Bamboo Broker Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:53:00 +0000

MARCH 30, 2010

All,

We've had a couple of false starts to spring here in the Northwest but it's back to the cold and rain for now. At least this helps our mountains fill up with the snow that was missing all winter.

We have suspended shipping out new orders through May. We are completely out of all 2" and 2"+ poles. I will be in China most of April to select more cane for this year (this was the trip that was supposed to replenish our supply by February but was delayed due to wet weather in China over the winter). This means that I will NOT have any A-grade poles to ship before late May at the earliest (that is when the next container should arrive). We do still have a small batch of the AA poles that we can ship (3 pole bundles, $40/pole) when I return from China at the end of April.

You can call or write at any time to get on the short wait list for bamboo that should be ready to ship out around June 1.

I will have bamboo available at the Corbett Lake gathering on the last weekend of April. Much of that material has been spoken for so if you are a Canadian rod maker in need of cane and if you will be at that gathering, please contact me. Another note for Canadian makers I am working to find a way through the new fumigation requirements (read the previous entry below for more info). Hopefully we will not have to go through the extra fumigation work/fees by June. More news soon.

That's it for now. As always, please contact Julie or I if you have any questions or need anything from our end. Thank you much.

-Andy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Gentlemen,

A few important notes here. I've got updates to report pertaining to ALL rod-makers and then one each for makers in CANADA and EUROPE.

ALL-
I am out of 2" poles. I was to have more in by now but El Nino has caused crazy weather patterns all over the world and the Guangdong Province in China has seen a tremendous amount of rain this winter. This is usually the sunny and dry time of year so this much rain is unheard of and it is delaying my travels. I have to wait until the bamboo has seen enough sun to dry as well as to turn it's familiar straw-yellow colour. By now, the cane is dry but they are waiting for more sun over in China before I begin my selecting work. I now plan to be in China in mid-April meaning that this year's batch of poles will not be in Seattle before late May.

I try to only hold a year's supply of poles in the Seattle warehouse and thus, we've exhausted the 2009 supply of 2" poles. The good news is that we do have the XL (2.25") poles on hand and there will be more 2" poles in the coffers soon. In the meantime, all other poles are on SALE. From now until I replenish the supply, prices are:
2.25" poles 10/bundle - $220 for 1-4 bundles
$200 for 5+ bundles
AA poles 3/bundle - $120/bundle

CANADIANS-
I think the CFIA got pissed about the hockey score and have decided to make us US bamboo importers jump through a few more hoops. The CFIA has recently mandated that all bamboo orders coming into Canada from the US must have what is called a Phytosanitary Certificate. This is a US Department of Agriculture certificate declaring that the bamboo has been fumigated in Seattle before shipping into Canada. This is a secondary fumigation since the bamboo has already been fumigated in China. In the past this single fumigation has sufficed but now there are new regulations in place and we have to play by their rules.

What this means is that customers in Canada will now have to pay for this re-fumigation as well as the certification process (a USDA representative has to witness the start and finish of the 24-hour fumigation). This will cost an estimated $350 for an order of 1-3 bundles (I am still working on getting estimates for larger orders). In any event, I am sorry to say that getting cane into Canada just got quite a bit more expensive.

Note that I will bring a load of Tonkin up to the rod-maker's gathering at Corbett Lake in April for Canadian makers. I do not know what my costs will be to cross the boarder or if I will have to go through this fumigation/certification process so I can't tell you the cost delivered but it will be cheaper than a standard order (of course you have to get the bamboo home from Peter's). Please get in touch with me as soon as possible to discuss an order. I can only carry about 20 bundles and I've 3 ordered thus far.

EUROPEANS-
I do not plan to make a large order direct to the EU this year. I will wait until 2011 to make the next large shipment to be distributed throughout Europe. Therefore, if you would like to make an order this year, please do so direct through me and we'll ship from Seattle (in most cases the shipping is not so much more than when we ship from a central hub in Europe).

ALL-
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. THANK YOU!

-Andy

--------------------
NOVEMBER 2, 2009

Okay, so it's been a while since I posted one of these.... I'm not too fast at the web updates.

But there is not a whole lot to report from this end. Wet winter is coming crashing in to the Northwest as our blackberry vines are getting tramped down into the mud and we're in the dark long before dinner time.

The bamboo from last spring continues to delight rod makers across the world. We finally completed what became an incredibly arduous, multiple-customer order over in Europe. Despite the best efforts of the shipping company to thwart our dealings I think most everyone ended up with their orders.

And now we have a surplus of AA poles in Seattle. This is the first time that this has ever happened because these poles are usually very few and far between. But now we have a few extra so we're trying to clear them out of the warehouse. For now, there is NO limit on the purchase quantity of these poles. Note that these AA poles are packed two per bundle at $100/bundle.

Also, we are now working with a new shipping company. Most shipments are going out for about $100 - $120 based on your location (commercial addresses). Trucking companies have been hurting for business so the rates are pretty good these days. Disregard other various notes regarding shipping/charges on these pages.

That's about it for now. I am gearing up for another trip to China at the end of January so we should have more cane in around March 1, 2010. What we've got now should last until then.

Bundle up, get that fire started and we'll connect soon. Write or call with any questions or comments. Thanks again to one and all!

Best,
-Andy

-----------------
FEBRUARY 28, 2009

Gentlemen,

We have finally started shipping cane. Last week I sent out our first several orders, a trial run if you will. The bamboo has been ready to ship for a couple of weeks now but I've felt less secure about the shipper's ability to handle our orders. Again, in brief, our main shipper, Yellow Freight is undergoing a transformation while they merge with Roadway Corp. This really should not affect our actual shipments per se but while these two trucking giants merge, they have had to modify the way that their shipping documents are created and how things are done by the customer. The reason I am telling you all about this is because it has a direct impact on our shipments.

First, because of the new shipping-paperwork system, I was concerned to ship out too many orders because of the "screw-up" potential. I'm glad I went this way because every single order got reversed in the trucking company's system; meaning that everyone who wanted the 2" poles were sent the 2.25" and visa-versa. Luckily we caught this while the freight was still at the trucker's Northwest terminal and I was able to go straighten out the orders (hence a short delay in these first orders). Now it seems that the paperwork/ordering system is ready.

The second major headache has been the shipping rates. Several weeks ago I asked the representative from Yellow Freight to get me the most up to date shipping rates so that I could let everyone know what their shipping costs would be. At that time the rep told me about the merging trucking companies and that she would get me the rates as soon as possible. After a couple of weeks of back and forth she finally got me the rates which I forwarded on to this list. Now... I've come to learn that the rates she gave me were not correct.

The GOOD news is that the actual rates are a bit lower then what I sent out last week. The awkward news is that they are low enough that I have to change our "Same Price Shipping" deal once again so that it will NOT include shipments of one bundle. I am happy to explain this to anyone interested but I'll leave out the details in this update. Instead I will simply post the shipping rates here. If any of you want to know more about this (or)deal, please call me and I'll happily discuss it with you.

So, without further ado, here are our (corrected) shipping rates to business addresses from March 1 - June 30, 2009. These prices are a total per order (NOT per bundle) and good through June 30. Note that these prices DO include a 12.5% fuel surcharge which will vary from week to week so these prices will fluctuate slightly through the months.

1 bundle to CA, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA: $105
1 bundle anywhere else in N. America: $125
2-5 bundles (anywhere): $125
6 bundles: $150
7 bundles: $165
8 bundles: $190
9 bundles: $215
10+ bundles: Call for a rate quote.

The bamboo is ready to go. I will send out our next shipment on Friday, March 6. I will send out shipments once per week. Let me know if you'd like to place an order or if you have questions about anything. Thank you!

