I am building some simple “pallets” out of 4x4 lumber to ship some machines.
The plan is to screw the feet of the machines to the top of 8 foot long 4x4s, and then to screw shorter 4x4s, probably about 4 feet, to the top of them as crossbars to move the machines with pallet jacks. Basically, I’d have a rectangle 8 feet long by 4 feet wide with the weight being supported from above by the crossbars. I’m not sure how much the machines weigh, but as a guesstimate, I’d put them at about 600 lbs each.
My question is what type and length of screws should I be using for this? I may double up on the cross bars if it doesn’t feel strong enough to safely carry the weight. Given I’m using 4x4s, I’ll have about 7" of wood to work with, I imagine 6 inches would be a minimum length, but I don’t know if I need some thicker screws, in which case I might need to drill some pilot holes.
Thanks for the help
A 4x4 feels like overkill, but personally, I’d go with lag bolts. The issue with screws is that, while they won’t pull out easily, they’re still prone to snapping due to their hardness - so their ability to handle side load is weaker compared to something like nails, which will bend rather than break. With lag bolts, though, that’s not much of an issue because of their thickness.
Whenever we’ve had heavy stuff delivered to job sites on pallets, it’s always been secured with lag bolts and washers. And yes - you’ll need a pilot hole, sized to the diameter of the bolt’s core (the inside of the threads).
I know it’s overkill, but it’s for specific dimensions, so I’m trying to find the simplest solution. I may go for 2x4 for the cross bars, it’s probably fine, and I can double up on them if feel the need for more strength.
The only 8 foot pallets I ever see are made to be lifted from the long end, and they can’t take a jack under the short end. Otherwise, that would be simpler, and I would just need to line something up under the feet to make sure they’re sully supported.