Among the many inspiring stories from Men's Sheds is that of Bruce Young, a 93-year-old member of the Henty Men's Shed in New South Wales. Bruce has dedicated decades to woodworking, finding immense satisfaction and joy in his craft. His projects range from building kitchen benches to crafting intricate wooden trims, each piece a testament to his skill and dedication.
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Carbatec – The Home of Woodworking, Australia's premier destination for woodworking solutions, is thrilled to announce the opening of its new flagship store in Tingalpa, Brisbane. Scheduled to open its doors on October 8, this state-of-the-art facility marks a significant milestone in Carbatec's history, as it expands its commitment to delivering top-quality woodworking tools and exceptional customer experiences.
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Woodpeckers Tools are coming soon to Carbatec. Stay tuned for updates on the availability of our curated range of Woodpeckers measuring tools, squares, fence stop systems, planes, clamps and table saw accessories.
![A compact woodworking workshop with benchtop machinery]() Whether you're working in a cramped garage, a small shed or a shared workspace, woodworking benchtop machinery can be a game-changer. Their space-efficient design, versatility, affordability, and ease of use make them indispensable tools in any compact workshop.
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![Women in Wood - Part 2]() As a lead-up to International Women's Day on Friday, 8th March, we'll be celebrating "Women in Wood". Let's meet some of these inspiring female woodworkers and artists and discover their woodworking journey.
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![Women in Wood - Part 1]() As a lead-up to International Women's Day on Friday, 8th March, we'll be celebrating "Women in Wood". Let's meet some of these inspiring female woodworkers and artists and discover their woodworking journey.
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![Dust Extraction Basics]() Know The Basics of Dust Extraction to keep your workstation clean and safe.
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![Safety First. Personal Protection Equipment.]()
Safety First! You will need PPE at some stage in your woodworking project. Have you checked you've got the right one?
![Unlocking Precision and Efficiency: The Benefits of Having a Jointer in Your Workshop]() Unlocking Precision and Efficiency: The Benefits of Having a Jointer in Your Workshop
![Scroll Saw Vs Bandsaw: Which do you need?]() It can be hard to choose between investing in a new scroll saw or in a new bandsaw. Both are designed for cutting but for very different operations.
![Choosing the Best Scroll Saw for You!]() If you’re a creative person and love smaller, more detailed or elaborate projects such as making puzzle pieces, toys, intarsia and sign-work, a scroll saw will be the perfect addition to your tool collection!
![Personal Protection and Maintenance]() With the cooler weather comes more comfortable and enjoyable days in the workshop. Before you go, create your next masterpiece, make sure your equipment is safe with our helpful checklist.
![Basic Benchtop Thicknesser overhaul]() Give your thicknesser a good clean, some new blades and see the difference it makes.
![Table Saw Vs Bandsaw: Which do you need?]() It can be hard to choose between investing in a new table saw or in a new bandsaw.
![Pyrography vs Fractal or 'Lichtenberg]() Fractal burning is a relatively new technique of creating patterns in timber by applying electrical current from a high-voltage source. Unfortunately, this craft has directly resulted in deaths in Australia and around the world, as it exposes the user to high-voltage electricity.
![How to choose the best respirator]() Choosing the right respirator is key. No matter how well made your respirator is, it can’t filter out hazards that it’s not designed for.
Selecting the best respirator for your needs
![Selecting the best hearing protection for your needs]() With so many options available, it can be challenging to determine which style of hearing protection is most suitable for you. Earplugs and earmuffs come in many styles and configurations, including communication headsets, which makes it more important to consider the different factors when selecting hearing protection.
![Hand Tools Vs Powered Tools - Which is better for woodworking?]() Woodworking takes many forms, and techniques and tools used are often based purely on personal preference. At the end of the day, there are multiple tools offering multiple ways of making the same item. Which one is better?
![The true value of woodworking tools]() “My Greatest Fear is that when I die, my wife will sell my tools for what I told her I paid for them.” - Anon
What are your tools really worth?
