Of old table saws and modern problems.... saga of importing toys....

[Dev Emch]

So I finally figured I would get the new woodworking machine on the water next week. Its been a long and moderately expensive hump so far but I thought the worst was over and were finally on the water to Baltimore. NOPE!!!!!!!

Just got news that my new old table saw is not leaving the old shop until mid next week. Turns out the government will not allow euro pallets to arrive in the US. So I am being billed for a new fangled plastic shipping pallet and the old pallet needs to be removed and this new pallet installed. The main reason given was that my origional pallet was not FUMIGATED. Fumigated against what? Just throw a plastic sheet over the whole affair and toss in a bug bomb. Better yet, just toss a bug bomb into the whole container. Then you can charge everyone with stuff on board for moth proofing their belongings.

Personally I think they are afraid of the OWWM Beetle. THis is a beetle that eats new woodworking machines as soon as they come off the boat from china. Needless to say I am not happy. All the other machines imported from china ship on wooden pallets. Why give me a pile of manure for importing a single machine on the same pallet?

Modern Problems....

[Michael Ballent]

If you want some light reading ;)

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/wpm/docket02-032-03.htm?dbname=2004_register&docid=fr16se04-1

The rules for using Wood Packing Material (WPM) :D

[Steve Evans]

Just throw a plastic sheet over the whole affair and toss in a bug bomb. Better yet, just toss a bug bomb into the whole container.

Dev

If you ever fly to Australia that's exactly what they do. As soon as the aircraft comes to the gate, they open the door , and come in with some aerosol applicators, close the door, and spray the whole aircraft. They even have a special little one for the cockpit. Do the same thing in the baggage hold as well. Several other countries do this as well, but I've only experienced this in Australia. So far I think they're doing pretty good at keeping the pests out.

Steve

[Dev Emch]

If you want some light reading ;)

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/wpm/docket02-032-03.htm?dbname=2004_register&docid=fr16se04-1

The rules for using Wood Packing Material (WPM) :D

Michael...
You call this light reading? What do you call War & Peace? A dimestore novel. Man, what a pain in the posterior! I think all woodworkers should be aware of this situtaion. At first I was angry. Then after skim reading the afore mentioned article, I can see the rational for all this. It also explains the source of the ASIAN LONGHORN BEETLE. This pest has been reaking havoc on our hardwood tree stands for a few years now. Very nasty critter and most certainly not welcome in our country! I would gladly spray the bogger with Methyl Bromide if that rids us of this critter even thought MB is a class I ozone depleating chemical!

Thanks for bringing this up. I want to import my new table saw but whats the point if some kind of critter thumbs a ride and wipes out all the nice trees we wish to cut up into furniture.

[Ian Abraham]

It is a real problem, look at what Dutch Elm disease did 100 or so years ago, that was a beetle / fungus tag team, but it managed to wipe out most of your Elm trees. I read alot about emerald ash borer thats threatening to do the same to your Ash trees.
NZ is probably even more paranoid. Can you imagine aerial spraying most of a large city (several times) to wipe out an imported moth (that has a habit of eating trees). Cost millions and made a lot of people very unhappy, waking up to a converted Convair freight plane buzzing their quiet suburban house at 200ft spraying for moths.:rolleyes: It did make an impressive sight and they did get the moths in the end at least.
But a couple of bugs crawling out of a dodgy pallet and getting loose in an environment where they have no natural control = a bad thing.

Cheers

Ian

[Ian Barley]

I shipped some chairs which were going to the US - ISPM15 is the magic number. As far as I am concerned it is a small price to pay to avoid major problems.

[Brett Baldwin]

The extra cost is never desired but I'm sure that you are glad that you know you aren't the one bringing over the next plague for something. I'm sure the Australians on the forum could give you there opinion of our cute and fuzzy bunnies that someone thought would be great idea to bring over there. The "globalization" of the world obviously needs a few checks and balances when we come up against things like this.

In any case, I'm looking forward to your new acquisition making its photographic debut here. Hopefully with a nicely detailed restoration photojournal.;)

[Dan Racette]

Dev,

Aren't you going to tell us WHAT it is that you are waiting for?

dan

[Dev Emch]

Sorry guys.... everything in good time. Hint. You guys are in for not one but three or four super treats so stay tuned. Not all mine but I am doing the work.;) Hint #2. One is going to the great state of TN with stainless steel fastners and a show room paint job.:D With four knives, its a real finger removal tool.