New Pallet Products and Etsy!

This past year has given us some opportunity to continue to experiment with recycled pallet wood. The Sun Cafe and Market is set to open sometime in early 2013, which will give us space to display our wood products. In the meantime, we have started an Etsy account and will be putting on one-of-a-kind items from time to time. In case you didn't know, our Products with Purpose are made in the Opportunity Center here in Hyde Park.  Our missionaries learn to work with their hands, and the sales (and skills) support the ministry.  It also gives us skills we can then teach to people ready to change their lives.

Here are some of the things we've made in the last year or so:

 



Recycled Pallet Candle Holders



Candle Holders

Simple, rustic, and artsy. A couple different styles. Sold pretty well at the Old North Christmas Bazaar.





Recycled Pallet Night Stand Dresser



Rustic Night Stand Dresser

This was designed by our executive director. Has a rough finish and simple, rustic construction. The lap joints were nailed together.



Recycled Pallet Hall Shelves



Hall Shelves

We tried to find something that would use some smaller pieces of wood. We made a sleek, modern one, and a more traditional/country one.

Patio End Table

Patio end table

This was a custom order piece. Sort of a combination of two table designs we already had. The frame is mortise and tenon joinery, while the slats are simply screwed and glued. I really liked this design because it was sturdy and attractive, and matched our deck chairs perfectly.

Crazy large sliding door

Sliding Door

This was another custom order. The door was two inches thick, 89 inches tall, and 40 inches wide. It weighed A LOT!  The mix of woods gave it lots of character.



Recycled pallet picture frames, and Mark Goodwin Photography.



Picture Frames

Used best to house Mark Goodwin's photography.

Recycled pallet stools with upholstered seats

Stools

A custom order from someone in the community. The design was based off a really simple stool that was in the Opportunity Center when the building was donated. Mortise and tenon joinery. We tried to use oak as exclusively as we could in these.  Getting the stain color right was tricky, as the customers had a table we were supposed to match. The table was really really dark, so we didn't quite make it, but they compliment very well. Also, they were our first upholstery job.

Recycled pallet bookshelf

Book Shelf

This thing is heavy! I tried to make something that really emphasized the material we use, which is recycled pallets. So it's chunky, there is quite a mix of woods, and plenty of character.  The sides are framed panels.

Recycled Pallet Furniture Continues

A big part of our operation is the Opportunity Center Woodshop. Our missionaries work with their hands building furniture and other wood products, and this is largely how we make a living and support the ministry. Donations of money and materials are always welcome, but building and selling products not only helps our ministry be sustainable, it also provides a huge connecting point, as well as a training environment and sets the stage for multiplying economic opportunities in hurting areas.

Starting in February of this year, we've been receiving an average of 35 hardwood pallets a week from a local tool and die factory. We have been disassembling them, planing the wood, and making sturdy outdoor furniture, like our popular deck chairs. We also made the furniture for La Mancha Cafe in the Old North neighborhood. We were all surprised and pleased with how well the recycled pallet material translated into indoor furniture.

A woman asked us to build four custom dining room chairs for her, and wanted arms on them (something we'd never done) and wanted a light colored stain, and they would have to finished in polyurethane (something else we had never done). This project supplied a perfect opportunity for us to increase our skills in product design and wood finishing. This is the first product we've made with a light colored translucent stain that would really highlight the character of the recycled wood.




We came up with a unique design that allowed us to build a traditional looking armed chair, but without complicated joinery which would have required machinery and know-how we don't possess. The chairs are very sturdy, incredibly heavy, and fit her dining room perfectly. Because the chairs were finished in a light stain, and the pallets are made from an assortment of hardwoods, we matched up like -kind and complimentary woods, so each chair is a unique work.

Our next project is a conference table made from recycled church pews and recycled pallets.

If you would like to volunteer in the woodshop, donate tools or materials, or learn more about our products, you can check out our facebook page or contact Jason at 314-437-3861.