What do you bring back from vacation?

[Pete Staehling]

I brought back about 40# of beautiful koa and mango lumber from Hawaii in a large checked bag. A couple pieces of the koa were purchased, but the larger portion of koa and the mango were a wonderful gift. It was worth taking an extra bag along and having an extra checked bag on the way home. I carried one bag inside another on the way to Hawaii so i had one checked bag on the way there and two on the way back.

https://i.ibb.co/hHVjzNZ/mango.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)
Mango

[Kevin Smira]

I was in Seattle last week and brought home (shipped actually) about 60# of highly figured woods from a friend. Walnut, crotch walnut, curly maple, many pcs of burl, mango, koa, macadamia nut, and some others...I shipped back two USPS flat rate boxes with smalls (pen turning blanks, box pcs, etc) and FedEx'd a large bag that had pcs up to 24" long in it. FedEx was cheaper than a check bag for me from WA to AL.

[Bill Kugler]

Just returned from Germany, and brought back some door hardware, because I have some doors to build for the house and can't get it easily here.

[Chuck Nickerson]

After my trip to Hawaii in September I brought back some instrument-grade bees-wing Koa.
I was also allowed to examine the furniture made by students at the missionary school in Hilo about a century ago.
I also got to photograph the exterior and interior of the Kona Theatre and the Aloha Theatre. Their styles fascinate me.

It was a good trip!

[Jeff Duncan]

I brought back 5 bottles of single malt from my trip to Scotland! Made me a very happy camper!!!
Oh..... you meant related to Woodworking? Ah, well I did manage to find a nice little antique plane to add to my tiny collection. It’s much older and will last a LOT longer than the Scotch too!

JeffD

[Pete Staehling]

I was in Seattle last week and brought home (shipped actually) about 60# of highly figured woods from a friend. Walnut, crotch walnut, curly maple, many pcs of burl, mango, koa, macadamia nut, and some others...I shipped back two USPS flat rate boxes with smalls (pen turning blanks, box pcs, etc) and FedEx'd a large bag that had pcs up to 24" long in it. FedEx was cheaper than a check bag for me from WA to AL.
I was lucky enough to have free checked bags on this trip. For pieces up to almost 24" a USPS flat rate box often works well.
Large Board Game Box 23 11/16" x 11 3/4" x 3" LargeFlatRateBoardGameBox $17.60

[Erik Loza]

I brought back 5 bottles of single malt from my trip to Scotland!

^^^^ Booze, mostly.

We actually did pick up a bunch of local turnings and small sculptures when we honeymooned in Costa Rica. From what I could see, all from salvaged lumber. Rosewood and some others I still am not really sure of the species. One place had a huge lathe powered off an air-cooled VW engine.

Erik

[Pete Staehling]

One place had a huge lathe powered off an air-cooled VW engine.

I'd love to see that. Any chance that you have a link to some pictures?

[Charles Lent]

Some years ago, when I was a factory rep for a printing press company, I would frequently bring home wood that I couldn't find here. My territory was all 50 plus the Caribbean, so I brought back quite a bit. I would buy the boxes from the post office, and then go to the lumber source and pick out pieces that would fit in it. Then take the full box back to the post office for shipping. I sometimes also brought some wood back in my suitcase or a folding bag that I always kept in the suitcase.

In Honolulu, just off Mokuwea Street near the ocean is a lumber yard and woodworking shop. Most of what they make is from Koa and they have a store that sells shorts and drops of all sizes. I've had great dealings with them. Roland's Koa Factory on Mokuwea makes most of what you can find made from Koa in the tourist gift shops. I didn't purchase anything from them, but they were friendly and let me see inside their shop. It's been some years since I was in Hawaii, so all of this may have changed, but it's worth looking for if you are interested.

Puerto Rico is another interesting place to find wood. I bought from several places there, but can't remember the company names. All but one was within easy driving distance of San Juan. The other was several towns West along the North shore.

Charley

[Mike Kees]

I usually just bring home regret that I have to back to work, and an empty wallet.:D

[Erik Loza]

I'd love to see that. Any chance that you have a link to some pictures?

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any.

Erik

[Pete Staehling]

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any.

Erik
Too bad. Thanks for looking.

[Mike Henderson]

I bring back memories and pictures.

I do a blog of our travels and share it with a fair number of people. People have told me that it has helped them decide whether to take a trip to the same area or not. I keep improving my photography - or at least, trying to:)

Mike

[Lee Schierer]

Usually photos, occasionally wood and always peace of mind.

[Pete Staehling]

I am happy to see that others have done the same and brought back interesting stuff. I have not always been successful in finding interesting wood to bring home like I was on this trip, but I usually try.

On driving trips in the US I tend to look for sawmills with limited success. Flying to places I am less likely to see again for a longer time I try harder. Local lumber that isn't available at home is always a treat, even in small checked bag size quantities.

[Frederick Skelly]

I brought back a quite nice Stanley #3 I found in an antique shop.

[jared herbert]

We have gone to Maui every winter for the last 10 years or so. We have gotten to know a real nice guy that lives in makawao who is a very talented wood sculptor. He saves small figured cutoffs of Koa, mango, and a bunch of other woods for me.. I send them to myself in Iowa in usps flat rate boxes. They are good for pens and other small turned items. Our friend also took us on a hike literally into the jungle on the north side of the island to see a guy named Jitendra that apparently lived under some tarps who made his living salvaging dead and downed koa.. he had a ton of wood under tarps, all sorts of species. I even got a small piece of ebony from him.. quite an adventure