Thread: Bethlehem Olive Wood group buy

Originally Posted by eisbaer

hey simomatra that's one great looking pen. well that should alleviate anyone's concern that the blanks might not have the aesthetic value, all other value aside. For what it's worth communication with these guys that i have had has been good so hopefully your experience was an anomaly rather than the norm. Have you ordered any of their carob blanks before?

When I spoke to Ghasan, be also said they would hand pick the blanks for us, which I reckon is a good sign.

Oh regarding payment, I'd pefer Direct Deposit, but can accept Paypal as well. If you'd rather pay by some other method, please contact me so we can discuss.

Russell.

Well everyone, the offer for now is closed, as I've agreed on a final price with Ghasan and he is sending me an invoice.

Sorry to say the price is going up again, as the wholesale discount he told me when I changed the price to $4.25 was not quite correct, as wholesale don't usually get the free blanks. We're still getting a discount, just half as much, but getting the free blanks as well, which I had already factored into the total needed. He;s also chucking in some free extras to fill the package to the top of it's weight class, if possible.

So the price will be adjusted back up again to somewhere between $4.25 and $5. Once I pay the funds and find out the AUS$ conversion, I'll work it out and post the new, final price.

Hope that's OK with everyone.

Russell.

OK, order is done. Ill be looking for the parcel to arrive earliest 22nd April with Easter holidays, latest around 12th May given the times I've been told. So we'll see how it goes.

After looking at the final costs, price per blank is $4.40. Preferred payment is by bank transfer as indicated earlier, but I will accept Paypal or other methods.

Postage cost for less than 10 blanks is $5.50. Postage cost for greater than 10 blanks is $9.60. People who want 10 blanks will have to wait till they arrive, so I can figure out if it falls into the 500g size or not. I think it should, but am not sure.

If you feel comfortable paying in advance, I won't say no, but am not asking anyone to pay until I've notified the order has arrive, if you're more comfortable that way.

So if everyone could email me their mailing addresses and preferred payment method, and I'll provide details so you can pay when agreed. Please put "BOW GROUP BUY ORDER " as the email subject, so I can find the posts easily in my junk pile I call an inbox .

If you want to provide some feedback on how well you think I've conducted this group buy, I'd appreciate it. I benefit with reduced prices as much as everyone else, so I don't mind doing them and am happy to entertain more in the future if people are happy with the way I've run things.

Thanks. Russell.

My bad, I didn't have my forum email option turned on. It is now.

Russell.

Russell will be close to 500 grams for 10 , I have 2 here from same source and weighs 100 grams for 2,but that's kitchen scales lol.

Email sent cheers and good work for all this organising . John

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

OK, order is done. Ill be looking for the parcel to arrive earliest 22nd April with Easter holidays, latest around 12th May given the times I've been told. So we'll see how it goes.

After looking at the final costs, price per blank is $4.40. Preferred payment is by bank transfer as indicated earlier, but I will accept Paypal or other methods.

Postage cost for less than 10 blanks is $5.50. Postage cost for greater than 10 blanks is $9.60. People who want 10 blanks will have to wait till they arrive, so I can figure out if it falls into the 500g size or not. I think it should, but am not sure.

If you feel comfortable paying in advance, I won't say no, but am not asking anyone to pay until I've notified the order has arrive, if you're more comfortable that way.

So if everyone could email me their mailing addresses and preferred payment method, and I'll provide details so you can pay when agreed. Please put "BOW GROUP BUY ORDER " as the email subject, so I can find the posts easily in my junk pile I call an inbox .

If you want to provide some feedback on how well you think I've conducted this group buy, I'd appreciate it. I benefit with reduced prices as much as everyone else, so I don't mind doing them and am happy to entertain more in the future if people are happy with the way I've run things.

Thanks. Russell.

