"John Grossbohlin" on Mon, 12
Feb 2018 00:24:09 -0500 typed in rec.woodworking the following:
"pyotr filipivich" wrote in message
.. .

Yes, that is my quandary. I have a stack of pallets, and some
rather nice (for some values of nice) boards in some of them.
Hardwood, I think "oak" - but I do not know. One thing I do know,
when I saw them loose, the wood gives off a pungent smell, similar to
that of strong vinegar. (I hope it is the wood, and not the saw
blade.)
This is more for my Fund of General Knowledge than a necessity.
I've used "pallet board" like this before to make so rather fine
(IMOSHO) small wooden boxes and the like.

I recently toured the factory of Community Play Things. Their products are
found in schools, day cares, hospitals, and other institutional places where
children and babies can be found. While there I found out that they use a
wood for their outdoor products that is pickled.

Though my memory of the details could be off, as I recall the wood itself is
from Austria and the preservation is done in Norway... This not a finish but
rather an impregnating process (I believe done under a vacuum like pressure
treated wood). When I smelled the wood it had the scent of pickles/vinegar.

For pallet wood it might be cost effective compared to heat treated wood...
perhaps this is what you have.

I doubt it. Pallets tend to be made of the cheapest stuff around
- at least the grade I'm snagging. The good ones rarely if ever show
up outside the fence.

Years ago, I learned that there was a grade four lumber - 1 x 12
pine boards, each one guaranteed to have cup, warp, bark, knot holes,
or pitch. Or any combination. We used them for shipping 'crates'
for countertops - one way.

--
pyotr filipivich
Next month's Panel: Graft - Boon or blessing?