Need to bend the ear of lumber importers ext.

[Brian Ashton]

Hi guys

I've been hangin with a bunch of south pacific islanders lately… One in particular is a tree cutter in his homeland and was telling me about the woods encounters and cuts… Some sound like they're on the highly exotic side - such as aeromatic rosewood and other very figured hardwoods… What's sacrilegious is that the best and most knarliest parts of the tree, such as the crotches, are either left in the bush or burned. And the real hard species are left because they're too hard for him to mill into 2x4, 2x6...

I've got decades of knowledge about woods stored up in my gray matter but where my interest in this comes into play is wondering how such woods can be brought to the market, something I have no ideas at all about… So if anyone reading this is in the business of importing or exporting exotic woods I would like to talk to you about what the process and regulations is to bring such woods to the market.

Thx in advance

[Dan Hintz]

Not in the business, but...

I would love to get a hold of woods like you mention... I cringe every time I hear of a fat burl going into the shredder, or a spalted crotch being burned on site so they can start building. The only good thing about it is as long as these people don't know what it's worth, they'll continue to give it away for the asking (assuming you catch them at the right time).

This will obviously be different for AU, but in the US you first need to get an import license (surprisingly, the cost/year was very reasonable... around $150, if I recall correctly). Every import container will need to have the proper paperwork associated with it, which includes paperwork from the export country (it's best to make friends with someone there who wishes to export). Bark is often a big issue (that's where the nasty bugs hide), so a pre-processing station before filling the container will often include de-barking (or even farther, sawmilling). I do not know if quarantine/decontamination is a necessity if you have the proper paperwork, but keep it in mind if you're trying to keep a schedule... that will keep a container out of your hands for an extra month or two.

Of course, once it's in country you have to unload/transport all of that stuff. If its a full container, may be easier to hire a hauler and drop the container at your place for a weekend while you unload it. Less than a full container and you'll need your own truck to transfer the wood into at the port (I often thought one of those moving Pods would make a good partial container mover). But now you're getting into an area I didn't research much.

[Brian Libby]

A good source of info would be Rory Wood at
Rare Woods USA LLC Mexico ME 04257
USA Telephone / Fax: +1 (207) 364 1073
His website is Rarewoodsusa.com

[glenn bradley]

You could also PM or call member Damon Stathatos owns and operates Sierra Madre Sawing and Milling.

[David Weaver]

Some of the chinese tools that I've gotten have rosewoods, ebonies and other similar exotic-type woods that I wouldn't recognize the name of if someone mentioned it to me. They are, however, every bit as good as the ones that we pay for big-time here. I can get a plane made out of some sort of ebony (sold wholesale, then retail where I buy it, with an iron and made by hand) cheaper than I can get a dry piece of ebony here by a long shot.

I'd imagine the biggest challenge will be getting people to pay for various hunks of wood that have names that aren't as commercially recognized as "cocobolo" and "gabon ebony", etc.

[John Sanford]

From your end, you'd only be facing a financial risk. From this end, there's a batch of little known laws that have made importing exotic woods into the US somewhat risky, as in SWAT teams Go To Jail risky. Google "Gibson guitar wood controversy" for some background. I don't know how much real impact that has had on the importers here, but I know I would think twice, nay, thrice, before stepping into an area rife with such regulatory bramble patches.

[Brian Ashton]

From your end, you'd only be facing a financial risk. From this end, there's a batch of little known laws that have made importing exotic woods into the US somewhat risky, as in SWAT teams Go To Jail risky. Google "Gibson guitar wood controversy" for some background. I don't know how much real impact that has had on the importers here, but I know I would think twice, nay, thrice, before stepping into an area rife with such regulatory bramble patches.

There's always risks associated with importation of organic materials of any kind. That's why I want to talk to importers first and try to determine what risks maybe out there.


Thx for the input folks.