Hello Galoots

I've been wondering what the Australian translation of "Galoot" is.  As Australi
a is a nation where heartfelt verbal abuse substitutes for endearment, I'd guess
 it's something I shouldn't post.

Anyway, I'm a ****** from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.  I'm computer program
mer by day, and a home handyman of the selectively tight-fisted variety (why pay
 for a professional, quick job when you can have a long, agonizing struggle for 
free?).  So far my estimate of tradesman's fees saved is running at about 1/3 of
 my tool budget, and losing ground.

Because I'm trying to get things done as well as just make shavings, my interest
 in old tools is practical.  For instance, I can sharpen my scrub plane blade in
 about two minutes, which is just about enough time to get the cover off the thi
cknesser and reach for the grub screw spanner.  So I feed dirty wood through the
 the scrub plane rather than the thicknesser.  I cross-cut everything by hand wi
th a (bent) ryoba saw.  On the other hand, I doubt I'm ever going to rip more th
an two feet of board on anything but my bandsaw.  Maybe I'm not a ***** after al
l.

I've only got one scrub plane, so I'm not a collector ;->


Jaime Metcher