Woodrat's journey

[auscab]

John , why go around the world for some Mahogany , with your wood finding talents you could just be the person to find this Mahogany ship that some think is buried in sand dunes down here . The state government put up a reward for any one who could find it years ago , no one did . A whole ship of solid Mahogany " a three hundred ton vessel "
A few guitars in that

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahogany_Ship

[woodrat]

Good idea Rob....a Wood Rattery type holiday on the Great Ocean Road... Sounds Good.

I have narrowed down my activities to seeking the biggest game of all....I will only be stalking D.nigra while I am there...

Trophy shots will will be available when I have bagged a few...LOL

...plus I am not that shallow as to only go for the big game hunting....I will be visiting a few quiet establishments to make sure they are still making the beer right!

WR

[Kamusur]

Glad to hear that you are planning on ratting some more wood John, good work.

Steve

[woodrat]

Glad to hear that you are planning on ratting some more wood John, good work.

Steve

Steve....I am always planing and scheming new and wonderful ways of getting wood, largely for research purposes, of course!

[ozwood]

Got a parcel from the Woodrat today, checkout the return address label, he even lives in Rosewood Rd, I beleive he is petitioning Hastings council to have the name changed to Brazilian Rosewood Road.

[woodrat]

No Paul...Seriously that is a legit organization!...all furniture that HAS to be euthanized will be treated with the utmost dignity and given the best anesthetic (if needed) to make sure it has a peaceful passage into the Afterlife!

Cheers!

WR

Chief Roving Inspector
RSPCF

[demonx]

I can imagine some of the responses you'd get.

I myself was yelled at and lectured by an antique dealer when I was looking for a piece that I could cut up and modify into a retail shop counter. I practically got walked out of the showroom after copping an earful!

[woodrat]

Allan...it is best not to say too much.....(sneaky I know) ...but if I see the right piece of furniture I buy it and then ask for a receipt...and.....then I cut the legs off it!

[woodrat]

Like this Allan....

[Kamusur]

Still one of my favourite all time photos John

Steve

[demonx]

Need to invest in a reciprocating saw. Cut those legs in seconds!

I bought one for the last demo/shopfit I did and I don't know how I've lasted so long without one!

[woodrat]

Still one of my favourite all time photos John

Steve

Steve...I will see if I can better it!...

[lauburu]

I'm a little more downmarket than antique shops. I find the local Hospice/SPCA/Sally Army shops are a wonderful source of really cheap, good quality mahogany. This timber, disguised as (now unfashionable) bed ends, coffee tables..... can be a real bargain. And the people behind the counter don't care what you do with it. Remember, you read it here first.
Miguel

[charangohabsburg]

Still one of my favourite all time photos John

Steve

Steve...I will see if I can better it!...

You can:


youtu.be/

[woodrat]

I'm a little more downmarket than antique shops. I find the local Hospice/SPCA/Sally Army shops are a wonderful source of really cheap, good quality mahogany. This timber, disguised as (now unfashionable) bed ends, coffee tables..... can be a real bargain. And the people behind the counter don't care what you do with it. Remember, you read it here first.
Miguel

Hi Miguel...Thanks for the tip although I have already ripped up two single and one double bed head . As you say they are out of fashion but that doesn't affect the mahogany.

WR...

Presently wait ion at KLIA....cheers!

[woodrat]

Still one of my favourite all time photos John

Steve

Steve...I will see if I can better it!...

You can:


youtu.be/

What can I say Markus!......I WANT ONE!!!!!!

[woodrat]

Well folks...the WoodRat has just about finished his sojourn in Blighty....he has had a great time, divested a few people of some boring old furniture and met some ANZLFers along the way which has added greatly to the enjoyment of his trip....I met for the first time Nick Royle and Martin (Munchkin) Clarke and dropped in to say hello to Dave White while I was nearby at Princes Risborough buying a nice Rosewood whatnot that was conveniently advertised as a Walnut one...Oh well...its not my fault if they dont know what Brazilian looks like...
I got to see and play Martins beautiful small Cocobolo guitar that he recently posted in the Gore/Gilet Book Gallery thread ....It is an extraordinarily beautiful guitar in all respects. Nick and I met at a pub called the Castle at Harrow on the hill in North London and we sampled great ale and chatted at length about all things lutherie. Dave was a little surprised when he opened the door but I said that I was just in the neighbourhood so I thought that I would say hello and catch up....which was nice..
On the wood gathering front I was able to catch and wrangle to the ground a few nice pieces. All were treated humanely and have started their journey to an afterlife of lutherie...
I met a great chap called Lloyd Rust who is an antique dealer/DJ/Auctioneer/has Degree in Something to do with old things/ and all round good bloke. When we met I him I told him virtually straight away that what I was doing and looking for....he considered it to be a worthwhile endevour to give old bits a new life and so after buying a couple of pieces from him we both went to work breaking them down on the spot and having a jolly good laugh together... Then being the gentleman he is we went to the pub where he shouted me a pint of ale before we had to go our separate ways at the end of the day...Thank You Lloyd for a memorable day.
So there we have it ...the wood is crated for transportation to Australia quietly and patiently waiting for the time when they will be introduced to the teeth of my bandsaw...such fun!

[kiwigeo]

Dave was a little surprised when he opened the door......

Well it's not everyday you get a stranger holding a panel saw knocking on your front door....

[DarwinStrings]

Well it's not everyday you get a stranger holding a panel saw knocking on your front door....

That's for sure, I had to move my last panel saw with a forklift and a crane truck.

Congratulations Woodrat and my hat is off to anyone who wears just a T shirt in Old Blighty.

Jim

[charangohabsburg]

Good to see you're putting some more wood on the right path John!

Every time I read you talking about a whatnot I can't help thinking of what a whatnot should not be. It is indeed its own answer to the question inherent in its name!

[woodrat]

Hi Marcus....yes it is a silly name but I didnt make it up....that was done more than a hundred years ago....I guess they just didnt know what (or what not) to call it!...

[charangohabsburg]

Well, silly or not, at least it's a very inspiring name. Also: "Whatnot? Walnot!"

[woodrat]

Well it's not everyday you get a stranger holding a panel saw knocking on your front door....

That's for sure, I had to move my last panel saw with a forklift and a crane truck.

Congratulations Woodrat and my hat is off to anyone who wears just a T shirt in Old Blighty.

Jim

Thanks Jim....actually the weather here has been great....I got here 31st August and excepf for the last couple of days it has been fine....almost a drought one could say...!

John the WoodRat

[peter.coombe]

Well I can see you have been enjoying yourself just by the look on your face. No wonder, just look at that spiderweb BRW , and they called it walnut! Lucky you.

Peter

[woodrat]

Hi Peter...Yes I am the WoodCat with the cream with that BRW...