patches

Anyone going to Rotorua on Saturday? (shot in the dark) I foolishly got caught up in the hype of a TradeMe auction and won an item that is "Pick-up Only" ???? Happy to contribute towards fuel for anyone that is able to assist.

I was listening to one of the Woodtalk podcast episodes the other day, and they were talking about sacrificial layers on Roubo style workbenches and whether or not they use them, especially after putting in so many hours to create these artworks. One of the hosts (Matt Cremona or Marc Spagnuolo, I can't remember) suggested to the person asking the question that they grab a mallet and hit their bench top a couple of times to dent it slightly. They said that although it just seems so wrong and dirty, it breaks that idea of perfection and one feel less guilty about using the bench for its designed purpose, hahaha

hahah! thumbs up for the AvE references! Pity he hasn't got a BOLTR on this router, probably as he takes issue with dirty wood elves defiling dead tree carcasses. Hahaha didn't even notice that! It is a tongue twister for sure! I may be forced to take the motorbike down, as I may not have use of the car that day (I don't actually own a car). If I can take the car (and bike) I may just ride Skyline (where they hold Crankworx). It's right in town, there's a gondola, and the park style trails are short and sweet. The Redwoods is where the real magic is, but it's an all day outing, better with riding buddies, and despite what one may think about shuttle buses making it easy, there are still some mega hills to climb from the shuttle drop off to the trail head.

The full-size router search is over (for now at least). I managed to sucessfully win an auction on an old Festool (Festo) OF 2000E for the princely sum of $81. It's from the liquidation sale of a benchtop manufacturer so no doubt has seen some miles. Hopefully it still has some life left in it. There is a catch though... I have to go pick it up in Rotorua (3hrs away), but I may make a day of it and go ride some of their world-class trails while I'm at it. This past weekend I also added some stability to my foldable outfeed table. I had the idea to use a telescopic leg on a slotted mitre-cleat (don't know the proper name) to add support to the end of the outfeed and reduce the chance of the whole table saw tipping when weight is placed on that side. I also added some of those "clip-in" rubber tool/broom clamps for storage when the whole transformer-table saw is ready to roll out.

Yeah, the timber section of all the big building supply stores (Placemakers, Bunnings, Mitre10 etc) is a little more bare than usual. 4x2's and other common treated pine (the pink stuff) framing timber is still available, but LVL beams and the more specialized structural stuff is in very short supply. What was weird about Rosenfeld-Kidson (where I got the maple and walnut from) was that they mainly deal in rough sawn exotic timber for decorative/architectural use. A very specialised market which I didn't think would be as affected as the construction industry, but I guess they even more reliant on the US for supply as they deal in timbers like oak, maple, walnut, cherry and such. That said, I milled down my 2400x125x25mm board of American Black Walnut this past weekend and I must say that I was disappointed. The colour variance along the length of the board is massive and only a small section (about 600mm worth) had that typical black walnut appearance. The rest looked very light and washed out. I do realise that this is my own fault as I selected the board myself and it was my first time buying walnut so didn't know what to look out for and couldn't see past the rough sawn exterior. Still disappointing though.

Thanks Cap ???? So not too different then. The boards I purchased were 25mm thick, prime grade. Home made chopping boards are getting pricey to make, hahaha

Quickly popped over to the lumber yard to pick up some walnut and maple. The racks are more bare than usual, evidence of the worldwide shortages. And damn walnut is pricey (first time I've ever bought some) They did give me a good deal on the S4S maple though. Sold it at the same price as rough sawn ???? Out of curiosity, what are the prices of the exotics like in SA? Here it's American Black Walnut (rough sawn) - $6,000/m³ (±R60,000) American Hard Maple (rough sawn) - $3,000/m³ (± R30,000)

Yeah, it is creeping into Festool territory, and I don't own me any green & black... yet ???? I have my eye on a couple of 2nd hand $1 reserve auctions all closing in 1 day. The options are: Festo (Festool) OF 2000E - currently at a $5.51 Elu 177e - currently at $10.50 Makita RP2301FC - currently at $307.00 The machines in question would have been worked hard though as they are from a liquidation sale of a door-making business or something like that. In NZ, $1 auction bids are notorious for climbing 10-100x in the last 5min, so I'm not holding my breath for an absolute steal, but let's see. I may get lucky.

