March 28 - April 17, 2021: Issue 489

 

Fun Project Ideas for Autumn School Holidays

 A J Guesdon photo
The Autumn School Holidays present a wealth of options for DIY Projects for youngsters - it's still warm enough to do some planting in the garden, you can get some lovely breezy days, great for building and then flying a kite, and they often coincide with the Youth Week annually, which offers events like skateboarding and music and art to inspire the next generation to look back at where these came from. 


You can get out your phone or digital camera and take some great photos and then decide how to build frames to showcase what you captured, build your younger brother or sister a wooden toy car, paint flower pots in bright colours, make a fairy garden, build a toy box or even a swing chair for a garden.

Depending on your age and interests, the sky really is the limit in what you can do - ah, that's another - some wind chimes to capture the breeze.

This Issue we'd like to share some ideas new Readers may have not seen before and which you may be able to earn some pocket money with if you don't want to keep them or give them away - lots of Market Days coming up and people looking for something special. There's more listed at the base of this page for you to explore.

Simple Wooden Toy Car

If you have a little man who likes to play ‘stacks’ with his toy cars making a wooden alternative may ensure the junior Brabham or Brock in your family can play car racing for a little longer. This is also one of those DIY School Holiday activities you can do together – construction and decoration (or ‘paint work’) can be shared equally.

We include a simple model and links to free plans for more complex for those who like a challenge – either way you could build your own fleet of cars for your youngster and these are so hard wearing he, or she, may be able to pass them on in time to the next generation of in-family racers.

Tools and Materials

  • 20.32 centimetres of 1X4 (19mm x 90mm) pine board – or timber of your choice – hardwoods will lat longer and look nicer of you’re going to do a simple sand/stain or varnish finish
  • 15.24 centimetres of 3/16 dowel rod
  • Coping Saw
  • 1.2500 drill bit
  • 0.875  flat wood bit
  • 1.5000 hole saw with .47625 cm guide bit
  • Drill 
  • Clamp
  • Non- Toxic Paints (art)
  • Varnish – optional
  • Wear Protective gear when cutting out wood – goggles and mask

Cut out the pattern and trace it onto one corner of the pine board. Be sure to also mark the holes for the axles and the window. Then, clamping the wood firmly in place, cut along the traced edge with the coping saw.

Drill the two holes for the axles using the drill bit, and then drill out the window using the flat wood bit.

Using the remainder of the 1X4 board, cut out the wheels using the 1.5 hole saw. Then cut the dowel rod in half, so that you have two 7.62 axle pieces.

Sand all the rough edges. Then, insert the dowel rods into the wheels and tamp lightly with a hammer until they slightly protrude from the other side. After that, you can put the axles on the car and tap on the remaining wheels from the other side. Varnish or help your youngster to paint on some numbers and colour prior to varnishing.

Car stencil courtesy of Instructables - click on and 'save as' on your PC.

Toy Wooden Cars – Free Plans, courtesy Woodworking Downunder

1930’s Roadster: www.woodworkingdownunder.com/wooden_toy_car_plans.html 

1920’s Racer: www.woodworkingdownunder.com/toy_car_plans.html

Batmobile: www.woodworkingdownunder.com/batmobile-toy-car.html 

All are PDF’s at 25 kb per plan

Personalising Your Flowerpots and Herb Trays

This is one for young and old alike, and definitely one that can be done together. Choose some small to medium to large plain terracotta pots and decorate them with more flowers or scenes from around your home of Pittwater, or anything else that takes your fancy and inspires. 

The only time an adult need step in here, unless they are doing this themselves, is when the pots need to be finished with a protective coat of a clear acrylic or varnish. Make sure you use pots with base drainage as sealing the exterior will prevent moisture being able to soak into the soil, and feed what plants you place in these pots, or for it to evaporate out. Good drainage means healthy plants.

Materials and Tools

  • Clean terra-cotta pots - sizes to suit yourself
  • Acrylic paints in assorted colours – good way to use up all those bits of paints in tins at home – or use non-toxic craft paints
  • Small or medium foam brushes
  • Plastic plates
  • Cotton swabs
  • Small artist’s paint brush
  • Wire brush 
  • Clear spray acrylic
  • Protector mask when spraying acrylic sealer - ask an adult to help with this part of this project 

To begin, remove price tags and stickers from the pot by soaking it in a tub of warm water for up to an hour, then scrubbing it with a stiff brush. Allow the pot to dry completely before painting.

Apply your base coat first and allow to dry on newspaper so you don’t have a nice ring if paint runs.  Apply the paint with a foam brush, working around the pot in broad strokes and make sure you don’t coat the base so water may drain. Extend the paint an inch or so down into the top of the pot. Terracotta  pots will absorb a lot of paint. Apply additional coats if you’d like, allowing the pot to dry between coats, until the desired color depth is achieved.

Now for some decoration – you can trace some stencils or just do a free form version of whatever you like – flowers – leaves, or even do a range of pots which are painted with what’s in them for seasons when they are not flowering or fruiting – great for herbs or balcony gardens where chilies or herbs that die off during cold weather are grown, such as sage. 

