Thread: G'day chaps

Hi,

I appear to have had an account here for 3 years, but been lurking on and off until now. I'm a Brit married to a Tasmanian, and having spent 9 years in the UK together, we moved here to Hobart last year (2011).

I used to work as a programmer, and in IT support, then switched careers in 2007 to work with a furniture maker and joiner, where I learned loads. Then I stopped that in 2010 and worked for myself for a year hand carving wooden house signs. Now I'm here in Aus, working as a maintenance worker. I don't get to do much woodwork any more, but I've taught myself a lot about steelwork in the last year..!

I'm missing the sawdust, so am currently setting up a workshop in the in-laws basement. I'm on the lookout for a decent variable speed 1/2" router, a drill press and a planer/thicknesser (or could get away with just a planer or thicknesser). I have some hand tools (also looking for a No. 7 jointer), and most portable power tools. Just got hold of a carbatec 8" table saw, and I have a small 3-wheeler bandsaw.

The biggest project I worked on (woodwork wise) was a barn conversion - we did the floor (new floor structure in places near the stairs, and oak floorboards everywhere), stairs, furniture, doors, frames, windows, window sills, etc. We also did about 3-4 kitchens, all hand made, lots of solid wood worktops etc. Loads of windows and doors. Quite a few really nice pieces of hardwood furniture too. I made a very heavy, very old and splitty 12ftx2ftx4" block of oak into an awesome medieval dining table for a farm owner - lots of hand planing - pegged M & T joints, etc

Hardwood workbenches, cabinets, sideboards, etc. I have a load of photos, none of which are organised, I will try to post them here gradually.

Some of the trickier projects included a chess board, electric guitar, I made a small circular double glazed window once, and a triangular one too, now that I think about it.

My latest fascination is Matthias Wandel's home made woodworking machines. I want to build a horizontal boring machine for mortising and dowelling, I have the drawer slides and the motor. Our go-to system was the Mafell Duo-doweller, which worked well for most things, but they're pricey. I would occasionally make mortise and tenon joints, bridle joints or dovetails for some small projects, but the doweller got used 90% of the time at least.

Anyway - that's more than enough rattling on. Congratulations if you made it this far. Ask if you want to hear more about anything! In short, I love woodworking, and I've been missing it, need to get back into it even if it's just as a hobby! Why did I stop in the first place?

Cheers,
Craig