New "Easter Bunny" Member
I'm Pete, 55, and a Registered Builder. I've always made things. Houses (big and small), hospitals, schools, apartment blocks, shopping centres, public buildings, second storey additions, granny flats, cubbies (!) and just about everything that goes in them. I've done it for 30+ years and I'm still fascinated by how little I know, and how much there is still to learn.
It's interesting how, when I'm googling a subject, "The Woodwork Forum's" details pop up as a potential source for information, so here I am.
I think the last search I did was for information on a Chain and Chisel mortiser (which I've now just finished restoring). A Member had posted some pictures of his, but i couldn't see them , damn! so i had to join up.
I'll get round to posting some photos of my workshop, or "museum" as some mates have commented.... I like to save old (and even ancient) machines from the scrap heap, (plus, it's all we can afford!). We have some gems to share for those interested. Some worthy of a mention are a Robinson 24" Bandsaw, a Robinson 18" jointer with an 8' table, a wonderful L'invincible shaper /spindle moulder with sliding table and integrated rip saw, and of course the Wolfenden chain and chisel morticer that I mentioned before. There's a Dominion Tenoner also just taken residence in the workshop, though this, technically, isn't mine. My mate's "lodging" in my workshop whilst he gets back on his feet after a serious illness. I'll be looking to learn as much from Steve as possible. He's an old school benchhand Joiner who's only ever made doors, frames, windows. etc. so I expect I'll be learning a good bit quicker with him around. There's another chain and chisel beast taking up floorspace whilst I wait for a donor machine to provide some parts, but then I also might sell it....
We already make a fair bit of stuff for the family business: Staircases, the odd window, doors / frames, odd furniture, bespoke widgets and whatnots, but anything that clearly fell under Steve's banner was subbied to him back when he ran his own shop. We don't do cabinets, I can't make them as cheap as I can buy them, so hey ho...
I'd like to get the workshop set up so that there's "nothing we can't do" though I realise this is a long shot. We can't afford modern or elaborate machinery, but I get a huge buzz out of getting 2016 work done with a machine that was built just after the last war. My clients don't know any different.
I confess to harboring some desire to possibly pick up some extra income through the workshop. Building's not particularly profitable at the moment, given the state of the economy, and a bit of extra income from another source would be a big help.
My wife runs the business side of things, and thankfully we haven't had to invest a great deal to get as tooled up as we are. A sad reflection on how many businesses have been closing down recently.
Anyway, I'm in Carramar, and happy to help out if I can. Check out facebook/HighgroveDevelopments to see what we do in the day job.
Cheers! pete
