Its only Easter and the Elves are busy making and repairing toys for the Mudgee Pre-school. Geoff, Kevin, Wombat Eadie and Mick have been champing at the bit for more toys to work on. See what I can do lads, there is a big one coming up.
Neil is trying out the new Plasma cutter and Grundy and John B are knocking up some brackets with the new scrolling tool. Both kindly donated by Moolarbeen mine. We would like to start making weather veins and garden art when “The Trailer” has vacated the workshop.
The lead-lighting room is busy, Hector has completed this magnificent Kingfisher and we had a visit from David Rose who gave us instruction on the finer points of soldering lead. Thanks to David and John for arranging it.
Finally the trailer has been weighed (320Kg), perhaps a bit over engineered, have to have a long talk to Gary about the next one, and it will be registered when the VIN number comes in a couple of weeks. Who knows it may even be ready before Christmas. No in 2023
How happy does Doug look. he has spent ages making average welding look great as well as a great paint job he gets to install them in the Anglican Church yard after Easter.
Good to see Tom Dudley back in action, the A table is now complete, just remember you can’t have three biscuits when Tom and Neil are at the Shed.
A fitting tribute to the fine work of John Pickup. John is a toolmaker so the work is fine to the point of anal. They all work and have been mounted in the common room. There isn’t enough room to put up all the fine work John has completed over the last 10 years. John is down at Kanandah if anyone cares to drop in and have a yarn.
It’s like a village green, the lads are playing Kuub, Macka tells us it’s a very old Viking game whose rules have only been changed once back in the 1300s, the problem we all have is that he continues to make little adjustments to the rules as we play. Guess who always wins? We play Kuub on Friday mornings after the gym sessions, or just come out to have a game with the lads. Gym opens at 0900 to 1100, Kuub continues to 1100.
Sorry Mac I can’t get the photos of your work to the newsletter, I’ll have to talk to the technical advisor, or get a new one.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
EVERYONE HAS A STORY
I was born and raised at Guildford, an inner/mid-west suburb of Sydney. I attended Guildford Public Primary School, and at the age of l2, Granville Tech. College. (High School) until I was 15 years.
I then got employment with Leon Eaves, at Rosehill Racecourse, indentured as an apprentice jockey. I was living at the stables and earning one pound ($2) and full keep for the first year. I rode a lot of track work, about 10 rides each morning for Mr. Eaves and other trainers. Into my third year I had my first race ride at Canterbury around 1954/55. The Boss told me to ride him quite near the back of the field and we would win next start. I did this and the Stewards called me in and quizzed me about the ride. I said, “Mr. Eaves said to be patient ride him quite and wait.” The Steward said.” How long did he tell you to wait.” I said.” For three weeks till we get to Rosehill.” I never had another ride and left the stables.
After a few years of at numerous jobs, I became a fitter, untrained, and after 7 years I did a test and became qualified. I then became a boilermaker until aged 61 when my knees played up and I retired. . I worked on 3 dam constructions, Mangrove Creek, Lake St. Clair top of the Hunter Valley, and the extensions on Glenbawn near Scone.
I really didn’t have a nickname but the boys at the shed call me Arnie. (Schwarzenegger, I weigh 60kg.) I was called up for National Service in 1955/56 but failed my medical because of damage to my right foot.
I married Valery in 1961- at Ettalong. We lived there for some years and had two children born and raised there. We were married for 56years, she passed away in 2017. Apart from my two kids, we had 4 grandchildren, and now ten great grandchildren.
I recently had a ten day cruise to New Caledonia calling at several other islands. It was my first real holiday. It was not a holiday but my wife and I spent 2 years in North Qld living in a caravan as I worked on the railways doing electrification of the lines for the coal trucks.
My interests in younger years was fishing and racing motor bikes short circuit. My son and daughter in-law live in Mudgee so I came here in 2012. I live on my own in a house on my son’s property. I joined the Shed a bit over a year ago, definitely a great thing to do. Good company and a lot of laughs.
If I had my time over again I would probably do the same. No regrets
My biggest influences on my life were my wife and family.
Mudgee Men's Shed 