These make a great gift idea too and a row of various sizes inside along the kitchen sink window, or outside, will brighten up your garden and get youngsters more interested in what to plant in them.

Scootering and Skateboarding: Make your own Fun

 An orange crate scooter New York 1947 - photo by Ralph-Morse


For those who wonder what a skateboard looked like before some bright spark decided to remove the upright handle of a scooter and go ‘sidewalk surfing’ - well here it is. It was a fruit or tomato crate, a plank of wood and some roller skate wheels.

After a few tests versions, or adjusting just one model, you may find you prefer something you've made and adapted to your own scooting wants better than something already made - with this version you can also shape the design of the wood, paint it all different colours  or stain it with some decking finish or oils and create an original - just like you!

Definition of ‘scoot’; to move swiftly, Mid 18th century: of unknown origin, possibly from ‘scout’, of 'Scooter'; a child's toy consisting of a footboard mounted on two wheels and a long steering handle, propelled by resting one foot on the footboard and pushing the other against the ground. 1800-10; scoot + -er

Some 'historical' background for you from when this popular pastime began to be reported here in Australia:

New Mechanical Scooter. (1917, August 18). The World's News(Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 1955), p. 11. Retrieved fromhttp://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130587806

MY SCOOTER.
To grown-ups, -of course, it seems "but a scooter, 
A thing on two wheels without bell or ''hooter," 
But to me, it is sometimes a horse, such a dear, 
Or a tine motor-car of the highest speed gear.
A motor-bus, full on the top and inside, 
Or sometimes I just take a friend for a ride.
There is all sorts, of fun for a person who "scoots," 
Though mother will tell you it's hard on our boots.

MY SCOOTER. (1918, May 4). The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), p. 44. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140205552

MY SCOOTER.
You should see me on my scooter!..
You should hear me sound my hooter! - -
You should see the people- flying 'from my track!
Down the hill the rush is splendid^
But when the- slope, is ended
I've all the way to push the scooter back!
Mother says there is no ending
To the shoes I'm needing mending, 
And that scooters are such very-'spensive toys.
Daddy says I’ll earn more money,- '
For we can't stop little sonny
Scooting up and down like all the other  boys.'
Oh, I am a lucky laddie
To belong. to such a Daddy! -
There's no one has a Father just like me !
And as-for little Mother,
Well, 'there isn't such' another.
I am sorry for the other boys  you see.
— C. E. Thonger

MY SCOOTER. (1928, March 21). The Northern Herald (Cairns, Qld. : 1913 - 1939), p. 36. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149600963

Scooter Nuisance

The N.R.M.A. recently brought before the notice of the Police Department the menace to motorists and to the children themselves, by the presence of scooter parties on many of the heavy-traffic road Way, around Sydney. The Association's effort In having the nuisance and danger reduced to a minimum has been endorsed by the North Sydney Council. The Acting Mayor of which (Alderman  E. M.  Clark) has prepared special minute on the subject for transmission to the Inspector General of Police. Scooter Nuisance. (1926, November 5). The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 - 1950), p. 18. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104950567 

Scooter Champion

Ross Christensen, winning the scooter championship of Manly, during Manly Shopping Week. Scooter Champion. (1933, September 12). The Newcastle Sun(NSW : 1918 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved  from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165347831 

SCOOTER SEASON

The trend of seasonal games amongst boys has once again brought the scooter into prominence. During the next five or six weeks boys will be seen in ever increasing numbers in every suburb, gaily riding their scooters wherever a slight decline In the road can be found, quite regardless of the danger from traffic.

The R.'A.C.Q. appeals to motorists to keep a sharp look-out for these youthful "speed merchants," and to parents in every part of the city to warn their children of the danger at every street corner. SCOOTER SEASON. (1936, March 17). The Telegraph(Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 20 Edition: SECOND EDITION. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article182661064 

How to do it: Two Versions

An Original "Scooter" 
Every boy is 'familiar with the ordinary kind of scooter, which is propelled by "one -foot" power, but how many have seen the one illustrated in the accompanying sketches.
It has been called the weight mobile, because the driver’s weight exerted on a platform attached to springs is the sole method of propulsion. With one of these scooters a boy may have a great deal of fun, and he may, too, secure a lot of healthy exercise. An ingenious boy may convert an ordinary scooter into a weight mobile, for the handle, body and wheels are the same as those ordinarily used.
The additions required are to provide the hub of the rear wheel with one of the discs at each end of the hub. The disc of Figs. 3 and 4 consists of a central aperture which permits it to be placed over the end of the hub, to which it is secured by bolts through holes. The perimeter of the disc has a wide rim into which are cut four cross-grooves or slots, each of which is provided with a metal roller (see Fig. .4).Mounted on the frame in Figs. 1 and 2 is an oscillating platform. This is secured to the frame by means of two U-shaped springs, -enabling its rear end to move up and down a limited- distance:
A pair of flat springs is secured to the lower side of the platform, and their rear ends project back to points directly above, the arms of the respective discs on the rear hub. The arm of one disc projects to the front, whilst the arm of the other points to the rear. Links between the ends of the tint springs and the two disc-arms -provide' a means for 1 !imparting the oscillating motion of the \ platform to the arms of the discs. The tendency of' bouncing up and down produces an motion which is applied to the discs in such a manner that the vehicle is propelled whether the |platform moves up or down. The discs and the springs can be made by any blacksmith or engineering workshop, and any boy with a mechanical turn of mind should be able to put the scooter together.  An Original "Scooter.". (1930, January 3). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 2 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203100039 

