange looks from company wondering what we were “growing” in there under the dim glow of flourescent lights :) .

So, for this week’s DIY segment –  we thought we would design and build our very own lighted seed-starting rack. The rack will allow us to move the entire seed starting operation out of the dining room – and into an unused portion of our basement.  It also allows us to double the seeds and plants we can start indoors in less space – from the 4 flats we could start on the table, to a full 8 flats.

We wanted it to be simple, strong, and of course, as always – cheap!

Using just nine simple  2 x 4 x 8 pieces of lumber, a single sheet of particle board and 4 inexpensive double-bulb shop lights – this can be made from scratch for around $50 to $70. Even less if you happen to have some old shop lights or scrap lumber laying around!   It will accommodate up to 8 full size seed trays on the two growing shelves – and can grow up to 576 plants if using the 72 pack cell inserts.  There is even shelf space at the bottom to store gardening supplies – or if you are really ambitious – another layer of plants!  The best part of the project – it can be assembled with simple tools in less than an hour or two. In our case –  we cut, built and assembled it in the time it took to watch the Houston Texans take our Cincinnati Bengals out of the playoffs! It’s also strong and can double as a great storage shelf when not in use the rest of the year.

Here is how we built it:

Once you have your 3 rectangles assembled - screw in the four 6' vertical boards to the bottom shelf first

Once you have your 3 rectangles assembled – screw in the four 6′ vertical boards to the bottom shelf first

Materials List:

(9)  ea. 2  x4  x8′s
(4) ea. Hanging Shop Lights
(1) 4′ x 8′ sheet of 1/2 strand board or plywood
(50) 3″ screws
(8 to 12) 2″ screw hooks

Tools Needed:

Circular or Chop Saw
Screw Gun
Tape Meassure

How We Built It:  

(We have included extra photos at the bottom to help show the building process)

Start by cutting all of your pieces:

You will need to cut the 2×4′s into the following sizes:
4) ea. 6′ long
8) ea. 4′ long
8) ea. 2′ long

Taking the 4′ x 8′ sheet of plywood or strand board, cut three pieces, each 27″ x 4′ wide – these will become the shelves of the stand.

Next - attach the sceond rectangle wood square to the top of the 4 6'support legs

Next – attach the second rectangle wood square to the top of the 4 6′ support legs

The actual building process is a snap – especially if you have two people for an extra set of hands. We normally use construction adhesive when we build anything for extra durability – but we forewent that on this project in case we ever want to disassemble and relocate the shelves.

Start by building your 4 rectangular shelf supports from the 4′ and 2′ pieces.  Create a rectangle by placing two 2′ boards flush at the ends of two 4′ boards.  Drive a single screw in the middle of each connection to create a solid rectangle.  Repeat until you have all four rectangles assembled.

Next, we will assemble the bottom shelf first. Take one of your 6 foot boards and place it flush on the end of the outside edge of where the 2′ and 4′ pieces meet. (see pictures)  Then – making sure your 6′ board is straight in the air at a 90 degree angle – we screw it in place with a total of 4 screws.  We put 2 screws that sink into the 2′ board and 2 more than sink into the 4′ board. Repeat for the other 3 “legs” and you are on your way to your plant stand.

Next – we screw in one more of the rectangles the same way – this one at the top – flush with the top of the 6′ boards. Once you have this screwed in – your stand will start to become very stable.

Attach the final two shelf rectangles for your two shelves.

Attach the final two shelf rectangles for your two shelves.

Now, we just simply repeat with the final two rectangles, screwing them in to form the bases for the growing shelves. For our set-up, we set our two shelves at 23″ apart – this allows us plenty of room to adjust the lights up and down with chains as the plants grow, and lets our plants have plenty of room to grow big.  As another option you could also evenly space the two middle shelves and actually grow on the bottom shelf as well for 3 growing areas.  For us, two is more than plenty – and we will just use the bottom shelf as for storage items.

Next, slide in the 3 27″ x 4′ shelf boards you have cut from the plywood or strand board to make your shelves.  Simply drive a few screws into the support frame to secure.

Once you have all of your shelves in, its time to hang your lights. Simple screw hooks work great here.  A small pre-drilled hole will help you screw them in.  We install 2 hooks on each side – spaced evenly on the 2 foot end bars.  Most of the inexpensive shoplights at the big box stores will come with a small chain and S hook for the light – just install and your set.  To make ours even easier to operate – we are going to install a small power strip on the side, allowing the lights to be turned on with a single flip of the switch.

There you have it – an inexpensive seed-starting stand!  If you want more information of starting seeds – you can see our article from a few weeks back – How To Easily Start Seeds Indoors

If you would like to receive our weekly DIY and Gardening Posts – be sure to sign up to follow our blog via email, Twitter or Facebook in the right column.

