Olly's Workshop Blog

I don't take chances – I make mistakes!!

About Me

Olly planing English oak

Olly Parry-Jones

Hi, I’m Olly Parry-Jones and welcome to my small workshop, based in North Somerset, near Bristol, in the south-west of the United Kingdom.

It’s a single-car garage, measuring 5.4m x 3m internally at the widest points, with walls 2.1m high. In early 2011, I made use of the high pitched roof by installing a series of ceiling joists to create a loft space for overhead storage. This has helped me to maximise the space on the floor while also providing a convenient means of storing long lengths of timber! Some day, I’ll try to stop the roof from leaking and hopefully insulate it as well…

With this blog, I aim to share ongoing projects and  many of my ‘coping‘ secrets for working within such a constricted space. On YouTube, you can also find a growing number of videos that have begun to emerge from my workshop, since 2011.

You may know me as OPJ from the UK woodworking forums. My name has previously appeared on the letters pages of Good Woodworking magazine but, more recently, I have written regular articles for British Woodworking magazine, which started back in June 2008.

Despite now having full qualifications in Carpentry & Joinery (2003-2006) and, more recently, Cabinet Making (2007-2010), I’ve found regular employment very hard to come by in recent years. Although, I am quite pleased to say that I am currently working as a Wood Machinist/Case Assembler for a local company who seems to be on the up, in spite of the dire state of the global economy. One day though, I’d like to try working for myself. Right now, I just do not have the confidence in the market, nor the spare funds necessary to invest in my ideas, while I’m otherwise committed to keeping a roof over my head and food in the digestive system…

To learn more on How I Got Into Woodwork, please see the other page.

My small single-car Garage/Workshop.

Please, feel free to take a look at my Gallery page, if you are interested to see examples of furniture I have already produced.

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch, I welcome communications from all, preferably by e-mail or by leaving a comment on this site.

Thank you for taking the time to view my Blog.

Olly Parry-Jones

Website: http://opj-furniture.co.uk/

You can e-mail me directly or fill out the form below:

5 Responses to About Me

  1. Andy L 01/10/2009 at 13:41

    Hi Olly, I hope you dont mind me contacting you . I live near Bristol and am looking for suppliers of formica sheets . Could you suggest anyone . Would really apprciate it if you can . Regards Andy

    Reply
    • Olly Parry-Jones 01/10/2009 at 18:30

      Hi Andy and thanks for your message. No worries at all!

      There’s only one firm I know of and that is Bristol Decorative Surfaces (BDS) in St.Werbughs. I collected a 10x4ft sheet of ‘white formica’ from a year ago for about £30. It was in their ‘Fundamentals’ range and is supplied in a roll which should fit in the back of a car with the seats down.

      Other than that, I’ve heard that either Travis Perkins or Jewsons (I forget which!) can order it in. Of course, this lacks the convenience of being to collect it same day at BDS- I’d recommend you give them a call. They offer a delivery service around Bristol but it’s a fixed rate of £30!

      Are you making a router table, by any chance?

      Cheers,

      Olly.

      Reply
  2. Andy L 03/10/2009 at 14:34

    Thanks for that info will look them up asap .Er not building a router table tho that would come in handy . Am preparing to start a much bigger project . Converting a 26 seat midi-bus into a motorhome. There will be a lot of structural woodwork to fit and need to consider wall / furniture finish . Eg kitchen and bathroom must be waterproof durable and wipe clean . like formica really . Need to consider weight too tho base vehicle can take 7.5t . A German company -Vohringer – make light weight 18mm surfaced furniture board , but my god is it expensive ! Over £100 for an 8×4 sheet !!! If you have any useful suggestions for alternative materials I would be really grateful . Regards Andy

    Reply
  3. joeabbott 09/01/2011 at 01:03

    Olly – I’d recently posted a comment on my blog noting that I was probably causing most of the hits being counted as my site visits … you gently corrected that notion (once logged in, visits to your own site don’t count as hits). How uncommonly kind of you to share that with me! I just wanted to say “thanks” and, now that I see you’re a woodworker (and I like your little step-up bench), I’ll be saving your link off my site to remind me to stop in and see what you’re doing in that little work shop of yours!

    Thanks for a nice start to the year!

    Joe

    Reply
  4. Miss Z 16/04/2012 at 21:53

    Hey!

    I have just nominated you for the Versatile Blogger award…

    Have a look: http://blameitondisney.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/blame-it-on-disney-gets-some-love/

    Love & Laughter,

    Miss Z

    @BlameitonDisney
    http://blameitondisney.wordpress.com

    Reply

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