-Andy
-----------------
FEBRUARY 18, 2009

How the world turns! Two big notes here.

Okay, we're still on track but I am going to hold off on starting our shipments for a few days. The main reason is that the company that handles most of our shipments, Yellow Freight, has just undergone a bit of a transformation with another major shipper, Roadway. This won't mean much for our orders but it does mean that I am working with a new shipping representative who knows nothing about our bamboo and our traditional ways of shipping. So, instead of trying to get a large number of orders out the door on the same day that the new rep and I are supposed to meet, I will spend tomorrow acquainting her with the intricacies of our needs and do everything I can to be sure that all of our shipments go as smoothly as possible. That means delaying a couple of days so that we are on the same page as Yellow Freight.

We will unload the container tomorrow and commence shipments early next week.

Next up is this "Same Price Shipping" thing. I am sticking to it but there are a couple of important things with this. I started this offer in order to try to equalize the shipping expense for people around the country. Two things have come up that is making me adjust this offer so that it only is in effect for orders of 1-9 bundles.

First of all, about 85% of my orders in the past have been for fewer than 10 bundles. That was my target audience with this offer. Now, for many reasons I imagine, there are a few groups of rod makers across the country going in on orders of more than 10 bundles. In short, if I cover the difference in shipping 10+ bundles all across the country, I start losing money very quickly. Also, I finally got most of the shipping rates today and the rates that I've seen increase by about 5% each year since 1995 have increased THIRTY-FIVE percent this year over last (I estimated that our minimum rate would be about $100 and it is up to $132). Meaning that when I made this deal I thought I'd stand to eat $15-$90 on most orders and now that amount has increased dramatically.

I will stick to my guns here on this offer but I've got to call it off at 10 or more bundles. I will extend the offer to one-bundle orders.

Here are the shipping rates for every business delivery on a major shipping route in North America (note that this includes a 12.7% fuel surcharge which changes every week so these numbers should only be used as a guideline, they will shift $5-$15 throughout the year).

The amounts in the parenthesis are the normal rates to the East Coast. That will be the approximate shipping rate after June 30, 2009.

1-5 bundles: $132 ($250 for 5)
6 bundles: $150 ($318)
7 bundles: $165 ($362)
8 bundles: $190 ($405)
9 bundles: $215 ($455)
10+ bundles: Call for rate quote.

This offer extends to Canadian customers but standard boarder-crossing fees will still apply.

I am busy getting in touch with folks about their orders. I'll be at the warehouse most of the day on Thursday the 19th but if you've you've not heard from me you should by Friday or Monday. Thank you again!

-Andy

FEBRUARY 17, 2009

Our ship has come in!

I will be unloading this container into the Seattle warehouse on Thursday, Feb 19. I will start shipping orders that same day. I have delayed taking confirmed orders until now because I've not felt safe to do so until the container was actually released from US Customs. Now we are ready to go. I am working to get in touch with everyone who has been in touch with me over the past year to order bamboo. Go ahead and give me a shout if you've not heard from me to confirm an order. I'll be sending out an email with an "order form" for folks who've not ordered from me in the past to fill out.

Note that I will have plenty of cane in the warehouse after this week so there will be no Wait List and there isn't any need to rush an order. I've learned my lesson and don't plan to run out of cane again!

Thank you all again. We'll be in touch soon!

-Andy

FEBRUARY 5, 2009

Gentlemen,

The cane is close. Our container is due into Seattle on about Feb 10 and I expect it could be to the warehouse as early as the 18th (though it could get delayed by the USDA for up to two additional weeks).

I am now in the process of connecting with many of you via phone and email to discuss orders and shipping. This process will take about two more weeks. I will post something here when I know our actual start-date for shipping.

THANK YOU!
-Andy

JANUARY 18, 2009

Great news from the land afar. I have just finished sorting through a great batch of cane and as of yesterday, the poles are en route to Seattle.

It was a relief to get back to China and drown in a mountain of bamboo after having nary a pole since last spring. We have been blessed with nice weather here which is great when they are drying the poles. Too much of one element or another can turn recently harvested cane too wet, dry, green, yellow or mottled and it seems that we hit a good combination this time around so the poles are looking good. The biggest surprise to me is the large cane. As in the past I've separated the 2" standard size from the 2.25" big stuff. The big stuff is usually not as clean in appearance as the 2" cane but this year, by-and-large, the bigger poles look super. There was also a healthy batch of the splendid "AA" poles that combine an impressive mix of power-fiber depth and great cosmetics (two things that usually do NOT go hand in hand).

I am in the process of updated this web site so expect some changes here in the future. For now, this "Update" section will be the best source of news.

I will be back in my office within a week and will promptly begin to get the site set up and ready to take orders. It will be the middle of February before I start actually setting up shipping. The most important thing to note is that there are plenty of A poles (both 2" and 2.25") to get everyone moving. Prices will be as follows:

Standard 2" A poles (10 pcs/bundle)
1-4 bundles $200
5+ bundles $180

XL A poles (2.25"+, 10 pcs/bundle)
$250/bundle

AA Poles (3 pcs/bundle, limited quantity, two bundles max. per order)
$150/bundle

SHIPPING NOTE

Due to the fact that I was out of cane for about a year I've been racking my brain trying to figure out the best way to get bamboo out to all those who've been waiting. I've decided to try the following:

Same Price Shipping!

No matter how far from Seattle you are, the price for shipping will be exactly the same as local deliveries. I will determine the cost of shipping to local destinations and that is the price everyone will pay. Meaning that shipping to Oregon will be the same as Colorado, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, etc. My guess is that this will be about $100 for an average order (plus fuel surcharge). This offer will be extended to:
-Anyone with shipping addresses on the major shipping routes (I'll get the details)
-Orders for more than one bundle
-Orders made from Feb-May of this year.

Shipping larger orders will also be discounted in a similar manner; whatever locals pay, you pay (plus fuel surcharge). Note that these rates will be based on my "regional" price structure which breaks North America into regions and my "base rate" will be based on my cheapest region (about $100 these days), it will not be based on what we'd pay for a delivery in Seattle (about $80). In any rate, it should save tons of money on shipping charges to those of you who are not on the West Coast.

That's it for now. Please stay tuned for more updates very soon and we should be able to start getting shipments on the road by March 1st.

Thank you all for your continued patience and support through all of 2008. I am working hard to get the best bamboo possible out to everyone.

Best regards,
-Andy
Labels: What we've all been waiting for.

posted by Bamboo Broker at 6:40 PM
posted by Bamboo Broker at 11:58 AM
posted by Bamboo Broker at 1:41 PM

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:41:00 +0000

FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Gentlemen,

A few important notes here. I've got updates to report pertaining to ALL rod-makers and then one each for makers in CANADA and EUROPE.

ALL-
I am out of 2" poles. I was to have more in by now but El Nino has caused crazy weather patterns all over the world and the Guangdong Province in China has seen a tremendous amount of rain this winter. This is usually the sunny and dry time of year so this much rain is unheard of and it is delaying my travels. I have to wait until the bamboo has seen enough sun to dry as well as to turn it's familiar straw-yellow colour. By now, the cane is dry but they are waiting for more sun over in China before I begin my selecting work. I now plan to be in China in mid-April meaning that this year's batch of poles will not be in Seattle before late May.