-  Jim and Mary

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Close up of the rectangle shelf supports attached to the post. We attach 4 screw on the outside of each shelf angle support to add extra strength to each

Close up of the rectangle shelf supports attached to the post. We attach 4 screw on the outside of each shelf angle support to add extra strength to each

Four screws are driven in to the outside of each post at every shelf corner

Four screws are driven in to the outside of each post at every shelf corner

Side View of the shelf supports

Side View of the shelf supports

Measuring Down For The Shelves

Measuring Down For The Shelves

Use a level to make sure your shelf supports are level when attaching

Use a level to make sure your shelf supports are level when attaching

Building A Trestle Desk From Scrap Lumber

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The Trestle Desk In Place – With Our Two Salvaged Vintage Chairs. It’s 8′ Long and 30″ Deep

The obligatory “before” picture

Our living room also doubles as our home office area.  It seems like there is never enough space  to organize our own work – let alone the homework assignments and projects of the kids.  So this desk, like almost everything we build, came purely out of necessity.

We wanted a long work space that could have two separate working areas on either side – with room for a shared printer in the middle.  We had a couple of old wooden chairs that we wanted to use to fit the room’s “vintage” theme – so we designed the trestle desk around them.   The beauty of a vintage build like this – even if it gets a ding or a scratch – it just adds a little more character to the piece.  Not something you can do when you scrape or scratch the flimsy pressboard desks you buy in big box stores.

To help manage the cords and keep a clean look on top – we added a few holes along the back edge to drop cords through for the laptops and printer.  So for now – the end result is a nice clean vintage look in the living room / office.  That is, of course, until the projects, papers, and everything else soon clutter this desk as well!  We are realists after all. :)

From a material standpoint – it’s an inexpensive build – especially if you have some scrap lumber lying around.  But even if you have to buy all of the materials at the lumber store – you can build it for under $50.

Here’s how we did it:

Step 1 – Assembling the 28″ and 25″ pieces to for 3 squares

Next – scribe the angle cuts with a pencil and cut to make the inside “x”

The Finished “x”

Attach the back 2 x4 x 93″ boards flush to the top and bottom of the back of the desk

Pre-drilling some 3/8″ holes in the top desk boards – these are to put the buttons in after they are screwed down on the desk

After all holes are pre-drilled – we then screw the top down flush with the 3″ screws and glue

With The Top On – We added the back trestle angle boards

We then cut out 1″ circles in the back for pass through cords

Before painting -we added a 2×4 trim board all around the desk to give some depth to the piece.

Bottom primed and getting its black paint – all that is left is to stain and seal the top

Stained and waiting to move indoors

We have two separate lists below – one if you are buying all new lumber, and one if you are making from scrap pieces.  Make sure to look for nice straight pieces with no bowing or warping – it makes the project go easy.

Building From Purchased Lumber Material List:

(4) 2x4x10’
(5) 2x4x8’
(3) 2x10x8’  For Main Top
(75) 3″ screws
Wood Glue / Construction Adhesive
3/8″ Wood Plugs – approx. 40

Building From Scrap Wood Material List:

(6) 2×4’s  28” pieces
(6) 2×4’s  25” pieces
(6)  2×4    32” pieces
(2) 2x4x93” for back boards
(3) 2x4x8’  For Outer Trim Boards
(3) 2x10x93″  For Main Top

We started by cutting 2×4 boards into 6,  28” long pieces

Next, we cut 6 more pieces of 2×4 boards at 25” long

We pre-drilled each end of the 28” boards for 2 screws

Taking two (2) each of the 28″ and 25″ pieces, we applied a little construction adhesive (you could also use wood or carpenters glue) to the ends of each 25” piece – we screwed the 28″ pieces into the 25″  to form a square.

*2×4′s are 1 1/2″ thick – so they make a perfect 28″ square when glued together with the 28″ boards overlapping the 25″ boards.

We repeated this process two more times until we had 3 complete squares.

Up next – the inside cross bracing.  Now, you can be fancy and figure out the exact inside measurement – or you can take the easy way and just simply lay down a 2×4 piece on top of the square and make simple cut marks by tracing the line.  2 angle cuts later – and your x braces are ready to assemble.  Once again we drilled a few pilot holes on the outside of the squares, applied construction adhesive and screwed them together.  We repeated it again for the other 2 squares and the desk was ready to start assembling.

We set 2 of the finished squares 93” apart from outside edge to outside edge on a flat surface – and then set the 3rd square in the dead middle of the two.  We then took two 93” boards  – and screwed them into the back side of the 3 squares – one flush to the top – one flush to the bottom, connecting the back of the desk.

To add the “trestle effect” to the desk – we then cut two more angle boards to fit in between the back two boards – and screwed them into place.

