About time

[terraaustralis]

Hello to all Forum persons,

This 53 yr old Melbournite (early 1980's refugee from Bjelke-Petersen's Qld) thought it about time he posted his first post after being a member for a little while and a reader of the forum for several years.

Entirely self taught and as consequence very good at providing wood for the fire.
Father's tools consisted of: Hammer 1, pliers 1, screwdrivers 2, vice grips 1 and a lone gimlet. 'Lone' because I cannot recall any screws in the house that the gimlet could provide service for. I didn't know hardware stores existed until I was 19 - how pathetic is that - 19 and never been to church!
Not a good start you might say and thus woodworking was a complete mystery until the need to 'renovate' in my mid 30's with small family in tow. First project: a rabbit hutch! What more do you need to move on to a house I ask? After that it was the shed and then the house. Bought a triton III New Series, a big Makita and a Triton roller stand which I still have though the Series III now has the brilliant Triton saw.

Money being always siphoned off by SWMBO and her two trainees means beautiful expensive tools are my equivalent of "look but don't touch" Page 3. Thus I buy inexpensive and modify. I'm a tinkerer. I have learned that you can make cheap tools do remarkable things with a bit tinkering.
Love that forumite: Mr. Niki - a man after my own heart (though I do wish I had his engineering skills). I have a couple of slightly better items ( an Hitashi M12V sitting under my customized router table is a joy as is my Festo Rotax - but that's pretty much where it stops so far as the family jewels go).
I now have a reasonably well equipped workshop thanks to the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments and - until recently - a favourable exchange rate. Thankyou so much for the buzzer, the bandsaw and the drill press (these being large items I couldn't really hide from SWMBO).

I intend to post some pictures of tools and jigs I have made when I finally work out how to post them. You've gotta love digital cameras. Progress: slow - but progress none the less. Computer skills: "shakey".

Thank you

[masoth]

Welcome "Terror". Looking in anticipation for your picture posts.

soth

[robutacion]

Hi TA,

It didn't hurt that much, huh? now that you're in, make sure you give us a tour around your shed, every so often, OK?

Looking a little more closely, I reckon being in "terraaustralis" and using that sweet " Cabernet Merlot" as a signature, you're ain't going to have enough "energy" to muck around with timbers, as that stuff is a pretty good "head spinner"

Welcome, and enjoy you stay!

Cheers
RBTCO

[Neil Hodge]

Terraaustralis, you are a man after my own heart (although my wife sometimes questions its existance) I grew up on a farm with hardly any tools and hardly any materials that were suitable, old packing cases provided most and were great for making matchbox dispensers. After committing matrimony at age 24, I was forced to develop some skills as we were more or less broke most of the time. Gradually accumulated some basic tools and learned from my many mistakes - asked a lot of questions too. I am now 65 and can do a reasonable job on renovations, coffee tables etc. as long as no-one stands closer than a metre or two away & in poor light. One thing I have found out is never be scared to have a crack, if not happy you can always give it another hit with the sander, or as you mentioned, the wood heater.
Keep sawing and remember: If at first you don't succeed, you are running about average.

[munruben]

Hi TA, nice to hear from you, look forward to seeing some of your tools and maybe some of your work.

[artme]

G'day TA and welcome to your internet support Group!

Look forward to your contributions.

[joe greiner]

Welcome aboard, TA. Your writing skills are definitely up to par. I'm sure we'll enjoy your posts. We'll upgrade your computer skills as needed, and hope we don't lead you too far astray.

Joe

[Ed Reiss]

Welcome Terraustralias

[Old farmer]

I'm with everybody above, Terra, Terror?, love your writing, look forward to seeing pics of your work and workshop.