Send us an Email

• If you would like to visit our shed or to make a start at joining our club, you can send an email to our recruitment officer to arrange a day and time.
• But before you do so, perhaps you might like to see what's involved in applying to join. We have a number of forms you will need to complete during the application process. The recruitment officer will help you with these.
• Your application must be approved by the Management Committee before you can be considered a member.
• There will be a small delay to allow this to happen and then you will then be notified.

Membership Fees

The rules regarding the fee for joining the Guild, as well as the initial annual subscription fee and subsequent subscription fee are provided in this summary. Other charges are shown below:

• The daily meeting fee is $3.00. Yes, that's right, we charge you $3 just for turning up. But that fee covers your insurance as well as a cup of tea or coffee and a range of biscuits.
• You must pay that fee before commencing any woodwork. You can pay by cash or by EFTPOS.
• The daily machine usage fee is $5.00. So, regardless of how many different machines you use in a morning and how long you use them, there is a fixed flat fee of $5. That's pretty good value. Of course, if you don't use any powered machine, there is no charge.
• Most members know whether they are going to use machines or not, and when they sign in will pay $3+$5 = $8.
• For timber purchases, see below.
• When your application is approved, you are provided with a "blue badge" which identifies you as a newbie, to be treated with kindness. Once you feel comfortable in our environment, you can pay $13.00 for a fancy badge.

Forms to be Completed

The four documents you will be expected to complete and sign as part of the application process are:

• The basic application form.
• The member's accreditation record
• The code of conduct
• The shed operating and safety rules

Basic Application Form

When thinking of joining us, the first thing is to let us know something about you:

• Some personal details.
• Some contact details.
• An idea about any health issues relevant to woodworking.
• Some next of kin details, in case , just in case.

There is a form (of course) and you can look at it here.

Member's Accreditation Record

We set no technical barrier to joining. That is, no knowledge of woodworking is required before you join the club. However, you should be aware that:

• The BRWG workshop contains several types of woodworking machines which, if not operated properly, could cause serious injury or death to the operator or bystanders.
• The Guild has a duty of care to protect members or visitors to the workshop from harm. The most effective means of meeting this responsibility is by ensuring all machine operators are competent in the use of machines and are fully aware of the associated hazards.

The method used by BRWG to achieve this is by insisting on a BRWG code of practice known as the Machinery Accreditation System, which is more fully described here.

• All BRWG members are to comply with this system as a condition of membership.
• All applicants for membership are required to give an undertaking in writing that they accept and will follow these rules.
• This undertaking appears at the top of each member's sheet in the Accreditation Register and each member must sign it.
• Your entry in this register will be based on the following form.

Code of Conduct

The Guild is as much a social club as it is a woodworking club. For every member, it should always be a pleasure to come to the Shed. To achieve such ambitious goals, from a broad cross-section of people, requires a necessary amount of give and take. A set of guides is available here.

Shed Operating and Safety Rules

AS well as general inter-personal expectations, there are rules about safe behaviour in a woodworking shed, in particular, where dangerous machinery is in use. A specific set of expectations is available here.

Shed Opening Times

Shed hours are 8.00-11.00. Members are encouraged, but not required, to pursue their interests according to the following schedule:

• Mondays — General Activities
• Tuesdays — Carving & Turning
• Wednesdays (8am-3pm) — Toy Making & General Activities
• Thursdays — Furniture & Joinery
• Fridays — Turning & General Activities
• Saturdays — Demonstrations & General

Buying Timber

An up to date timber price list is on the notice board and members are reminded that:

• Prices are by cubic metre.
• The most common timbers we carry (silky oak, camphor laurel and others) are $1500 per cubic metre.
• Slabs and other timber may be cut cross grain providing the remaining offcut is not less than 1200mm. A $3.00 premium is payable.
• Timber sales to non members carry a 20% surcharge.
• Members are to ensure that all timbers taken from the shed are paid for on the day. Otherwise timber may be left in the shed with a member’s name clearly marked to reserve it for one week.

Exhibitions

There are a number of exhibitions through the year providing opportunities to display and sell your work. Periodic competitions provide the opportunity to have your work assessed against the work of others - a great way to learn and improve your skills.