For the top – we wanted the screws to be hidden – so we used a 3/8″ drill bit and pre-drilled the 2 x 10 x 93″ top pieces down a 1/4″ inch on each board.  This way – when we were finished assembling we could pound in some 3/8″ wooden dowel plugs to hide the screws and give an old peg “look” to the piece. Then – we applied some glue on the top of each square support and screwed down each board.

After the top was all glued and screwed down – next came the dowel plugs. You can buy them at all most any hardware store – or  can cut your own from a long dowel – either way – - installing them is a snap.  We put a little glue in each hole – put the dowel plug on top and with a little tap of a rubber mallet (or hammer if you go easy) – we secure them down in the screw holes.  Some of them were just a touch above the board surface height – but a quick sanding smoothed them all out.  Finally we added a 2×4 edge board to the front and side edges to give a thick wood look.  We used the same plug method here to hide the trims screws as well.

Next we gave the entire pieces a quick sanding – and it was time to paint.  We decide to match the pieces in the room – so we painted the base a matte black – and used a dark walnut stain for the top.  For the base painting – we used a quick coat of primer before applying two coats of black matte paint.  For the top – we wiped on two coats of walnut stain – and then applied 3 coats of urethane (with a light sanding in between coats).

The finished result – a two station work desk for our home office / living room.

If you would like to receive our weekly DIY and Gardening Tips Post each Tuesday – be sure to  hit the “Like” button on our Facebook page, sign up to follow us via email on the blog, or sign up to follow us via twitter.

Jim and Mary

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6 Simple Tips To Find Free Pallets and Reclaimed Materials

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Projects like this compost bin are easy to make for free if you can find a source of pallets.

Pallets and reclaimed wood make up the majority of our materials when creating our DIY projects.

More often than not – the one question we get hit with is: “Where do you guys find this stuff for free!?”

Here are six tips and hints that have worked best for us – including specific details on the best places to look for  those elusive materials to recycle into your next project:

1. Think Small

The smaller the business – the easier it will be to get quality materials to make your craft or project.  Large businesses tend to have processes already in place to handle their waste materials.  On top of that, for safety and time saving reasons – they are not fond of letting  people in to take one or two pieces of scrap material.  So think small business.  They usually don’t have the resources or volume to unload scrap and spare materials to big haulers – so more often than not, it ends up in their dumpster.

2. Learn The Art of  Asking

Always, always always ask!  Just because there are some pallets piled up against a wall – or some leaves bagged on the road – it doesn’t mean that they are “free” for the taking.  In fact, in some cases – stores that take deliveries on pallets pay a deposit on them – and are charged if not returned.  In the case of  items left at the curb – asking is always the safe and courteous thing to do.  For a business – first thing in the morning or late in the day are some of the best times to stop in and ask.  Why?  Those times tend to be the slower periods  - and they are much more likely to take the time to talk to you.    And when you ask – be sure to share your plans for it with them.  Trust me – when people find out your building a coffee table, a desk, a chicken coop or playhouse for your kids – they are much more likely to be on board and help.  It also goes a long way to our next point:

3. Develop A Relationship

If you do find a business or a builder that has available items – work on developing a relationship with them to get materials as they become available.  Exchange email addresses and stay in contact.  Over time, we’ve developed a network of people who are on the look out for items we use.  We make it a practice of emailing back a photo of the finished project we made from their “junk”.  This works great for more than just pallets and wood – we have people that call us when they have left over stone,  garden materials, etc. because of the relationships we have built.  We have even gained some loyal blog followers now from our suppliers – wanting to see what we are building next.

So enough of the how to ask – here are some of the best places to find those materials.

4. Where To Find Good Pallets

You can usually find some great clean pallets that are perfect for building projects.

Pallets are one of the hottest materials used right now – and you can find a myriad of projects all over the web to make from them.   The key in making great projects is finding nice, clean and damage free pallets.

Our secret?  First – we forget about looking at those big commercial and manufacturing businesses.  Almost all of them have recurring contracts with pallet pick ups and deliveries  - and you never know what chemicals or materials have been used near them or spilled on them.  Instead – we concentrate on small stores that  get a small but steady supply of pallets.

The best places?  Small Garden and Hardware Stores, Motorcycle Shops, Lawnmower and Power Equipment stores.

Garden and Equipment Stores usually have a nice supply of available pallets – most of the new equipment is shipped in clean crated pallets

These stores seem to get inundated with pallets and shipping crates – and in many cases struggle to get rid of them. They are usually nice and clean because they are transporting brand new equipment in them.  Most of the power equipment stores receive their equipment and parts on pallets, or small shipping crates – which are great for re-purposing.   We have a small motorcycle and lawn equipment store nearby that always has a pile of lumber waiting to be scrapped.

5. Where To Find Misc. Lumber and Framing Material Scraps

New home builders and small business construction sites.

