San Remo Community Mens Shed

Work commenced on the San Remo Community Mens Shed. The remnant concrete slab from the pre-school was been cleared by the North Lakes Mens Group. This included slab & brush clearing by Alan Trower and Andy Cox. Trees were felled by the able lumberjacks, George Collie and Richard Huston. Jim Cunningham and George Donaldson while not able to engage in the heavy work have been "supervising" and providing moral support to the team.

Don Flint started off the final preparation on the driveway access to the Mens Shed on friday afternoon assisted by George II and Kim Hopkins. Meanwhile, Lloyd Amery has been travelling about the Shire assessing and acquiring machines and tools to ensure the operation will be up and running soon after the structure is in place. Even with the lathes and band saws, a grinder and a table saw already donated, there are still plenty of items required for the start up of work within the shed.

Boots the concrete contractor and his team laid out the formwork on Monday morning ready for the concrete pour on Tuesday. Many concrete trucks later and some hard work by his team, saw the slab in finished form by 3pm complete with prepared door entries, some mending to the apron area in front of the shed and additional concrete poured for the driveway access to the side door.

All encircled with a temporary bright orange safety fence, the slab now awaits the arrival of permanent fencing to protect the site while the shed is erected in a few weeks.

Exciting to see a new community initiative in the San Remo area!!

Ridley Road Mens Shed

Hi Peter,

My name is Ken Carter and I paid you a visit about last March at the shed and if you remember I was looking at starting a mens shed on the north side of Brisbane and came to pick your brains, well things took a while to organize but I got a few guys together and manage to start as a drop in centre last Monday, we have a piece of land next to the local Anglican Church for our shed as soon as we can find the money. Most of my enthusiasm came from the visit with you guys, thanks.

I have attached our first newsletter

Thanks again
Ken Carter

TEMS rises

The Entrance Mens Shed (TEMS) is also on the rise from the ground level. After much clearing on the general site, there is now open ground for the development of the site, installation of landscaping and construction.

Checking in today, there are profile markers indicating the lines of The Entrance Men's Shed. A tangible indication of the long awaited TEMS building.

TEMS site within The Entrance Neighbourhood Centre site.

San Remo pour

There is another Men's Shed growing from the ground upwards.

The San Remo Community Men's Shed has all the formwork & "reeo" in place for tomorrow's pour.

Don starts work.

Three of the lad's Don, George II and Kim did some final digging to ensure that the driveway would be prepared to caputure any overflow and ensure "sluggo" would have an easy entry to the Shed.

Boots worked with his offsider from early this morning to ensure that the pour would proceed tomorrow without hinderance.

Central Coast second shed
will be here before you can blink!! The concreting team and neighbhourhood
centre staff onsite today

Woodworkers Heaven

A few photos of the Kincumber Mens Shed woodworkers trip to Padstow to select a new saw at Major Woodworking Equipment, Padstow.

Les Verity, Grahame, Don House and Alan Hagan have smiles on their faces like they are in Woodworkers heaven or at least their favourite boy toy store!!



Final decision on purchase will be made on Monday.

The Entrance Community Centre Newsletter

Glengara Village visit

Cec Brown & Alan Booth were among the eight men from the Glengara Village who turned up by bus on this beautiful day.

After a guided tour around the facility and many conversations with the chaps of Kincumber Men's Shed the whole group gathered on the front apron for a bbq lunch.

Some of the comments from the Glengara guys showed that they were impressed by the Kincumber Mens Shed... "awesome" and "inspirational" were two ways that they described their reaction to the facility and its organisation.

The memers of Kincumber shed wish them well in their endeavours to develop a facility themselves or to come and join the crowd at Kincumber. There is still a little elbow room and more days available for activity in the shed.

Killer growth

The giant plants in Ernie's veggie boxes seem to be enveloping the house behind the shed and appear to be under attack by an herbivorous dinsoaur.

But NO... !!

Its just the spring growth on the lettuce that Ernie planted during winter. With the warmer weather, a little rain and some tender care by the gardener we might soon be munching on Ernie Salad. . .