![Rediscover the simple pleasure of quality hand tools]() Handsaws can be found in almost every workshop or shed and the market is saturated with different brands, all vying for your hard-earned dollar. As with any tool, a saw is not just a saw. From major differences relevant to their specific purpose, to more subtle differences that can have a greater bearing on the cost.
![The Heart of your Workshop]() The Table Saw is one of the most versatile machines in any workshop and it's critical to take the time to research the one that best suits your needs, as not all Table Saws are created equal.
![Woodworking really is good for us!]() There’s a growing awareness that making things with our hands provides psychological benefits and woodworking, as a creative activity, helps to stimulate the brain and relax the body.
![Quick Guide to Choosing Bandsaw Blades]() “I’d like to buy a blade.”“Great! Bandsaw? Circular saw? 10”? 12”? What bore diameter do you need?” “Alternate bevel? Thin kerf? Flat tooth? Sheer angle? Triple chip? Chrome plated?” “I just want a blade!!”It's FAQ time and one question that we get asked frequently at Carbatec is “ which blade should I buy?”.
![Making a spoon is easy]() “Making a spoon is easy. Start with a piece of wood and remove everything that doesn’t look like a spoon.” — Steve Schuler
![Special Effects - Traditional Finishes Series]() Two of the most important aspects of any piece of furniture are its colour and surface patination. Exposure to light, plus years of waxing causes the original wood to develop a wide range of tones and also a surface skin, or patination, which is highly valued by collectors and valuers of fine furniture. Carbatec's resident restorer and preserver of beautiful furniture, Don Jones shares some of his knowledge on Special Effects.
![Gilt - Traditional Finishes Series]() Gilding is a method of enhancing and disguising wood to give a better appearance. It was performed either as water gilding or oil gilding, both requiring a high level of skill to undertake successfully. It was quite popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly in Europe and Asia. Carbatec's resident restorer and preserver of beautiful furniture, Don Jones shares some of his knowledge on Gilding.
![Clever space-saving tips for small workshops]() Very few of us have unlimited space for our workshops, but small or shared spaces can be more challenging to set up to make the best use of available space. I’m sure we’re not alone with creative storage solutions needed to keep our workshop space workable!
All woodworking machines require effective dust extraction to ensure quality work and longevity of the machine itself. Failure to connect your machine to a suitable dust collector may affect your warranty. The collector required for your machine will depend on several factors. Please read our guidelines on selection of a suitable dust collector.
![Japanning - Traditional Finishes Series]() Japanning within the context of a furniture finish, refers to finishes that are usually in the form of a dark, complex lacquer. It emerged as a finish in the 17th century after Oriental lacquered objects were imported into Europe in the late 16th Century.
Carbatec's resident restorer and preserver of beautiful furniture, Don Jones shares some of his knowledge on Japanning.
![Polishes - Traditional Finishes Series]() Wood has been used for ages for making furniture. As a natural material, wood is vulnerable to the effects of aging which means it can become dried out, cracked, or stained. For thousands of years, people have recognized the usefulness of coating wooden surfaces with oils, balms, and unguents.
Shellac has been a popular finish for timber, and as a dye literally for thousands of years. Historical records have dated its use as early as 3,000 years ago in Asia and India. The form of shellac used by woodworkers as a finish is made by dissolving flakes of shellac in a denatured alcohol solvent. Carbatec's resident restorer and preserver of beautiful furniture, Don Jones shares some of his knowledge on using Shellac.
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The Team at Veritas Tools design from scratch. Each product they develop involves the consideration of new concepts, new materials, and new manufacturing processes. They expect the tools they design to be innovative and provide excellent value for customers.
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Tung oil is a very popular finish because it is a natural oil derived from the tung nut that dries into the wood surface. After it fully cures - usually between 5 to 30 days, the result is a very hard and easily repaired finish. It has traditionally been used on furniture, boat decks and timber floors. Carbatec's resident restorer and preserver of beautiful furniture, Don Jones shares some of his knowledge on using Tung Oil.
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The same features of strength and durability that make hardwoods popular also happen to be the reasons why working with hardwoods can be harder than working with softwoods. Softwood is a lot easier to cut and shape, enabling the use of smaller woodworking machines and motors. (That said resinous softwoods can also be challenging to work with.)