Feet to Centimetres conversion for Scooter below
1/4 Inch = 0.635 cm
Five-eighths of an inch + 1.5875cm
2 inches = 5.08 cm
2 ½ inches = 6.35 cm
3 ½ inches = 8.89 cm
3 ¾ inch = 9.525 cm
4 inches = 10.16 cm
4 ½ inches = 11.43cm
5 ½ inches = 13.97 cm
6 inches = 15.24
8 inches = 20.32 cm
12 inches = 30.48 cm
21 inches = 53.34 cm
24 inches = 60.96 cm

"REQUEST" SCOOTER.
This week, by special request, I am giving instructions for making a strong scooter. Hardwood, such as beech or oak, should be used throughout.
Cut the footboard, A, which is three inches, wide, from a piece of wood half an inch thick, and screw it to two horizontal pieces five-eighths of an inch thick, cut to the sizes given in diagram B. Round one .end of each, as shown, and bore the three holes to take three-eighth inch bolts. Leave a space one inch wide between the horizontal pieces when screwing on the footboard. Cut the front part, C, to the shape and size given in the top right hand diagram, from a piece of wood one inch thick. When this has been cut to shape, fix it in position between the front ends of the horizontal parts with two three-eighths inch bolts. 
Now make the steering post, D. Two pieces of one and a half inches by five-eighth inch wood, "24 inches long, will be required. Through one end of each piece bore a 3in. hole to take the handle, and through the other ends bore three-eighths inch holes for the front wheel axle. Two blocks of wood, E and F, each one inch thick, must be screwed or bolted between the sides of the steering post, in the positions indicated. 
For the handle, use a piece of ¾ in. dowel rod, eight' inches long. Push this through the holes in the top ends of the steeling post and fix with two screws. The steering post is pivoted to the front part.. C, by means of two – ¼ in. eye-bolts, three inches long. The bolts should be screwed through holes made in part F, and then clamped with nuts, as shown at G. 
The centres of the holes for these bolts must be 3in. apart, so that the eyes of the bolts, when screwed in place, just allow the front part of the piece C to slip between. Each-eye-bolt is pivoted in place with a stout round-headed screw and a thick washer, as indicated in the .first diagram. Now obtain a pair, of hardwood scooter wheels, five inches in diameter, from a toy shop, and fix them in place with three-eighths inch, bolts, which can be pushed through' the holes made to receive them in, the ends of the steering post and behind the footboard. Give the finished scooter a good rub with glasspaper, then apply two coat of varnish stain.
You can easily make a scooter like this from any hardwood. "REQUEST" SCOOTER. (1936, October 15). Daily Examiner(Grafton, NSW : 1915 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article193597730 

And a few last Historical Notes:
Clint Eastwood - Skateboarding in Rome - circa 1964-1965

Alright - now some ideas for those who love being in the garden or great outdoors.

Salad or Vegetable Garden for Children 

Do you have youngsters who love to play in the dirt or love to help out in the kitchen making all kinds of good things to eat?

Younger people love raw carrots and sticks of celery or little tomatoes (cherry tomatoes) or lettuces that can continue to provide leaves over the whole of these seasons simply by picking the outer leaves and allowing the others to continue to grow. Cucumbers are great to eat and can be made into a yoghurt raita too – great for carrot and celery stick dipping.

There’s beetroot for burgers and onions to go with sausage sandwiches, or garlic for salad dressings – everything they like to eat they can grow and have fun and gain a sense of great achievement bringing to the table the best food in the neighbourhood.

Do your children like herbs? How about growing some parsley or thyme, rosemary and basil. These scrumptious aromatics can add yumminess to roast chicken stuffing or a basil based pesto for pasta.

To begin some preparations and decisions need to be made

1. Garden Plot or Garden in Pots?

If you have a lot of possums and bandicoots in your yards, or limited space, you may want to think about planting your slada garden in a series of pots that can be covered over at night so these little munchers don’t have the pick of all growing before it’s big enough to eat. Small just sprouting plants taste great to these local furry residents. We grow our herbs in pots and just put a big bucket over them at dusk as we have found our resident possums just love our parsley.

If you think a garden plot will be alright for what you want to do then choose a spot in the yard where it will get enough sunlight to promote good growth but not so much that it will be too hot for your salad plants once Summer’s sun rises.

