Hello from the antipodes

**Aussie Ian** · Jan 14, 2014, 08:38 PM

G'day;

Have been on the site for a couple of weeks, after having found it by accident, trying to chase down a reference to something I was wanting to build.

The reference to the antipodes, in my intro, is the fact that I'm located in the lower half of the planet, Geelong, Victoria, Australia, to be exact.

In a previous life I was a fitter / toolmaker, but for the last 35 years have been a Firefighter.

Having recently retired, I intend tinkering in my shed a lot more, so this site will be right up my alley, in ways of adapting existing equipment, or creating new tools / machines, at low cost.

The other useful thing I see for this site is, that as the Missus & I begin to travel, - there's a segment of the population in Australia known as "Grey Nomads", that is retired people, with Caravans, ("trailers", I think, in American terminology,) on the "wallaby" (no idea what the term for wandering about the country is in other places,) for several months at a time, - the ability to log in and look for a way to fix something, with minimal tools & parts will be useful.

Also involved with Scouts, and Fire Services Museum of Victoria.

Cheers

Ian

**kbalch** · Jan 15, 2014, 08:21 AM

Hi Ian,

Welcome!

That's an interesting perspective on using the site on an as-needed basis to support your travels. A very appealing utilitarian usage. In the US, we often refer to people roving about in their trailers/RVs as "RVers". That's RV for "Recreational Vehicle".

When you're ready to share some of your own homemade tools, we'd love to see them. Please post them directly in the Homemade Tools, subforum. We'll add each one to the database, as well as to your builder page on the site.

Non-tool items should be shared in the Not a Tool, but Homemade subforum.

Ken