I try to only hold a year's supply of poles in the Seattle warehouse and thus, we've exhausted the 2009 supply of 2" poles. The good news is that we do have the XL (2.25") poles on hand and there will be more 2" poles in the coffers soon. In the meantime, all other poles are on SALE. From now until I replenish the supply, prices are:
2.25" poles 10/bundle - $220 for 1-4 bundles
$200 for 5+ bundles
AA poles 3/bundle - $120/bundle

CANADIANS-
I think the CFIA got pissed about the hockey score and have decided to make us US bamboo importers jump through a few more hoops. The CFIA has recently mandated that all bamboo orders coming into Canada from the US must have what is called a Phytosanitary Certificate. This is a US Department of Agriculture certificate declaring that the bamboo has been fumigated in Seattle before shipping into Canada. This is a secondary fumigation since the bamboo has already been fumigated in China. In the past this single fumigation has sufficed but now there are new regulations in place and we have to play by their rules.

What this means is that customers in Canada will now have to pay for this re-fumigation as well as the certification process (a USDA representative has to witness the start and finish of the 24-hour fumigation). This will cost an estimated $350 for an order of 1-3 bundles (I am still working on getting estimates for larger orders). In any event, I am sorry to say that getting cane into Canada just got quite a bit more expensive.

Note that I will bring a load of Tonkin up to the rod-maker's gathering at Corbett Lake in April for Canadian makers. I do not know what my costs will be to cross the boarder or if I will have to go through this fumigation/certification process so I can't tell you the cost delivered but it will be cheaper than a standard order (of course you have to get the bamboo home from Peter's). Please get in touch with me as soon as possible to discuss an order. I can only carry about 20 bundles and I've 3 ordered thus far.

EUROPEANS-
I do not plan to make a large order direct to the EU this year. I will wait until 2011 to make the next large shipment to be distributed throughout Europe. Therefore, if you would like to make an order this year, please do so direct through me and we'll ship from Seattle (in most cases the shipping is not so much more than when we ship from a central hub in Europe).

ALL-
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. THANK YOU!

-Andy

--------------------
NOVEMBER 2, 2009

Okay, so it's been a while since I posted one of these.... I'm not too fast at the web updates.

But there is not a whole lot to report from this end. Wet winter is coming crashing in to the Northwest as our blackberry vines are getting tramped down into the mud and we're in the dark long before dinner time.

The bamboo from last spring continues to delight rod makers across the world. We finally completed what became an incredibly arduous, multiple-customer order over in Europe. Despite the best efforts of the shipping company to thwart our dealings I think most everyone ended up with their orders.

And now we have a surplus of AA poles in Seattle. This is the first time that this has ever happened because these poles are usually very few and far between. But now we have a few extra so we're trying to clear them out of the warehouse. For now, there is NO limit on the purchase quantity of these poles. Note that these AA poles are packed two per bundle at $100/bundle.

Also, we are now working with a new shipping company. Most shipments are going out for about $100 - $120 based on your location (commercial addresses). Trucking companies have been hurting for business so the rates are pretty good these days. Disregard other various notes regarding shipping/charges on these pages.

That's about it for now. I am gearing up for another trip to China at the end of January so we should have more cane in around March 1, 2010. What we've got now should last until then.

Bundle up, get that fire started and we'll connect soon. Write or call with any questions or comments. Thanks again to one and all!

Best,
-Andy

-----------------
FEBRUARY 28, 2009

Gentlemen,

We have finally started shipping cane. Last week I sent out our first several orders, a trial run if you will. The bamboo has been ready to ship for a couple of weeks now but I've felt less secure about the shipper's ability to handle our orders. Again, in brief, our main shipper, Yellow Freight is undergoing a transformation while they merge with Roadway Corp. This really should not affect our actual shipments per se but while these two trucking giants merge, they have had to modify the way that their shipping documents are created and how things are done by the customer. The reason I am telling you all about this is because it has a direct impact on our shipments.

First, because of the new shipping-paperwork system, I was concerned to ship out too many orders because of the "screw-up" potential. I'm glad I went this way because every single order got reversed in the trucking company's system; meaning that everyone who wanted the 2" poles were sent the 2.25" and visa-versa. Luckily we caught this while the freight was still at the trucker's Northwest terminal and I was able to go straighten out the orders (hence a short delay in these first orders). Now it seems that the paperwork/ordering system is ready.

The second major headache has been the shipping rates. Several weeks ago I asked the representative from Yellow Freight to get me the most up to date shipping rates so that I could let everyone know what their shipping costs would be. At that time the rep told me about the merging trucking companies and that she would get me the rates as soon as possible. After a couple of weeks of back and forth she finally got me the rates which I forwarded on to this list. Now... I've come to learn that the rates she gave me were not correct.

The GOOD news is that the actual rates are a bit lower then what I sent out last week. The awkward news is that they are low enough that I have to change our "Same Price Shipping" deal once again so that it will NOT include shipments of one bundle. I am happy to explain this to anyone interested but I'll leave out the details in this update. Instead I will simply post the shipping rates here. If any of you want to know more about this (or)deal, please call me and I'll happily discuss it with you.

So, without further ado, here are our (corrected) shipping rates to business addresses from March 1 - June 30, 2009. These prices are a total per order (NOT per bundle) and good through June 30. Note that these prices DO include a 12.5% fuel surcharge which will vary from week to week so these prices will fluctuate slightly through the months.

1 bundle to CA, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA: $105
1 bundle anywhere else in N. America: $125
2-5 bundles (anywhere): $125
6 bundles: $150
7 bundles: $165
8 bundles: $190
9 bundles: $215
10+ bundles: Call for a rate quote.

The bamboo is ready to go. I will send out our next shipment on Friday, March 6. I will send out shipments once per week. Let me know if you'd like to place an order or if you have questions about anything. Thank you!

-Andy
-----------------
FEBRUARY 18, 2009

How the world turns! Two big notes here.

Okay, we're still on track but I am going to hold off on starting our shipments for a few days. The main reason is that the company that handles most of our shipments, Yellow Freight, has just undergone a bit of a transformation with another major shipper, Roadway. This won't mean much for our orders but it does mean that I am working with a new shipping representative who knows nothing about our bamboo and our traditional ways of shipping. So, instead of trying to get a large number of orders out the door on the same day that the new rep and I are supposed to meet, I will spend tomorrow acquainting her with the intricacies of our needs and do everything I can to be sure that all of our shipments go as smoothly as possible. That means delaying a couple of days so that we are on the same page as Yellow Freight.

We will unload the container tomorrow and commence shipments early next week.

Next up is this "Same Price Shipping" thing. I am sticking to it but there are a couple of important things with this. I started this offer in order to try to equalize the shipping expense for people around the country. Two things have come up that is making me adjust this offer so that it only is in effect for orders of 1-9 bundles.

First of all, about 85% of my orders in the past have been for fewer than 10 bundles. That was my target audience with this offer. Now, for many reasons I imagine, there are a few groups of rod makers across the country going in on orders of more than 10 bundles. In short, if I cover the difference in shipping 10+ bundles all across the country, I start losing money very quickly. Also, I finally got most of the shipping rates today and the rates that I've seen increase by about 5% each year since 1995 have increased THIRTY-FIVE percent this year over last (I estimated that our minimum rate would be about $100 and it is up to $132). Meaning that when I made this deal I thought I'd stand to eat $15-$90 on most orders and now that amount has increased dramatically.

I will stick to my guns here on this offer but I've got to call it off at 10 or more bundles. I will extend the offer to one-bundle orders.

Here are the shipping rates for every business delivery on a major shipping route in North America (note that this includes a 12.7% fuel surcharge which changes every week so these numbers should only be used as a guideline, they will shift $5-$15 throughout the year).

The amounts in the parenthesis are the normal rates to the East Coast. That will be the approximate shipping rate after June 30, 2009.