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As a restorer and preserver of beautiful furniture, Don often sees the results of years of neglect or misplaced good intentions on caring for wooden furniture of all ages. Whether you are caring for a 100 year old antique, a new purchase or something you have created yourself, Don shares some basic things you should consider to care for your furniture.
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Let your imagination run wild. Fitted with an interchangeable cutter, the Texturing Tool is just as effective on soft as on hard woods
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![A method to Centre/Re-centre a Faceplate]() Although using a rule to centre a faceplate and drawing a line around the outside of the faceplate may be just as accurate, this method is quick and easy.
![Some Basics in Designing a Segmented Bowl - Part 2]() Part 1 discussed designing a segmented bowl using graph paper and some Maths. In Part 2 I’ll show the same bowl designed using a software program.
![Some Basics in Designing a Segmented Bowl - Part 1]() This type of design allows for various patterns to be created from unique and interesting timbers. It is also a way to use timber from boards and those odd pieces you just don’t want to throw out.
![Starting woodworking - Perth Wood School]() As a woodworker, starting out in this vast hobby with a blunt chisel in hand and no concept of what a jig is, we often stumble into the path of looking for a teacher. In my case, the teacher stumbled into me.
![Beginners Guide To Pen Making Equipment]() This article is prepared to assist those wishing to commence the journey into pen making using a wood lathe.
![How To Make A Goblet]() Learn how to build a Goblet with the aid of the Nova Centre System - TK-Centre
![Basic safe woodworking habits]() Adopting some basic safe woodworking habits will help provide a more enjoyable woodworking experience for many years to come.
!['In the Frame' for Mother's Day by Carol Russell]() If you're looking for a truly unique gift this Mother’s Day, what about buying your Mum the tools that will introduce her to a highly addictive hobby? Picture framing is an incredibly rewarding pastime and anyone who has ever paid to have something framed will know how cost prohibitive it can be to get it done professionally.
![Meet the Maker: Elliot Holdstock]() As a woodworker, Elliot Holdstock has cultivated an impressive portfolio of unique fine furniture pieces comprised of tables, chairs and lamps. The level of skill involved to create these functional pieces is paralleled to his level of craftsmanship to create these seamless designs.
![Wood Review Student Awards 2016]() Carbatec has once again sponsored the Australian Wood Review in their yearly Student Awards for 2016! Students from year 11 and 12 submitted their work to be assessed by a panel of judges across several categories of skill sets.
![International Women's Day 2017]() At Carbatec, International Women’s Day is a great day to celebrate and encourage women in woodworking. This year we had the honour of having Carol Russell and Jan Schilling...
![Making a Chess Board]()
Andrew Burton from our Brisbane store shows us how to make a chess board!
![Introduction to Router Safety]() A woodworking router is a commonly used tool in most woodworking projects to hollow out an area. Like all tools, it does need to be respected, but not feared.
![New MicroJig MJ Splitters Comparison]() Safety should always the number one thought as a woodworker commences any work. Sometimes the removing the riving knife is required for cutting trenches, rebates and shallow cuts where the riving knife would get in the way. This has always been a risky practice until the MicroJig Splitters came along.
![Jeremy's Top Product Picks]() Jeremy is a brand manager of the Wakerley team and for 22 years has worked in luthiery. Most luthiers would agree that it can appear overwhelming at first. However, Jeremy’s recommendation is to start simple and build your workshop over time...
![Finishing with Shellac by Carol Russell]()
More woodworkers are choosing traditional methods of finishing rather than quick-fix solutions that don’t age well. Shellac is an ancient finish that gives a lustrous depth to timber and works well on both contemporary and traditional furniture.
![Tools We Can't Live Without]() Here at Carbatec, many employees both in retail and customer care are very knowledgeable in all different types of woodworking, with years of experience under their belt. So we asked around to find out what products our expert woodworkers cannot live without!
