G'day from snowy Ontario!

[Expat]

G'day all. Originally from Holland Park in Brissie I moved to Toronto 10 years ago to be with my bride to be and we are now married 5 years with 2yr old twin daughters. We bought our first home in Aug 2007 to the East of T.O. in Oshawa and I finally got around to putting together some decent tools in early 2008. So far I have my ts, router, planer, spidle/belt sander and a variety of power and hand tools.

My furniture from home arrived in August this year and I've been restoring it a bit at a time while trying to keep up with my girls and putting the house and yard into some kind of shape. I haven't had much time or space to build much yet, just some jigs, a fence for my router table and the odd knick knack so far. I was planning to surprise my in-laws with a magazine rack in roasted curly maple for Christmas but I ran into some problems including an end unit falling off my assembly area and shattering so I have had to delay the gift giving for now. I'm also half way through building a mobile workcentre to house the table saw, a new router table unit, a downdraft sanding station and all the accessories for those items. I finished my mobile planer stand with infeed/outfeed tables a couple of days before Christmas.

I'm coming home for a couple of weeks in January and I'm hoping to find supplies of hardwood that I can have shipped back to Canada as the availability of Aussie board stock is pretty slim around here. The store I drive to on the other side of T.O. for my r-c-m had some Mallee burls and 2 Jarrah boards but that was all. Dressed 4/4 about 8" wide and 4' long for $C160 per board!! Not bloody likely! I have four or five other lumber yards around here but most don't stock Aussie woods. There's a fair bit of South and Central American and some European woods available as well as the usual local species but I'd like a bit of home grown stuff every now and again!

Anyway, I'm looking forward to doing some reading and some posting here.

[Old farmer]

Good to hear from you, Expat. You have been very busy and congrtulations on your family.

Very best wishes to you all for the new year.

[Ed Reiss]

Welcome to the forums Expat!:2tsup:

[wheelinround]

Expat there are those on here who'd love what you can get in timbers over there :roll:

nice to see you here any how

heat waves 30C+ no snow yet anyway it has happened looking forward to photo's of your work and shop

[Expat]

Thanks fellas! I've posted a couple of pics in the wood working section. I didn't see a section specifically for shop pics.

[*Kev]

"I have four or five other lumber yards around here but most don't stock Aussie woods."

Welcome Expat,

You're starting to talk like them, be careful or you may become one :D

Regards Kev

[jerryc]

Welcome Mate,

I only visit Brissie when the winter down here in Melbourne gets set. Some European woods can have great grains and most woods are softer than Oz woods. Be great to see your work in whatever timber (lumber) you select.

Jerry

[artme]

G'day expat and welcome to the show!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[munruben]

Welcome to the forum. nice to have you aboard.

[Expat]

Fellas I have enough trouble trying to convince these poor people that it's aluminium and not aluminum! At least I still open the hood and boot of the car.:U

[artme]

Fellas I have enough trouble trying to convince these poor people that it's aluminium and not aluminum! At least I still open the hood and boot of the car.:U

WOT? Not the Bonnet??? Shame!!:D:D:p

[Expat]

I'm doing my best to educate these poor uncivilised folk but it's a tough road to hoe let me tell you! They get far too much Pommie influence and then there's the "neighbours"...... funny bunch those people across the lake let me tell you.

[Old farmer]

Keep trying, expat It is a good cause!.

[switt775]

I'm doing my best to educate these poor uncivilised folk but it's a tough road to hoe let me tell you! They get far too much Pommie influence and then there's the "neighbours"...... funny bunch those people across the lake let me tell you.

You think there is more pommie influence in Canada than in OZ??????:roflmao:

So how much cricket do you see over there? Or rugby? Or "hockey" with little curved sticks and knee socks? :roflmao:

[Expat]

You think there is more pommie influence in Canada than in OZ??????:roflmao:
Never said or hinted at that.


So how much cricket do you see over there? Or rugby? Or "hockey" with little curved sticks and knee socks? :roflmao:
Plenty of all those because of the huge Indian/Pakistani/W.I. population. I hate, hate, HATE that game they play on ice with sticks! The year of the lock out was so nice.

[waky53]

G'day expat & welcome to the forum.
My wife & I were in Ontario back in July & couldn't really imagine it being snowy as it was 30 degrees & thunderstorms. How deep is the snow now & how long does the winter last there?