1-5 bundles: $132 ($250 for 5)
6 bundles: $150 ($318)
7 bundles: $165 ($362)
8 bundles: $190 ($405)
9 bundles: $215 ($455)
10+ bundles: Call for rate quote.

This offer extends to Canadian customers but standard boarder-crossing fees will still apply.

I am busy getting in touch with folks about their orders. I'll be at the warehouse most of the day on Thursday the 19th but if you've you've not heard from me you should by Friday or Monday. Thank you again!

-Andy

FEBRUARY 17, 2009

Our ship has come in!

I will be unloading this container into the Seattle warehouse on Thursday, Feb 19. I will start shipping orders that same day. I have delayed taking confirmed orders until now because I've not felt safe to do so until the container was actually released from US Customs. Now we are ready to go. I am working to get in touch with everyone who has been in touch with me over the past year to order bamboo. Go ahead and give me a shout if you've not heard from me to confirm an order. I'll be sending out an email with an "order form" for folks who've not ordered from me in the past to fill out.

Note that I will have plenty of cane in the warehouse after this week so there will be no Wait List and there isn't any need to rush an order. I've learned my lesson and don't plan to run out of cane again!

Thank you all again. We'll be in touch soon!

-Andy

FEBRUARY 5, 2009

Gentlemen,

The cane is close. Our container is due into Seattle on about Feb 10 and I expect it could be to the warehouse as early as the 18th (though it could get delayed by the USDA for up to two additional weeks).

I am now in the process of connecting with many of you via phone and email to discuss orders and shipping. This process will take about two more weeks. I will post something here when I know our actual start-date for shipping.

THANK YOU!
-Andy

JANUARY 18, 2009

Great news from the land afar. I have just finished sorting through a great batch of cane and as of yesterday, the poles are en route to Seattle.

It was a relief to get back to China and drown in a mountain of bamboo after having nary a pole since last spring. We have been blessed with nice weather here which is great when they are drying the poles. Too much of one element or another can turn recently harvested cane too wet, dry, green, yellow or mottled and it seems that we hit a good combination this time around so the poles are looking good. The biggest surprise to me is the large cane. As in the past I've separated the 2" standard size from the 2.25" big stuff. The big stuff is usually not as clean in appearance as the 2" cane but this year, by-and-large, the bigger poles look super. There was also a healthy batch of the splendid "AA" poles that combine an impressive mix of power-fiber depth and great cosmetics (two things that usually do NOT go hand in hand).

I am in the process of updated this web site so expect some changes here in the future. For now, this "Update" section will be the best source of news.

I will be back in my office within a week and will promptly begin to get the site set up and ready to take orders. It will be the middle of February before I start actually setting up shipping. The most important thing to note is that there are plenty of A poles (both 2" and 2.25") to get everyone moving. Prices will be as follows:

Standard 2" A poles (10 pcs/bundle)
1-4 bundles $200
5+ bundles $180

XL A poles (2.25"+, 10 pcs/bundle)
$250/bundle

AA Poles (3 pcs/bundle, limited quantity, two bundles max. per order)
$150/bundle

SHIPPING NOTE

Due to the fact that I was out of cane for about a year I've been racking my brain trying to figure out the best way to get bamboo out to all those who've been waiting. I've decided to try the following:

Same Price Shipping!

No matter how far from Seattle you are, the price for shipping will be exactly the same as local deliveries. I will determine the cost of shipping to local destinations and that is the price everyone will pay. Meaning that shipping to Oregon will be the same as Colorado, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, etc. My guess is that this will be about $100 for an average order (plus fuel surcharge). This offer will be extended to:
-Anyone with shipping addresses on the major shipping routes (I'll get the details)
-Orders for more than one bundle
-Orders made from Feb-May of this year.

Shipping larger orders will also be discounted in a similar manner; whatever locals pay, you pay (plus fuel surcharge). Note that these rates will be based on my "regional" price structure which breaks North America into regions and my "base rate" will be based on my cheapest region (about $100 these days), it will not be based on what we'd pay for a delivery in Seattle (about $80). In any rate, it should save tons of money on shipping charges to those of you who are not on the West Coast.

That's it for now. Please stay tuned for more updates very soon and we should be able to start getting shipments on the road by March 1st.

Thank you all for your continued patience and support through all of 2008. I am working hard to get the best bamboo possible out to everyone.

Best regards,
-Andy
Labels: What we've all been waiting for.

posted by Bamboo Broker at 6:40 PM
posted by Bamboo Broker at 11:58 AM

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:58:00 +0000

NOVEMBER 2, 2009

Okay, so it's been a while since I posted one of these.... I'm not too fast at the web updates.

But there is not a whole lot to report from this end. Wet winter is coming crashing in to the Northwest as our blackberry vines are getting tramped down into the mud and we're in the dark long before dinner time.

The bamboo from last spring continues to delight rod makers across the world. We finally completed what became an incredibly arduous, multiple-customer order over in Europe. Despite the best efforts of the shipping company to thwart our dealings I think most everyone ended up with their orders.

And now we have a surplus of AA poles in Seattle. This is the first time that this has ever happened because these poles are usually very few and far between. But now we have a few extra so we're trying to clear them out of the warehouse. For now, there is NO limit on the purchase quantity of these poles. Note that these AA poles are packed two per bundle at $100/bundle.

Also, we are now working with a new shipping company. Most shipments are going out for about $100 - $120 based on your location (commercial addresses). Trucking companies have been hurting for business so the rates are pretty good these days. Disregard other various notes regarding shipping/charges on these pages.

That's about it for now. I am gearing up for another trip to China at the end of January so we should have more cane in around March 1, 2010. What we've got now should last until then.

Bundle up, get that fire started and we'll connect soon. Write or call with any questions or comments. Thanks again to one and all!

Best,
-Andy

-----------------
FEBRUARY 28, 2009

Gentlemen,

We have finally started shipping cane. Last week I sent out our first several orders, a trial run if you will. The bamboo has been ready to ship for a couple of weeks now but I've felt less secure about the shipper's ability to handle our orders. Again, in brief, our main shipper, Yellow Freight is undergoing a transformation while they merge with Roadway Corp. This really should not affect our actual shipments per se but while these two trucking giants merge, they have had to modify the way that their shipping documents are created and how things are done by the customer. The reason I am telling you all about this is because it has a direct impact on our shipments.

First, because of the new shipping-paperwork system, I was concerned to ship out too many orders because of the "screw-up" potential. I'm glad I went this way because every single order got reversed in the trucking company's system; meaning that everyone who wanted the 2" poles were sent the 2.25" and visa-versa. Luckily we caught this while the freight was still at the trucker's Northwest terminal and I was able to go straighten out the orders (hence a short delay in these first orders). Now it seems that the paperwork/ordering system is ready.

The second major headache has been the shipping rates. Several weeks ago I asked the representative from Yellow Freight to get me the most up to date shipping rates so that I could let everyone know what their shipping costs would be. At that time the rep told me about the merging trucking companies and that she would get me the rates as soon as possible. After a couple of weeks of back and forth she finally got me the rates which I forwarded on to this list. Now... I've come to learn that the rates she gave me were not correct.

The GOOD news is that the actual rates are a bit lower then what I sent out last week. The awkward news is that they are low enough that I have to change our "Same Price Shipping" deal once again so that it will NOT include shipments of one bundle. I am happy to explain this to anyone interested but I'll leave out the details in this update. Instead I will simply post the shipping rates here. If any of you want to know more about this (or)deal, please call me and I'll happily discuss it with you.

So, without further ado, here are our (corrected) shipping rates to business addresses from March 1 - June 30, 2009. These prices are a total per order (NOT per bundle) and good through June 30. Note that these prices DO include a 12.5% fuel surcharge which will vary from week to week so these prices will fluctuate slightly through the months.