After going down some YouTube rabbit holes my heart is drawn to the Bosch GMF 1600 CE This review (although lengthy) shows some good features that make this tool an attractive option. Namely: Fixed and plunge bases (so fixed base can be installed on table router plate making router easier to switch between 2 functions. Plus I believe fixed bases are better for table mounting)Above table height adjustment (through base)Variable speed with electronic constant speed control76mm plunge (which seems to be larger than most routers in this range)1/4", 8mm and 1/2" collet sizesThe downside... price (as expected). For the router and both bases, it comes into just under R10,000 equivalent (almost Festool money)

Yeah, in the land where there's a zero chopped off, one quickly forgets that things are not as reasonable as they seem. I bought some Kreg pocket hole screws a little while back and thought "that's not too bad". I just checked now. Approx R140 for 50x 50mm Kreg Screws Approx. R80 for 50x 50mm 8G Zinc Plated screws So yeah, nearly twice the price. Hopefully I'll be less fooled by "just $14" next time

RE 1/2" router: yup, I was thinking that 1400W - 1700W would be more than sufficient. Add the requirement for variable speed and 1/2" and it narrows down the options a bit. I have had my eye on the Bosch GOF1600CE, which comes in at about the same price as the variable speed Makita. I know it's a popular option with some of the US woodworkers (granted they have the sissy-voltage version). It's about R7,500 new. so will still keep an eye out on the used market. http://www.testntools.co.nz/images/detailed/2/Bosch-GOF1600CE-Router-with-Parallel-Guide-0601624040-A.jpg As for doweling jigs, I agree. I initially considered them, but the more I investigated the less I liked the idea. I have considered the biscuit joiner route (and yes, the battery operated Makita one is on my wishlist ), but again, research seems to indicate their main advantage is in lining up pieces and not offering structural integrity, whereas a Domino or Peanut or Lamello Zeta offers some strength benefit along with the alignment. I think biscuit joiners are one of those divisive tools that people ether love or leave to gather dust. On the other hand the only real negative I have ever heard about a Domino is price. And yeah, this is a big factor for me as I'm a home-gamer, so it's an overkill. Anyway, full size router first. Then maybe a Peanut jig. Then maybe if I win the lotto I'll get a Domino

Definitely a factor. I remember the amazing townhouse my boss in SA had. Dunkeld West, new build with all the luxuries. He paid around R5m off plan (circa 2010/2011). It seemed insane! He sold in 2016 for about R5.5m. Again, in SA a property THAT nice and "expensive" seemed like it was only for the big wigs. (even in 2016 R5.5m wouldn't get you much in Auckland) Then (as mentioned previously) friends-of-friends in Perth earning a decent wicket (talking around $300k+ between a couple) were saying that they couldn't possibly afford or conceive spending $600k+ on a house in Western Aus. The Aucklanders in the group laughed at them. And then there's me... a Saffer who is horrified by Auckland house prices (even just NZ in general), but partnered to an Aussie who grew up in Sydney's Northern Suburbs, so for her they "seem cheap"

Oh I completely agree, the workforce has been hit hard in both public and private sectors and whilst pay increases are unlikely in either. If they said "no increases this year, we'll review next" it would be more understandable. But to come out with a blanket 3yrs (on top of the 1yr prior) was a bit of a punch in the gut. Employees with private sector equivalents (especially engineers and others in the construction industry) are in high demand and the private sector pays better. Soon enough those 5 extra days of public servant leave and the "ideals of being able to shape the industry" will be cast by the wayside in favour of competitive pay packages that enable one to keep up with the cost of living. I wouldn't be surprised if there's an exodus in the near future. I feel for those in the emergency services or education who have little other option with limited private sector equivalencies.

The bad... Yesterday the government announced public sector pay freezes (in various degrees) for the next 3 years. That makes 4 years on the trot, as 2020 increases were also scrapped due to covid. Whilst I recognise that one is fortunate to have steady employment, this is a slap in the face to many that have worked so hard (and on the front lines), are already paid less than their private sector counterparts. Not a great way to convince people to go into essential services like law enforcement, healthcare, emergency services, or education. It's like they saw the massive debt that covid recovery packages left and thought, let's screw over our own employees (who kept the country running) to try fix this. [Gripe over]