New home building sites are a great way to find nice scrap lumber and plywood

Ever drive by a new home building site and see that little fire going in the side yard?  Well,that is what some builders do to get rid of scrap lumber not used on the job site.   If not in the fire – it usually ends up in their dumpster.  Usually a simple walk up to the crew and they are more than happy to let you rummage through the pile.  You can usually find a nice supply of 2×4, and 2 x 6′s in short but very usable lengths.  For a desk or table – remember – most legs are between 28 to 30″ high.  Another great find at these places can be nice supply of short plywood pieces  - great for projects of all types.  Again – you will have much better luck with small time builders.

New Business Openings.

Have a new business coming to town or going into a strip mall or store?  How do you think they get all that product in to start the store?  That’s right – on pallets and in shipping crates!  When you see a new store coming in  - stop and ask  once again – many times – the store is so concentrated on getting open and running – they are more than glad to give you as much as you can take.  Just last week – we stopped by a new store ready to open and asked – and were greeted with a YES! please take them – you will save me from having to get rid of them.

6. Use The Power Of  The Internet

Local Facebook Community Pages Are A Great Place To Find Materials

Look For The Free Salvage Materials On Craigslist or your local Facebook Community Pages.

Okay – so beyond the pitfalls and the horror stories you here about buying things on Craigslist.  If you use common sense, and some basic personal safety rules –  it’s a great place to find materials for next to nothing or even free!  In our case – within just the last year we have found an old barn, 1000+ paver bricks,  and a huge load of crates and pallets – ALL FOR FREE.  We concentrate on the “for free” and “General” and “Materials” tabs – making sure to give a quick glance every few days to see what’s out there. On the being safe side –  we never ever pick anything up alone, always pick up during daylight hours and stay mostly with businesses that have items to unload.

Also – don’t be afraid to put out a notice on Facebook for what your looking for – you would be surprised to find people that may have something that has been sitting in their garage waiting for the trash.  Also – many local areas have Facebook Community Pages set up to look and ask for items for free, for sale or trade.

So there you go – our tips and tricks of the trade in picking up great building materials on the cheap!  If you want to receive our weekly DIY and Gardening Tips each Tuesday – be sure to “Like” us on Facebook or sign up to follow us via email on the blog.

- Jim and Mary

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Pallet Projects - Canning Cabinet, Wall Shelf and Crate all made from Pallets

Pallet Projects – Canning Cabinet, Wall Shelf and Crate all made from Pallets

Building A Cool Mailbox From A Pallet – For Under $13!

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Our New Mailbox – built from a pallet and a few pieces of scrap lumber

We needed a mailbox for the farm – and wanted it to match the barn and surroundings.  After looking on-line and in stores over the past few months – we realized anything unique was well over $125 to $150.00.  We decided to continue the recycle, re-use and re-purpose theme and build one ourselves out of a few pieces of left over scrap lumber and a pallet.

Utilizing the scrap we had on hand – our total cost was under $13. But even if one had to purchase the couple of 2x boards needed for the project, you would still be under $25 to build.

How We Built It:

A single pallet is all you need!

Once I had cut the two ends from scrap lumber – I used a jigsaw to cut out the area for the mailbox to slide into

The front cutout after completing the cut with the jigsaw

The Mailbox Base Structure

After the frame was attached – we simply covered it with strips of pallet boards, and added a thin piece of pallet wood for trim around the edges. All cuts were made easily with the jigsaw.

Setting the post. Digging the hole for the post was actually the hardest part of the job!

Putting up the 2×4 supports

Next up – Attaching the mail house box to the post with 4 screws

Last step – we added angle boards at the bottom – cut off the back post supports and put the final coats of paint on the trim and roof.

Like most of our projects –  we started by cutting out all of the pieces and setting them out. (You can find a complete materials and tool list at the end of this post)

Beginning with a couple of scrap pieces of 2 x 10″ lumber left over from another building project – we made the base and two ends.  The base we cut at 22″ long to make  the rectangle needed for the mailbox to sit on.  We then cut two more pieces from the 2×10 stock  at 18″ high for the end pieces.  We drew a 45 degree angle line from the top of the end pieces – and used the jigsaw to cut the roof lines for each piece.  For the front of the mailbox – we took the mailbox we would be using and traced the outline of the door. We then cut that out with the jigsaw as well.

Next, we assembled the 2 ends with glue and a few screws to the 22″ long base.

Once the main base was assembled – we cut 6 of the pallet slat boards to 22″ long.  We used those to build the sides – gluing and nailing them to the two end pieces.

We then cut  four more slat boards at 26″ long for the roof top –  and again attached them with glue and nails – leaving each end with about a 2″ overhang.

