Our shed was approached to make an activity center for a family with a child of special needs. This child requires stimulation and interaction in ways that are difficult without Assistance.
One of our members took this on and came up with this amazing CREATIVE concept and design …..
Proud creator of Lion’s Honour Board
Parramatta Lion’s club commissioned Parramatta District Men’s shed (PDMSInc) to build an honour Board that would look very similar to their existing Honour Board. The existing Board was almost full.
After some review of the requirements our shed identified on of members who had considerable skills at this type of project …. although it was may years since he had completed such work. With heart in mouth a quote was prepared and subsequently accepted by the Lion’s club ….. so the work started with many restless nights spent by our expert ….. worrying if he could really do this. Our executive had great faith in our shed members ability and encouraged him to relax and build it ….
Framework begins
Accuracy was so important in this project with some very fine joint work involved. Our shed expert spent many hours practicing his joinery before the final cut …… He also built some “jigs” to help with the detailed routing required to create fluting in the pillars of the frame.
Detailed flutes and joinery
Once the frame was completed to satisfaction the infill panels had to be meticulously fitted ….. this required a great deal of patience and precision cutting …. this is where the shed “Festool” equipment came to the forefront. Vertical alignment of the infill panel patterns was also critical.
Infill panels
Alignment of in fill panels
Next was the final sanding and preparation for finishing …. this took many hours of careful hand sanding and finishing in as dust free an environment possible. Several coats of the finishing had to be applied to obtain the professional finish required.
Finishing
Final Product
AND THEN AFTER ALMOST 12 MONTHS of part time work the final product was PROUDLY completed
Final Product and It’s very proud CREATOR
It all starts here ….
Roadside collections
Hard wood fencing – from local fencing contractors
PCC asked our shed if we would like to be involved in an environmental project to help Parramatta and prevent some landfill …. the initial plan was for Our shed, on council roadside collection days, to pick up usable re-recyclable wood and metal.
After several sessions of roadside collection it became evident that there was not a lot of material to collect …. some of the locals were beating us to it ….. so we made arrangements with some of the local fencing contractors to deliver to our shed old hardwood palings destined for the tip. So a benefit to the fencing contractor and to our project.
During the PDMSInc collection periods PCC discovered that Primary schools within the LGA were looking for garden type seating and potting benches for their garden areas.
So PDMSInc member Robert McKenzie went through a detailed design and approval phase with PCC to come up with the final products …. bench seats, potting table and mudpie kitchen. Robert made a proto-type and refined it once or twice to end up with FINAL PRODUCTS (get the plans for potting-bench-final-design, pdms-up-cycling-design-documents-garden-box-and-others ) HERE
Creating Bench seat frame
Stabilising Potting Bench
Mud-Pie Kitchen
Twelve months down the track from the start of the idea the products were delivered to 13 schools in the local area ….
Final product ready for delivery
Here are some of the happy recipients ……. (to see all the schools visit our NEWS page)
Pendle Hill Primary School
Rydalmere Public School
Oatlands Public School