Salad with your BBQ snag .. ??

where's the dressing??

Mowers in triage

These multiple mowers have accumulated in the vast sheds of the Kincumber Uniting Church. Some of them work some don't. But with at least five mowers on the cement apron this morning its easy to see that they are breeding in the dark spaces of the KUC storage facility.

Kevin has volunteered to check some of these ageing mowers for signs of life..... where triage indicates, he will repair, cannibalise or discard. This will result in working mowers, some spare parts, certainly some more storage in the church sheds and a few hours of quiet tinkering for Kevin. Its all good!!

Open air shed

As this photo shows the fresh warm air of spring has encouraged the "shedders" outdoors to enjoy the blue skies, the balmy weather and the company of their mates out the front of the shed.

With all this chatting going on it amazing that so much is achieved at the Shed... but the work is done .. the welding and toymaking, the gardening and the administration, the woodturning and the machining, the wiring of cages and the making of easels.... and there is still time for a cuppa and a sit outside in the glorious spring sunshine.

Done Drilling

The new pedestal drill arrived this morning and left soon after. A quick check by our skilled "tradies" revealed a number of anomalies in the the new "off the sales room floor" drill.

The retailer was prompt in returning to assess the problem and equally keen to resolve the issue by removing the drill as quickly as possible.

The team were last seen headed off to find a drill that meets their "not unreasonable" requirements.

John stretching

John Connor had a couple of stories to share about the creation and use of his new stretching tool.

No he is not going in for limbering up exercises in preparation for the next olympics. He is however stretching canvas for his daughter and preparing the canvas for her artistic endeavours.

He has sought the assistance of our innovative welder, Alan Sparkes. Together they have created the tool you see here which is a clamp with extension pieces welded on to grasp the canvas and a lever piece to provide the leverage to achieve good tension on the canvas.

A very successful collaboration!!

Spring Growth

Spring growth in the garden already. All of Ernie's work and the hard labour of his younger offsiders is about come to full bloom. There was even talk of making lunch from the garden produce to feed the hungry shedders. ... now that has to be fresh food & the least amount of food miles from garden to plate.

Wheels the Comic

Type Tip

Alan Eaton, one my best contributors of photos, comments and stories, has suggested that a larger type would make it easier for all of us with failing eyesight to read the blog.

Type Type Type Type Type Type Type Type Type

I have increased the type on the posts .. so let me know if its better (or maybe worse) for those viewing the blog.

Type Type Type Type Type Type Type Type Type

Space Cadets

These guys (Phillip & Alan) just love their space suits when working. All good for OH&S they are keen to keep their lungs working, while working at what they enjoy.

Phil has a on a triple protection mask with active carbon filter as the last point of defense. He says that if he smells lacquer then its time to change the filter. He also has the cleanest damn spray gun, well maintained and kept useful and active over many years.

Alan was plugged into the wall with an umbilical like he was ready for a bioterrorist attack ... well in a way he is those wood particulates are an active source of disease for woodworkers lungs. A good precaution despite the Space Cadet appearance.

However, all the masks in the world can't keep the dust off his clothes, shoes .. (and the shed floor). Kevin lends a hand cleaning him down with the air gun (taking particular attention to keep it away from the face and eyes).

All that was worth it for Alan
to produce another work of art.

Three Caps

Here are three likely shedders modelling the new "Kincumber Mens Shed" caps. Dave Alan and John were willing models to show off the new headgear.

Wear the cap with pride and let people know that you are with "the shed". Its a good way to start a conversation about the place we all enjoy the most. !!

Wheelie World

Kevin Doherty is not only busy with the repair and restoration of random mowers, he has also been driving down to Lewisham to fetch back the makings of "bicycle wheelchairs". Bob & Kevin returned with three boxes of assorted wheels that will be sorted and welded to brackets for fitting to the platforms at the front of wheelchairs.

This project not only recycles for the environment, it also provides cost effective equipment where it is needed most, by those most in need. It might be a "piecework" project but the overall outcome is sure worth the participation of the men from Kincumber Men's Shed.

