A pile of pallets and some very basic tools*. Not much to work with, but still with many possibilities!

I was in Uganda for 2 weeks, from Aug 25th- Sept 8th, 2018. One of the things I did there was to teach a group of “unskilled beginners” how to get started with woodworking. Within a few days, a group of 15 people who had never used woodworking tools before built 2 pallet couches, a big storage shelf, a custom kitchen counter, and a simple coffee table! The confidence on a girl’s face when she cut her first piece of wood was priceless. And when the group saw their finished pieces of furniture, they had ideas of what they would build in the future.  :)

first cut with a jigsaw

measuring

pulling pallets apart

rustic storage shelf

custom counter top

outdoor table

If you thought about using some old pallets to build something, don’t be intimidated by all the tools and projects out there. Just do someting simple and get started, it’s a lot of fun!

*Tools: hammer, jigsaw, electric screwdriver with both screw- and drill bits, measuring tape, pencil, level, 90° angle, sandpaper, varnishing paintbrush