Interested in joining?

Visit our shed

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.

Our recruitment officer will explain the membership process and the Guild’s rules around safety and competence with the many machines in our sheds.

Membership Fees

There is a $25 joining fee and annual membership fees are $40.

The daily meeting fee is $3.00. 

This fee applies whenever you visit the shed.  It covers your tea, coffe and bikkies, as well as insurance.  You can pay by cash or by EFTPOS.

The daily machine usage fee is $5.00. This fee applies whenever you use any of the many powered machines in the shed .  Of course, if you don’t use any of the powered machines, there is no charge.

When your application is approved, you are provided with a “blue badge” which identifies you as a newbie, to be treated with kindness.

View the full fee structure here.

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.

Shed Opening Times

  • Mondays — 8am – 11.30am
  • Tuesdays — 8am – 11.30am
  • Wednesdays — 8am – 2.30pm
  • Thursdays — 8am – 11.30am
  • Fridays — 8am – 11.30am
  • Saturdays — 8am – 11.30am

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.

Buying timber (restricted to financial members only - except on advertised Club Activity days)

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

  • Prices are by the 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.
  • 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.