importing timber

xray · Post by **xray** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:39 pm

hey fellas and the ladies? i was thinking about getting in some engleman spruce from kootenay timbers and obviously there is shipping involved. What do i need to check for before importation happens and ordering. Is it somethine to do with quarentine? anyway i checked a website from the australian government and i was a bit lost. Anyone with experience can i get your two bob's worth. even one bob will do the trick!

vandenboom · Post by **vandenboom** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:48 pm

Are you kidding? I've just spent the last 15 mins trying to find this guy's store with the intention of looking into myself. Sounds like an omen for action.
First issue, I couldn't find any items in his ebay store. Perhaps he has a new shopfront/website and hasn't told us.
I have a similar question on shipping.
I noticed on another post that someone paid about $US100 to ship 12 sets with USPS. On one hand that doesn't sound too bad.
On the other hand, I was wondering if anybody has had experience shipping this stuff back surface mail, rather than USPS, and if it reduces the cost by much. I'm not in a great hurry for the stuff. I also need bracewood.

Frank

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:00 pm

vandenboom wrote:Are you kidding? I've just spent the last 15 mins trying to find this guy's store with the intention of looking into myself.

Frank

Read the Kootney section of the forums. Ive posted up the ebay link for Grahams wood.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:04 pm

http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/Kootenay ... QQ_armrsZ1

Graham doesnt have any wood posted but if you email him hell most likely be able to rustle up something for you.

As far as importing wood goes.....Ive never had any problems with customs or quarantine. The wood sometimes gets opened but thats about all that happens.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:13 pm

When we've had to import wood into the country at work (& for that matter within Australia), AQIS seem to be mainly concerned about live material that can harbour bugs/diseases. They've never had a problem with wood that was dried, de-barked, free of grub holes & clean of dirt. Most tonewood falls into that category.
Steve

Cam · Post by **Cam** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:16 pm

i am also curios.
Do they charge taxes or anything like that?

I am looking into getting a neck blank or two imported and was wondering if there were more fees than just the shipping costs.

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:28 pm

The only time you'll get hit by customs is if you get it delivered by UPS, Fedex or DHL.

If it gets sent by USPS you won't get hassled with customs unless the value of the shipment is over $1000.

If your shipment is over $1000 simply ask your supplier to undervalue in their customs declaration.

Graham Hein will ship surface post from Canada but the cost is the same as USPS from the States ( Graham will also ship via USPS)

The difference being that with Canada Post you'll get your shipment 16-18 weeks later - with USPS it's 7-10 days.

As mentioned, email Graham directly and tell him you are from the ANZLF.

vandenboom · Post by **vandenboom** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:31 pm

guitarcam wrote:i am also curios.
Do they charge taxes or anything like that?

I am looking into getting a neck blank or two imported and was wondering if there were more fees than just the shipping costs.

My experience is as follows, as the price approaches AUD$1000, the chance increases that you will need to pay customs duty and GST.
When I started a couple of years ago and was totally ignorant of all this, I bought 2 LMI kits, and even though they were in separate boxes, I got slugged. These days, I try and keep the price below AUD$600, and I ensure that separate packages are not ordered at the same time.
Frank

xray · Post by **xray** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:07 pm

im thinking of trying out his wood from kootenay and the highest grade i can get is aa grade. i would like to see a sample from him and go from there before i jump in with a major order. im thinking of getting together a large order for some soundboards but it wont be for a month or two, anyone keen to share some shipping costs as well?

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:09 pm

Ive got a fair bit of Grahams 3A grade wood and its good stuff.

J.F. Custom · Post by **J.F. Custom** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:37 pm

I can vouch for both Frank and Bob's comments.

$1000 seems to be the magic $ value - you are at this point very likely to get hit up by customs every time.

However, be cautious because they can hit you up on lower totals too. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to when they do or don't; just that it has to be 'worth their while'. They can only charge so much % value so they need to cover the cost of the effort and paperwork!

The lower you can keep your costs, the less chance of them blowing out further. As Frank mentioned, I too try to keep my orders individually below $600 odd and have never had a problem since.

Also, seemingly somewhat different experience to Bob here. I've never had any issues with DHL delivery - specifically from Stewmac. They are very fast and turn up on the doorstep within days without a hitch every time. This is when costs are kept low. For some reason, the same cannot be said for Fed Ex. Each order I have received by Fed Ex has had additional charges - irrespective of invoice total. Go figure.