![Lindsay's Top Product Picks]() When not working as a retail specialist in Carbatec’s Wakerley store, Lindsay devotes his time to woodturning. After having had this passion for 12 years, he has cultivated years of knowledge and expertise, especially in Carbatec products.
![Spoon Carving Tools for Beginners]() Spoon carving provides an easy and inexpensive entry into the art and skill of woodcarving for any beginner. It is recognised as a free form style of carving as there is really no limit to the design and form style of carving. Spoon carving also provides an excellent manner of learning the different aspects of various wood selections, including grain direction, colour, hardness/softness relating to ease of carving.
![Allan's Top Product Picks]() Allan makes up part of our Technical Customer Service Team here at Carbatec and also sends time as a Retail Assistance in the Wakerley store. Allan has been with us for 2 years and spends a lot of his spare time making wooden models of classic cars and recently won an award for his segmented woodturning.
![Sharpening Chisels & Plane Blades]()
Peter Young gives us some advice on sharpening chisels and plane blades.
If your blade is older and has had a lot of use, it may have some damage. Remove any nicks from cutting edge – I think it is better to do this first up so that you don’t waste time on metal which may need to be removed.
![Which Kreg Jig Is Right For Me?]() With so many amazing Kreg Jigs available, customers are always asking which jig is right for their project. So we have decided to make it a little easier to pick out your next Kreg Jig...
![Jordan Phillis - Aspiring Woodturner]() Jordan Phillis came into our Brisbane Carbatec Store a few weeks ago, to buy his first lathe at the ripe old age of 12! Our staff were all really impressed by his enthusiasm and we wanted to learn more about how he found a passion for woodturning…
![Woodturning Society of Queensland Awards 2016]() Congratulations to Allan Short & Gary Bidgood from our Customer Care team for their wins at the Woodturning Society of Queensland awards!
![Setting Up Your Workshop]() Workshops tend to evolve over time and you don't always get the chance to plan as much as you may want to. However having a vision of where you are heading with your woodworking and what you want to make can help a lot.
![The Basics of Woodturning]() When you first take up woodturning it’s possible and tempting to spend an enormous amount of money acquiring a comprehensive range of tools, chucks and accessories. However to get started it isn’t really necessary, you’re better to begin with a basic kit and go from there.
![All Wood Chat: Woodcarving with Carol Russell]()
PODCAST
Carol Russell, woodcarving extraordinaire, popped into our studio to talk about her journey into woodcarving and spilled all her tips & tricks.
![Spotlight on Microplanes]()
Written by Lindsay, our Brisbane Showroom Assistant.
This past weekend, I had a good look at the range of microplanes we have on offer here at Carbatec and I have to say - they are a really special tool to have in the kit bag.
![Confessions of a Pen Addict]()
Cameron Ward shares his addiction to pen turning.
Turning pens is a fun and rewarding hobby. This is undoubtedly the reason behind its increasing popularity. Its easy accessibility in terms of requisite skill level and relative affordability makes it the hobby of choice for most first-time woodworkers.
![Why Use Handplanes In A Modern World?]()
Written by Peter Geddes - a Brisbane-based woodworker.
It's very interesting to look at the place the handplane occupies in the history of woodworking. One of the most important changes that occurred in this history was the progression from the carpenter - whose main tools were the axe, adze and saw - to the joiner, cabinet maker and other craftsmen...
![All About Handsaws]() Even if you use machinery for cutting most of your joinery, there are some things that are still best done with a handsaw. Being able to saw accurately to a line is a fundamental woodworking skill that can take a lot of practice to get it right, but is well worth the effort. Once you gain confidence, you may even find yourself cutting your dovetails or tenons by hand.
![All Wood Chat: Woodturning with Theo Haralampou]()
PODCAST
Theo Haralampou or 'Theo the Woodturner', tells us about his passion for woodturning, his journey with it and where beginners should look to start. Theo is based in Brisbane and regularly hosts free demonstrations at Carbatec's Brisbane store.
![Tuning Your Bandsaw]()
Bandsaws are a must in any workshop, they are wonderful for cutting curves or preparing blanks for woodcarving or woodturning. If set up correctly, they can be used for ripping veneers or cutting mortises or even dovetails.
