Meal in a Jar Shelves from pallets

 Hello Everyone!
I stumbled across a great idea for our "Meals in a Jar" jars.....Mason Jar Shelves out of Pallets.  Each pallet will make 4 shelves.....I think I may have a source for the pallets ....can we say recycle????    

Our week #17 Meal in a Jar recipe is now posted.  Go to the sidebar under 2012 and click under the posts for September...........go to week 17.   yummy!!!  This is the soup we had last week for our Relief Society Meeting.  Enjoy



Meal in a Jar shelves from a pallets

(click on the link above to go to original article from Honeyville ....you can print out a printer friendly version or pdf of the article and instructions)

Food Storage Friday #26: Making Mason Jar Shelves out of Pallets

We've spent a lot of time talking about the "What" and "Why" to Food Storage preparation. We've discussed the different type of foods to keep on your pantry shelves, the life span of those products while on your shelves, and even what type of storing containers you can keep those products in while they sit on your shelves. The only thing we haven't discussed yet? The actual shelves!
Today we thought we'd show you how you can take a simple wood pallet and transform it into the perfect storage and display shelf. These shelves are perfect for those delicious Meals in a Jar Chef Tess has given us, as well as any food storage products that you've sealed and stored in your half-gallon jars. Not only that, it looks great from a design perspective. It really gives a country kitchen feel to any pantry or living space. Ready to get started? Let's take a loot at what we'll need.

Items:
1 Wood Pallet
1 Circular Saw
1 Hammer
Nails
Sandpaper
Gloves
Protective Eyewear
...and a little muscle!
Directions:
Before we can get started on our pallet shelves, we need an actual pallet. For this project, we found that one pallet can make four shelves.

While some shipping warehouses sell their used pallets to the public for a small fee, most places will let you pick up any old pallets for free. Just make sure you grab one that has all of the wood boards still intact.

First, use an old 2x4 to lift up the outer boards. This is where you'll need a lot of muscle, and even some help from a friend. Leverage is key. Make sure though that you keep the main three boards attached to the pallet. These boards will be the main portion of the shelf, and will also keep the main beams of the shelf in place during cutting.Mark where your cuts will be on the main beams of the pallet. If cut properly, the pallet should make four working shelves.

Use the circular saw to cut each beam. You may need to use a hand saw to cut the middle section of the beams. Once each beam is cut, you should have four shelf sections.

Take the boards that you had removed earlier and hammer out the old nails. These boards will serve as a top and bottom to your shelf. Nail the bottom and top of each shelf.

Once shelf is complete, sand down the rough edges and you are now ready to mount it on your wall. Remember to use a strong mounting nail or screw when mounting it to the wall and make sure the shelf is nailed to a stud. These shelves will be holding heavy mason jars.

You can choose to paint or stain your shelves according to your own preferences. Personally, I like the plain, sanded look of the pallet.

Fill your jars with different products to add color and personality to the pallet. Remember, this isn't only for storage purposes, but also for look. These shelves can be used in your Food Storage pantry or your kitchen. Whichever you prefer, the choice is up to you. So, now that you have these fun and creative shelves, what will you store in them?