Hello from Texas

[armjr]

Living the life in Victoria, Texas. Big yard, Big shop with lots of stuff that makes sawdust, and retired. #1 wife keeps me fed well and there's plenty of big elm and pecan down and drying in the bottom behind my house. The pasture owner told me I can get all I can haul out of there (he just burns it). I put it on the Timber King and make stuff out of it (or will anyway). Got the shop up and running during the Covid quarantines.

I keep a garden going year round and have plenty to do. Some people don't do well in retirement. Me, I love it! I should have retired when I was 20!

Alan

[old1955]

Welcome to the forum Alan.

Ross

[verawood]

Welcome

[crowie]

G'Day & Welcome to the Great Southern Land and to a top forum "Alan",
There are quite a few members from the "USA" plus "canuck" members and the rest of the world.....
You'll find a heap of helpful & knowledgeable blokes & ladies on the forum and for most very willing to assist.
Make sure you show off your handiwork as everyone loves a photo, especially WIP [Work In Progress] photos with build notes.
Enjoy the forum.
Enjoy your woodwork.....
Cheers from On Top DownUnder, crowie

[armjr]

Thanks for the welcome. There's a lot to read on these boards. One of my primary interests in woodworking is using the woods native to my area. We have a lot of Mesquite, Huisache (pronounced - We-satch), Live Oak (but it checks and warps badly if not completely dry), White Oak, Elm, Cedar (Juniper - Not exactly native), Pecan, Walnut, Ash, and a number of other exotic types, Texas Ebony, Ironwood (persimmon), Texas Mountain Laurel and others.

I have started experimenting with Hackberry. It is plentiful and has some endearing features, mainly some interesting spalting. I have a little Timber King sawmill and I don't buy wood except construction stuff (yellow pine and fir). I don't sell it either.

I'd be very much interested in hearing about the different woods in Australia. I've heard y'all have some really nice hardwoods.

Ka-Bar knife handle from Texas Mountain Laurel. I picked this knife up off the highway. It had been run over a lot. #1 wife had a fit when I jumped out to pick it up. She was sure we were going to die. But, hey! it was a good knife. Still is, better one now.
https://i.imgur.com/EHm4XuW.jpg

Another knife I had made with Texas Ebony handle.
https://i.imgur.com/pNDz5wB.jpg

Mesquite handle on my own crude attempt at knife making. It is my hope that I get better at it.
https://i.imgur.com/UyYLajd.jpg

Carved Mesquite bowl.
https://i.imgur.com/vQtQEkQ.jpg

Another Mesquite bowl/tray
https://i.imgur.com/xHYgssw.jpg

Semi live edge Mesquite coffee table
https://i.imgur.com/0Or1ljR.jpg

Live edge bedside table. Now it's next to my chair in the living room.
https://i.imgur.com/W9rCcPH.jpg

Very rough pecan bowl (purely rustic decor).
https://i.imgur.com/CJmyXsm.jpg

Pistachio bowl (not native but pretty wood). It's one of my first attempts at wood turning. You can see the smaller Live Oak bowl to the right and notice how it is warping.
https://i.imgur.com/8ULhlrT.jpg

Alan

[JJF]

welcome

[Old Croc]

Hi Alan, you certainly make some nice stuff. Victoria hey, I had to look it up it sounded familiar, went through there in 86 on our way to CC, then onto Brownsville.
Rgds,
Crocy.

[armjr]

You probably wouldn't recognize the area now. It's a lot more populated than it used to be. In the 80's we still went to Mexico but you couldn't pay me enough to cross that border now. It's a different world.

Alan