Monthly Archives: July 2013

Scotty Cam | Intro to Scotty Cam Official Website

G’day troops,

Welcome to my new website. It’s going to be a bit of fun, a bit of info and packed with great gear to buy at mates’ rates.

The website will be styled with a magazine in mind with plenty of stuff for you to sink ya teeth into each month. There’ll be info on what I’ve been up to on the box, as well as what is coming up in the future. And you never know, there might even be a bit of inside information on what is happening behind the scenes…

You can follow projects I’m currently working on. I’m building a house at my farm at Mudgee with some terrific Aussie hardwood – 260 x 260mm ironbark which looks incredible. You can also follow some of the smaller projects I’m working on – we’re building a small cabin which my kids are giving me a hand on.

I’d like you to get involved, get some tools in your hands and have a crack. I’ve got a great DIY section with small projects you can do at home and then cop a pat on the back from the better half while they tell you you’re a genius!

Also something that is very close to my heart, something I love, a little bit of Australiana: great characters and influential people from Australian history, stories from this great country of ours, Australian facts, basically a whole heap of interesting Aussie stuff.

The fact that my job lets me travel around Australia meeting all types of interesting people is a real bonus for me. I’m lucky that everyday people come up to me and say ‘G’day’ – it’s a part of the job that I love, I get to meet all types of Aussies, right around this great country.

Over the years I’ve made plenty of mates in different areas of business and over a few beers and a meal I can generally twist their arm on a good rate on whatever it is they’re flogging – another perk of the job – which brings me to MATES’ RATES. I figured if I can get a good rate on something, then why not pass it on to you guys, pass the gear on to you at Mates’ Rates.

We’re starting with work wear, and as time goes on we will add gear as I come across it. One week we might have tools or camping gear, and then it could be garden sheds – basically whoever I can convince out of my contacts to give me a great mates’ rate.

This is just the start of www.scottycam.com.au – there’ll be a whole load more stuff on the website as the months roll on. If I see something I like, it’ll be there.

AND if there’s anything you like then share it with the team; we’d love to hear from you with your thoughts on anything related to what we’re talking about. You can follow me on twitter and facebook.

 

Mudgee – Follow the Build Part 1

DEMOLISHING MY OLD HOUSE

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The old house before it was demolished

First thing I need to get done is to demolish the old house. There’s a lot of memories for me with the kids and friends in there, so it’s a bit sad. Having said that, the point is there’s asbestos both inside and on the outside of the old house, and I want my grandkids to enjoy this place in the future, so I have to make the move and get things ready for the next generation. The timber structure of the floor frame, stud walls and roof frame also has some pretty serious termite damage, so it’s time for it all to go.

Now considering we’re dealing with asbestos and a significant amount of it, I always advise other people to bring in the experts, and I’m no different in this case. You’ll end up with a clean, asbestos-free area, a guarantee of a healthy area with certification and, of course, peace of mind for the kids.

I organised a mob from nearby Bathurst to do the asbestos removal, and they did a ripper of a job. Very thorough, professional and good blokes at the same time. They were Phil Hewitt and his team from TPEC Demolition and Asbestos Removal.

The asbestos has to be removed in sheets with as little breakage as possible, so it’s a tough job. The sheets are put into skip bins or trucks lined with plastic and these are tipped at a registered waste station, in this case, at Mudgee Tip. Once all the asbestos is removed and the roof is off, we’re left with a timber frame, and here’s where it gets tricky.

All the timber has to be vacuumed to remove any asbestos residue, then dismantled by hand, stacked and tipped the same way. The site is totally cleaned then an air test is performed over the next week to check for any asbestos particles. When the all-clear is given, a certificate is issued and you’re all good. You can see why it’s the go to get the professionals in.

Over the coming weeks I’ll start the excavation. I’ve got an old Bobcat that I’ve had for years and I’ll be bringing a mate in with another to give me a hand. Once the excavation is complete, you’re going to love the new retaining wall. I’m going to build it out of concrete blocks 600mm x 600mm x 1000mm. They weigh about a tonne each and are made from left-over concrete that comes back into the concrete yard. This is poured into formwork to make the blocks and the great thing is that they are about $40 each – nice and cheap.

Stage 1 of the build was the demolition. Here’s a few photos of that – and stay tuned for Stage 2. I’ll put up some photos of the retaining wall once it’s up and I’ll also be popping the plans on the website for you to have a look at and follow.

Keep following the build and let me know your thoughts via my Scotty Cam Facebook Page. 