Russell,

I takes a lot of leg work and time to go that far, I don't think that was much more you could do. The great prices achieved are very good irregardless which way you see it. If Ghasan said to you that he was going to hand select the blanks for this order, them I will believe he will, and this has a lot more value than any extra discount, believe me!
Like I said, was nothing to lose by making Ghasan aware we would be all watching, those that have ordered and some of those that didn't!
Thanks Ghasan

Anyone that knows anything about timber, will accept that there are no 2 pieces the same, particularly with olive wood, every square inch has its distinct characteristics even if it doesn't look too busy. I was just making a couple of pen blanks samples this evening and I was on # 20 wild olive which is normally not very old (under 20 years), and grabbed a couple of blanks from the box (same as those made and send to everyone) but only those with holes, bit of bark on, a bit missing, odd size or some other defects, and they looked pretty much how wild olive should look, less brown & not as dark, wide vains (still forming) lots of bright yellow mainly, but after I turn them 2/3 round and gave then a coat of sealer up to just before the round timber goes back to square(ish), I could see those "faint" brown markings, turn into something else, well made me take them off the lathe and look at the number written on the chuck end side of the blank, yeah... sure he said #20 and I know they were wild olive for sure! and yeah..., the smell of "any" olive timber being turned, is just something else, addicted? probably yes!

So Russell, you done well, and with some luck, everyone will be smelling that olive soon! I just hope that was another way of getting these things done without having to outlay so much money of your own pocket and pay high interest fees...! I suppose everything has a price, including being generous!

Cheers
RBTCO

Email sent. I'm very happy with the price/arrangements. Thanks for this Russell.

Cheers,
Dave

Email sent. I'm rapt with the price/arrangements. Thanks for this Russell
The LOML has imformed me that shes going to pay the cost of the blanks plus a Majestic Pen on the condition she keeps the pen.I guess she will have to wait awhile while I get better at making pens cause if I stuff it up imagion the s*** I be in

Trevor

Originally Posted by watsrags

Email sent. I'm rapt with the price/arrangements. Thanks for this Russell
The LOML has imformed me that shes going to pay the cost of the blanks plus a Majestic Pen on the condition she keeps the pen.I guess she will have to wait awhile while I get better at making pens cause if I stuff it up imagion the s*** I be in

Trevor

Heh, well you could always tell her she'll have to get two kits and a couple spare tubes, in case of "irregularities" in the end result :P

Russell.

russell email sent thanks again troy

Hi guys,

I received my shipment yesterday from the bethlehem olive wood guys and here is a photo of the blanks. If Ghasan is handpicking these for your group buy, you won't be disappointed.

I received an individual card of authenticity for every blank, just as has been discussed earlier. They are of good quality. They're not just photo copied pieces of paper in case anyone is worried about that.

Anyway to summarize, very happy with the service. It was just over two weeks from ordering to delivery, which is about what Ghasan said it would be. The blanks are of exceptional quality and I'm very happy.

Good luck with the group purchase and have fun turning these blanks into works of art. When nature does this much for you, you're already halfway there before you turn the lathe on....

Originally Posted by eisbaer

Hi guys,

I received my shipment yesterday from the bethlehem olive wood guys and here is a photo of the blanks. If Ghasan is handpicking these for your group buy, you won't be disappointed.

I received an individual card of authenticity for every blank, just as has been discussed earlier. They are of good quality. They're not just photo copied pieces of paper in case anyone is worried about that.

Anyway to summarize, very happy with the service. It was just over two weeks from ordering to delivery, which is about what Ghasan said it would be. The blanks are of exceptional quality and I'm very happy.

Good luck with the group purchase and have fun turning these blanks into works of art. When nature does this much for you, you're already halfway there before you turn the lathe on....

Well, well, well, there you go...! nothing wrong with those blanks, they will make some nice pens, no doubt

Do you have the total weight of those 12 blanks? what does the card of authenticity say?, not that makes that much of a difference but if those cards are not copies, how are they produced? just curious...!

Now, make sure that when you decide to turn some of them, you have your sinuses clean or you are not suffering from the flue, as that would spoil half of the fun, as is not often you get that nice smell in the shed!

Thanks for showing the blanks, you just added plenty of expectation to those that put some orders in!

Cheers
RBTCO

Originally Posted by eisbaer

Anyway to summarize, very happy with the service. It was just over two weeks from ordering to delivery, which is about what Ghasan said it would be. The blanks are of exceptional quality and I'm very happy.

That's great news. Thanks for letting us know.

Russell.

i'll post a pic of the certificates when i get a chance. They're on a thin card like material from memory. I'm stuck at work right now but i'll do photos tomorrow.

And yes i love the smell so does one of my cats. I've got a video of her pushing a board of australian olive around on the floor. it looks like she's kinda high on it. Very cute and a bit disturbing. i should post it for laughs.