1 bundle to CA, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA: $105
1 bundle anywhere else in N. America: $125
2-5 bundles (anywhere): $125
6 bundles: $150
7 bundles: $165
8 bundles: $190
9 bundles: $215
10+ bundles: Call for a rate quote.

The bamboo is ready to go. I will send out our next shipment on Friday, March 6. I will send out shipments once per week. Let me know if you'd like to place an order or if you have questions about anything. Thank you!

-Andy
-----------------
FEBRUARY 18, 2009

How the world turns! Two big notes here.

Okay, we're still on track but I am going to hold off on starting our shipments for a few days. The main reason is that the company that handles most of our shipments, Yellow Freight, has just undergone a bit of a transformation with another major shipper, Roadway. This won't mean much for our orders but it does mean that I am working with a new shipping representative who knows nothing about our bamboo and our traditional ways of shipping. So, instead of trying to get a large number of orders out the door on the same day that the new rep and I are supposed to meet, I will spend tomorrow acquainting her with the intricacies of our needs and do everything I can to be sure that all of our shipments go as smoothly as possible. That means delaying a couple of days so that we are on the same page as Yellow Freight.

We will unload the container tomorrow and commence shipments early next week.

Next up is this "Same Price Shipping" thing. I am sticking to it but there are a couple of important things with this. I started this offer in order to try to equalize the shipping expense for people around the country. Two things have come up that is making me adjust this offer so that it only is in effect for orders of 1-9 bundles.

First of all, about 85% of my orders in the past have been for fewer than 10 bundles. That was my target audience with this offer. Now, for many reasons I imagine, there are a few groups of rod makers across the country going in on orders of more than 10 bundles. In short, if I cover the difference in shipping 10+ bundles all across the country, I start losing money very quickly. Also, I finally got most of the shipping rates today and the rates that I've seen increase by about 5% each year since 1995 have increased THIRTY-FIVE percent this year over last (I estimated that our minimum rate would be about $100 and it is up to $132). Meaning that when I made this deal I thought I'd stand to eat $15-$90 on most orders and now that amount has increased dramatically.

I will stick to my guns here on this offer but I've got to call it off at 10 or more bundles. I will extend the offer to one-bundle orders.

Here are the shipping rates for every business delivery on a major shipping route in North America (note that this includes a 12.7% fuel surcharge which changes every week so these numbers should only be used as a guideline, they will shift $5-$15 throughout the year).

The amounts in the parenthesis are the normal rates to the East Coast. That will be the approximate shipping rate after June 30, 2009.

1-5 bundles: $132 ($250 for 5)
6 bundles: $150 ($318)
7 bundles: $165 ($362)
8 bundles: $190 ($405)
9 bundles: $215 ($455)
10+ bundles: Call for rate quote.

This offer extends to Canadian customers but standard boarder-crossing fees will still apply.

I am busy getting in touch with folks about their orders. I'll be at the warehouse most of the day on Thursday the 19th but if you've you've not heard from me you should by Friday or Monday. Thank you again!

-Andy

FEBRUARY 17, 2009

Our ship has come in!

I will be unloading this container into the Seattle warehouse on Thursday, Feb 19. I will start shipping orders that same day. I have delayed taking confirmed orders until now because I've not felt safe to do so until the container was actually released from US Customs. Now we are ready to go. I am working to get in touch with everyone who has been in touch with me over the past year to order bamboo. Go ahead and give me a shout if you've not heard from me to confirm an order. I'll be sending out an email with an "order form" for folks who've not ordered from me in the past to fill out.

Note that I will have plenty of cane in the warehouse after this week so there will be no Wait List and there isn't any need to rush an order. I've learned my lesson and don't plan to run out of cane again!

Thank you all again. We'll be in touch soon!

-Andy

FEBRUARY 5, 2009

Gentlemen,

The cane is close. Our container is due into Seattle on about Feb 10 and I expect it could be to the warehouse as early as the 18th (though it could get delayed by the USDA for up to two additional weeks).

I am now in the process of connecting with many of you via phone and email to discuss orders and shipping. This process will take about two more weeks. I will post something here when I know our actual start-date for shipping.

THANK YOU!
-Andy

JANUARY 18, 2009

Great news from the land afar. I have just finished sorting through a great batch of cane and as of yesterday, the poles are en route to Seattle.

It was a relief to get back to China and drown in a mountain of bamboo after having nary a pole since last spring. We have been blessed with nice weather here which is great when they are drying the poles. Too much of one element or another can turn recently harvested cane too wet, dry, green, yellow or mottled and it seems that we hit a good combination this time around so the poles are looking good. The biggest surprise to me is the large cane. As in the past I've separated the 2" standard size from the 2.25" big stuff. The big stuff is usually not as clean in appearance as the 2" cane but this year, by-and-large, the bigger poles look super. There was also a healthy batch of the splendid "AA" poles that combine an impressive mix of power-fiber depth and great cosmetics (two things that usually do NOT go hand in hand).

I am in the process of updated this web site so expect some changes here in the future. For now, this "Update" section will be the best source of news.

I will be back in my office within a week and will promptly begin to get the site set up and ready to take orders. It will be the middle of February before I start actually setting up shipping. The most important thing to note is that there are plenty of A poles (both 2" and 2.25") to get everyone moving. Prices will be as follows:

Standard 2" A poles (10 pcs/bundle)
1-4 bundles $200
5+ bundles $180

XL A poles (2.25"+, 10 pcs/bundle)
$250/bundle

AA Poles (3 pcs/bundle, limited quantity, two bundles max. per order)
$150/bundle

SHIPPING NOTE

Due to the fact that I was out of cane for about a year I've been racking my brain trying to figure out the best way to get bamboo out to all those who've been waiting. I've decided to try the following:

Same Price Shipping!

No matter how far from Seattle you are, the price for shipping will be exactly the same as local deliveries. I will determine the cost of shipping to local destinations and that is the price everyone will pay. Meaning that shipping to Oregon will be the same as Colorado, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, etc. My guess is that this will be about $100 for an average order (plus fuel surcharge). This offer will be extended to:
-Anyone with shipping addresses on the major shipping routes (I'll get the details)
-Orders for more than one bundle
-Orders made from Feb-May of this year.

Shipping larger orders will also be discounted in a similar manner; whatever locals pay, you pay (plus fuel surcharge). Note that these rates will be based on my "regional" price structure which breaks North America into regions and my "base rate" will be based on my cheapest region (about $100 these days), it will not be based on what we'd pay for a delivery in Seattle (about $80). In any rate, it should save tons of money on shipping charges to those of you who are not on the West Coast.

That's it for now. Please stay tuned for more updates very soon and we should be able to start getting shipments on the road by March 1st.

Thank you all for your continued patience and support through all of 2008. I am working hard to get the best bamboo possible out to everyone.

Best regards,
-Andy
Labels: What we've all been waiting for.

posted by Bamboo Broker at 6:40 PM

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 02:40:00 +0000

FEBRUARY 28, 2009

Gentlemen,

We have finally started shipping cane. Last week I sent out our first several orders, a trial run if you will. The bamboo has been ready to ship for a couple of weeks now but I've felt less secure about the shipper's ability to handle our orders. Again, in brief, our main shipper, Yellow Freight is undergoing a transformation while they merge with Roadway Corp. This really should not affect our actual shipments per se but while these two trucking giants merge, they have had to modify the way that their shipping documents are created and how things are done by the customer. The reason I am telling you all about this is because it has a direct impact on our shipments.