At this point we decided to add some trim to the mailbox house to dress it up a little bit.  Using some more pallet boards – we cut  1″ wide trim strips with the jigsaw. and then cut them down as needed to trim out the corners and bottom of the mailbox. Using the pallet wood and wanting a rough look – the jigsaw was more than okay to use for the cuts.

A quick coat of paint and stain we had left over from the barn – and we were ready to install!

The hardest part of the project turned out to be digging the hole for the post at the road!  We have dug quite a few holes for a lot of different projects around the farm – and I can say without a doubt – the dirt near the road bed is the hardest anywhere on the farm!  After scraping and clawing with the post hole diggers for over an hour – we finally had the hole dug to the proper depth  (28″ for us).

Beyond the hole digging issues..putting it up was as simple as attaching two 40″ 2 x 4′s cut from the scrap to the post.  This created the stand for the mailbox to sit on. We then attached the mailbox house to the 2×4 ledge with four screws. We added an angle brace cut from scrap at 45 degrees to the bottom, attaching it from the post to the 2×4 ledge. All that was left was to slide in the metal mailbox – and we can get mail at the farm! :)

One final note: we ended up cutting off the back-end of the 2×4′s from the post. We had originally thought about attaching a sign to it – but decided we liked it better without. To receive our DIY and Gardening Tip Posts each Tuesday – sign up to follow the blog via email or hit the “Like” button on the Facebook tab on the left side of the page.

Materials List

10 ea.)  Slat wood pallet pieces (easily obtained from  1 pallet)

3 ea.)     Small pieces of scrap 2 x 10 lumber :  Lengths : 22″ 12″ and 12″ – a four-foot scrap board will work.

1 ea.)     4 x 6 x 6′ treated post – $9.75

2 ea.     2x4x8′s – we used scrap – (could purchase for $5)

1 ea.)    #80 bag of all-purpose concrete – $3.25

Wood Glue or Construction Adhesive

2″ nails or screws

Tools Used:

Jigsaw
Measuring Tape
Hammer and Nails

- Jim and Mary

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6 Must Have Tools for The DIY Re-Purposer

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With the right tools – you can build anything you can imagine. We made this wine rack from a piece of old barn wood and a simple stainless wine rack that was headed for the trash pile.

With the ever-increasing popularity of turning old into new again, re-purposing and upcycling have become great ways to redecorate and furnish on a budget – all while keeping our landfills and junkyards from filling up.

Traditional carpentry methods and tools are not always the solution when working with old materials such as barn wood, pallets and metal roofing. Although a table saw and a circular saw are great in traditional workshops –  it can be a bit more more difficult to use them to cut a nail infused piece of  barn wood.  So for this week’s DIY post – we thought we would highlight 6 tools we utilize that have really made our life easier while working on our re-purposing projects at the farm. I think it’s important to understand that you don’t have to have a $50,000 work shop like Norm from This Old House to make quality re-purposed items. In fact, the six items listed below could all be purchased together for less than $500.

So here you go… If you don’t  have these in your tool arsenal already – you will want them soon enough!

Swanson Speed Square

The Swanson Speed Square

The Speed Square makes a breeze out of squaring boards and cuts

It’s such a simple tool.  It’s rugged and tough, and best of all, it’s under $10.00 at your hardware store.

Although called a square – the Swanson speed square is a triangular-shaped measuring tool.  Originally designed for carpenters and framers to help figure out angles for rafters and steps – we’ve found 1,000 other uses for it.  Other than maybe the tape measure – it’s one of the most used tools in the tool box.

It makes quick work of creating mark lines for cutting lumber or to square off old pieces of jagged barn boards in seconds. It also makes an amazing cutting guide for my circular or jig saw when placed beside the cutting surface.  We also use it to check for squareness on tables and furniture that we make – and its the perfect squaring guide when we mark off our pergola ends.  Oh, and yes – it does work great for the rafter angles – we used it to make all of our rafters for the barn :)

Pressure Washer

A good power washing was all it took to clean up the floor board that we made into these barn doors.  It- saved hours of sanding to clean off the dirt and grime.

This one may throw you – but yes, a pressure washer makes our top 6 list when working with old wood.  We would be lost without it.   It makes quick work when you are trying to take layer upon layer of grime and paint off of old lumber and salvaged pieces.   Instead of taking hours to sand off years of  wear –  a quick power washing with plain old water can clean up wood beautifully.   The trick is to get a nice even spray tip and work gently down the piece  - it leaves old wood looking great without damaging the surface.  It’s a relatively inexpensive way to get great results.  A lot better than spending a fortune in sandpaper and hour upon hour sanding – or trying to run through expensive wood planers that seem to struggle handling old, dense surfaces.