Jeremy.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:11 pm

Agreed...I get my Stewmac orders via DHL and have never had any problems. I also like DHL's tracking facility.

On the subject of postal/courier systems I think Australia Post sucks.....Ive had three successive registered post items dumped at my door step with no effort to obtain acknowledgement of arrival of the package. Pretty piss poor service compared to overseas equivalents.

Cam · Post by **Cam** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:25 pm

so you guys are saying if I get 2 neck blanks for a total of $100 sent in one box through USPS, all I will have to pay is shipping costs and no additional taxes or fees?

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:28 pm

I dont see any problems. Your shipping charges will make up a fair % of total cost if the goods are only worth $100. For a small order like this Id be checking if anyone else wants goods from same supplier..that way you can split and reduce your share of shipping costs.

Cam · Post by **Cam** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:38 pm

good idea, i'll ask around

jeffhigh · Post by **jeffhigh** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:43 am

If the total cost is less than $1000 (cost of item+ freight cost) then no GST or duty is payable.
Make sure it is declared as this value and not insured for more either.

Get over the $1000 mark and GST and Duty is payable on the WHOLE value.

If sent by the postal service (USPS or Canada Post) and labeled guitar parts then you are not likely to have to pay any more.

If you go UPS or Fedex there is a greater likelyhood of customs or quarantine inspection and the fees for this can be quite high and passed on to you.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:47 am

If you can possibly afford it, I'd be getting more than a couple of tops in the box. More brace wood at the very least, as it's not going to be adding much to the shipping cost.

I've got both 2A and 3A tops from Graham. All the guitars that I've built with Engelman so far have been with the 2A. They are very good tops that sound great, with perhaps a bit of runout, or color that doesn't get them into the 3A group.

Everyone else has pretty much covered the shipping question. I got slugged recently by customs on part of the truss rod group buy order. If it was just pay the money, that's one thing, but the hoops that they make you jump through, is the part that really pissed me off.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 6:05 am

Geez

$1000 for you guys? New Zealand government like to get there cut at NZ$400 here! Money grubbers

Sounds very much like our two countries are similar so my experiences may be of some use.Never had a problem importing tonewoods into NZ, except once when I got some bracewood stock (still in raw billet form) that had the remnants of where some borer had passed through at some stage. Authorities treated it and I got it a little later and a few more $ shelled out. I just specify, when I order now, not to include pinholes in the spruce!
Apart from that, any wood I have ordered, as long as it has stated "tonewood" or "Guitar wood" on the customs declaration, they haven't even opened the parcel (as far as I can make out).

Localele · Post by **Localele** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 6:10 am

Graham will email you a quote on the total cost from his end in US$ before he ships . Shipping cost is the bad part but the 7 to 14 days is pretty good.

xray · Post by **xray** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:22 am

what great info. i think after we read this the key ideas are as follows:
- graham is a good bloke to get wood from (good quality)
- go through usps
- dont exceed 1000 inc gst and shipping costs
- the government are thieves that make life dificult for instrument makers
- We would hate to live in New Zealand

yep thanks for the info fellas and ill get back to you with news of how i go and ill put up another thread before i make my purchase to see if anyone want to jump in also.

vandenboom · Post by **vandenboom** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:55 am

xray - I' d be interested in participating in a group purchase.
Frank

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:34 am

xray wrote: - the government are thieves that make life dificult for instrument makers

There is a positive side to government meddling....since Mr Rudd has decided to mess with the super rules Ive decided to move a large part of my retirement investment into tonewood. This has benefits in that its good for the retirement plans of both myself and Tim Spittle....were both retiring next year.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:59 am

kiwigeo wrote:There is a positive side to government meddling....since Mr Rudd has decided to mess with the super rules Ive decided to move a large part of my retirement investment into tonewood. This has benefits in that its good for the retirement plans of both myself and Tim Spittle....were both retiring next year.

Cam · Post by **Cam** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:10 pm

does that mean we wont be able to buy wood off tim anymore?

?

vandenboom · Post by **vandenboom** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:19 pm

I emailed Graham from kootenay timbers last night and got a reply, including stock and price list.
I don't know if there any confidentiality rules in relation to putting this info up on the forum. Bob - can you advise on this.
I can't include an attachment on forum PM's, so for the time being, if you want a copy, email me at vdb@iinet.net.au.

Frank

Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

importing timber

importing timber

kootenay

very good

Re: very good

Re: very good

Who is online