![Workshop Tip - Splinter Free Dovetailing]()
Carol Russell gives us a great tip for splinter free dovetailing.
I can’t remember where this tip came from, I think it was an old Fine Woodworking Magazine originally, but it’s one of the simplest and most effective tips I have ever been given.
![How to Make a Longworth Chuck]()
Written by Allan Short.
The Longworth chuck features a self-centring mechanism that easily and quickly adjusts to the size of your turning by using a pair of disks which rotate against each other...
![From Observation to Expression]()
Written by Carol Russell about Gary Field.
Gary has been a stalwart of the woodworking community in Brisbane for three decades. His work has featured in galleries and exhibitions Australia-wide...
![Rendel's Top Product Picks]()
Rendel makes up part of our Marketing team here at Carbatec and has been here for 5 years. Rendel is a qualified cabinet maker and loves his DIY woodworking. He is currently working on designer bespoke bedside tables for his home.
We asked Rendell what his favourite tools in his workshop are and these were his top picks.
![Open Segment Jig]()
Allan Short works in our Customer Call Centre at Carbatec Brisbane and is an esteemed woodworker.
This open segment jig is not complicated to use but has required thought and planning to construct so here is a summary of how I made my jig.
![Setting Up Shop]()
Written by Bruce Sharp.
Making stuff is fun and for five days a week, through most of my career as a teacher, I have made wooden stuff with teenagers. Imagine working with uninhibited creative minds and having the unfettered use of a well-equipped (semi-industrial) workshop.
![A Drawing Template For Spindle Turning]() Robert McKee has been teaching woodturning and joinery to adults for over 25 years. Originally he trained as a wood machinist, but relatively early in his career he discovered that teaching was the thing that really motivated him.
![Jet Cone Vortex Technology]()
Professional workshops have known for decades that one of the most important pieces of machinery in the workshop is an adequate dust extractor. A clean, dust-free workplace is not only safer, but far less work in the long run. There is less cleanup and less airborne dust, which is very important when it comes to the finishing stage. Another important fact is that it is far better for your machinery to have the dust and shavings removed.
![Jet Combination Planer Thicknesser]()
The JET-JPT310HH combination machine is a dream machine that is designed to perform both its task of planing and thicknessing with accuracy and ease. This is a ‘no-compromise’ option to save space and have a machine that will perform at a professional level.
![Setting Up Your Workshop Part 2]()
One of the most recognisable symbols of woodworking and fine craftsmanship is the handplane. They come in many styles and are a highly versatile tool that many woodworkers are hesitant to really get into using beyond a superficial level. They require a degree of skill to get the best performance out of, particularly if you are going to be flattening boards or shooting edges for jointing, the only way to get to this point is by practising.
![CMT Pattern Following Bit]()
Occasionally I make a piece of furniture that turns out to be popular and I’m asked to reproduce it in a different timber. It’s at times like this that I’m pleased I have kept templates of all the components that require shaping. It cuts down the amount preparation and production time required.
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Micheal Connor’s workshop is perched on a hill with spectacular views of the surrounding district of Corndale in Northern New South Wales. It’s a beautiful outlook from the timber-filled verandah, but it wasn’t to be an idle day contemplating the scenery.
Frank Wiesner’s enthusiasm for working with timber and its enduring beauty is thoroughly infectious. As we crawl through his wood pile, he’s able to name all the different timber species he’s collected over the years. It’s hard to believe that after more than half a century his love of the craft hasn’t diminished at all.
In 1992, I met Jean-Rene Donghy, a French Oceanographer working at CSIRO in Hobart who invited me to the new Maritime Festival in Brest, Brittany. Overwhelmed to find so much passion held by so many people I returned determined to create an event for Hobart.
In spite of the massive array of tools available to the woodworker today, sometimes the most indispensable solution is one of the simplest. So it is with the tried and true cabinet scraper. It’s a relatively simple piece of flexible steel, however there is some degree of finesse to preparing it for use as well as using it most effectively.
Here’s a brief summary we’ve put together about preparation and use of your cabinet scrapers.
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