First, because of the new shipping-paperwork system, I was concerned to ship out too many orders because of the "screw-up" potential. I'm glad I went this way because every single order got reversed in the trucking company's system; meaning that everyone who wanted the 2" poles were sent the 2.25" and visa-versa. Luckily we caught this while the freight was still at the trucker's Northwest terminal and I was able to go straighten out the orders (hence a short delay in these first orders). Now it seems that the paperwork/ordering system is ready.

The second major headache has been the shipping rates. Several weeks ago I asked the representative from Yellow Freight to get me the most up to date shipping rates so that I could let everyone know what their shipping costs would be. At that time the rep told me about the merging trucking companies and that she would get me the rates as soon as possible. After a couple of weeks of back and forth she finally got me the rates which I forwarded on to this list. Now... I've come to learn that the rates she gave me were not correct.

The GOOD news is that the actual rates are a bit lower then what I sent out last week. The awkward news is that they are low enough that I have to change our "Same Price Shipping" deal once again so that it will NOT include shipments of one bundle. I am happy to explain this to anyone interested but I'll leave out the details in this update. Instead I will simply post the shipping rates here. If any of you want to know more about this (or)deal, please call me and I'll happily discuss it with you.

So, without further ado, here are our (corrected) shipping rates to business addresses from March 1 - June 30, 2009. These prices are a total per order (NOT per bundle) and good through June 30. Note that these prices DO include a 12.5% fuel surcharge which will vary from week to week so these prices will fluctuate slightly through the months.

1 bundle to CA, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA: $105
1 bundle anywhere else in N. America: $125
2-5 bundles (anywhere): $125
6 bundles: $150
7 bundles: $165
8 bundles: $190
9 bundles: $215
10+ bundles: Call for a rate quote.

The bamboo is ready to go. I will send out our next shipment on Friday, March 6. I will send out shipments once per week. Let me know if you'd like to place an order or if you have questions about anything. Thank you!

-Andy
-----------------
FEBRUARY 18, 2009

How the world turns! Two big notes here.

Okay, we're still on track but I am going to hold off on starting our shipments for a few days. The main reason is that the company that handles most of our shipments, Yellow Freight, has just undergone a bit of a transformation with another major shipper, Roadway. This won't mean much for our orders but it does mean that I am working with a new shipping representative who knows nothing about our bamboo and our traditional ways of shipping. So, instead of trying to get a large number of orders out the door on the same day that the new rep and I are supposed to meet, I will spend tomorrow acquainting her with the intricacies of our needs and do everything I can to be sure that all of our shipments go as smoothly as possible. That means delaying a couple of days so that we are on the same page as Yellow Freight.

We will unload the container tomorrow and commence shipments early next week.

Next up is this "Same Price Shipping" thing. I am sticking to it but there are a couple of important things with this. I started this offer in order to try to equalize the shipping expense for people around the country. Two things have come up that is making me adjust this offer so that it only is in effect for orders of 1-9 bundles.

First of all, about 85% of my orders in the past have been for fewer than 10 bundles. That was my target audience with this offer. Now, for many reasons I imagine, there are a few groups of rod makers across the country going in on orders of more than 10 bundles. In short, if I cover the difference in shipping 10+ bundles all across the country, I start losing money very quickly. Also, I finally got most of the shipping rates today and the rates that I've seen increase by about 5% each year since 1995 have increased THIRTY-FIVE percent this year over last (I estimated that our minimum rate would be about $100 and it is up to $132). Meaning that when I made this deal I thought I'd stand to eat $15-$90 on most orders and now that amount has increased dramatically.

I will stick to my guns here on this offer but I've got to call it off at 10 or more bundles. I will extend the offer to one-bundle orders.

Here are the shipping rates for every business delivery on a major shipping route in North America (note that this includes a 12.7% fuel surcharge which changes every week so these numbers should only be used as a guideline, they will shift $5-$15 throughout the year).

The amounts in the parenthesis are the normal rates to the East Coast. That will be the approximate shipping rate after June 30, 2009.

1-5 bundles: $132 ($250 for 5)
6 bundles: $150 ($318)
7 bundles: $165 ($362)
8 bundles: $190 ($405)
9 bundles: $215 ($455)
10+ bundles: Call for rate quote.

This offer extends to Canadian customers but standard boarder-crossing fees will still apply.

I am busy getting in touch with folks about their orders. I'll be at the warehouse most of the day on Thursday the 19th but if you've you've not heard from me you should by Friday or Monday. Thank you again!

-Andy

FEBRUARY 17, 2009

Our ship has come in!

I will be unloading this container into the Seattle warehouse on Thursday, Feb 19. I will start shipping orders that same day. I have delayed taking confirmed orders until now because I've not felt safe to do so until the container was actually released from US Customs. Now we are ready to go. I am working to get in touch with everyone who has been in touch with me over the past year to order bamboo. Go ahead and give me a shout if you've not heard from me to confirm an order. I'll be sending out an email with an "order form" for folks who've not ordered from me in the past to fill out.

Note that I will have plenty of cane in the warehouse after this week so there will be no Wait List and there isn't any need to rush an order. I've learned my lesson and don't plan to run out of cane again!

Thank you all again. We'll be in touch soon!

-Andy

FEBRUARY 5, 2009

Gentlemen,

The cane is close. Our container is due into Seattle on about Feb 10 and I expect it could be to the warehouse as early as the 18th (though it could get delayed by the USDA for up to two additional weeks).

I am now in the process of connecting with many of you via phone and email to discuss orders and shipping. This process will take about two more weeks. I will post something here when I know our actual start-date for shipping.

THANK YOU!
-Andy

JANUARY 18, 2009

Great news from the land afar. I have just finished sorting through a great batch of cane and as of yesterday, the poles are en route to Seattle.

It was a relief to get back to China and drown in a mountain of bamboo after having nary a pole since last spring. We have been blessed with nice weather here which is great when they are drying the poles. Too much of one element or another can turn recently harvested cane too wet, dry, green, yellow or mottled and it seems that we hit a good combination this time around so the poles are looking good. The biggest surprise to me is the large cane. As in the past I've separated the 2" standard size from the 2.25" big stuff. The big stuff is usually not as clean in appearance as the 2" cane but this year, by-and-large, the bigger poles look super. There was also a healthy batch of the splendid "AA" poles that combine an impressive mix of power-fiber depth and great cosmetics (two things that usually do NOT go hand in hand).

I am in the process of updated this web site so expect some changes here in the future. For now, this "Update" section will be the best source of news.

I will be back in my office within a week and will promptly begin to get the site set up and ready to take orders. It will be the middle of February before I start actually setting up shipping. The most important thing to note is that there are plenty of A poles (both 2" and 2.25") to get everyone moving. Prices will be as follows:

Standard 2" A poles (10 pcs/bundle)
1-4 bundles $200
5+ bundles $180

XL A poles (2.25"+, 10 pcs/bundle)
$250/bundle

AA Poles (3 pcs/bundle, limited quantity, two bundles max. per order)
$150/bundle

SHIPPING NOTE

Due to the fact that I was out of cane for about a year I've been racking my brain trying to figure out the best way to get bamboo out to all those who've been waiting. I've decided to try the following:

Same Price Shipping!

No matter how far from Seattle you are, the price for shipping will be exactly the same as local deliveries. I will determine the cost of shipping to local destinations and that is the price everyone will pay. Meaning that shipping to Oregon will be the same as Colorado, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, etc. My guess is that this will be about $100 for an average order (plus fuel surcharge). This offer will be extended to:
-Anyone with shipping addresses on the major shipping routes (I'll get the details)
-Orders for more than one bundle
-Orders made from Feb-May of this year.