2. Soil Preparation 

Once you have decided on pots or a plot you need to make sure the soil itself will be healthy enough to feed all those growing youngster plants. A good compost bin works well here to mix in with the dirt and also some fertilisers – mum or dad or grandma and grandpa will have to do this bit for you – gloves and a mask are required. It’s also a good idea to let this new mixture sit in the soil for a day or two, watering and turning it over a few times prior to planting any seedlings or seeds. That way tender roots won’t come in contact with fertilisers that may burn them.

You can also apply pellets of plant boosting food to pots, if that is what you have chosen to do. An adult to help is a good idea there too – you don’t want to put in too much and you need to work out what fertilisers will work best for what kinds of salad ingredients you want to grow.

You can probably help with the mulching – mulching is a layer over the top of the soil, in either some hay or some bark, that will protect the soil from blowing, feed it as well as it changes into compost itself, and keep water you spray, when watering your garden, in the soil a lot longer – very beneficial to your garden!

3. What to plant and How to plant it

Once you have prepared your soil make a list of what you want to grow and perhaps do a diagram as to how you will plant out your salad garden. Things that grow tall and on a trellis or supported by stakes, such as cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicums, would look great at the back of the garden, where they will still get lots of sun. 

Smaller closer to the ground plants, like the herbs, will make an attractive and easy to reach border. 

Lettuces in a row will grow best in the centre of your plot, as will celery, and under the ground root vegetables with light green fluffy tops on either side of these will benefit from the sun overhead, while beetroots could go towards the back too, just before your capsicum/cucumber wall of green eatables. 

Corn would grow best in a row by itself too - and could be used as a bit of a windbreak as it grows if you have a yard that gets a strong sea breeze like those that run in November.

If you make your list, and do a drawing, you will not only do what’s best for ensuring you get a good crop, you will also have a garden plot that looks good – or ‘good enough to eat’ if you will pardon the pun.

4. How to look after

Once everything is planted you need to keep an eye on your babies. Watering them well in the morning, and if it has been a hot day, an hour before dusk too, will stop them from wilting or not growing – plants get very thirsty too! Aim the hose towards the roots of the plant, not their leaves so much as water sitting on leaves under sun can scorch them – the roots is where they drink anyway – they don’t need too much elsewhere unless it has been dusty and you want to clean dirt off the leaves so they can get more sunlight to help them grow.

When and as they begin to grow, some plants will need some help standing up – this is where staking for tomato plants or a simple trellis or frame to help vine like plants such as capsicum and cucumbers stand or grow upright will need to be done.

If you have chosen pots to grow your salad garden in, you can still do this, just with smaller versions.

The other thing you need to do as your plants grow is keep and eye on their leaves – this is where the health of your salad vegetables shows – discolouration means something is growing wrong and you may need adjust their food. Perhaps too much fertiliser has been added by mistake and something else is needed to balance this out – or they may not be getting enough food from the soil, and something else needs to be added. 

The other part about leaves is when they have gone brown and finished to gently pluck away those leaves.  That stops the plant sending everything needed to keep growing a leaf that has finished to that part of it and allows the plant to send, instead, all that good stuff to the parts still growing.

As your garden grows there may be a few weeds that pop up here and there, blown by the wind as seeds into this wonderful soil – these too will needed to be pulled out so they don’t take the food your salad vegetables need. It’s a good idea to pull these out soon after you have done the watering – the soil will be soft and it will make it easier to get the whole weed, roots and all, and that will stop them growing back.

These weeds and discarded leaves can go into your compost bin to become more food for future gardens!

5. The feast!

After around six weeks the first of your salad and barbecue and pasta ingredients will be ready to pick. It’s Yummo Time! You may even be able to put a whole meal together – some pesto spaghetti, with a nice salad on the side, or some mushrooms stuffed with your own herb seasoning. How cool is that?!

For Big Kids: DIY Recycled Coffee Table With Inbuilt Chessboard 

A few years ago I found a discarded table with old cracked tiles atop it and was inspired into refurbishing it with a built-in chessboard. With similar items costing between $1000.00 and $1800.00, for those who like chess or checkers and who don’t like waste, this may be a good little project.

If you have a coffee table that may need shallow sides installed to allow for the installation of a built-in chess set it’s a matter of measuring your width and length and adding the lengths of wood required to create an area below the whole surface. The one shown here has a width of 50cm and a length of 75cm.

If you don’t have a coffee table like this you can easily construct one or find one secondhand to ‘renovate’ yourself.

We also installed two inner strips of wood to make a uniform size for the chessboard square. The extra materials set us back just over $100.00 – a lot less than a neat one thousand for starters and now we have something that will last for years.

A chess board is divided into sixty-four alternating dark and light squares (conventionally called ‘black’ and ‘white’). You can see we set the ends of the coffee table with additional white and black tiles, 24 of each colour in total. There is a PDF of a chess board plan at the base of this page for you to download (22kb), print out, and use while setting out your chessboard inlay.

