Thread: G'day everyone

Considering I'm hanging around here considerably more than when I first created my account, I suppose I should introduce myself

My name is Bertil, and I'm a relatively young fella, at a tender 26 years of age. I consider myself to be a bit of a late bloomer - Grew up on a farm for the first 17 years of my life, and in that time I had barely an understanding or passion for tools and creating things.
My love for making things only began after I moved to Perth, when in about '02 my partner of the time and I made a pair of cages for some pet rats. The first one was a relatively bodgy job, using a mix of freshly bought Jarrah and left over pine from goodness knows where. The second cage is an item of pride in my books, crafted far better than I expected with three $20 tools.

Over the years I collected the odd tool here and there - It wasn't until I got a job as a data cabler 'til I appreciated quality tools, where I purchased my first real drill in the form of a mighty DeWalt 14.4v XRP hammer drill. Her batteries only recently gave up the ghost, and I'm tossing up as to whether buy a refurbed battery, or save the pennies for an 18v kit.

This year I won a MIG welder through a raffle - It's only one of the cheap jobbies from Bunnings (The top model though, gas/gasless 160amp unit), but it's ignited a strong passion for metal working. I've always been a bit of a scavenger, but recently I've been making a good haul - plenty of steel and timber from various places, scraps from building sites, steel from pallet racking at work, lots to work with
I really want to get into a night welding course locally so I can learn how to weld better, and then save up for a good quality machine.

I'm also a man of many grand projects and being quite terrible at getting around to starting/completing them
I've got a chook hut which I'm slowly building, highly over-engineered but deeply satisfying, a grey-water system which is getting itself together bit by bit, heavy duty shelving in the shed that needs to be completed, a concrete-countertopped outdoor kitchen on the cards, and many other plans which I tell myself I will get around to

I have a strong lust for collecting tools - Never have I bought a tool to have it wasted. Sometimes it takes a year for said tool to become invaluable, but there isn't a single one which I wonder "Why did I waste my money on that?" Thankfully I now have a partner who appreciates my tool-lust, as she considers something worthwhile if it's going to be useful. She has also stated interest in trying her hand at building a few things, which I need to capitalise on, as I may be able to convincer her to fund the purchase of a wood lathe.

Being the age I am, I know there's a massive shortcoming in my knowledge, but will still occasionally jump in with a "I know that!" attitude even if I've done it only a few times without it failing on me. I greatly appreciate being corrected, because it's all a part of the learning experience

If I don't stop my fingers soon, my entire life history is going to end up on here
I look forwards to the opportunity to one day meet some of you and pick your brains in person, and learn some handy tips and tricks that text alone cannot convey

Cheers!