Shipping larger orders will also be discounted in a similar manner; whatever locals pay, you pay (plus fuel surcharge). Note that these rates will be based on my "regional" price structure which breaks North America into regions and my "base rate" will be based on my cheapest region (about $100 these days), it will not be based on what we'd pay for a delivery in Seattle (about $80). In any rate, it should save tons of money on shipping charges to those of you who are not on the West Coast.

That's it for now. Please stay tuned for more updates very soon and we should be able to start getting shipments on the road by March 1st.

Thank you all for your continued patience and support through all of 2008. I am working hard to get the best bamboo possible out to everyone.

Best regards,
-Andy

January 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:55:00 +0000

Gentlemen,

A strange thing called winter has come to the Northwest with a dusting of snow and temperatures far south of normal to our mild-bodied norms.

We've had one last delay in this year's shipment of cane but the good news is now we're finally getting close to a confirmed arrival estimation. I will be in China from approximately January 8-22. We will hustle to get the container shipped before Chinese New Year which is Jan 26 (this is the start date of a two week holiday so if we can't get our goods shipped before Jan 24 will have another two-week delay). As it stands we should see our container of poles in Seattle at the very end of February. Accounting for customs clearance my guess is that we'll be able to unload our container and start shipping orders in the first week of March. However, given our time conflict with Chinese New Year we may not be ready to ship before the third week of March.

I am very sorry for all these delays. Some of you have been on this wait list since January and I never imagined it would take so long to get you your poles. I do plan to select enough high quality poles to keep us running for all of '09 and I do not plan to run out of cane again. It was a very strange and unfortunate series of events that lead to my running dry for so long and I will take precautions to not go through such a period again.

I have heard rumors that people believe that I will no longer stock bamboo. This is NOT true. As soon as I get this next batch of cane into the warehouse on Seattle's Harbor Island I do not plan to run dry again. There should be enough bamboo in this shipment to last us for all of 2009 and then I'll get the next batch in to keep us rolling along. By the end of this winter everything should be back to business as usual; meaning that whenever you order your bamboo it will be on a truck 2-5 days later.

The final price per bundle won't be known until I confirm our shipping costs which should happen in Jan/Feb. My best estimate thus far on price is:
1-4 bundles $200/ea
5+ bundles $180/ea

As always bundles are ten poles 2-2 1/4" diameter and guaranteed free of slash and burn marks. My standard "Rodmaker's A-grade". I do not yet know if I will also have the larger cane (2 1/4"+) available in bundles of five. That is always a call I make while in China when I see what is available.

Feel free to write or call with questions or comments. I will post another notice when I know more about our dates and prices. Thank you one and all and Happy Holidays.

-Andy

October 2008 Update

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:54:00 +0000

Our summer lingered through September here in the Northwest... some would argue that it never really even started until then. But now October has reminded us that autumn is indeed in the air and by golly, it's time to stay warm! Warmth for many of you means sequestering in the shop and getting some rod making underway. Well, as most of you know, I'm no rod-maker but I would still venture a guess that making a split cane rod is rather difficult without any cane. So, WHERE is the bamboo???

My supply is still in China. September is the main time for harvest over there and I had planned to wait about a month after harvest in order for the poles to be collected, sorted and dried. That would have put me in China in November. There has been some small delay on that side of the water however and it now looks like I won't be able to go to work until the first week of December. Whenever I arrive in the small town of Aozai, I will have about two weeks of work ahead of me. After that time it will be another ten days or so before all the poles are loaded onto a shipping container. That container will take about three weeks to travel to Seattle then I'd guess another ten days before we get the poles into a warehouse and ready to ship. This all adds up to the poles not being ready to ship before the middle of January.

I wish I had better news with regards to the timing of this shipment. I very much believed that we'd have the cane in Seattle by December but circumstances will not allow me to get the shipment in until a month later than expected.

I have many people on a Wait List who will receive poles out of this shipment. If you would like to receive bamboo from this shipment it is NOT necessary to get on the wait list. I plan to have plenty of cane available in January. You can certainly call or email me and get on that list to ensure that yours is among the first shipments to get on a truck in January but in terms of supply, there should be plenty for everyone.

Contact me whenever/however you'd like. I am happy to field questions of all kinds. I am sorry I don't have better news for those of you who are running low on cane. All I can say to that is that there IS more great bamboo on the way.

I will post another update when I know more about my exact dates of travel to China which will help us understand just when the next batch will arrive in Seattle.

Please stay in touch!

Best to all,
-Andy

July 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:06:00 +0000

All,

Thanks to those of you I met at Greyrock in June, it was a great trip... even if most of the rises were the welts on my arms and legs from the MI state bird.

I am sorry to report that I will NOT have a new shipment of cane in before November of this year. The timing was way off last spring when I realized we had a major supply problem. Spring and summer is the absolute worst time to get new cane as the spring is the time the new bamboo is shooting (farmer's won't harvest then for fear of damaging the new crop) and summer is the torrentially rainy season (farmer's won't harvest then for fear of losing their tractors in the floods). Therefore I have to wait until the normal harvest time of September plus a month of curing before I can get back to China to select the next batch.

I'd like to confirm that there is absolutely no problem with the overall supply in China so unless you need cane tomorrow there is no reason to panic. We'll be back up and running like normal by this winter.

Please go ahead and write or call me to get on the wait list for this next shipment. I will let that list know when I know more about the timing of this year's cane. I expect the price to up a little but only about $1 a pole above this year's (those prices can be found at the bottom of this post).

Please contact me directly if you have any questions. Thank you one and all!!!

-Andy

-----------
[April, 2008]
The Mars Update

December 1999

AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATORS have a special term for a particularly insidious type of accident--CFIT, or controlled flight into terrain. It occurs when human error in the cockpit, in the traffic control tower, or in the flight planning process in effect flies a perfectly good airplane right into the ground.

In the past 40 years, space flight has encountered all sorts of failure modes. Propulsion systems have leaked and exploded. Power systems have short-circuited. Observation instruments have failed to work or have been pointed in wrong directions. But until this year no CFIT had occurred in outer space.

Then, on 23 September, through a series of still-baffling errors, flight controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a California Institute of Technology facility under contract to NASA, sent erroneous steering commands to the Mars Climate Orbiter as it neared the target planet. Obeying blindly like all true robots, the probe, metaphorically speaking, marched off the cliff and was destroyed.

NASA assigned three separate teams to investigate the embarrassing, US $125 million debacle and determine its cause. Preliminary public statements faulted a slip-up between the probe's builders and its operators, a failure to convert the English units of measurement used in construction into the metric units used for operation.

---------------------------

Yes, this is a bamboo update. No, the news is not great for some of you that have been waiting for cane.

As we see with the Mars probe accident, a small set of numbers can wreak havoc when they are not properly translated. We have experienced a similar occurrence in our bamboo ordering process this month. I recently received the Packing List for the container holding the rod makers Tonkin poles. I was looking over the numbers to ensure that this container held everything ordered. I noticed a few small discrepancies which is no surprise; there are often a couple of bundles too few or too many in these shipments. But then I read the fateful number 73. SEVENTY THREE:
12’ x 50/60 10 73

As in, of the 12’ x 2” poles that come ten to a bundle, there are a grand total of 73bundles on this container. The long and short of it is that this was not a typo and that is all of this size pole on this container. This is far short of the number of bundles already reserved on this very wait list.

I am not sure exactly what happened but the basic gist of it is that somehow my friend, translator and aid in China who is the eldest son of my supplier screwed something up. He is in charge of getting my orders and telling his father what to ship and when. This fellow has helped me in my business for about four years now (before that his sister and others have helped with the translations) and together we have ordered, loaded and shipped about ten containers per year. Nothing like this has ever happened and in short, we don’t have a good excuse for why it happened this time. Bottom line is the some people are going to have to wait for their cane.

