Thread: Importing small piece of timber from US

I’ve managed to get a hold of a guy in the US who is selling Honduran Mahogany from Robert Novak’s ‘the tree’.

Yeah, that sounds fully legit bro.

How exactly do you know that it has come from one specific tree that was cut down donkeys ago? Surely not because someone told you so?

I'd say you're looking at import & export permits.

Do i need to provide evidence of the timber being felled along time ago

If you can get that then you won't.

But even if you do I still reckon you're taking a punt. I suppose it all comes down to whether you're feeling lucky, punk.

https://www.environment.gov.au/biodi...-i-need-permit

JW, do you specifically want that timber or do you just want Mahogany. I have a fair bit of Cuban and some Honduran Mahogony, if you need a piece.
Rgds,
Crocy.

Hi Crocy, yep interested thanks for the offer. I’ve attached a pic of a piece I was looking at. Is your timber highly figured too?

No it is as straight grained as you can get.
Crocy.

Posted twice.

In the past I used to get a lot of wood from the US. Occasionally pieces of interest are still sent to me, and rarely get held up. If I wanted it badly I would just go ahead. Ask for the sender to label it clearly eg "mahogany wood, Swietenia macrophylla," and declare it as "clean wood, free of bark, soil & insects" which is what Quarantine are most interested in. They will likely open & inspect it. If it's seized they (Quarantine) they give you the choice of "heat treating" it (often destroying it) or spraying to fumigate it. As for CITES I'm not sure how any restrictions are now applied and who does that.

FYI, I have some (small slab) from a old Mahogany, Swietenia mahoganii ex Belize when the Spaniards were cutting down trees for their king. I was told it was from a figured buttress (stump remnant) that remained after 200 yrs +, but it is smaller than the 300 x 100 you are getting. Go for it Josh. Old slow growth wood with figure is best (rich, dark, lustrous & often figured) and if it has a history and a story .. all the better.

Cheers, Euge

Originally Posted by Old Croc

No it is as straight grained as you can get.
Crocy.

Thanks Crocy. Reckon I’ll go for the crazy stuff first but will definitely keep the offer in mind if I’m chasing more. Thanks very much for the offer, greatly appreciated.

Thanks Euge. Think I’ll give it a try. I see it’s in appendix II of CITES and you’re meant to have a permit. Might risk it and see what comes of it. Price isn’t sheep stations but I’m super keen to get a hold of it as it’s very unusual figure. The pic I posted before is of a smaller bit that he calls a ‘sausage curl’ but the other stuff I’m hoping is more like the tortoise shell figure or blister figure he has. While I can’t 100% confirm it’s from the tree, the figure is very unusual and distinctive of that particular tree as is the colour and width of his various planks he has. Whatever it is, it’s super impressive. I’ll find another pic of some of his longer boards to show you.

8C0F4B0A-87AA-4A1F-835F-9D625292E411.jpegEC951B08-E390-4DA6-BA25-B15A999E5C95.jpegF5FE2BC8-D461-45B5-ACB8-EB42C1AE5A90.jpeg

Last trip to the US, I visited a timber shop in Oregon that had Bigleaf Maple with figure like that. I asked for a price, fainted, cleaned all the dirt off myself and drove away. I would love to know how much they want for that?
Crocy.

It is about $1,700usd per board foot. So a few thousand for those. The piece I’m looking at is far far cheaper and actually very affordable I think.

That is absolutely gorgeous wood JW, Wow .... but, that is a very high price to pay, even though your selected piece is cheaper and less figured.

What is shows is that the price some people want and get for FIGURE & PROVENANCE & (possibly) their HISTORY. These species as you have found, are not rare and grown elsewhere even as street tree, because they were threatened in their native homelands from over exploitation.

Euge

I agree Euge. For me, it’s about availability. The piece I want is $60USD + the crazy cost of post from the US, so tiny in comparison to those boards. Most of the timber apparently ends up in the hands of luthiers for high end guitars and luthiers pay a premium. I agree that the price also relates to history/provenance. It’s the classic capitalism supply and demand approach.

Euge, if you have anything remotely close in figure (doesn’t need to be mahogany necessarily), I’d be interested. There is a reason for looking at particularly rare figure which I can explain by email as it’s personal.