Bethlehem Olive Wood group buy

[BoomerangInfo]

Hey Folks,

Since the question was asked in another thread, and I've been wondering about getting some myself for a while, I thought I'd put out feelers for anyone interested in a Bethlehem Olive Wood (hereafter referred to as BOW) group buy.

I've worked out costs, and it would be $5 per blank (5 1/4" x 3/4" - i.e. Approx. 130-135mm x 19mm) plus postage from here in Australia. Would need a minimum of 40 blanks ordered to be viable.

Delivery could be up to 6 weeks from when the order is placed and they come with a certificate of authenticity. I have to confirm if it's one per blank, or one per order, which i would copy.

Please post expressions of interest here.

Thanks.
Russell.

[BoomerangInfo]

Slight update.

Depending on exchange rate, quantity ordered at the time, and payment method, price could fall to $4.75 or even $4.50 per blank.

Postage around Australia would be $5.50 for up to 9 or 10 blanks, $9.60 over that.

Russell.

[watsrags]

Hi Russell.
You can put me down for 5
I looked at some of these blanks on the net this am loverly timber

Trevor

[Interwood]

Hi Russell,

Please put me down for 20.

Best regards,

Chris

[poulso]

Hi Russell
Put me down for 10

Jason

[shazzkim]

I would be interested in 8 as well if thats okay. Good work for organizing this.
Kim
PS where are you sourcing them from or is that secret squirrel stuff!!!

[BoomerangInfo]

Ok looks like we're not going to have trouble reaching the minimum number.

No secret where it's coming from, it was started in the thread on importing woods, and the company is http://www.bethlehemolivewood.net. I'm just organising the economies of scale.

I'm not doing this for profit, it just helps me to get some at the same price as everyone else, which is cheaper than I could get it alone. Just the vaguaries of exchange rates and fees that I have to cover makes the final price variable. $5 is the maximum it should cost in Australian, allowing some buffer for fluctuations and a base order of 40 blanks, which we're almost at already.

I'll have to limit the order size too, so the customs man doesn't come a knocking for his cut, and so I can cover the expense until it all gets distributed. So it'll be first in first serve up to about 100 blanks.

Russell.

[bdar]

Russell put me down for 20 BOW blanks please.
Darren

[Simomatra]

Russell I have purchased form them before and they were terrible to deal with. They would not answer my emails once I had paid and it took over 8 weeks to get from Israel to Greece. You would be better off dealing with Monty from IAP, he is a reseller and I think is cheaper than going direct.You will still get the certificates.

Hope this helps as mine took forever to get here. I still have enough left in stock for me.

[gawdelpus]

Yep,can be some problems with these things ,that being said I think me for 10 as well hehe, I have a couple in my pile with certificates ,but nothing special in what I have got.
Might have to look at some of those smaller size cross clips as well ,especially with easter coming up Cheers ! John

[BoomerangInfo]

Thanks for the heads-up Sam. I thought I saw some comments they were OK, but I may have misread. Will do some more research and update if necessary. The phone number I was given to order was a US number, so I assumed it was a reseller from there I was dealing with.

Russell.'

[mkypenturner]

hi russell
i would be interested in 10 as well thanks troy

[robutacion]

Hi everyone.

I reckon balk buy makes things a little less expensive, for everyone in this case, but you're right, watch that total order amount, Customs can make things a lot less attractive and affordable for everyone.

I have never dealt with these people, therefore I can't make any comment on their reputation, timber validation or even true timber origin, reason why I have asked some simple and direct questions to the person that represents the business, and is now a forum member.

I don't think is a need to reveal here, what Olive wood means to me and the fact that I have made it available (locally grown) to anyone interested in suck timber, but I'm puzzled with this question, Is this certain interest for olive wood, because this timber is not readily available in commercial stores or timber suppliers, including pen timber suppliers, or just is because it is believe that is coming from Bethlehem olive grown trees?

Now, there is no question that the pics shown in the web site, are indeed beautiful, and the whole site was put together very well with lots of informative material there, nor I am stating that is anything wrong with the timber these people are making available, but is a piece of paper "certificate" means that much? what stops people from selling pens made out of olive wood, claiming that come from somewhere more "suitably relevant" that can justify the price asked/marked?

Looking closely, there are two sides of my question and they basically are;

- Are you interested or willing to get some olive wood because of its origin, and "certification", regardless how much that will cost?, or

- You want to access some olive wood, for being olive timber, and for its natural characteristics, either because you have heard about it but never had the chance to work with it, or you acknowledge its significance and history but has no access to some?

Is there a conflict of interest?, absolutely not, I'm no business, nor I want to be, I've made that point many times, but my question is genuine and has been for some time, irregardless what others will think or assume!

Simomatra's warning is the first one I've heard, and I would suggest that anyone that know the source and have had dealings with them, to come forward and give their comments, the one way or the other (good or bad), this will be only fair to everyone, including the people that are selling the product.

As for me, Olive wood is just a beautiful & unique product from the "Mother Nature", irregardless where it grows...!

Cheers
RBTCO

[BoomerangInfo]

OK I've done some more research and have to check a few things more, but it seems the company had some personal issues about 9-12 months ago, that caused a lot of grief with long delays to deliver. Was this when you ordered Sam?

I've seen quite a few posts defending them as a reputable small company to deal with outside of this period, but have not seem any real comments since June last year. This either means people have nothing to complain about anymore, which is good, or pe3ople are not delaing with them anymore, possibly because there are local supplies in the US that they can get them from. I assume these suppliers are getting theri orders from these people still anyway, so they don't seem to have a problem dealing with them.

There is a general opinion though, that delivery times ina ny case can be extensive - 1 - 3 months being typical.

I could source them alternately straight from Woodturningz, but the cost would probably creep up more to $6 per blank instead.

Assuming the additional questions I've asked come back positive, I'm still happy to go through with the original plan, as long as people realise there would be a longer wait than 6 weeks (or maybe not. I saw reports of 3 weeks deliveryt to the US as well). IF anyone above wishes to change their mind about wanting some, or would prefer to pay $6 (to be confirmed) for a more reliable source, please let me know.

Robutacion, the discussion on whether it's really BOW or some other, is a moot point really. It's teh same discussion that occurred here recently with some heated words about Huang Huali and Jichimum. You have to put your trust in someone until proven otherwise. No one can really prove either way without being there from the tree cut, to the final blank. As you say, if people have their doubts, they still have a nice piece of wood in their hands that can be treated as such, and throw the piece of paper that comes with it, away.

Russell.

[gawdelpus]

As a postscript, I have some (certificate) BOW from woodturningz, going to turn some tomorrow,but it seems very unspectacular to me at this time ,maybe the turning will show up better. cheers ! John