[Expat]

G'day expat & welcome to the forum.
My wife & I were in Ontario back in July & couldn't really imagine it being snowy as it was 30 degrees & thunderstorms. How deep is the snow now & how long does the winter last there?
It was a bloody wet Summer we had. Most rain for a long time. I lost 4 weeks at the end of it waiting for the back yard to dry out enough for me to rip it all up with a rototiller and start again. Just got the seeds to shoot before the low temps hit.
Well Xmas eve it belted down rain and again on Boxing Day so that and the higher temps washed away most of the built up snow. We had it piled about 8' high on out front lawn beside the driveway. It's a local by-law that you have to keep your footpath clear so we're obligated to shovel and sand/salt that. It snowed lightly yesterday and it's doing it again now but nothing major. Just enough to wet everything down and make you brush your windscreen off before you drive. That's another law here. You've got to clear your car windows of snow and ice before you drive and you're also supposed to remove it from the roof and other top surfaces so it doesn't blow off and obscure the vision of other drivers. I wish the bloody semi drivers would do that though! You don;t want to be within 100ft of them on the highways or you'll cop a load of ice coming off the roof of the trailers at 120kph!
Worst Winter so far was the first I was here for in 98-99. Got back from Xmas to our apartment and had to wade through snow on the front steps up to my waist just to get to the door. Then one afternoon we found we were frozen in. The front door was frozen shut and it took me almost an hour of using the wife's hairdrier to get it open!
Ohhhh........ Santa just made a late delivery......... my Incra 3000SE was just delivered at last. Good old Lee Valley. Beat the Jan 5th price rise and free shipping.

[switt775]

I hate, hate, HATE that game they play on ice with sticks! The year of the lock out was so nice.

"That game they play on ice with sticks" can be the most beautiful game in the world - but it can be very difficult to understand (or enjoy) if you haven't been raised on it. I know, because after 20 years here I can sort of understand rugby league, but union just has me shaking my head and muttering "why bother".

Strange sports is part of the price we pay for moving half way around the world. As long as you can look at the whole life package every so often and say "this is right for me", none of the little details matter, do they?

But I can sympathise about the neighbors... Interesting lot, aren't they...:cool:

[jerryc]

Switt,

It's best to stay away from religion, creates too many arguments:D. Union Rugby is the game played in heaven. It has one problem however. It demands intelligence to play it and understand it.

Jerry:U

[switt775]

Switt,

It's best to stay away from religion, creates too many arguments:D. Union Rugby is the game played in heaven. It has one problem however. It demands intelligence to play it and understand it.

Jerry:U
Ah well that explains it's limited appeal then...

[Expat]

I played Rules, Rugby, League, Shoot Sandy Shoot and I love Gridiron. That's why I made it the main focus of my business. Australia vs NZ at U19 level in Canberra in a couple of weeks to qualify for the 1st World U19 Champs in Canton, OH. this June.

[jerryc]

I played Rules, Rugby, League, Shoot Sandy Shoot and I love Gridiron. That's why I made it the main focus of my business. Australia vs NZ at U19 level in Canberra in a couple of weeks to qualify for the 1st World U19 Champs in Canton, OH. this June.

One great problem with growing a little older, I remember the thrill of rugby, sprint cycling and downhill ski-ing but now can only watch and tell everyone how to do it better than they are doing. The armchair is a great place for a critic.

These days, thanks to a rebuilt heart, I limit my activity to sailing (non competitive) and of course woodwork. Have to say when I first came out of hospital after six months in bed, even pushing a sharp plane was almost beyond me.

So Expat you stay close to sport through business focus. My best wishes on your success.

Jerry

[seriola]

G'day Expat,
My wife and I have a reverse of your situation. Decided she would move here, that was in 2002. I am now retired, well officially, but I do live on the coast and spend considerable time out on the boat as a hunter gatherer, the good lady works part time and we make regular trips to Canada for our "vacation".
I love the place, spent six weeks of one winter there, usually go in summer or Autumn, but I did learn what cold, REAL cold is. We spend most of our time in B.C (Prince George in the interior and Comox on Vancouver Island) and a bit of travel to other places as time permits.

Look forward to your future posts

[Expat]

I love the place, spent six weeks of one winter there, usually go in summer or Autumn, but I did learn what cold, REAL cold is. We spend most of our time in B.C (Prince George in the interior and Comox on Vancouver Island) and a bit of travel to other places as time permits.
I showed this to the wife and I'm sorry to tell you she laughed quite hard. "Cold! In BC!? Tell him to go to the NWT in Summer. That's cold!" She has a point. Okay they're coping a bit out there this year but for the most part even the interior of BC is pretty mild. You get up into the North of Ontario and it's cold up there! Friends of mine on the Canadian wood forum were being dumped on in September when we were still getting 30 degree days here. In some parts of Northern Alberta they get snow mid-Summer. I won't even go into what the prairie provinces cop. I'm looking forward to seeing more of the country as my girls get older. Preferably in good weather!

[seriola]

Yep, my wife has laughed at me about being cold many a time, she was born and raised in Northern Saskatchewan. The real cold I copped in our winter there was when we travelled across from Prince George to Edmonton, was -30 and that will do me for horribly bloody cold, but plenty have told me how much colder it gets. It is a great experience though and one I look forward to again in the not too distant future.

I can see why basements converted to workshops are so popular, a shed in the backyard would pose plenty of challenges to be usable in Winter.

