Moving to England

[00dannyboy]

Hello all. I am moving to Suffolk England from the United States. My favorite hobby is Woodworking. I was directed to this site by a fellow woodworker on a similar american internet woodworking forum; Sawmillcreek.org.

I would like to ask advice from all of you on my move to England and how I can continue my woodworking while I am there. Some of the main issues will be bringing all of my tools with me. Electric conversion for the tools will be another issue. Rust might be a bigger factor as well.

- Is all electricity 50 Hertz in England?
- Is it uncommon to find a house to rent/let with a detached shop that will have power for my tools? will this be hard to find?
- Are woodworking supplies and tools common or uncommon?
- Is there ample hardwood available? Are the prices really high?

I look forward to woodworking in England and maybe picking up a few tools and some more experience.

Any and all advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[BradNaylor]

Hi Dan,

Welcome to the forum and to our fine country. You'll get a warm reception at both!

I can't answer your question about power tools. I think that your tools will be 110v and should work with a transformer readily available from power tool stores, but I may be totally wrong. Someone will be along to answer more authoritively soon.

As far as your question about rust is concerned, I guess you are alluding to our reputation for having a damp climate!! Well, you're in luck - the eastern side of England is as dry as New Mexico :^o :lol:

Unlike the west, where I am. Here the weather comes straight in off the Atlantic, most of the contents of which are deposited on our heads!

Nice to have another Dan aboard

Cheers
Dan

 

[9fingers]

Welcome to the forum.

Yes UK power is all 50Hz 240 volt. your hand tools will need to be run from a transformer. Most of these will be fitted with a different 110v socket than you are used and is not easy to change. Bring a few US type trailing sockets ready to make up some conversion cables from UK 110 round pin connectors to US ones
Most properties will have a single garage and bigger ones a double garage. Finding one with a purpose built workshop could be difficult. Few garages will have damp proofing designed in but integral garages might have.

As for wood prices, the dollar value will be against you for everything and there is ageneral impression that wood is much cheaper in the US than here but I have no figures to compare.
Although this timber mill is no where near you it does have some prices which seem to be reasonable but you have to select what you want from a muddy yard. http://www.thetimbermill.com/

On the other hand a well staffed shop where you can buy what you want with prices to reflect that is here http://www.tottontimber.com/
There is a downloadable price list link on the home page.

There are a number of good tool suppliers but as much as we envy US tool prices, I think you will find them dear.

Hope this helps

Bob

 

[devonwoody]

Coming to Suffolk, sounds like the usaf?

here is a google page on property to rent in Suffolk.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q= ... flok&meta=

A very warm welcome and if it is the usaf we have a forum member here who used to work on one of the airfields.

 

[houtslager]

Welcome to the mad house Dan, where in the States are you moving from ?
What in God's name is making you leave "TOOL HEAVEN" :shock:

Who is packing your tools ? will you do it your self ? Make sure you label the boxes on ALL sides DAMHIKT ! it will make finding the right tool for that quick bit of DIY much easier.

s all electricity 50 Hertz in England?
- Is it uncommon to find a house to rent/let with a detached shop that will have power for my tools? will this be hard to find?
- Are woodworking supplies and tools common or uncommon?
- Is there ample hardwood available? Are the prices really high?

All of Europe is 230/240 Volt 50hertz, so your tailed tools will only work with one of these -

Very difficult to find, but if you do your homework / research properly, you could strike gold and find one. Or you may have to build a " shed ", do a search here and there will be loads of advice and ideas about sheds for workshops.

Woodworking tools and supplies are not too difficult to get, but much more expensive for quality supplies.

As for real hard woods, prepare to do loads of legwork to find a decent saw mill, IIRC there are some decent mills in Suffolk, so you might be lucky :wink:

All the best with your transplantation,

HS in a very wet Germany.

 

[davin]

You are moving to a lovely part of the UK.
There is a good timber merchant in Norwich, called North Heigham Sawmills,
not sure if my web link will work..

http://www.timbernorwich.co.uk/sawmill_old/index.html

Would be worth a day trip to a historic city.

 

[woodbloke]

Dan - welcome to the forum - Rob

 

[00dannyboy]

Yes, I'm U.S. Air Force and will be stationed at RAF Mildenhall. I'm thoroughly happy about this assignment. I am anxious to see England and Europe.

Thank you all for the advice. I'll be checking my tools for compatibility with the 50 Hertz and I will be buying some transformers when i get ther as well. I think the hardest part will be finding a shop to work from.

I dont mind hand tools at all and if i have to do without a power tool, so be it. But, i dont think i can do without woodworking. you have to draw the line somewhere.

