Thread: G'day from whitewood

I have been forum member for just over a year. I do not class my self as a wood worker but over my life time I have made a few pieces of furniture, finished off the construction of a Hartley 14.5 foot runabout and completed numerous DIY construction projects in the various homes we have lived in and generally love wood. I get a lot of pleasure looking and admiring the work and skills of other members when shown on the forum. I have no background in wood working and drove a desk for 40 years in the public service.

I tell people I have gypsy in my blood as I have since adulthood lived in Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns, Seychelles, Gold Coast and now Tyalgum. Since my marriage I have called about 16 houses home and owned 5 of them. I was married in 1963 to my current wonderfull wife . I have 3 daughters and 4 grandaughters plus 1 grandson. My health is good so long as I continue to keep prostate cancer at bay. (Get a little prick it may save your life if your over 40.)

In 1998 I decided to top up my super fund and grow Paulownia. I sold up my Gold Coast home and bought land at Tyalgum and started farming Paulownia trees. My biggest concern was that the big end of town would get in first and flood the market. The realality is they folded and I and a few other small growers were left with the job of marketing a timber that was not well known in Australia and if it was it was hard to find.

When I finally had some logs to sell there was nobody to buy them. I then purchased a small bandsaw mill and started to learn to mill Paulownia. I eventually produced planks and then had to start to market the timber to Australia. I found this a daunting task considering I had to do it on my own with no financial resources. The first place I found that had people interested in Paulownia and looking for places to buy it was on the Forum. It was to help promote Paulownia and to let members know where they can buy the timber that originally made me join and contribute to the forum.

Since joining I have also utilised the predomotially male membership of the Forum to hepl promote Prostate Cancer testing. The female members should ensure their partners are tested annually or there is a 10% risk they will loose them. I strongly believe in it. I would be dead now if I had not had regular testing. I am a member of the Twin Towns & Tweed Coast Prostate Support Group and keep abreast of the latest develpoments so I can help others. I don't advise people what they should do that is up to their doctors.

My identy is displayed on my web site so I won't add it here

John