Let me introduce myself — my name is Geoff Thomas. I’m a retired metallurgical engineer, process improvement consultant, and organisational change specialist who is now fully indulging a long-standing passion for all things woodworking.
I was fortunate to share a wonderful marriage with my wife, Cathryn, whom I sadly lost in July 2024 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Together, we shared a deep love of travel — especially exploring Australia in our caravan, whether on our own or with friends.
Travel remains an important part of my life. With a new tow vehicle and a smaller caravan, I embarked on my first solo trip in mid-2025. That experience has inspired me to plan an extended 18-week lap of Australia — a journey I’m very much looking forward to.
A Bit of History
My interest in woodworking has deep roots. I grew up with a father who was a Fitter and Turner by trade, though his true passion was carpentry. He began his apprenticeship with Victorian Railways during the Great Depression, a time when choices were limited, but his love for working with wood never left him.
In his spare time, he was constantly building, modifying, and improving every home we lived in — both inside and out. After retiring from the railways following more than 40 years of service, he established a well-equipped workshop where he could fully pursue his craft.
He created a wide range of items — from wood-turned bowls, candleholders, and plant stands to toys, pen holders, planters, and whirligigs. Many of these were sold at local church markets or given to family. He also generously repaired toys and jigsaw puzzles for a local toy library.
Alongside his making, he developed a keen interest in collecting woodworking planes and literature about them. I was fortunate to inherit both his tools and his collection of planes, which now form the foundation of my own workshop.
The Here and Now
Before retiring, my woodworking was largely practical — focused on maintenance tasks or making something to meet a specific need. Today, I’ve expanded that scope considerably.
What truly interests me now is the full creative process: identifying a need, developing a design, and bringing it to life. I particularly enjoy problem-solving — whether that’s repairing a damaged item, restoring something to its former glory, or devising a new solution to meet a specific challenge.
I’m also drawn to repurposing and upcycling. Regular visits to council recycling centres and second-hand shops provide a steady stream of inspiration and materials for new projects. There’s something especially satisfying about giving new life to old or discarded items.
My Workshop
My workshop is based in my garage — and I’m fortunate to have access to a generous triple garage space of around 60m². That said, it’s a shared environment, doubling as storage and home to my car. When I’m tackling larger projects or anything that creates a fair bit of dust, the car gets moved out to give me the room I need.
I’ll admit to being a bit of a tool hoarder, which means space efficiency is essential. Most of my equipment isn’t fixed in place; instead, nearly everything is mobile. Tools are either stored in custom-built racks or mounted on purpose-built trolleys, allowing me to move them around the workshop as needed.
My portable power tools are neatly organised in pigeonholes or drawers for quick and easy access, while my hand tools are primarily arranged on three shadow boards — keeping everything visible and within reach.
I’m also not one to throw things away if they might come in handy down the track. As a result, I’ve accumulated a fair collection of labelled storage boxes and timber offcuts — all waiting for their next opportunity to be put to good use.
During my working life, I specialised in process improvement, with a strong focus on Lean methodology. It’s an approach that continues to shape how I work in my workshop today.
I aim to apply Lean principles wherever possible — ensuring that everything has a defined place and that unnecessary, non-productive activity is minimised. The goal is a workspace that is organised, efficient, and supports a smooth, enjoyable workflow.
Caravanning
My introduction to caravanning began early — as a toddler, travelling with my parents in a hired plywood van towed behind an FJ Holden. By my pre-teen and teenage years, we had upgraded to a second-hand Franklin caravan, pulled by an HR Holden station wagon — with my “bedroom” in the back of the wagon.
Later, after getting married and raising three young sons, we bought a second-hand pop-top caravan from my sister. As a family, we completed both a half lap and a full lap of this incredible country — experiences that created many lasting memories.
Caravanning then took a back seat until my retirement in 2017, when I was able to return to it with renewed enthusiasm.
The Caravan (& Car) page shares more about our current van and the modifications I’ve made since purchasing it, while the Travels page highlights the places we’ve explored along the way. I also plan to occasionally blog about both the work I’ve done on the van and some of the destinations I’ve visited.
My Other Interests
As I mentioned earlier, my father was a collector of wooden planes — a passion that I’ve not only inherited, but significantly expanded. Today, my collection has grown to more than 750 planes.
My interests as a collector are fairly eclectic. I’m always on the lookout for something unusual or different, with a particular appreciation for user-made or modified planes that tell a unique story. In recent years, I’ve been fortunate to acquire several single-owner collections — although, given their age, many of these tools have passed through multiple hands before finding their way to mine.
Travel often provides opportunities to add to the collection. Whenever I’m on the road, I make a point of visiting second-hand stores, antique shops, old wares outlets, and community markets in search of hidden gems.
Alongside collecting, I have a strong interest in recycling and reusing timber. I enjoy the challenge of taking items that others might discard and finding creative ways to give them a new purpose and a second life.
My Blog covers all aspects of my interests, so please read and feel free to send your comments or ask questions.