[billrule]

I've got to say, Expat, that after some consideration, most Australians don't appreciate the great wood that the humble eucalypt is, and I don't necessarily mean the rockstar species either. It's not really their fault, as it has been used for everything in the past, and very little seemed ever to get used in situations that really showed it off. When someone had the chance, they'd go for something special (read exotic or Jarrah/ Redgum/ burl of something) rather than straight golden "vanilla" eucalypt.
Having lived in Europe for a while, I couldn't help feeling that the Northern Hemisphere has the same blind spot for Beech, much maligned now 'cos of the sickening vinyl veneers made for cheap PC workstations etc. It is really a magnificent wood that works on all levels, though not a beginners choice when it comes to finishing, I fear.

Make the most of what you have over there, as someone else said, plenty of us would salivate over what you can get locally.

Oh, and on the twins thing....give my best to your wife, she must be a superwoman, though probably doesn't realise it; stay in good relations with your in-laws; no doubt you'll need them if you haven't already worn them out, and most of all....NO-ONE really knows for sure what's best for you and them (the girls); play it by feel, and go against the most ardent "advice" if your gut tells you to. Whether in sleeping arrangements, schooling, interaction with others; do what works, and don't be afraid to change if it stops working. It will get better, the pay-off is that they end up both amusing and teaching each other. If they are likely to be your only ones (and no-one would blame you that has gone through it) force yourself to take some time with them to enjoy them.

Stay warm,

Bill

[Expat]

Ahh the poor old Poms...... they rock up at Botany Bay and start calling everything oak!

The North Americans are beginning to wake up to just how beautiful and useful a wood the eucalypt family is. I see more and more eucalypt on offer from various hardwood stores across the US and some in Canada. I was having a chat to the owner of the shop I bought my r-c-m from and he is a big fan of Aussie hardwood. He just wishes he could get more of it in. So do I! I love some of the local woods of course and much of the Central and South American wood is exceptional. Lots of folks here whne about the cost of wood but from what I've heard from guys out on the prairies we get it pretty easy in Ontario. I can choose from a dozen different yards within 2 hours drive and that opens up a lot of options. Some specialise in local species and others are more for the lover of exotic wood. Most will dress the boards for you if needed and some will even resaw thicker boards.

Our girls came along at 28wks 3d, only 8 months after we lost our son at 19wks. We miss him terribly but we say that if it weren't for Ian we wouldn't have Emma and Madeline. Emma was 2lb 12oz and Maddy was 1lb 4oz. Believe me when I say you have never known fear until you've held the hand of your 1lb baby daughter who the doctors said may not have lungs. They turned 2 in September and after the performance last night at 3am Maddy certainly has lungs!! Both her hips are displaced and have been since before birth but we now have a wonderful surgeon and her first operation is scheduled for Feb 5th which is why I need to get back asap from my own procedure in Brissie. Because of the complexity of the surgery she will have each hip done seperately so the ops and casts will stretch out to mid-July. I'll have the backyard all ready and waiting for her and her sister to explore! She can run around using a walker and climbs up and down our stairs as quick as her sister but she can't walk because her balance point and muscle angles are all messed up. She gets in as much trouble as Emma and instigates much of it! The missus works in T.O. and I work from home so I'm Mr Mom/Mum. The in-laws are a good 4 hour drive away but while I'm away my m-i-l is coming to look after the girls during the day although she's not supposed to lift either of the girls. We're fortunate in that we not only receive some funding and OT visits because of Maddy's disability but also because two of their primary care nurses from their hospital stay have become close friends and often come over to look after the girls as well. Oh and they aren't the end of our family by any means.

[Old farmer]

Expat, Thanks for telling us about your girls. Am very sorry to read you and your wife lost your son. That must be very hard.

I admire your courage, both of you and wish you the best.

[Expat]

Some days are tougher than others but you push through. Having the girls around helps a lot....... all three of them. We have photos of us holding him when he was delivered and we keep those close for when we feel the need. He's resting on his Great-Grandmother - my f-i-l's mum - beside his Great Grandfather and we had their headstone engraved with his name as well.

Now on a happier note........ Pat has asked me if I would bring him over The Boot for his contractor saw.
http://store.thesawshop.com/catalogue/images/boot.jpg
I have one fitted to my Delta and it works a treat. I think he said it was going to wind up being around $A50 all up with postage to him. Dave at The Saw Shop (http://store.thesawshop.com/catalogue/default.php) said he can deliver to me by Tuesday if I order Sunday evening or Monday morning my time but that's using Express Post so the shipping charge here might take it a little higher. Now shipping more than one to me might lower the postage price per item so if anyone else wants one I have room to smuggle some more in so long as you let me know by around Noon Oz EDT. My best man - who I'm staying with in Qld - and I have a joint account at my credit union so I can take cheques or money orders which cuts out having to send money o/s. Once I know the local and Oz postageyou can just send me the dough and we're good.

Oh and anything else you see on Dave's site that you might want I can have him send and I'll bring it over. Within reason of course! I don't think a 60" Red Line fence is going to make it into my bag!

[Ed Reiss]

Expat...take comfort that your son is now with our Lord Jesus in a better place and that God is looking over your family...just hold on to your faith.