LUSITANO RETREAT — P36 BUILD NOTES
Use only with the main pallet guide and material intake checks. Illustrative dimensions are not a structural rating.

MEASUREMENTS
1. Example display backing 360 × 240 × 12 mm; keep it bench-supported.
2. Example butt-joint samples each 140 × 45 × 18 mm; actual board thickness and screw selection are written on the label.

CUT LIST / COMPONENTS
1. Known clean backing: 1 × 360 × 240 × 12 mm.
2. Two accepted demonstration pieces: 2 × 140 × 45 × 18 mm example dimensions.
3. New sample screws selected for the actual butt joint; separate short fixings or clips hold the demonstration on its backing.

TOOLS
1. Tape, pencil and square; clamps and a flat bench.
2. Suitable saw, drill/driver and pilot bits matched to the chosen fasteners.
3. Sander with effective extraction; metal detector before machining accepted boards.

ASSEMBLY
1. Choose the single teaching point: marking, clamping and pilot drilling a modest butt joint. Write a short filming sequence before starting and explain that the sample demonstrates workshop technique rather than an approved furniture, frame or structural connection.
2. Select two sound accepted offcuts and measure their actual thickness and width. Mark the example 140 mm lengths and a separate 360 × 240 mm backing, scan before cutting and keep split or nail-damaged zones out of the planned sample joint.
3. Cut the pieces square, smooth the contact faces and dry-fit a right-angle butt joint on the bench. Use a square to confirm the arrangement and label each face; the end of one piece meets the face of the other without a screw hiding a gap.
4. Select suitable new screws for the actual timber and joint, then mark the proposed entry and tip location on a paper cross-section. Choose pilot preparation according to the screw guidance and timber; do not demonstrate a universal screw length for every reclaimed board.
5. Clamp the joint securely on the stable bench with hands outside the drilling path. Drill the marked pilot holes using the appropriate bit and controlled depth, keeping both pieces supported; stop to correct movement or splitting instead of completing the shot around a fault.
6. Drive the selected screws with controlled torque and stop before crushing the face or stripping the wood. Check the joint while it remains supported, looking for a new split, a gap or a protruding tip; remake a defective sample from sound offcuts.
7. Place the finished sample on the backing and attach it as a display using suitable short contained fixings or clips that do not distort the joint. Label actual thickness, selected screw and pilot preparation, distinguishing the display attachment from the demonstrated corner connection.
8. Film the finished sample on its bench support and show the written sequence alongside it. Keep all tools stopped during close-ups and store the display away from machines; make no strength claim, failed-joint stunt or guest-use recommendation from this teaching prop.

FINISH AND CARE
1. Smooth natural surface or suitable cured indoor finish.
2. Labels state actual measured dimensions and connection choices, not a capacity claim.

COMPLETION CHECKS
1. Sample has no new split, protruding tip or loose display attachment.
2. Display remains bench-supported; footage separates tool use and close-ups.

Guide: https://lusitanoretreat.com/build-guides/building-with-pallets/#project-p36