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Moshe Eshel
11-10-2009, 11:39 AM
To post this, I figured - this is the safest to post my question...

Some of you know me, I'm not as active as I would like. Lately I have been considering opening a woodturning/woodworking store where I live (In Israel - the state of...)

We don't have enough businesses that sell quality tools and even less that sell wood...

OK. Let me present the concept(s):
1. This will be a small and friendly store
2. It will not sell power tools (I don't have the space or inclination)
3. We will sell hand tools (carving, woodworking and turning tools) - probably some lathe accessories and such, carving accessories etc.
4. I also want to sell pre-cut wood (almost impossible to get this in Israel basically you need to know someone who is willing to do it for you or import) - all the businesses force you to buy a full board (they will not even agree to cut it for you or surface it) - I believe that many turners, carvers, and woodworkers would appreciate the possibility to purchase small/medium/largish blanks without purchasing the whole board. to top it all it is also quite hard to find any exotic wood here - even if you are willing to buy the board...

My problem, I don't want to start buying boards and cutting them up - I don't want to deal with it, nor have the equipment to do it, or the time... so I would like to buy this stuff wholesale from someone...

Where would I go? I need to keep a certain amount of stock available (not a big stock) and shipping has to be by sea - otherwise it becomes way expensive...

Can anybody help me out (information, business offer, suggestions, anything?)

All the best
Moshe

P.S. No intention of making a living from it... Not possible I'm afraid - not even enough potential customers in the country to do it (not to mention the area), and if there were - I'd have 10 competitors in a second. this is purely part time, off hours, out of the way, small, side venture, to operate mostly on a small unassuming website and my small workshop which has some room (by no means spare :-) ) that can be used for storage and display of merchandise (again not a large amount).

It is mostly a way to get to know and help out some new and interesting people and to help some hobbyists like me, and make some money off it - hopefully, maybe to pay for a new tool (just like putting adsense on my blog in a way - I might buy a new tool in a couple of years of it :-().

Mitchell Andrus
11-10-2009, 12:29 PM
First things first, find a market. Find a need and find a way to fill it. Is there a gift item market that's not being fulfilled? Housewares market? Furniture item market? Helping others fill these needs will help you sell tools.

Until you do that, there's no way to tell if anything you display is going to sell.

Perhaps you can share space in a retail store for a while to test and keep costs down.
.

James Jaragosky
11-10-2009, 3:58 PM
First things first, find a market. Find a need and find a way to fill it. Is there a gift item market that's not being fulfilled? Housewares market? Furniture item market? Helping others fill these needs will help you sell tools.

Until you do that, there's no way to tell if anything you display is going to sell.

Perhaps you can share space in a retail store for a while to test and keep costs down.
.
As i see it, you are asking where can I get wholesale pricing on small orders of wood delivered to Israel cheap.
I would ask in the classified section as a WTB and let them check on the shipping.

Chuck Wintle
11-10-2009, 6:28 PM
Are there many hobbyists in the area needing or buying tools? Start small and advertise to prospective customers, carving and turning clubs. Can you participate in a trade show or woodworking show? This is a sure way to grow your business. good luck

Moshe Eshel
11-10-2009, 6:39 PM
As i see it, you are asking where can I get wholesale pricing on small orders of wood delivered to Israel cheap.
I would ask in the classified section as a WTB and let them check on the shipping.

Yes, only I won't say small orders - but one/two large orders would probably be more correct, followed by infrequent medium/large orders (and maybe some small orders in between)...

This is of course unless I have large totally misunderstood... what would small, medium, large be - and how should I expect pricing? could I even get wholesale pricing? and what sort of discount would that mean compared for example to the price of a nice bowl blank in CSUSA?

James Jaragosky
11-11-2009, 3:03 AM
Yes, only I won't say small orders - but one/two large orders would probably be more correct, followed by infrequent medium/large orders (and maybe some small orders in between)...

This is of course unless I have large totally misunderstood... what would small, medium, large be - and how should I expect pricing? could I even get wholesale pricing? and what sort of discount would that mean compared for example to the price of a nice bowl blank in CSUSA?

Wholesale pricing will very from dealer to dealer.
Large order = One or more container loads, can be a mixed lot. pricing will be cheaper on all the same type.

1/2 container load same as above for pricing
Smaller will probably be shipped by air.

You may want to find someone that imports regularly and see about buying some room on one of their container deliveries. If it works out you can do it more frequently.

I cannot speak on pricing as it is all over the spectrum, and will depend on several variables.
Do a web search. The south American dealers will have the best pricing, as long as you are importing, you may as well go to the source.

Eric Larsen
11-11-2009, 7:49 PM
I would also be wary of buying wood from humid areas of the world. Even coastal Israel is fairly dry, and it can get very dry if I'm not mistaken.

I would not want to buy wood from the temperate climates and watch as the boards warp, twist, and cup in my climate. Getting my hands on decent wood is a real trouble for me, because of the climate differences.

Jim King
11-12-2009, 8:54 AM
Moshe:

I live in the Amazon Basin of Peru and exported tropical woods for about 25 years. A 20 foot container of exotics is a good order for any producer at wholesale prices . The tropical wood business is very small and not what the enviornmentalists make it out to be. The old exotics such as Mahogany and Spanish Cedar have about run the course and are not much in demand but the new species are doing well.

I would suggest you only buy kiln dried lumber and if possible surfaced hit and miss. I dont know if you are working in inches or centimeters but be sure to make your needs clear.

If your housing market is doing well you may be surprized at the market for exotics for kitchen cabinets. I would say your biggest challenge would be the freight situation as tropical woods do not come from areas with a well developed port and international shipping system with direct connections to other destinations. For example we in the Peruvian Amazon have one ship every six weeks that leaves here in Iquitos and goes 2500 miles down to the mouth and then to Tarpon Springs, Florida or Houston.

From there trans shipping to other destinations is required. You are closer to Africa but the industry there is very undelveoped also and only works with a few not so exciting woods and the shipping situation is simple caos.

I think you will do well. Lebanon and the other countries near you also are in the market looking.