pallette wood (oak)

[smokinbiker]

Have a chance to get some oak pallettes. Would they be good for my Brinkman side box smoker I don't know if they treat the wood for rot etc. Don't want to poison anyone. any help would be appreciated.  Howie

 

[fftwarren]

Im not positive either, but Im almost certain they don't treat em. Pallets dont last long in the weather and most look like rough cut lumber shot together with a nail gun

 

[biaviian]

Most (if not all) pallets are treated.  The treatment can be via chemical or heat.  This is an international law (it applies to all pallets shipped over national borders).  If it is chemical then the chemical used is methyl bromide.

Note that the treatment is not to make them last but rather to kill any insects/organisms inside the wood.

 

[pineywoods]

I would say no. If it wasn't treated when built somebody else may have sprayed some kind of chemicals on it while it was used and you may never know.

 

[matts]

I would avoid them.  You never know where they have been and what might have gotten on it. 

 

[biaviian]

I would say no. If it wasn't treated when built somebody else may have sprayed some kind of chemicals on it while it was used and you may never know.

Great point.  I didn't think of the "after-market" pollution aspect.

 

[fftwarren]

I stand corrected. even if they aren't treated as MattS said, you don't know what got spilled on it. And I'm sure they've had something spilt on them at some point or another

 

[travcoman45]

 I use em ta start the fire in the shop stove from time ta time, ya be amazed at some a the colors what come outa that wood in the flames.  That be different chemicals what have been spilt on them pallets.  Look clean, but ya just never know.  It just ain't worth the risk yall.

 

[meateater]

Survey say's.....Heck NO!

 

[tom37]

I say, probally better not as well.

Oh geezzzz, someone or something along the way may have took a leak on or near them. WOW, now that would be a really bad smoke!!

 

[smokingohiobutcher]

Ok  so I  have a question then... Why does everyone suggest to burnout their UDS drums with these contaminated pallets???  Some people wont use a drum cause it may have motor oil in it but will burnout a liner in a food grade barrel with questionable pallets???  I burnt the liner out of my drum with a weed burner...worked great. I was just wondering???

SOB

 

[hdsmoke]

Because its free...and easy to come by...and burns well...and your not cooking over it...and you are burining at hi temp, not cooking at low and slow...by the way congrats on getting your liner out...i gave up on mine after about 8 pallets, a weedburner, and a sanding flap disk on my angle.  Thing was a beast.  Now its a trash can with intake holes on the bottom!  But i bought a WSM

 

[ak1]

Yep, that's why it's ok to burn with pallets but not cook.

 

[smokinbiker]

Thanks for all the excellent advise. All makes a lot of sense.  

I'll let the bugs eat them. 

 Howie