As you have noted, the property sector here is going crazy at the moment. Whilst it is disheartening, there are some "other sides to the story" that can bring hope. Things like: Comparing apples and ambergris. I know you are not familiar with all the areas and regions in NZ, so it's understandable that the context of these things is elusive at times. As Wayne and Dave stated, the house you referenced is ridiculously priced due to its location. Whitianga is like rich Auckland boomer central. It's where wealthy Aucklanders (Jaffas) go to retire and complain about other Aucklanders who visit the Coromandel on holiday. 900+ squares of beachfront property there is where the real cost was (similar to buying in Clifton). Add an award winning architecturally designed home and you have a recipe ridiculous prices. Also couple that with the fact that NZ media has so little else to report on that they love fanning the flames on insane house pricing. They thrive on stuff like that. Adios Auckland! Although over 1/4 of the country's population live in/around the big smoke, there are great places to live away from Jaffa-land. Many of these places have everything one needs, decent employment options, and more affordable housing. The Aussies are in a similar boat. Sydney and Melbourne are great cities, but as uncle Ben said in Spiderman "with great cities come great housing expenses" [paraphrased]. So Aussies often look to places like Brisbane, central north coast (NSW), Adelaide and even Perth (aka Australia's Randfontein ). Places where one may not get paid the same big bucks, but are more affordable overall. New Zealand has similar places. Granted they're not as developed and not quite as good a deal (income-to-housing) as their Aussie counterparts, but that's part of the cost of living on the butt end of the world. Last year a former colleague (Saffer) took a job in Cambridge (outside Hamilton) because he could afford to buy a house there. Not a bad move. Other places like Nelson, Whangarei and my personal favourite Christchurch are also viable options. Resist the pull to Browns Bay (there are too many Saffers there anyway ) and look further afield (at least when you are ready to buy a house, which requires Residence, so you have time). Sold the Dream, now what?! In addition to the love of rugby, cricket, char-grilled meat and beer, Saffers, Aussies and Kiwis have another thing in common. They sell the dream of home ownership as a measure of success. This dream has been sold over many generations, and whilst still achievable, it is by no means the same as it used to be, or a measure of success. Owning a house is convenient as they are generally investments that address the basic human need for shelter. But if one looks at the approach that many people take in big cities in other countries (like Germany, Austria, Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland, etc), they look primarily at the shelter aspect and many put home ownership pretty far from their mind and focus their investment efforts in other areas. Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne are fast becoming (or have become) like Singapore, Bangkok, Zurich and New York, whilst some people are adapting and either moving further away so that they can live the dream, or reside themselves to the fact that they can invest elsewhere and rent in Auckland, the general kiwi mindset around home ownership is still firmly set. Anyway, hope my 2c doesn't add to your concerns about a future in NZ.

Thanks for all the feedback gang! I'll keep an eye out for speed control options. I have also read some reviews on other models I have looked at and the depth adjustment from above table is one big gripe people have with certain options. As for the DIY Domino, I was wondering if anyone had dome something. Festool might have the patent, but it's not like it's a floating tenon machine is an overly complicated concept Yeah, I figured bigger bits at full tilt could get a bit scary! Agree. To date I haven't found massive advantage to my battery powered router/trimmer vs the corded one I replaced. However with some of the home reno work I do I have to isolate power, so that's where it'll shines. Also when working out on the front lawn (my garage is tiny) it makes it easier not to have to run extension cords, but in reality it's a minor inconvenience. Truth be told, I was going battery powered on the plunge/track saw, so I thought why not with the trim router As for the collet size, thererin is my limitation. The little battery powered Makita is only 1/4" and would be under powered for 1/2" even if it could. Most of the 1/2" routers I have seen have the insert to take 1/4" bits too. Between the Peanut jig and large router bits (that only come in 1/2" options), a second router would be handy. I have already written off the idea of a battery powered full size router as I think only Hikoki make them at present, they're pricey, and I don't need to add a 6th battery platform to my setup I have seen a Triton option or 2 pop up now and again. Mostly in a Triton router table setup. I have heard they're decent value for money tools, and like Carrera4s mentioned, a decent 2nd hand option may be better than a brand new entry level.

That's a Jaffa trap Many Aucklanders don't get past their batches and Queenstown is the only South Island location they can point to on a map It is tricky though with travel by car being so slow, and many tourist attractions geared for international visitors (and their deep pockets). That's why regions like the West Coast (and even tourist-mecca Queenstown) have been hit so hard. Locals cannot afford the upmarket experiences (or are just not willing to pay for them, when most are happy with a stay in a Top 10 Holiday Park). The local tourism industry has been trying hard with annoying songs like the "Do something new New Zealand", and discounted rates to try keep things ticking over. I would have never considered the 2 week South Island camper-van trip I did last October, had it been full price. That said, I have a few friends that had big overseas trips planned for 2020. They ended up diverting the resources and energy into things like starting a family, buying into a business, or going back to uni to study (2 of the 3 couples already owned property). So I can definitely see how others in similar situations have traded in their world tours for a rung on that property ladder. And with current prices (AKL average reported to be in excess of $1.2m now), I think travel & tourism is going to be less and less of a priority.