As you cannot buy the size tile singly we ordered:

Materials
Charcoal Tiles 58x58 0.2787 MTRS – 56 tiles will be needed in total
Chalk Tiles 58x58 0.2787 MTRS – 56 tiles
Tiles Total $44.00

Grout for tile bed $15.00
Black Grout $35.00
French polish resin $10.00
Wood strips $5.00
Wood glue $5.00

Tools
Orbital Sander 
Grout trowel
Level 
Tiling Sponge or old cloth/rag for cleaning

The first job is to strip off any old tiles and the grout/cement they may have been laid in. Sanding back the old wood to remove scuffed edges or old resin/wood stain and preparing it for staining/polish – you can use a wood stain if you like, we had French polish resin left from restoring older furniture so this was used.




After you have done your initial two layers of staining insert the wood strips, staining these prior to installation, and glue so they are set. Check with your level they fit flush with the outer frame of the coffee table.

Lay bed of grout for tiles to be set into. Make sure you use a grout trowel to get a flat even surface.



Working fairly quickly is required when using grout so do one section at a time.



The tiles this size will come attached to a surface. To make your job easier when laying these ready to grout for the chessboard square, remove alternate ones from each sheet and place ready to lift onto the base layer. We kept one strip of wood handy just to ensure the tiles were flush with the edge of the table’s frames.





You can also use the grout trowel to ensure the tiles are straight once you have placed them. 



Once all the tiles have been placed and the grout has set you are ready to fill in the grout between each tile. We chose black in keeping with a traditional chess board colours and to place this throughout the end sections as well to keep the piece looking uniform.
While doing this do one section at a time, wiping away any excess that goes onto the tiles carefully.



Once you have filled in the grout you can, as we did, do another two layers of the French resin to deepen the colour of the wood and protect it from liquids. 
Now you have something sturdy, useful as well as something for playing games on and have given new life to an old piece.

Ok: a few ideas to 'toy' with these Autumn school holidays; more below, and as always, if you need any advice on what will be best to help you with your projects, just pop into your local Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 store and talk to the trained friendly staff.

Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Catalogue From Wednesday 24/03/2021 To Sunday 11/04/2021 - Read It Online



Karcher Washer: $199.00
1750PSI. 1400W motor. 6L/ min water flow. Integrated water filter. Includes PS 20 power scrubber, vario lance & dirt blaster lance. 


Masport 139cc 4 Stroke Boxer Lawn Mower: $399.00
Quality cut and catch mower. Steel chassis powered by a 139cc AL-KO OHV engine*. Auto Choke. 460mm (18") steel chassis. Masport Quickcut® Blade System. Front 175mm (7") and Rear 200mm (8") mono bearing wheels. *AL-KO specified engine as used on AL-KO mowers in Europe.


Composta Garden & Wormfarm In One:$119.00
The wormfarm & garden in ONE! Reduces house-hold waste. Perfect for apartments, units & patios. Self-fertilising. Water-saving.

                        

Vertical Planter Garden Stand:$59.00                                                                                                                                           Hot Pink Bonica Bagged Rose: $19.00
55W x 74D x 117Hcm assembled. Includes 5 self watering pots. (Plants sold separately).


Rhino Gloves Triple Saver Pack: $10.00
3 colour pack. General gardening glove. Used for general gardening handyman work.


Wattyl I.D Advanced 6L: $91.00
Low Sheen. White base. Superior washability. Stain & scuff resistant. Anti-mould & mildew. Resists bacteria.


Dulux Ceiling White: from $42.20
Flat finish. Excellent hiding power. 5 year anti-mould guarantee. Low odour & low VOC. Water based.


We want to thank all of you for supporting and trusting us through this 2020, without you we could not be receiving these two important awards.

Thank you for being our customer and thanks to all our great staff for making this possible especially though this full of surprises year.

Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Update: Shop Online Options

Intending to keep our customers and staff safe, we present some additional ways for both our retail and trade customers to do business with us.

Trade and Retail Pick Up

Express Pick up Mona Vale

- Call Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale, and we will pick & pack your order and have it ready for you to pick up in 2 hours. (Stocked Lines Only)

- Drive into our undercover Trade Drive-Thru area at 73 Bassett St Mona Vale, and your order will be ready for pick-up.

- Our team members will help you with your load and finalise payment/paperwork

Express Pick up Avalon

- Call Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Avalon, and we will pick & pack your order and have it ready for you to pick up in 2 hours. (Stocked Lines Only)

- Drive into our back lane off Bellevue Avenue, and your order will be ready for pick-up.

- Our team members will help you with your load and finalise payment/paperwork

Online Retail Stores Go Live

We’ve launched two eCommerce sites offering 2hr pick up in-store and flat rate delivery options on the northern beaches*.

Jbhmv.com.au (Mona Vale)

Jbhav.com.au (Avalon)

With the ability to leave the product on your doorstep, this provides an option of an entirely contactless transaction.

*Flat rate delivery is not available to trade sales, building supplies and trade quantities

** The stock availability is updated nightly, which may mean the stock is unavailable when the order is placed

Trade Delivery to Site

Maybe not new, but certainly worth a mention again!

