seeking advice for a project- a pallet breaker

[MattGraff]

Hi there!
My name is Matan and I'm from Israel. Currently i'm an engineering student in one of the major universities here.
In one of our classes we were asked to plan and design a tool (using Solidworks) and hopefully make it to a finish product.
I came up with a simple design for a tool a lot of people make in order to take wooden pallets apart and use it to build rustic, recycled furniture (a picture of the design is attached).
In order to keep to cost realistic- what kind of metal should i use?
I would also need to weld some of the parts together- is there any kind of welding technique i should use to get the best results?
Appreciate any help
Thanks a lot!

 

[pedrobedro]

Hello Matan, you just need some decent thickness mild steel, nothing exotic. There looks a lot of drop on that one in your picture. If the claws are nearer level you will not have to bend so far to pry boards off. Look on Youtube there are some very efficient ones on there made out of scrap metal.

 

[gaz1]

then use youtube

doing alot of pallets worth considering

 

[bricol]

Don't forget the first rule of engineering design - keep it simple! And cost effective (I won't say cheap). Keep material requirements to standard section sizes, minimise machining (including drilling holes) and the need to set things up in jigs to make.

While I've no doubt your design will work, you look to have too many parts - and pivoting pads on the working arms - things to break or wear. It would have to be the delux version ;-) While the simple version will work as well and make more profit - and cost you less in warranty work ;-)

Of course the simplest pallet dismantler is a good hammer . . but that might be a bit too simple for this project ;-) Good luck on the course - the best profession . . . if not the best paid ;-)

I'm a design engineer and development leader for a company in the UK building high speed processing equipment, mainly for food and beverage cans - I have a bit of reputation with angle iron at work - my colleagues like castings, machined in all directions, special materials (sometimes needed of course). Guess who gets the jobs needing quick, cost effective solutions that work, and who gets to get around a bit ;-) Colombia was nice last year . . . ;-)

 

[addjunkie]

Sure there is some one on here who makes these as part of his sales portfolio, but can for the life of me think who it is

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

My Simple pallet breaker.
Quick simple, cheep.
All I do is slip on a suitable tube on the stub and away I go.

 

[MattGraff]

Thanks everyone!
I agree with the comments and appreciate your help!
Hope to learn more from the people in this forum in the future!