Sawzall

A sawzall is invaluable to a DIY repurposer to cut all kinds of hard to get at materials

We have talked about this tool in other posts before –  but I can’t begin to tell you how valuable a sawzall is to a DIY’er who works with reclaimed materials.  We use them to disassemble pallets – cut nails, screws and bolts from almost anything, and to easily cut thorough old barn beams and metal pipes.   It gets in tight spaces and fits through slim openings.  There isn’t much a sawzall can’t cut through – and when you combine it with a 12″ construction demolition blade – you can tear apart just about anything.

Jigsaw – (Orbital)

A good jigsaw is a must for making curves and cuts in all sorts of materials

If you want to be able to cut curves in metal, wood or almost any material you can think of  - then the Orbital Jigsaw is a must.   We use our jigsaw non-stop. For all of the cuts, notches and curves in our pergolas we build, the jigsaw handles the job.  We’ve used it on hundreds of re-purposing projects – including cutting the metal roofing for our barn and cutting out the barn wood letters for our fresh egg sign.

Impact Driver / Drill

Once you use an impact driver/drill to set a screw – you won’t want to ever use your regular drill to put in a screw again.

Tired of bending and stripping out screws?  Get an impact driver/drill.  After using my first impact driver – I knew I would never use another drill again to drive a screw.  It has power – it handles all of the tough old barn wood with ease, and makes self tapping screws  go through metal quickly.  In short – it is perfection when it comes to attaching screws into anything.  We used to break and bend a lot of screws before getting one –  not so anymore.  It also requires far less strain on the user when applying pressure to drive the fasteners into the wood.   It is a must have as far as I am concerned.

I can power through any type of wood and recess any screw I am driving.  One of the Trestle Tables we just finished was  a breeze to assemble because of  the impact drill – driving through the hard old wood like butter.  It’s a little louder than your standard drill – but so worth it!    On the topic of “worth it”  - if you look around – you can pick up a cordless impact driver, sawzall and jigsaw together in some of the combo tool kits the big stores offer.  They can be a huge savings when purchased as a bundle.   One extra note of advice - spend the extra money to invest in the new lithium battery technology – and get at least an 18 volt kit.  They last longer – have more power – and life for the DIY’er without a cord is good!

Star Bits and Star Screws

Star Bit and Star Screws

So although not technically a “tool” – these need to go in your tool box.

Have you ever been frustrated by those #2 Phillips screws and bits that seem to strip out in seconds?

About 6 months ago – I purchased a big 20 pack of standard Phillips # 2 screwdriver bits for my drill.  Within a week…yes – a week – I had destroyed almost every one of them.  They seem to strip out under the slightest pressure – sometimes just completely breaking off in my drill.   So one day, in the hardware store, I bought a package of star screws on a whim.   After using them, I literally have no idea why Phillips screwdriver bits and screws even exist anymore.

Use star bits and screws and trust  -  you’ll never again use a Phillips head screw.  The screws don’t strip out – and they don’t slip or bend –  and best of all – the bits last forever.  When you combine the impact drill with star bits, your building projects get completed faster and stronger than ever.

There you have it…our six must have tools.  Here are a couple of the projects we have completed below using them:

Shared on The Barn Hop, Frugally Sustainable, Shabby Creek Cottage, Gnowfglins, Little House In The Suburbs Funky Junky Six Sisters 

DIY – Building A Floating Ledge Shelf From Pallets

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The floating ledge shelf made from pallet wood.

The pallet shelf up beside the canning cabinet.

We wanted a small display shelf for between our canning cabinet and buffet hutch in our dining room.  So – staying with the pallet theme used to build those two pieces - we used pallets once again to build a floating ledge shelf.

Floating ledge shelves are great because they allow you to change pictures, candles and decorations without the need to remove nails, screws or hangers each time.  Big pictures, small pictures and everything in between will fit on them without ever worrying about more holes going into your walls.  The best part – this shelf can be made in less than an hour with just 3 ordinary pallet boards,  8 screws and a little wood glue.

A few weeks back – we had a short tutorial on how to quickly disassemble a pallet to get a nice stash of ready-to-use boards.  (http://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2012/09/18/building-with-pallets-how-to-disassemble-a-pallet-with-ease-for-great-wood/)  With that wood close at hand – we were ready to get building.

3 pieces of pallet wood, 8 screws and a little wood glue are all you need.

This is actually a very simple piece, consisting  of just 3 pieces of wood.  A main center shelf (3 1/2″ wide by 36″ long), a front ledge (1 1/2″ wide x 34″ long), and a back ledge (2 1/2″ long x 36″ long)

We used about 1/4 of the wood from one pallet – so depending on the size of the shelf you wanted – you can make several from a single pallet.  You could also just as easily use old barn wood or pine boards to build.

The How To:

*    At the end of this post, you will find a quick pictorial to take you through our building process step by step.