Won’t be long till the next update so stay tuned for part 2.

 

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Related: Follow the Mudgee build

Mudgee – Follow the Build Part 2

EXCAVATION Here is another update on my project – Follow the Build Part 2. You would have read in my last post Follow the Build Part 1 where it's all about demolishing my old house.  Now that the demo is complete it’s time for excavat ... [read more]

Mudgee Build

The old shack on my Mudgee bush block has had it, so I’ve knocked it down and built a new place from scratch. It’s a great DIY project, and I’d like you guys to roll out your swags and follow the progress at my ‘Mudgee Build’ blog. I’v ... [read more]

Jim Doyle – a chat with a great bloke

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An old mate of mine I’ve known for about 40 years is ‘fishmonger extraordinaire’ Jim Doyle. Jim and his family have run the Doyles Seafood restaurant on the Beach, the Wharf and the Sydney Fish Market for many, many years. At one time the family also owned Doyles at Rose Bay, The Quay, and the Watsons Bay Hotel. Now Jim’s side of the family are at Wato and the Fish Market only.

I caught up with Jim and his son Jack down at the Bay recently, for a chat. They are the classic sea dogs; they live to fish, flannos all round and great knockabout blokes. Every chance they can, they get 25 miles out to sea chasing down tuna, gemfish or whatever it is they can get their hands on. Jack, who is 26, has been in the Bay his whole life, getting his first tinnie at the age of four or five. This bloke knows every inch of Sydney Harbour and most areas outside, and what he doesn’t know Jim can tell him!

The Doyles are a great Australian working class family who’ve come good over 130 years of hard work. If you get a chance, pop down to Watsons Bay and grab some takeaway flathead and chips, sit on the wharf there and take in the view – it’s a ripper.

 

PS: if you see a bloke in a flanno and work boots, say ‘G’day Jimmy!’

 

My mate Jim Doyle

Scotty: How long have you and your family lived and worked in Watsons Bay, Jim?

Jim: My great grandparents, Jack and Alice, came to Watsons Bay and set up shop in 1885. Not much around in those days but they had a go and here we are today.

S: What generation are you and Jack?

J: I’m fourth, Jack is fifth.

S: What do you love about the Bay?

J: The peace and quiet at 5am in the morning with the still harbour water; and I love the winter sunsets, too!

S: Besides the obvious (fishing), what else do you love to do?

J: I’ve got a small bush property and I love to get up there swagging – open fires, that sort of stuff.

S: What’s running at the moment, how far out do you go?

J: Tuna, gemfish, blue eye. We get ’em out at Browns (Mountain) about 25 miles out.

S: Favourite food?

J: Flathead.

S: Favourite beer?

J: XXXX Gold.

S: Are you handy, Jim, can you build?

J: Yes, mate, I do all my own repairs at home and on the boat; if I don’t do it no-one will. I like working on the boat.

S: Best fish recipe?

J: Really simple bit of gemfish or flathead. Roll in a bit of flour, pan-fry in butter or oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Nice and simple but tastes great.

S: You and I have said: “You work hard and hopefully end up with a picture on the wall when you’re gone.” What do ya reckon they’ll say about Jim Doyle?

J: “Jim who? Don’t remember him.”

S: Do you still wake up with a spring in your step, do you love what you do?

J: Absolutely love it, can’t wait to get down here.

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DIY crate – it’s easy mate

 

There are lots of second-hand crates around that look great and are really handy around the house. They can be expensive though, so check out the how-to video above to learn how you can make your own crate at a fraction of the cost of a shop-bought one. Once you’ve made it you can paint it whatever colour you like, distress and age it by sanding it back or even giving it a couple of good whacks with a chain. In the photos below you can see that we’ve finished ours by doing two different sides. One side is for Rosie, where we have painted her name on then sanded it back, and on the other side we have painted with blackboard paint and use it as a smoko seat – perfect!

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Related: Do it Yourself

DIY Peg Hat Rack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfrrRCl5euQ An interchangeable timber peg board is a way to solve your messy hallway problem. Check out this how-to video to create this cracker of a rack to hang your hats, coats and umbrellas. Just change the p ... [read more]

DIY Real truckies’ knots

If you want to be a complete legend there’s a couple of knots you need to learn! First of all there’s the ‘half hitch’ and then the slightly more complicated ‘truckie’s knot’. Once you get the hang of these beauties you won’t have to ... [read more]

DIY Real truckies’ knots

If you want to be a complete legend there’s a couple of knots you need to learn! First of all there’s the ‘half hitch’ and then the slightly more complicated ‘truckie’s knot’. Once you get the hang of these beauties you won’t have to drive around with dodgy knots that wouldn’t even tie down the skin on a custard!

