Duncan and I really enjoy getting to know all you Open Shed members, and as more and more rentals occur it is great to hear about the connections that are being made. Regularly we will be doing a bit of a Q & A with members here. A big thank you to Nicole from South Australia for being the first!

We are really hoping to help Nicole with “her wanted ad for an electric cement mixer”:wanted so she can build an earth bag cubby house over Easter, if you’ve got one list it - how cool would it be to say the Open Shed community helped to build a cubby house!!

How did you first hear about Open Shed?

On Facebook, I think. I saw an article about collaborative consumption a few years ago in the AFR randomly on a plane (I rarely fly and never buy it but was reading over someone’s shoulder :-) and then asked him if he would share - which he grudgingly did - LOL! Must have been when Rachel (Botsmans) book came out. It listed a few startups. I was interested in car share initially. So it has been on my radar. I’m involved in permaculture and the transition movement and interested in the sharing economy.

Why are you on the hunt for a cement mixer?

For a building project we are doing. Its a cool thing building a structure with what is available where we live - the earth under our feet - which is essentially sand. But we do need to mix it with some clay and make a render for the outside - thus the mixer. Basically you mix sand and 20% clay, fill bags with it and build a dome like that. Then you cover it with an earth render. Then voila - a building with almost zero inputs - cool in summer, warm in winter!

So thats why we need the mixer - I don’t want to buy one - even second hand and have it clog up our shed. There is enough there already. I already feel bogged down by too much stuff…. And I know that there are possibly several sitting unused in sheds around here - though how to get them listed on Open Shed is another thing!

Why is the cubby an important project to complete?

Because there is a big hole in my backyard and piles of sand disrupting our lives :-)

What happens if you don’t find the cement mixer?

I actually have since put a call out through my personal networks and a friend has a friend who might be able to lend one. I will follow that up and try and get them to put it on open shed for next time! It’s a fine line though of having human generated genuine contact networks and the convenience of online searching.

Had you heard of collaborative consumption before you found Open Shed?

I think I answered above - also I signed up for the Sharehood and listed some things there but I have never had any requests for my stuff from there. Adelaide is also a different market - very conservative - still plenty of space so most can store their own gear, no financial need… Yet… :-)

The other thing I’d really love access to is a data projector….

If you would like to be part of our “hello member” series, please email me at “lisa@openshed.com.au”:contact. I can email you some questions or we can have a quick chat!