Main Shelf Board:
Using one of the three wider boards taken from the back of the pallet – we cut the board down to 3 1/2″ wide with a quick run through the table saw.  The boards were already 36″ long, so the length was good to go.    To add a little dimension to the piece – we tapered the front edge of the board 1″ on each side and cut off with a jigsaw.

Front Ledge Board:

Taking one of the smaller slat boards from the top portion of the pallet – we once again ran it through the table saw to get the desired width of 1 1/2 inches.  I then used the jig saw to trim off 2″ to make this piece 34″ long (allowing for the angled front taper).  Next – I used a drill to pre-drill 4 small pilot holes in the lower half of the slat board – one at each end, and 2 more spaced evenly towards the middle.

Back Ledge Board:

Taking another one of the smaller slat boards – we make the back ledger board.  We trim it down to 2 1/2 wide with a quick run through the table saw  - and kept it at the existing 36″ length.  I repeat the same pilot hole process at the bottom of the board that we did with the front ledge board.  With that – it’s ready to assemble!

Assembly:

Starting with the front ledge board and the main shelf board – apply a small bead of wood glue or construction adhesive to the front edge of the  main shelf board.   Line up your front slat board until it’s even, and using the pre-drilled holes – assemble by drilling the screws in from the front side.  You can use any wood screw you like – but I find it  easy to use basic 1-3/4″ coarse black drywall screws.  They go in easy, are inexpensive and hold great.

With your front shelf ledge board attached – now its time to assemble the back board. Repeat the same steps as before.  Apply a thin bead of glue or construction adhesive to the back edge, and screw the back slat into the back edge of the main shelf board- screwing from the rear side towards the front.

At this point  you can either leave your shelf rustic, or apply a coat or two of stain or paint to the wood.  (One quick tip – if you want to leave rustic – it is amazing what a little pressure washing can do to old wood to make it look great again – no sanding needed!

After it’s all dry  - your ready to hang.

Hanging is a snap.  I use a stud finder to locate a couple of studs in the wall – and then drill out two holes in the front top portion of the back ledger board.  Place the shelf up against the wall and using the 2 pre-drilled holes,  attach with 3″ coarse black drywall screws or wood screws into the studs.

That’s it!  In less than an hour – we have our shelf cut, assembled and hung!

Shared on Savvy Southern Style, Frugally Sustainable, The Chicken Chick, Gnowfglins Simple Lives, Shabby Creek Transformation Thursday, Six Sisters, Funky Junk SNS, Little House In The Suburbs

PICTORIAL

We used the table saw to rip down the large board to a width of 3 1/2″.

Next – we taper in the corners of the main shelf board 1″ towards the front end and make a mark to cut

The angled cut line for the main shelf board

We then cut the tapered lines on each side of the main shelf board

Then pre-drill four small holes along the lower portion of the front ledger board. Space the holes out evenly – one on each end and the other two in between.

Place a thin strip of wood glue or construction adhesive on the side of the main shelf board.

Next – screw in the back ledger board flush with the edge of the main shelf board.

Repeat the same step for the front ledger piece – glueing and then securing with screws flush to the bottom of the main shelf  edge.

Pallet wood shelves we made and painted black

Building With Pallets – How to Disassemble A Pallet With Ease For Great Building Projects

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Here is a great pallet to use – nice thick wood and untreated

As most of you know – we love to build with pallet wood.  If you spend some time looking  - it is usually pretty easy to find a source to get them for free – and if you find the right kind – the building potential is limitless.  I thought for today’s DIY post I would show how we go about taking a pallet from its current state to great usable wood in just a few minutes

Working with pallets – the first thing we realized early on is it is nearly impossible and too time consuming to worry yourselves with pulling out the nails.  It is too easy to damage the wood with the claw and hammer or pry bar.

You can get a corded or cordless sawzall – but they are the king of dismantling pallets.

Instead, we opt for our sawzall method – which can disassemble a pallet in less than two minutes into 10 or more pieces of great usable wood.  Besides – the left over embedded nail fragments actually add a ton of character to pieces when either stained or painted.

So – 1st Tip – Invest in a sawzall.  They are the key to quickly destructing a pallet – and without damaging or splintering the wood.  Yes, it’s an expense – but the inexpensive ones will work just fine with pallets.

Throw out the little 5″ min blade and Invest in a 12″ Demo/Construction Blade. They last forever and can rip apart a pallet in a few minutes.

2nd Tip – forget about the little 5″ blade that comes with your sawzall.  That will only frustrate you.  Buy a couple of 12″ construction blades (trust me – the few bucks are worth it – and they last forever).