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Related: Do it Yourself

DIY crate – it’s easy mate

  There are lots of second-hand crates around that look great and are really handy around the house. They can be expensive though, so check out the how-to video above to learn how you can make your own crate at a fraction of the cost of a sho ... [read more]

DIY Kids’ – make Mum some coasters

This is a great little project to make with the kids. I made my first coasters for my Mum when I was about 12 or so years old and she loved them. You can use a handsaw to cut these out, then spend a bit of time sanding them down so they are beautiful ... [read more]

DIY Kids’ – make Mum some coasters

This is a great little project to make with the kids. I made my first coasters for my Mum when I was about 12 or so years old and she loved them. You can use a handsaw to cut these out, then spend a bit of time sanding them down so they are beautiful and smooth.

The how-to video above shows you how to make them step-by-step, and below are some photos of the how we finished them off. We first painted our coasters with a white primer then we used a great little product called Glass Coat, which is a two-part epoxy resin. We mixed in some pigment powder to give a really strong colour but you can also paint the coaster first then use the Glass Coat on top. This makes a really strong, durable and shiny surface. A perfect gift – beautiful!

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Related: Do it Yourself

DIY Real truckies’ knots

If you want to be a complete legend there’s a couple of knots you need to learn! First of all there’s the ‘half hitch’ and then the slightly more complicated ‘truckie’s knot’. Once you get the hang of these beauties you won’t have to ... [read more]

DIY Bunting’s your Uncle

Have you seen that stuff called ‘bunting’ around the place lately? They are little triangles hanging in a line, usually made out of fabric or paper and used as decorations. Well, I’ve also seen some plywood bunting available; it can be pretty p ... [read more]

DIY Bunting’s your Uncle

Have you seen that stuff called ‘bunting’ around the place lately? They are little triangles hanging in a line, usually made out of fabric or paper and used as decorations. Well, I’ve also seen some plywood bunting available; it can be pretty pricey in the shops so I want to show you how you can make it yourself at a fraction of the cost.

It’s not really my caper but my Missus loves a bit of bunting so I thought I’d give it a crack. The how-to video above shows you how to do it, step-by-step, and below are some photos of the finished product. We painted ours with watered-down white paint, drew on a number using a stencil and painted each one in. You can also distress the finish with sandpaper or paint each triangle in different colours – the finished product is totally up to you.

Feed the rope through and Bunting’s your uncle!

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Bunting’s your Uncle

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Related: Do it Yourself

DIY Real truckies’ knots

If you want to be a complete legend there’s a couple of knots you need to learn! First of all there’s the ‘half hitch’ and then the slightly more complicated ‘truckie’s knot’. Once you get the hang of these beauties you won’t have to ... [read more]

DIY Kids’ – make Mum some coasters

This is a great little project to make with the kids. I made my first coasters for my Mum when I was about 12 or so years old and she loved them. You can use a handsaw to cut these out, then spend a bit of time sanding them down so they are beautiful ... [read more]

William Charles Wentworth

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I would like to recognise one of my heroes from Australian history – William Charles Wentworth. In 1813, 200 years this year, he and two mates, Gregory Blaxland and William Lawson, crossed the Blue Mountains. I reckon Wentworth should be thought of as one of our greatest Australians, like we think of Bradman or Captain Cook. Everyone knows Macquarie or Ned Kelly but I worry that nowadays a lot of Aussies, and in particular the younger generation, don’t know who William Charles Wentworth was. Maybe they’ve heard of him but I doubt they could tell you what he is actually revered for. Here is a quick rundown:

  • Born in Australia in 1790 to a convict mother.
  • Sent to the UK to study law, Wentworth went on to become the first Australian-born barrister.
  • Crossed the Blue Mountains in 1813.
  • Started the first independent colony newspaper, ‘The Australian’.
  • Wentworth was responsible for establishing basic democratic rights such as ‘trial by jury’ and elected representative government via a ‘legislative council’ in the colony of NSW.
  • He lobbied the Governor and British Government on a number of issues.
  • 70,000 people lined the streets of his funeral procession in 1872.

Imagine the Americans not knowing who Washington or Lincoln was, or Martin Luther King. It’s high time Wentworth was studied extensively in our schools so that young people can get inspired by great Australians and one day they will grow up and maybe make this country a better place, like Bill Wentworth did before them.

 

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