I wanted 4x4s to make the legs for this butcher block. Since Mom wants them painted, I searched around to find untreated pine fence posts. (No point using Maple.) But the few left on the pallet at my local yard turned out to be pretty poor.
The guy showing me around was a woodworker, so he said "Hey, come see something. We sell these to truckers who haul pipe and steel." It was a pallet of rough sawn OAK, 4" x 4" x 8 ft. For $8 a piece.
Needless to say, I bought a couple extra. I'll wire brush them, then joint/plane them to size. I'll even resaw some to make my aprons.
I love finding ways to repurpose something that is meant to be used for one thing, for something else I need.
Fred