We can get almost anything delivered quickly onto site!

As always ring the trade desk direct on 9999 0333 and let them know what you need!

Final Thought

Like everyone, we have found ourselves in a new and uncertain environment, but we’re setting up (and digging in) for the long haul!

We want to acknowledge that the decision to retain over 120 staff and meet any future challenges head-on, could not have happened without the continued support you provide us as customers.

Thank you and stay safe,

The Johnson Family


Green Life Garden Centre at Johnson Brothers Mona Vale has a great stock of seedlings, native and other plants and all you need to get gardening in brilliant Autumn weather

Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Trade Centre at Mona Vale - everything you need under one roof.


Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 New Store
73 Bassett Street
Mona Vale - Online Store: Jbhmv.Com.Au

Products advice is available from the trained friendly staff at Narrabeen, Mona Vale and Avalon Johnson Brothers Mitre 10. 

Click on logo to visit Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 website

Johnson Bros Mitre 10 - Avalon            (02) 9918 3315

Johnson Bros Mitre 10 - Mona Vale     (02) 9999 3340

JBH Timber & Building Supplies          (02) 9999 0333

JBH Fencing & Landscape Supplies    (02) 9970 6333

www.johnsonbros.com.au Online store: jbhmv.com.au

Previous DIY Pages:

Decking Timbers  Caring For Your Deck Decking Finishes  Privacy Screens I Privacy Screens II  Privacy Screening Hardwoods  Autumn Paths and Lawns  Insulation Batts Plasterboard  Ventilation - Edmond's Ecofan Blackboards for Children and Home Spring Lawn Care  Shade Sails & Watering  Basic DIY Tools DIY Tools - Power Drills Recycle Your Trampoline into An Air Bed  How to Build Your Own Backyard Cricket Pitch Christmas Lights Displays around House and Garden Summer Mildew - Refresh, Renew How to Fix Things That Drip and Bump in the Night Time To Plant Winter Vegetables in  a Raised Garden Beds Layout Organsing Your Tool Shed  Make Your Own Weathervane Installing A Garden Watering System  Decking Oils  How To Make Garden Compost  How To Winter proof Your Lawn  How to create Shabby Chic effect on Timber Furniture How to Build Your Own Raised Garden Bed  Growing Your Own Winter Vegies  Winter Heating Guide  Prepare Your Yard For Winter Eradicating Noxious Weeds From Your Yard How to Fix Furniture Finishes Part I  How to Repair Scratches, Dings, and Dents of Furniture Surfaces - Part II Winter Draughts Fix  Classic Wooden Tool Carrier Spring Garden Checklist Part I  Install Your Own Skylight  Retaining Walls for Saving Soil and New Spring Garden Beds  Summer Salad Garden  Native Plant Garden for A Fairy Arbour Renewing Short Flight of Exterior Stairs Deck Maintenance DIY Summer Tasks You Can Do In Time to Get to the Beach  Garden Ponds for Attracting Birdlife, Dragonflies and for the Soothing Sounds of Water  Salt Air: Maintenance and Protection Creating an Outdoor Dining Arbour, Gazebo or Patio - Part I Creating an Outdor Dining Arbour, Gazebo or Patio Part II  Autumn Garden Tasks  Autumn DIY Jobs: Waterproof Your Home Checklist  Dealing With Dampness Inside the Home  Fixing Your Fence  Repairing and Replacing Damaged Decking boards  DIY Toy Box and Snow Globes: School Holidays Fun - Winter 2015  DIY Wooden Toy Cars and Perfect Painted Flowerpots: School Holiday Fun - Winter 2015  Shoring Up an Under House Earth Bank – Installing a Basic Retaining Wall  DIY One Shelf Sideboard  Early Spring 2015 Garden Care Salad Garden For Children  Keeping Your Garden and Home Cool in Hot Weather  Classic Beach Garden and Camping Chairs 3 Portable Versions Anyone Can Make DIY Outdoor Furniture Mark I: Park Benches for Your Garden Make Your Own Scooter or Skateboard: Summer 2016 Fun  How to Install a Solid Core Door and Door Furniture  Summer Garden Jobs: Pruning A Hedge  How to Make A Swing Chair - With A Frame for Garden Setting  Garden Jobs for March to Make A Beautiful and Healthy Spring  Keeping Outdoor Nooks Warm During Cooler Months  Children’s Step Stool with Storage  Stop Winter Rain Lawn Loss and Soil Erosion on Slopes  DIY Garden Shed: Part 1 of 4 - Base  DIY Garden Shed: Part 2 - Framing Walls  DIY Garden Shed: Part 2b - Gable Roof Framing  Garden Shed Part 3: Roof Installation  DIY Garden Shed: Weather- boards - Door And Window Installation And Paint Finish DIY Coffee Table With Chessboard Inlay  Spring Gardening: Feeding Your Soil And Plants - What Works For Each Plant  DIY Sandstone Flagging Parking Area - Platform  DIY Pre-Summer Checklist For A Safe Home   Summer Spruce Up: Interior Paint Tips and Three easy steps to rejuvenate your timber deck The Perfect BBQ Garden Setting DIY Water Wise Garden   DIY Side Gates  DIY Storm Preparation And Home Protection  One To Two Day DIY Weekend Spruce Ups  Vegepods For Autumn Planting + Easy To Make Lego Table Or Student Desk That Can Be Dismantled + Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Online Store   Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Great New Mona Vale Store: Still In Bassett Street - number 73  Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 New Mona Vale Store: The Greenlife Garden Centre  Go Outside And Play: Creating Garden Spaces To Connect Children With Nature DIY Plasterboard Repair DIY Dolls House Or Garage Or Boatshed  DIY Child's Waggon - or use as a large planter mover DIY Bathroom Refresh: Zing For Spring  Tips for Growing a Native Garden FireCrunch, Australian Developed Fire-proof, Sustainable, Durable and Reliable Building Board Now Available at Johnson Bros. at Mona Vale and Narrabeen School Holidays DIY Ideas for Children: Little Vegetables Garden, Swing, Windchimes