Jigsaw blades to replace Reciprocating

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Gaogier

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Hello

I have a jigsaw, I don’t have a Reciprocating saw… I don’t think I will ever really need one either… I have a jigsaw, with metal bits, and this is what I use currently to cut through nails… anyway, I have gotten ahold of some pallets, with the option to get another 50+ whenever I want.

Some of the nails just won’t budge, nothing I can do helps, so I have to cut them. I don’t like using our multi tool, the rotary tool won’t reach, by hand using the hacksaw is working but so slow, and I only have 1 blade.

Anyway is there a way (safely) I can either connect a Reciprocating saw blade into a jigsaw or have an extra long jigsaw blade that give some 5” cutting depth?

Some of the wood is too far gone to be saved but have enough I think, once all nails are removed and either glued and clamped, trimmed the broken bits off, and “fill” any other bits if needed…

Can you either recommend blades or let me know if this is a bad idea? The nails in some of the wood are so hard to get out, that it has bent my newish (about a year old) nail punches.
 
I've recycled many pallets to make fencing compost bins raised beds ect.
Never used anything more exciting than a long nail bar and a framing hammer to take them to bits.
 
Why not use a pry/crow bar to pull/push the timber apart? In the past, I have slammed pallets on their corner edge to encourage them to fall apart.

I am not aware of long cutting, metal, jigsaw blades.

Why not use a jigsaw to cut through the safe timber? You will only have to deal with the nail in the middle of the pallet, and you, hopefully, should be able to lever that off.
 
progressor jigsaw blades but not cheap
cheap plug cutting blades 2mm bigger than the head leaving clean holes where the nails used to be
i use leverage to open a 1.5-2mm gap then any saw you like to trim nails
 
I'd say its a stupid idea! a pallet buster will be a good investment if you have a lot to do.
 
Gaogier said:
Can you either recommend blades or let me know if this is a bad idea?
Click to expand...
Attaching non-standard parts to power tools that were never designed for them is always a bad idea.
It's exactly how people get seriously injured or killed.

If you really need a reciprocating saw, they can be purchased new for less than £30.
Dismantling pallets would not normally require one.
 
I have no idea what this pallet is made with, but it has taken nearly 3 days to dismantle… so far… the nails are like screws… the heads are deep into the wood, and somehow bent heads locking it all together.

I have used… with no luck…

1ft pry bar
2ft crow bar
2 meter bar
Blocks of wood under all of above
A jigsaw
A drill with cobalt bits drilling the heads off…
A hack saw
It broke the pallet buster

I have taken some boards out, trimmed the nails so, I can use the nail punch, it’s just the thickness of the boards, made sure there is nothing directly under the boards and it bent the full metal punch…

I am making progress though…
 
Hello

Some updates…

I went and brought some bolt cutters, and a new solid heavy crowbar, and this is my new plan that seems to be working… but have questions.

I am prying a gap in the pallets, cutting the nails where it won’t pry apart fully. I am then knocking the nails through using nail punches.

Why would nails have some sort of copper wrapped around the nails?
Could I bang the nail punch back straight, heat it up so it’s glowing hot and clench it to reharden and make them usable once more?
 

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that nail punch is for panel pins with heads around the small end size [around 2-3mm]just to knock the head below the surface for filling before painting
 
big-all said:
that nail punch is for panel pins with heads around the small end size [around 2-3mm]just to knock the head below the surface for filling before painting
Click to expand...
I'm quite surprised its only bent as much as i has.
Gaogier said:
Why would nails have some sort of copper wrapped around the nails?
Could I bang the nail punch back straight, heat it up so it’s glowing hot and clench it to reharden and make them usable once more?
Click to expand...
the nails will have been fired in with a nailing gun, i guess the copper will have held the nails together in a cartridge that loads into the gun.

Out of curiosity what are you using the pallet wood for ?
 
Munroast said:
I welded a socket onto mine so I can wind it up with a cordless drill - worked well on some types of pallets -
Click to expand...

I have three, ever handy, scissor jacks - and snap, I cut the eye of one, and welded a bolt head in its place, to allow a cordless drill to be used.

Actually, thinking about it, I have five scissor jacks here - 3x in the garage, 1x which belong to the car, in the boot, then 1x in the front locker of the caravan which is specially made to lift the caravan, via it's Alko chassis.
 
Last edited:
Gaogier said:
Hello

Some updates…

I went and brought some bolt cutters, and a new solid heavy crowbar, and this is my new plan that seems to be working… but have questions.

I am prying a gap in the pallets, cutting the nails where it won’t pry apart fully. I am then knocking the nails through using nail punches.

Why would nails have some sort of copper wrapped around the nails?
Could I bang the nail punch back straight, heat it up so it’s glowing hot and clench it to reharden and make them usable once more?
Click to expand...
They are wire nails, the copper help prevent them coming loose. Don’t know why you struggle ! Takes 15mins to dismantle an average pallet.
 
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