3rd Tip - How to disassemble. You can follow below with the pictorial below on how we do it – but in a nutshell – set it on its side and simply slice through the nails on each end. Then – head down the middle row doing the same thing and in no time you have a lot of pallet wood great for all of your crafts!  You can also click here to see some of the items we have made from re-using pallets : http://oldworldgardenfarms.com/category/recycling/

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First Step – take your sawzall and cut down through one side of the smaller boards all the way to the bottom

Next cut down the opposite side – followed by the middle if there is one – the boards simply fall off

Once you have the front side finished – repeat for the back side – which are usually the largest of the boards

This is what you are left with – great boards to get building with!

This hutch was made from pallet and shipping crate boards

Trestle Table II – Expanding The Farm A Little Quicker

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Your not seeing double…this is table # 2 :) :)

One of the upgrades from table 1 – the 10′ benches that go down each side

No – you are not seeing double – and no this isn’t a repeat post.  By now, most of you who follow know that our dream of a completely self sufficient farm is helped along by our little pergola business that we do in our spare time.

So after posting about the old barn wood trestle table we built in time for the barn party – we had an offer to purchase the table that was in short - too good to pass up.  It was a way to bring a little more income to the farm and purchase the orchard trees and what we have wanted since day one – an old farm truck to use around the place. (what’s a farm without an ol’ farm truck??) So we did what any respectable Americans with a little entrepreneurial spirit do – we sold it and went about building another for our barn.  We still have a large stash of old barn rafters left from the barns we tore down, so wood wasnt a problem – just finding the time to build it…again!

A Sad Day…Table 1 loaded on the new “old” farm truck.

I won’t lie – it was actually tougher than I thought loading it up on our new “old” farm truck and delivering it to its new home.  And the first time I walked in the barn and saw the bare space where the table once stood – it was a really empty feeling.  However – as with all things – the second time you do something it really is easier.  You learn some tricks and can change some things you want to include the 2nd time around.  And we did just that.  We widened and lengthened the table – this one is a little over 12′ long and is now 46″ wide – which will allow for plenty more room for plates and dishes right down the middle.  We also opted to darken the top stain to more match the barn sign and look “older”.  We also added the 10′ benches and stained them to match.

Our Old World Garden Vintage Logo we designed..what do you think?

The result…We can now walk in our barn and smile again that our table is back! This actually has led us to think long and hard about expanding the old wood working to maybe a little Etsy shop and just design and build things we can with old barn and pallet wood in our spare time.  It’s not like we build pergolas in the winter.  We have had some requests for the pallet canning cabinets and a smaller table – so what the heck – maybe it’s a  way to build that farm even quicker.  We even came up with a name and a logo : “The Old World Garden Vintage Collection”.   Feel free to drop us your thoughts in the comment section below – we’d love to hear what you think of it.

In the mean time…no matter what…this table is staying put – my promise to Mary :) :)

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Buffet Hutch Made From Pallets, Shipping Crates and A Piano Lid

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The pallet hutch made from old pallets – shipping crates, an old wooden desk top and a piece of an old piano

What to do with a bunch of left over pallet wood and shipping crate panels?  Well – for us – it became the materials to build our buffet hutch in our dining room.  It’s a large piece – measuring  6′  wide x 5′ high x 32″ deep.  But it gives us a great place to display and store our dishes, bowls and glasses – while giving us a lot of storage room underneath.  Storage room that we use to store our crock pots, electric skillet, roaster, and our canning pots and pressure cooker.

We created the framework for the piece by screwing and glueing together some old 2 x 3′ scrap lumber.  Next up – we added two  panels from a shipping crate  to form the two sides of the hutch (The same crate panels we used to build the canning cabinet – they work great to provide walls for any cabinet project).  We then covered the rest of the frame with pallet boards and also used pallet boards to create the base of the display shelf

The left and right sides of the buffet hutch are made from a shipping crate panel

For the top – we used the top of an old wooden work desk that I had salvaged and saved from an old decrepit office desk.  Once we had it all together – we gave it a quick coat of black paint – and then followed up with a single coat of off-white paint to give the piece a worn look.

For some finishing touches – we added the top Italian ristorante sign and some lighting.   For the sign we used the flip top piece of an old upright piano that was headed for the trash.   The panel was the perfect length and a perfect fit for the top of the piece.  After that, a little black paint and some white stenciled letters - and the sign was finished

A simple cabinet light mounted inside of the cabinet provides some nice light for display.

For lighting – we drilled a small hole in the back to allow for a cord – and then hung a small under counter light to illuminate the display shelf – and a small spotlight on top to light up the sign.

The best part – with the dings of the old recycled wood – it looks like it has been around forever.  If we do manage to ding a door or nick the wood – it just serves to add a little more “character” to the piece. :)  To receive our DIY and Gardening Tip Posts each Tuesday – sign up to follow the blog via email or hit the “Like” button on the Facebook tab on the left side of the page.  - Jim and Mary

An old piano lid became a sign after a little paint and some stenciled letters

Full size picture of the hutch