Unique Australian Gifts for any Occasion.
Unique Australian Gift Ideas: great for people who are hard to buy for.
Are you looking for an Australian gift idea that is completely different, one that will last but also give you value, and then help you to express your appreciation for that special someone, and lovingly remind them of you when that special gift is used? We believe we may have the solution for some of you.
Unique Australian Gifts that suit any occasion
If you are looking for an ultra-exclusive handcrafted Australian gift for a special someone who is hard to buy for, then consider a handmade steam bent timberskin stubby cooler made from recycled floorboards.
Yes…you read that correctly… old floorboards.
We have a partial history of these floorboards and can share that they were first laid in the early 1900’s on a community hall dance floor on the Atherton Tablelands. Around 1945-50 part of the floor was removed and relocated to a sports venue and was in service there as a floor until the building was demolished around 2015. The boards have been stored in a demolition yard ever since, until we discovered them in Dec 2022. There is more info on the tree age at the end of this page.
An Australian Gift for Him, Her, or You!
It can be difficult to buy for some people, so finding a gift that says what you need is a huge bonus.
Unique bar accessories that look great, because they are!
Let’s face it. There is so much out there in the gift space that is cheap imported rubbish, it is embarrassing. Our cooler range is all premium quality and proudly designed and made by a family-owned small business that refuses to manufacture to a price.
Hardwood drink coolers that are Steam-bent, and Super Cool.
The Timberskin coolers look great because they are made with real wood, making them very unique. They have a thin wall, making them easy to hold, a polished finish that can stand up to use, and a waterproof silicone barrier between the wood and the neoprene insert. They are designed to be maintenance free, and make fantastic gifts for men of all ages, however the girls do like them also.
Designed and made by Pickers Ridge Hardwood Designs since 2017, the coolers you see here are the result of 6 months of intense research and development that has ultimately delivered a professional product that we are proud to consider one of our flagship products. We are the only makers of these coolers and see them as a truly unique Australian gift product.
Handcrafted Australian Gifts made from furniture grade timbers.
There is something timeless about timber products. When designed appropriately the wood can last a really long time, and these Timberskin coolers are no different. We use quality hardwoods that are ethically sourced, and our products are made to be enjoyed for many years. They are designed to work… but must look good. We reckon we have this mix right with these coolers.
Why this unique Australian handmade gift idea is a reasonable purchase for the logical shopper.
A common comment we receive when selling our Timberskin coolers at face-to-face markets in Port Douglas comes from women who are totally over the dirty neoprene stubby coolers that accumulate on the fridge. They are often on the lookout for handmade gift ideas for him, and we discovered our timber drink coolers are the solution to this problem.
The usual neoprene cases everyone collects eventually become so grubby and tattered that the words and typical branding on the outside cannot be read anymore. They are not something that belongs in a social setting. We suggest you send the grubby coolers to the shed or man-cave and keep a couple of our Timberskins on display, ready to be used and shown off at the next get-together.
Why are our Custom Stubby Coolers so special?
Every TimberSkin cooler is hand made, and crafted from select timbers that we carefully choose. We bend the wood for each cooler using steam, similar to the process that a lot of people recognize from a Grand Designs episode several years ago. All of our wood is ethically sourced and has not come from a standing tree. We even use floorboards that are over 100 years old.
How do we make these Timberskin stubby Coolers?
We use the traditional trade-craft of steam-bending. This is best described as using heat and moisture within an enclosure to soften the wood fibers, allowing the wood to bend without breaking (mostly). The bent wood is then molded into the shape you see.
What are the Coolers finished on the outside with?
We use a friction polish that is Australian made and owned. It is burnished into the wood with pressure and friction making the finish a part of the wood structure, instead of just a surface coating. The finish will obtain a desirable patina after several years of use. It does not require cleaning or special care.
Does the neoprene insert come out for cleaning?
The insert is not removable. It is glued into the timberskin shell using an engineering-grade silicone sealant-adhesive that completely seals the inside face of the wood from moisture penetration. We spent considerable time testing different methods to achieve this part of the manufacturing process. Keeping the neoprene locked in removes the grubby look permanently, and the insert will last the life of the cooler.
How long do these drink coolers last?
We don’t know exactly but are very confident that they will last well over a decade with regular use. We have a 4 year old test cooler that we have flooded with water with no degradation. It has also been placed in a chest freezer for period of time without any ill effects. This same cooler is used regularly and has shown no issues with the rough treatment.
How old is the wood in the Floorboard Timberskins?
We know the history from when the tree was approximately milled and laid as floorboards. We also know that the tree was a large specimen from looking at the end-grain of the floorboards. We calculated the diameter of the log at about 2.0 meters or six feet. This was achieved by taking three points of a prominent growth ring, one from either edge of the board and the third from the center. This gave us enough information to calculate the circumference and then the diameter.
Once we had established the diameter, we set about discovering the growth rate of this species. After many hours trawling the internet we found a paper that recorded the growth rates (beginning in 1970’s) of 41 Australian rainforest trees that are relevant to the Atherton tablelands and surrounding regions.
Tulip oak is one of the species included (Argyrodendron peralatum). We were getting excited by now. The paper gives a diameter growth rate of 9.8mm per year on average, with the 2000mm diameter we measured giving a living tree age of at least 204 years. There are still growth rings outside of the measured ring, (at least another 50mm of heartwood without any sign of sapwood), and so we believe the age of the tree when cut down to be between 220 to 250 years old at a minimum. (Growth rates are likely not linear and slow with age)
Some historical context here puts this tree at 70+years old when Cook stepped onto terra australis. This is old timber that is now ready to live its best next life as a participant in many social gatherings and being shown off to many adoring eyes.
To discover more about our range of bespoke drink coolers, head over to the Timberskin page.