The lumber prices are somewhat comparable. The sheet goods are markedly higher though. The tool prices are a higher than here as well. As much as double on some items. I can definitely get a better deal on Lie-Nielsen tools compared to you guys though. At least for the time being. Once i get there, i'll have to do without. lol

I think while i'm there, I will stick to working with wood that is only available in England. This way, I can get as much of it as possible for the cheapest relative price before I move on to the next assignment.

I'm glad to be moving to your country and look forward to the experience; especially having the opportunity to see all the history.

regards,

dan

 

[woodbloke]

Dan wrote:

I'm glad to be moving to your country and look forward to the experience

Dan - good ale in that part of the world.. Adnams and Green King :lol: may be different to what you're used to :wink: - Rob

 

[BrianD]

Dan,

as someone who emigrated to the UK a number of years ago the one factor I regret not doing was - not buying enough clamps, handtools (good ones) and so on before I came - it would have saved a small fortune. It´s too late when you are here!

So the moral of the story is - plan for your projects now and invest in the goodies now (while in "tool heaven") otherwise you will regret it.

Powertools etc. are generally a one off - so grimace when you have to pay but it is once off in the main and you can live with it.

My 2p worth

Cheers

 

[9fingers]

Dan, Your tools should be fine on 50Hz. anything with synchronous induction motors (generally things with bigger motors) will run 20% slower but hand tools with brush motors won't notice the difference.

If you are tempted to buy tools here, then 50Hz tools 'may' be less happy running on 60Hz- check before you buy. You will be able to use your new transformers backwards when you get home to generate 240v from your 120v supplies.

You could fill up any spare space on your way over with LN tools and sell them here at a profit :wink:

Bob

 

[head clansman]

hi Dan

welcome to the forum but more importantly welcome to England,
transformers are no problem to get , get them from any decent timber merchants , travis Perkins Jewsons B/Q etc etc plus there's many more , and as for tools, your from the states i regularly buy my tools from the states usually at least half the price that they are here and that includes the shipping costs as well . Timber well that's an other story generally expensive everywhere , and you wont get the sort of timbers your use to using in the states, but never mind that as you say you intend to use as much English grade as you can good luck enjoy your stay and i hope it a long and very happy one.

 

[TheTiddles]

Hi Dan

As others say, tools aren't a problem, neither is procuring more and hardwoods, downside is that you are going to feel like you've been ripped off every time you buy something in this country, and that's becasue you have been. I regularly go to Texas and have a big smile on my face as I fill up with 'free' petrol.

Renting somewhere isn't a problem but with a garage is more of one. If it's a one bedroom flat you're after then you're quite probably out of luck, family homes with three bedrooms or more are not hugely more than a single room flat and have much more space and usually some form of garage.

Hope you enjoy our lousy food and terrible service,

Aidan

 

[Digit]

Hi Dan.
Hope you like warm beer!
Does your request mean you will be living off base? If so, perhaps checking to see who is rotating back to the States might help solve the accommodation problem.

Roy.

 

[Slim]

I can definitely get a better deal on Lie-Nielsen tools compared to you guys though.

Can you bring a load over for us then?

Welcome to the forum. I hope the UK treats you well.

 

[00dannyboy]

All,

thank you.

Keep it coming.

Yes, i'll be living off base and will hopefully find something with a shop or at least a two car garage. A barn might work. depends on heating and electricity.

I could take requests on Lie-Nielsen tools or i could just wait and order them when i get there. Or i could just let you all order them yourselves and have them shipped. I'll wait till i'm a little closer to actually moving before I field any requests though.

I have plenty of tools im bringing with me. hopefully I wont have to buy many at all.

How are prices on scotch? im paying 40-50 dollars (20-25 pounds) for a bottle of macallan, glenkinchie, glenmorangie and the like. I hope they are at least comparable. (I'm really hoping that scotch will be cheaper over there.) I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Also,

What are your favorite "English" hardwoods? i would like to start getting some ideas on things to make.

cheers,

dan

 

[Digit]

Blimey! The USAF must pay well!

Roy.

 

[9fingers]

Glenkinchie Is £24 / 700ml
Genmorangie is £30/ 700ml

I'm not being awkward quoting in millitres but US/UK liquid measures are different amounts for the same word.

Our pints are 20% more than yours so are our gallons

The only imperial measure I think is the same both sides of the pond is the fluid ounce.


BTW Standard spirit measure in a pub is 25ml single 50ml double.

HTH

Bob

 

[PowerTool]

Favourite English hardwoods ? - for me :- oak,ash,sycamore,elm,beech.

Andrew

 

[00dannyboy]

Blimey! The USAF must pay well!

Roy.

but, i treat myself occasionally in spite of the pay. One of those bottles will last me at least a month or two. other than that, i dont drink much at all except for a few beers on occasion.

I see the prices are not what i hoped. I guess i'll have to go to scotland and find out first hand what is going on. lol

cheers,

dan