Weld Local
Help Global !!

Model Bushes

It seems that there are some closet model rail enthusiasts lurking in "the shed".

Well not exactly in the closet as they were keen to display the new turnings just completed on the lathe in the engineering shed.

Here in all the gigantic glory are the bushes for the wheels on a model locomotive carriage...

Will the owner of the fingertip
please step forward !!!

Blogger

Hi all you online shed voyeurs, just in case you thought that the blogger here was completely invisible. Here is a happy snap from the first of Sept. I like the backdrop of the mezzanine storage, the work benches and the saw toolboard. It looks so sheddy doesn't it.

cheers from your
relentless blogger
Kim

Physio Ramps

Frank, Don and Phil holding some of the completed "Physio Ramps". On this day there seemed to be dozens of them taking over the front of the shed.

Frank Parker brought the project to the shed from his local physiotherapist and a few chaps have helped Frank to progress the construction of these trinagular ramp boxes used for leg exercises.

In order to get the project finished Don House stepped up and assisted with strengthening the boxes which are now not only glued and nailed but further braced for strength underneath.

Phil Currie, used his amazing skills to turn these ordinary boxes into a delight to look at by applying just the right coatings and finishes to ensure durability and aesthetic appeal. Most of the chaps at the shed on this day commented on just how much the final finishes lifted the product to something the shed could be proud of having made.

Thanks chaps for helping the shed to Ramp Up!!

Tool Time

As the shed has become a little more organised there are now interesting displays of tools. Just to have them organised in racks on the wall, helps to locate the right tool when its required.

Who knew that such utilitarian displays would have such artistry.

Displays of saws and clamps, chisels and screwdrivers all make for an atmosphere of industrious and skilled craftsmen.

All one colour or multicoloured, gathered in one spot there is a chance to see a which tool, among the many will suit the job at hand. Or indeed, which tool is missing, misplaced, lost or being used.

Turned wooden handles, lacquered or painted, plastic and steel theres such a range of colour and texture .. perhaps we need a resident artist to use those easels and capture the atmosphere of shedding ... or just some photos that show the amazing Kincumber Men's Shed to its best advantage.

woodturners shelf

Woodturners shelf at Kincumber Men's Shed

Bensoc Easel

The Benevolent Society have sponsored a Men's and Children's art competition. The opening of the Exhibition of these works submitted for the competition is on Friday evening at the Gosford Regional Art Gallery.

The Benevolent Society is donating an Easel for the prize in the competition and had asked Kincumber Men's Shed to build one. A template was provided and the team was soon in full swing putting the easel together.

Phil is showing off the almost finished product here which today was given its final coat. Professional as ever, the shed does quality work.

The project proved popular as members have put in requests of additional Easels as display items and gifts for family. Another win for the Kincumber Men's Shed.

Faceplate

Jack Nixon and Alan Sparkes have been doing some team work to prepare a faceplate for the woodturning lathe.

Jack handed the new steel faceplate plate welded to a large hexagonal nut over to Al Hagan for a test flight. Alan was so impressed that he immeditately packed up his own faceplate to return it to his home workshop.

Well done team .. theres always something to make in "the shed".

Ships clock

Here is a progressive project post for Alan Hagan's ships clock.

First up is a photo of Alan cutting out the pieces for the circle part. Snapped in passing while he was working out the front of the shed, there was no indication that these (24) little pieces of wood would end up as the end product seen below.

Alan was showing how the two sets of angle cut pieces and the turned rods fit together to make a scaled down ship's helm. At this stage yet to be fitted together completely and glued into position.

Then today Phil was outside "the Shed" spraying the assembled wooden wheels hung from a ladder. Presumably all parts glued up and ready for finishing off. Phil, with his paint and treatments expertise, has come up with a finish that enhances the Alan's careful carpentry and woodturning. The job was looking very professional at this stage.

Alan then placed the clock mechanism in the prepared hole in the centre of the Ships Wheel. The finished product is a thing of beauty, ready for sale or presentation as might be required. It will make a great decoration on anyones wall.