Yes I finally got myself up to date recently our local Lidl store had Reciprocating Saws in stock so I treated myself to one, specifically for dismantling pallets. The one I got was cordless and I have to admit it is very powerful and now makes cutting through the nails a breeze. In fact I almost feel like I am cheating, but joking aside this tool has made a massive difference.
I described in an article a while ago how I dismantle pallets to salvage the wood, well jump forward a few months and now the pallets are stripped so fast in comparison and with a whole lot less effort.
I still use the lump hammer and cold chisel to separate the wood and create a gap big enough for the saw blade to slip into. But now instead of pulling a hack saw backwards and forwards, I just press a button and job done!
Reciprocating Saw battery consumption
I have two 20 volt lithium batteries for this saw and I find on average I can break down about 3 pallets per battery before it needs recharging. So with two fully charged batteries there is normally enough power available for a decent pallet dismantling session.
One thing I would recommend though, is to have a couple of spare blades to hand for the the reciprocating saw. I find sometimes the tip of the blade will knock against a nail and the blade gets bent although you can straighten them out. It does seem to affect their efficiency though, also try and have a couple of different lengths of blade as this will make your job easier.
I believe these reciprocating saws are also known as Sabre Saws and are a great addition to your tool collection. They can be used to cut just about anything as there are a wide range of blades available: Sabre Saws available on Amazon
