The workshop at Casey is refuge to the trades groups; carpenters, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, fitters and turners, and boiler makers. When the afternoon bell rings and the playgrounds are empty, the crafty sorts appear from the woodwork and tinker away at their projects. Some make giant desks and furniture for their homes, some make little intricate knick knacks. Some items see hours of work and will never see the light of day again, while others are a simple tool which is for daily use.
I have made a couple of household items myself; a coffee tamper and a kitchen knife. A gift I have bought for myself upon my return home is a big ol’ fancy espresso machine, so using my own Casey-made coffee tamper will be a daily reminder of my time down here. My kitchen knife has been designed for my preferred chopping style and handling of a blade. It was hours of sanding, shaping, and sharpening. I was worried it wouldn’t turn out well, but after all the hard work, it finally made the cut.
Without local shops or internet shopping, gift making is a good resource for birthdays. Dane received a hand knitted beanie (including a custom ‘Made at Casey by Miss Jane’ tag) from Jane and a bottle opener from Glenn. The cheese knives are also Glenn’s creation, and he has several other projects on the go, including salt and pepper grinders.
Wood isn’t the only prey of the hobby hunters. There are a variety of metals available for welding, turning on the lathe, shaping, bending, or sharpening. Our fitter and turner, Bill, is a fan of finding things in the scraps bin and challenging himself to make something out of it. He made a coffee tamper from an old valve for Duncan, one of the plumbers. He also loves making pens from salvaged materials and items brought from home. One of the crafty mechanics is using his knowledge of machinery and skill on the tools to make a project which requires precision and functional creativity. It’s not finished yet, but the result will be a blast!
With four months to go until our time at Casey is over, there will be several more projects started and completed. For me, I am about to start on an exciting project! The idea and plans came to me during a sleepless night and after much mental design planning, I am ready to start creating.
Flynn Jackman
Field Training Officer