Submitted by Gerry Tilmans,
Team Leader
A few of our members have met at Gateway Haven in Wiarton and brought our hammers, nails, and tools as well as birdhouse kits we made. This time we made a wren house based on a “modern” design. It kind of reminds me of the flat roof/low slope roofs from the 60s.
We helped clients assemble ten kits as part of the Day Away program run by Home & Community Support Services (HCSS). The kits were made from pine logs that were donated to Bruce Men’s Shed by member Eric Robinson. Eric and fellow member Scott Elliott arranged with Sandra Wilson at Wilson Home Building Centre to cut these logs into usable thicknesses.
We then met at Scott’s workshop where a team of guys went to work on the slabs. First a straight edge was cut on one side using a track saw. The table saw then cut them to width. The pieces then ran through a rough planing and then a final planing on thickness planers to get them to a reasonable dimension. On the mitre saw they were then cut into the dimensions per the birdhouse plan. Sanding came next, then drilling the opening for the wrens to enter, and the Bruce Men’s Shed branding iron completed the work stages. Another member had packaged nails into small bags and then packaged with the six pieces for each kit. From start to finish ten of us came together to make 27 complete kits with enough pieces for about 10 more.
Drop in for Coffee Monday every week 9am-11am at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 202, 6 Hellyer Road on Highway 6, 4 km north of Ferndale. Doors open at 8:45am.
Our next monthly meeting is Saturday November 14 from 9am-11am where we talk about past and upcoming projects, so please come out.
In Wiarton, Bruce Men’s Shed coffee gathering is every Wednesday at 10 am at 451 Frank Street, Matthew Mutch hosting.
If you would like further information on how to get involved with the Men’s Shed movement, please contact us at brucemensshed@gmail.com or call Gerry at (519) 793–3005.
“Somewhere to Go. Something to Do. Someone to Talk to.”
