Timber iQ October - November 2019 // Issue:46 | Page 47

PERSONALITY PROFILE
PERSONALITY PROFILE
classification and education about sustainable material can
be improved. “We need to change the way we think in order
to change the way we shop. Gone are the days of
deforesting virgin natural rain forests so you can have that
Indonesian teak hardwood boardroom table,” he says. He
adds that it is essential that people educate themselves on
more sustainable options than prioritising desired look.
This could result in a slight difference in the overall look
of the wood finishing. Fisher emphasises that people need to
get used to the idea that a more commonly used sustainable
timber still has beauty. “There is no reason sustainability and
style cannot go hand in hand. The decision to choose
sustainable material can be quite simple in principle,
however, there are some regulations regarding sustainable
material that make it financially not viable to offer it as an
alternative. It can be a complex situation and is a worldwide
topic and will take a long time to govern correctly. “The best
thing a consumer can do is to educate themselves,” he says.
Being a business owner keeps Fisher very busy, leaving him
with little time to spend on other hobbies. When he does get
some free time, he enjoys spending it outdoors with his
family. He is also a surfer and it was through surfing that he
discovered another talent – making surfboards. “The first
board I made was while taking a friend’s board-building
course – Jason Hayes of Hayescraft. It was a solid wooden Blue
Agave 8ft ‘retro gun’. The board was created with dried stems
from the Agave plant in the Karoo. Once the stems were
harvested and machined into planks, the carving process
followed. It wasn’t a case of creating exactly what I wanted
from start to finish, it was more like removing all the timber I
didn’t want, and the board was the result of what was left.”
OPPORTUNITIES AND HOPE FOR THE
FUTURE
With such a long and successful reputation in the industry,
Fisher has learnt that one is only valued on results. In his
view, the challenge is around the understanding of what
actually goes into the result. “In general, there is little
understanding of the process involved in mobilising the
production of large scaled timber construction projects and
the order in which this is done,” he explains. To get around
this, he believes that it is important to get the correct vision
of what the end result is, and then work methodically back
in reverse to get a starting point.
For anyone planning to get into the industry, Fisher
believes that getting started as soon as possible and
obtaining a qualification would be a good start. He also
highlights the importance of doing research to get as much
information as possible. “Try and find a good mentor, maybe
a retired carpenter, and be a sponge.” More importantly, one
must be in the industry for the right reason.
Although he has a wealth of knowledge and has been in
the industry for so many years, he still has a lot that he
would like to achieve in the future including passing his
knowledge onto people eager to learn. “I hope to be a better
carpenter, a better designer, a better idea’s person, and
evolve as technology does.” In addition, he will continue to
search for solutions about sustainability and explore
modular living solutions for an ever-increasing population.
As a final thought, Fisher thinks that the hemp building
industry combined with Bamboo products and a more
sustainable timber frame building industry would make a
significant difference to our current environmental
problems. “It’s so simple its frightening – wood is good,” he
concludes.
www.timberiq.co.za
// OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2019
45
// OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2019
45