Being a carpenter certainly has its ups and downs. The ups are you get to always be creating things and it can be rather reliable work. Everyone needs something built! Whether it’s shelves, a home, or a deck, you’re guaranteed that you’ll need to do some work for somebody out there. I’d say the main downside to carpentry is sometimes the sourcing of materials and tools. Having great tools can be rather expensive, and difficult to acquire or if you’re starting out in the industry. I worked for a company for many years that would send me to jobs and supply me with tools. I made it my mission to save as much money from these jobs as possible so I could then purchase my own tools, and continue in the industry as a sole-party.
Materials can be tricky to source at times. I don’t like using any old timber. I will only ever use good quality timber supplies. Cheltenham, for some reason, has had a bit of a shortage in good quality timber. There’s definitely stocks of timber laying around in various timber yards and hardware stores, but I want the good stuff. Since the timber shortage, I feel all these suppliers are simply putting out their previously rejected off cuts and hoping no one will notice. That trick doesn’t work on me. I know good timber when I see it.
After searching high and low for good timber, I decided to visit my local hardware store in Sandringham. This store has been a favourite of mine for a long time. They always have the best stock levels, and their quality of timber is next level. I knew it was right for me to trust my gut instinct and pay this store a visit. They had good quality timber, as far as the eye could see. It was honestly surprising that other carpenters weren’t in there snapping up all this great stock. Maybe it’s just a well-kept secret in the industry. I know I try to refrain from telling people about this store. It’s my little carpenter’s secret.