Work has begun on what will be my third workshop since arriving here in Kerikeri, Northland. Starting off, I made do in a tiny single car garage. It served the purpose of getting the tools out and building a few pieces but I’m grateful to have moved on.
I am currently working from a temporary space, rented off a friend. I ride my bicycle to the workshop and enjoy a friendly relationship with the owner who is building a table of his own. It is wonderful to share my passion for woodworking with another. The size of this space means I can set up the machines and leave them in place. My mind is free to work and design without the shuffling around of tools and the mixing up of thought.
The new workshop will be built at our family home. Many people find it distracting to work from home. Luckily this is not something I have a problem with and enjoy hearing the kids in the yard, as well as having the tools on hand for the weekend.
We’ve begun work with the site and are looking forward to the next step, of laying the concrete slab. Unfortunately, in the area demarcated for the workshop, a beautiful Jacaranda tree was growing. In any case, turns out this tree was on its last legs with a failing root system. It was a real shame to remove it but we’ve have saved the main section of the trunk in order to turn this into some furniture a little down the track. Jacaranda is not known to be a furniture making timber but the heart wood is wonderfully rich and I’m intrigued to see how it turns out. We’ll know in a couple of years…
Well the sign is up and we’re really looking forward to getting stuck in to new workshop.
