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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 3:31 pm

Moses the mica lad contacted me again a while back. Seems I have no need for mica at the moment, the market is a bit flat, however, I am trying to get hold of quantities of African hardwood. You never know when it will come in handy.
Whilst I am nearly at the stage of getting some sample bits, it is evident that he hasn't forgotten how it all went pear-shaped last time :

Quote:

Dear, Charles.
i meet Esther, today at there office and she analyse everything about the process of getting the sample from her, you know her company are expect on this logging activities. i will like to know are you guys sure of coming here to purchase it, i dont want it to look like the mica transaction in which i spend a lot of money and have not recover a cent. i hope we can share the expenses together, but if you are sure tell me, i can know what to do. infact is not sending it is the problem, she have show me every thing in there lab and plank site, how can i be convince with you people are my problem. chalse i spend money last time, hope this time it will materialize are sure me we can go ahead.
thanks

Share the expenses? hmm, 100% to him, 0% to me, sounds fair.

Quote:

Moses,
There is nothing to worry about with regards this transaction.
Provided you can handle everything at your end it'll all go smoothly. The mica transaction last year was a bit of a financial failure for us, I think we lost close to £100,000 on the deal in the end.
I need to sit down with the figures, there will be one late addition, seems someone was watching television and saw some hard wood they like the look of. If they sign the deal before I've filled out the order sheet I will add to on.

Once I have converted the requirements into cubic metres I will be setting a base price, your job is to negotiate with the suppliers a suitable figure for the supply and delivery to the Docks. The difference between what you receive from us, and the amount you get from the suppliers will be your commission, therefore, your own bargaining skills will determine your pay packet.
It won't be until next Wednesday at the earliest before I have the amounts. Then you cans see what the suppliers are asking for.

Charles

This is what I am after :

Quote:

Moses,
I forgot that I do have the definitive list on hand :
Amazakoue - 75,000 bf
Ekki - 70,000 bf, must be from a renewable source, ethically forested.
Dahoma- check colour consistency, need to know if its fairly regular/tight grain.
Ceiba, Lovoa, Kusia - no
Makoe, Sipo & Sapele - 50,000 bf
Tetra - not listed in our database with the scientific name given
Do you mean : Tetraberlinia tubmaniana?
if so, that is also 'no'
Naga - 75,000 bf
Akatio - will want as part of second delivery
Apome - not traceable
Kosipo - 12,500 bf
Iroko - 15,700 bf

This is based on the list he sent me, 'bf' stands for board feet (I have no idea what that means). I'll have him do the conversion himself some time Monday or Tuesday. Beats me having to do any work.
Then he has to answer the questions I raised in the list.

Baiting Guru Joined: 27 Mar 2011 Posts: 21158

Just so you know,not to save your pet from doing the work.

1 Board foot is 12" x 12' x 1"

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 5:11 pm

I say ask for enough Shittam wood to build another Ark of the Covenant. You need to make one for your church. Google says it's made from Acacia.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 43

next victim wrote:

Just so you know,not to save your pet from doing the work.

1 Board foot is 12" x 12' x 1"

Just so you know, suppliers quote prices at a price per thousand board feet. That pesky period could cause confusion and bugger up a deal at some point. You know what I mean, Vern?

Baiting Guru Joined: 27 Mar 2011 Posts: 21158

I'm a buyer, not a supplier honey! They do the fingering!

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:33 pm

Quote:

1 Board foot is 12" x 12' x 1"

hmm, I thought it was 8" x 1' x who knows what. This means my calculations might be a bit out.

As for Acacia, how much would I need for your average Ark?

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 1:48 pm

^^^ Half again as much as to build a coffin:
http://www.ask.com/wiki/Ark_of_the_Covenant

BTW: It's not the cough that carries you off, It's the coffin they carry you offin'.

ETA: Whoops! I just found this in the article:

Quote:

The Biblical Ark of the Covenant is approximately 52.5 inches long, 31.5 inches wide, and 31.5 inches high in the shape of a rectangular chest.

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 2:14 pm

Quote:

Kosipo - 12,500 bf

You should've ordered more of this. It has a higher market value these days.

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:21 pm

I wouldn't go for an average Ark but Noah's Ark. Let's see the specs on that:

Quote:

This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.

Please don't ask me to convert that to Board Feet.

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:56 pm

At a very rough estimate around 60,000 board feet. That's around 80 tons by my reckoning assuming fairly dense shipbuilding quality wood. Thumbs up

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:04 pm

I assume you have heard of "blood diamonds". Is any of this wood "blood wood"?

Get a certificate that none of the board feet were produced in a "bloody" fashion.

Bruin

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:05 pm

There is an Australian variety called blood wood. It needs to be harvested in a bloodless fashion. I reckon it will take up a week just explaining it.