Bushfire Season Preparation 2017: Home and Outdoor Areas  Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Trade Centre at Mona Vale + Issue No 1 of Mitre 10’s inSITE Magazine for Tradies and Handymen  Preparing Al Fresco Areas for Christmas Get-Togethers and Summer Visitors  Summer De-bug; Mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches and ants - how to keep the outdoors insects where they belong DIY Summer Projects: Install A Fountain Or Water Feature  Late Summer and Early Autumn Projects: A Shed For All Storage Solutions + Garden Tasks + Keeping Our Waterways Clean   Autumn Plantings for Winter Harvests   2018   Paintback Collection Event: Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale Saturday, April 7  Reducing Ticks in Your Garden: Garden care, Plants that Repel, What to Wear Outdoors Attracting Insectivore Birds to Your Garden: DIY Natural Tick Control  Mother's Day 2018: DIY Rose Garden Winter Mould & Mildew Inside Your home: How to Keep Air and Surfaces Healthier DIY Traditional Rocking Horse  Johnson Brothers Trade Day 2018 DIY Mushrooms and Vege Kits: School Holidays Fun Winter 2018 for Curious Kids  Woodworking Projects for Beginners: School Holidays Fun Winter 2018 - Simple Storage Box + Wood Tool Box Spring Garden Prep: Soil Care  Spring into Spring + JBH August 2018 Trifecta  DIY Backyard Doggie Paradise  Garden Care for Heavy Rain Days + Non-Toxic Snail and Slug Debug Ideas  Garden Design and Plant Management to Minimise Tick Attacks and Infestations - insights from an essay by Bill Conroy BSc. (Agr) (Syd) + a Tribute to Wilfred Lawrence Conroy CBE by Keith Jackson, PNG and others  Make Your Own BBQ Kitchen Garden: Gifts That Grow Past That Giving Day  Christmas Lights 2018: Light Up the Night  How to Keep Your House Cool During a Heatwave Without Using an Air-Conditioner Mid-Summer Garden Care  2018 Winners Of National Hardware Store Of The Year - Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale! + End Of Summer Garden To Do List  DIY Fruits of Your Garden: Growing Figs  Fruits Of Your Garden: Growing Passionfruit - Autumn Is Also The Time To Plant Strawberries For Spring  How To Water Your Plants When Away On Holidays + Some April 2019 School Holidays Fun For Outdoors; A Skateboard Swing Or Indoors; Grow Or Make Pot Plant People Dealing With Autumn Dampness Inside The Home + Mums Day Gifts For 2019 Winter Heating Guide + Get Ready For Winter Specials  Keeping Your Garden Dewful During Times Of Water Restrictions and Drought  Installing Leaf Stopper Gutter Guard + Trade Day 2019  JBH Mitre 10 Trade Day Guests 2019  An Artfull Garden - for Winter School Holidays 2019 DIY Deck Refurbishment: Turning Wood Into Open Tiled Spaces - Groundworks  Father's Day Wish List 2019 + How to Re-stain your Deck timbers and posts for Summer  Installing Posts For Decks and Verandahs With Heavier Loads + Installing Membranes For Tiled Decks National Garden Week's 2019 Focus Is On Children(Oct 13-19): Spring School Holiday 2019 Garden Ideas (to get started on)  Replacing Balustrades Handrails  DIY Tiling Your Verandah: and Choosing Your Simple Or Complex Tile Pattern  Reduce Bushfire Risk To Older Homes + Preparing Your Yard For Bushfires  Time to Put Up those Christmas Lights and Deck your Gum Trees with rows of Jolly!  NSW RFS Bushfire Survival Plan 2020 + Reduce Bushfire Risk To Homes + Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Great Water Saving Ideas during Level 2 water restrictions + some  'Don't Sweat Summer'  Specials  The Inaugural Sydney Edible Garden Trail - Learn how to help your garden survive the heat, drought, and water restrictions  DIY Flyscreens  DIY Privacy Screen In 2 Hours  Family Hardware Store Wins Best In Australia  Autumn DIY Jobs: Exterior Jobs to Keep Everything Dry and Cosy Inside the Home  Autumn Vegepod Garden: Plant Now to Stay Healthy: JBH Response to COVID-19 Restrictions - We're Adapting!  Autumn Holidays Projects: Let's Go Fly A Kite + Some handy Painting Tips for Interiors and Sprucing up that Outside Deck - Easter Hours 2020  Pittwater's Noxious Weeds: A Great Time To Get Outdoors and Pull Them Out and Replace With Native Plants  Blooming Lovely: Late Autumn Planting For Gardens Full Of Colour, Cheer + Great Food For The Table  Dealing With Dampness Inside The Home - June 2020  DIY A Job For Life: Apprentice Carpenter + Commencement Tool List  Winter School Holidays 2020: Easy To Do Garden Mosaic Pavers Little Hands Can Create + Home DIYer: Simple Concrete Slab  DIY - A Job For Life: Landscape Gardener Apprenticeship DIY Fathers' Day ideas for 2020 + August Garden Jobs  DIY Job for Life: Plumber's Apprenticeship Early Spring Garden Care Spring 2020 + Salad Garden For Children  A Job For Life: Certificate III In Electrotechnology - From Apprentice To A Business Owner; Jay Turns Up The Voltage On His Career + Spring Garden Specials - seedlings time!  Spring is here and wattles are out in bloom: a love letter to our iconic flowers  Perfect Tomatoes, Capsicums and Spring Onions - Summer Salad Staples + what to plant now  BBQ Season: some tips to keep your New or Old BBQ Clean  Christmas Lights Time 2020: Deck Your Home With Rows Of Jolly!  Johnson Brothers Avalon Store Renovations & Mona Vale Store: Everything You Need This Summer In Stock  How To Keep Your Home Cool During A Heatwave Dealing With Dampness Inside The Home: The Wet Summer Of 2020/2021 +Nothing By Halves, Johnson Bros. Mitre 10, great new video By Community Requests Autumn/February 2021 re-run: Garden Design and Plant Management to Minimise Tick Attacks and Infestations  The Bees Knees: what you can plant now to help your garden grow and help the bees  Dealing with Storm Events: Flooding inside and around the home - how to Be Prepared

