beginners tools in Oz

["Simon Brown" <moonsong@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

Hi Clive,

The Public Liability insurance has become a nightmare, I agree.

I would like to keep a better range of fine, sharp chisels at hand, but they
get blunted, broken or stolen. Everything I use has to be heavy-duty and
under lock and key.

I bought some 1kg steel hammers recently for $6.75 each. They are perfect
for beginners and for fine detailing. I got them from my local hardware,
which is a plumbers' supply shop on a suburban house allotment.

Most of our carving is from Helidon Freestone, because it is readily
available and easy to carve. Most of the public buildings in Brisbane are
built from this stone or similar, and it's still very popular.

I've always wanted to visit Buchan to view the marble deposits there. We've
travelled through Omeo and Bright in summer a few times, it's very
beautiful.

Recently I bought a geological map of Bajool, near Rockhampton. I had
planned to take a drive through the marble outcrops shown on the map and get
some samples over Christmas, but it was too hot. I'm hoping to get up that
way at Easter time and bring a few rocks back. I think the marble will be
similar to Ulam marble, saccharoidal but almost pure white with a pale green
vein.

Regards,

Simon