'nother newbie

Hello all
I am recently returned to Oz from the UK and have set up house in a derelict cottage (or more accurately in the caravan behind the derelict cottage) in Tassie. It's a nice place but built of baltic pine so getting the right bits and bobs in the right material is proving a challenge and so I am turning to my woodoworking skills to solve the problems. I have at least identified a source of baltic pine, so it is more a matter of turning the sizes I can get into the sizes I want that is a challenge.

Most of my tools are en route from the UK still so I have been on a bit of a buying spree for the necessaries for the job in hand. This has led to a need to avoid duplicating what is coming while ensuring I have what I need. Apart from a new handsaw, and some cheap chisels for putty-removal I have managed to do that so far and have been having a splendid time running up bills in hardware stores. Am just about fully equipped (well, once my stuff gets here) but still don't have a workshop so am using the house for that purpose at present (leaving the lino on the floor to protect the boards). The lack of a workbench is a problem that I hope to solve soonish, but not till my stuff arrives so I can stow it at one end of the shipping container and set up my workshop at the other end. In the mean time I am making do with a couple of saw benches and a 44gallon drum when I want things closer to eye level. Oh, and a collapsible laminex table that came with the house and is useful for laying out things like window frames ...

I am terribly rusty with my woodworking skills having been stuck in desk-based jobs for some time and so am relying on your expertise and knowledge to alert me to opportunities and solutions that I may not know exist, or if they do, have not considered applying them to the particular challenge.

You might think - but why doesn't she join the renovation forum - stupid woman? Well, basically because much of what I am doing is repairing existing fittings, constructing new mantlepieces and such so I feel it is more in the lines of woodwork/furniture restoration than actual renovation. That latter activity will come along once i have the plans drawn up and approved by council.

Welcome t u You will find much help here with your project. Ask and you shall receive.:)

G'day TU - with "I am terribly rusty with my woodworking skills having been stuck in desk-based jobs for some time and so am relying on your expertise and knowledge to alert me to opportunities and solutions that I may not know exist, or if they do, have not considered applying them to the particular challenge." as a statement you are sure to attract plenty of attention. Welcome to wonderland.
Your woody future sure sounds like a work in progress so a camera would be a nice companion to let us see your progress. Good luck.:2tsup:

soth

Tooled up a female woodworker from the UK :rolleyes: we have a few woman woodies on the forum welcome aboard.
Moving to Tassie would be like moving round the corner for you its cold wet sunny freezing all in 4 hrs :p

Yes agree a camera digital preferably so we can see straight away not have to wait for developing.:D

you mean like this sort of thing (as in the challenge ahead)?

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e...r/IMG_0099.jpg

... or this sort of thing (ways I have dealt with challenges met to date ...). This was a groove in the bottom of a window sash which needed to be repaired to prevent the howling gales penetrating the house. I used slash pine as I didn't have anything else handy but I have now found a supplier of Baltic pine so future repairs will be using that. The second photo shows the wee dowels I put into the bottom to avoid it sliding sideways. It was glued and clamped as well as dowelled so should be good for a while now. I have just started glazing that sash, but ran out of putty - who knew you used that much putty for one window!!! :doh: So am heading down to Hobart tomorrow for more supplies ...

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e...lker/007-2.jpg

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e...lker/006-3.jpg

I have no formal training (clearly) so just make it up as I go along to some extent. And for clarity, I was living in the UK for work reasons. I am a Tasmanian returned home ... and about time too!!