So after detouring this thread with DIY posts and talk of paint colours, I have a question for the woodworkers on here. It's about routers. I have one of those little Makita brushless routers with a plunge base and other accessories. It's great for a number of applications, but it is limited by its 1/4" collet. So I'm looking at getting a big-boy router with a 1/2" collet and a deeper plunge so that I can use bigger bits and have the option to mount upside down. The model I'm looking at is the Makita M3600B as it is pretty reasonably priced (approx R2600). The catch is that it is not variable speed (22,000 rpm only). How crucial is the ability to vary the speed? I know the general rule is "the bigger the bit, the slower the speed". Would 22,000RPM cause issues with something like a 20mm radius roundover? The ultimate plan for this router is 2 fold. First: Mount in an aluminium plate and build something to mount it onto the extension of my table saw. These are reasonable from Aliexpress Something like this where the table saw fence can double up as the router fence. Second: Looking to get a Peanut 2 Mini Jig at some stage and they only have options for 8mm or 1/2" bits. If you haven't seen the Peanut jig it's pretty awesome. It's a way to create accurate, strong, self-clamping joints (90deg and 45deg) for collapsible builds. Whilst I would love a Festool Domino, currently I cannot justify the price (Approx R18,000 for the base setup). The Peanut mini jig, whilst slower, is a fair bit more affordable (approx R3,600 after shipping form the UK) Keen to hear your thoughts on the router (or any of the above)

Thanks! The warm vs cool colour debate was one had in the house from day 1. The previous owner (an old lady in her 80's) had the walls painted a sort of manilla beige colour. We hated it After dozens of test pots and paint patches on the walls we settled on a slightly cooler white. However we do have flexibility in that the lights I have been installing are all 16 million colour smart LED's, so I can change the lighting colours to give the rooms a warmer feel, all controllable through the Philips Hue app and Google Assistant. As aside though, in SA we tend to go for warmer more earthy colours in our homes. I remember looking for places to rent in NZ and the abundance of dark grey/charcoal carpets in houses was weird at first. Now I'm used to that and when I see a beige carpet it looks weird to me. It's the same with wood furniture. They love the white oak/scandinavian look here. Sometimes walnut makes an appearance. But if I look back at all the dark brown reddish woods I grew up around, they seem outta place here. "Style" is definitely regional.

Was going to suggest it as a plant based condiment for you WP. I'm going through a Frank's Red Hot sauce phase at the moment. Before that it was Cholula and Culley's No. 3. Don't know if I'm brave enough for a No. 8

As a vaalie I have no clue or business filleting a fish But yeah, definitely some nice battered fillets on the cards. Plus I recently discovered this: So tasty on everything it graces! And as it says on the bottle "Great on Fish"

So after a weekend of gap filling, sanding and painting, I managed to finish the hallway just in time before my partner arrived back from Aus. Before: After:

Had a tough day in the office on Friday... Early morning departure from Whangaparaoa marina Heading out from there to the mussel farms near the Coromandel Good day fishing! Action packed! We each got our 7 for the day! Luckily one of the others on the boat mentioned that Oceanz (Greville road) will fillet for you at $3.50/fish. I ended up with around 2kg ($90) of snapper fillet!

Yeah I remember the polystyrene ones from SA. I know the UK uses them too. I remember my dad using toothpicks to join up the mitred ends. Unfortunately they don't seem to be a thing here. Not sure why?! Possible fire?! I installed gypsum ones in the lounge as I needed a slightly bigger profile to cover some terrible gaps in the top of the drywall from a previous owner's reno. And you are quite right... they are K U K to work with. Snapped at least one trying to install it. Definitely a 2 person job for the longer runs. The mess the cement makes is also a pain and results in plenty of sanding to get grubby splotches off after. They also only come in 3.6m lengths here so a join is inevitable. Disguising the join is not always easy. I stick to the wood variants wherever possible. Measure, cut, cope, nail gun, done!

There's a radio advert here where you hear all sorts of trades saying "no worries, the painter will get that" to things like leaky roofs, short circuiting electrical etc. The ad is for tradie's insurance because the painter can't fix everything