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John and Bob Johnson - The Johnson Brothers Profile  John William Alfred Johnson - The Eulogies for those who could not attend Mass

Australia's Prime Minister Visits Mackellar - Informal Afternoon Tea with Hon. Malcolm Turnbull October 2016

JBH Win Awards August 2018 Trifecta - 2018 Free Trade Day supporters, Mitre 10 Heritage Advert features JBH Mona Vale Store, Hardware Australia’s 2018 NSW Hardware Store of the Year over 2500sqm.

Front Page Issue 294: 2018 Winners Of National Hardware Store Of The Year - Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale !!!

National Garden Week's 2019 Focus Is On Children(Oct 13-19): School Holiday Garden Ideas (to get started on) & Congratulations Award Winning Johnson Brothers Mitre10 At Mona Vale - 2019 NSW Store Of the Year2019 NSW Trade Centre Of the Year and 2019 Village Garden Centre of the Year

Johnson Bros Mitre 10 were awarded as the best Trade Store in the country: February 2020

Family Hardware Store Wins Best In Australia: Johnson Bros Mitre 10 Mona Vale Crowned ‘National Trade Store Of The Year’ - Celebrating 65th Year in 2020

Anzac Day In Pittwater 2020: Candles, Crosses and Online Commemorative Services: Johnson Brothers Family Donates 20 Thousand Candles to Community Light Up The Dawn Initiativ

Front Page Issue 447ANZAC DAY 2020


John, Bob and Robert Johnson, 2013 - photo by A J Guesdon.
Important 
All information and tips in this publication are of a general nature only and neither Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 or Pittwater Online News does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information and tips in this publication. This publication is not intended to be a substitute for expert advice. Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 advises you to always consult an experienced and qualified person when undertaking jobs of this kind (including consulting a qualified tradesperson such as an electrician or plumber where relevant expert services are required). 

You should also consider any safety precautions that may be necessary when undertaking the work described in this publication (including wearing any necessary safety equipment such as safety glasses, goggles or ear protectors or hard hats). The information and tips in this publication are provided on the basis that Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 and Pittwater Online News excludes all liability for any loss or damage which is suffered or incurred (including, but not limited to, indirect and consequential loss or damage and whether or not such loss or damage could have been foreseen) for any personal injury or damage to property whatsoever resulting from the use of the information and tips in this publication. 

Pittwater Online News and Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 also advises there may be laws, regulations or by-laws with which you must comply when undertaking the work described in this publication. You should obtain all necessary permissions and permits from council and/or any other relevant statutory body or authority before carrying out any work. Major projects published in this publication always list these and/orlinks to where you may research what your own project requires to meet regulations.