Those who have been on the wait list the longest WILL have their orders filled.

Immediately upon finding out the exact number of poles on this container I was sure to make another order. As soon as my supplier is able to collect and dry enough poles I will high-tail it back to China to select more poles to ship to Seattle as quickly as possible. The earliest that this secondary order of poles will arrive is June of this year. One of the problems now confronting us is that spring is not the harvest time of year for bamboo in China and it will be a task to even collect enough poles. I do, sadly enough, have more poles sitting in my warehouse in China but far too few to ship alone. The logistics of shipping dictate that a product of this size is not cheap to ship unless enough material is collected to fill the better part of a shipping container. Therefore I must get back to China to buy more material to ship with this next order. [The current container set sail with a lot of other bamboo poles for non-rod making markets but those markets can not help fill the next container as they are seasonal and done for the year.] So it will be a while yet before I can get the second batch of cane to Seattle. Note that “June” is the best case scenario. The worst case scenario is that it is too damn rainy in the hills and the farmers can’t collect enough cane for an order this spring. In that case, I will not have ANY new cane in Seattle until next November.

As for this current shipment the only fair thing I can think to do is to doll out the cane on a first come first serve basis; those who tried to order poles last November and ended up on this wait list will get their order. I will contact some customers who placed larger orders and ask that they split their orders in two to ensure that some of the “smaller” makers will get their orders. Orders that I cannot fill at this time will get filled as soon as I can land the next batch of poles. I will go to China again in November of this year to buy a larger number of poles so that we do not run into this supply problem again. Only once in my 12 years of business have I been out of cane and that was only for about three weeks. I never expected this drought and I am very sorry to many of you who need poles to keep your businesses and hobbies alive.

I will be getting in touch individually with all of you on the wait list over the next week to make arrangements for shipping or to let you know if you are on the next wait list. The container is due to arrive in Seattle next Monday and it should be cleared of customs (and delivered to my warehouse) the following week. Shipping can commence immediately thereafter.

An important note is that I do have a limited number 1 7/8” and 2 1/4"-2 1/2" poles available. I will offer these poles to the people on this wait list starting with the folks longest on the list. I will post notices if/when these sizes run out as well.

I have started a secondary Wait List onto which I will put the names of all those who can expect bamboo to ship out of Seattle sometime after May. Of course there are no obligations from anyone on either the primary or secondary wait list.

I think it is also important to note that I do not feel that our overall bamboo supply is in any danger at all. I’ve not heard any such rumors floating around out there but I would like to comment that the bamboo market in Southern China seems as healthy as ever and I have no reason to believe that we will not be able to see as much bamboo as we would like to in the rod makers market by next winter. This is somewhat of a colossal error for the short term but it will not affect us in the long run.

Please contact me directly if you have questions or need more information. Thank you one and all.

Sincerely,
-Andy

-------------------------------------------------

Winter 2008

Gentlemen,

Greetings! Finally, an update, the first in over a year. I'm not quite moving at the speed of bamboo here but we are getting somewhere at last.

I was in China for the last two weeks of November selecting more fly-rod cane for 2008. My current supply in Seattle is completely exhausted. This new shipment will be in the warehouse by mid-February. I am compiling a "Wait List" now for North American and select overseas makers. Whoever wants to order cane can just let me know and I will add their names to the list. When I know more about the arrival date of this shipment I will let everyone know and start setting up shipments at that time.

I am working directly with rod makers groups in Australia, Europe and Japan this year. Shipments to all three locations will leave China by February of 2008. Contact me directly if you are not yet on a contact list for these locations. We will need confirmed orders by late January for these groups.

There are three sizes to choose from this year: 45-50mm, 50-55mm and 55+mm (that is roughly 1 7/8", 2", 2 1/4+"). As is normally the case, the smaller cane tends to be a bit "cleaner" in complexion while the largest pieces have more... uh, "character marks"... The big stuff is certainly big and heavy though; this is the stuff that guys building salmon or spey rods get excited about. Or guys who just like the big stuff. These poles are still a bit rare and there will only a couple hundred available per continent.

The overall quality of this year's poles is very good. But it is NOT a year for makers of blonde rods. Unlike my last selection period two years ago, this was not a year of exceedingly clean cane. There seems to be a pattern in the bamboo world that either renders poles that are a bit lighter weight and cleaner in complexion or heavier-weight with more marks. This year's poles are of the latter category. Blonde rods will have visible marks on them. These marks are the typical "water marks" most makers are familiar with. While not actually caused by water these are natural marks on the surface of most poles. How deep the markings go into the fibre is variable. Some of this year's poles have a lot of brown "freckles" on them but in my experience most any light brown marks are ONLY on the surface of the cane and they disappear when the enamel is scrapped off.

The overall colour of the bamboo is very good. As always I do allow for some cane with a greenish tinge to it. This is not the grass-green colour of poles that still need sun but a very light green. Often these poles cannot be made more yellow because if they are left in the sun they will quickly crack; they are as dry as can be. Depending on the weather at the time the poles are dried sometimes the poles just never get to that deep straw-yellow colour some makers prefer. Oddly enough the Chinese swear up and down that the poles with a bit of green in them represent stronger bamboo while they say the more yellow poles are getting older and weaker. The Chinese aren't rod makers though and they don't play a role in determining what is best for you makers. In any event, any green tint should cook out evenly.

I took to having the bottom 5-15 inches of each pole cut off. What I am trying to do is maximize the node spacing while leaving the heaviest part of the cane (the bottom of the pole) in tact. I pick a spot on each pole that I think gives us the best of both worlds.

As always, no slash marks or burn marks on this cane.

Prices are still being determined. I am waiting to learn what my final costs will be for shipping and importing. I will keep the prices as close to last years as possible. I imagine the prices may go up about $1/pole. I will get another update posted here on that issue within a couple of weeks. A price ESTIMATE is as follows:

45-50mm (1 7/8”) 10 pcs/bundle
~1-4 bundles $145
~ 5+ bundles $125

50-55mm (2”) 10 pcs/bundle
~1-4 bundles $185
~ 5+ bundles $165

55+mm (2 1/4+") 5 pcs/bundle
~1-5 bundles $115
~5 bundle maximum per order

Shipping rates will be similar to the past. This averages between $90-$140 per 1-4 bundle order depending on location throughout N. America. International shipping rates very widely, contact me for a quote. I am feverishly working on shipping rates for customers taking part in the group orders in Australia and Europe. My goal is to land the poles at one major city in each country for the same above prices so your shipping costs will only be the cost from Sydney or Stockholm or Hamburg for example.

Don't hesitate to write to me directly with any questions or comments.

Thank you one and all.

Warmth and joy to all as we speed on toward a new year!

-Andy
bamboo@w-link.net

The Mars Update

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:57:00 +0000

December 1999

AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATORS have a special term for a particularly insidious type of accident--CFIT, or controlled flight into terrain. It occurs when human error in the cockpit, in the traffic control tower, or in the flight planning process in effect flies a perfectly good airplane right into the ground.

In the past 40 years, space flight has encountered all sorts of failure modes. Propulsion systems have leaked and exploded. Power systems have short-circuited. Observation instruments have failed to work or have been pointed in wrong directions. But until this year no CFIT had occurred in outer space.

Then, on 23 September, through a series of still-baffling errors, flight controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a California Institute of Technology facility under contract to NASA, sent erroneous steering commands to the Mars Climate Orbiter as it neared the target planet. Obeying blindly like all true robots, the probe, metaphorically speaking, marched off the cliff and was destroyed.

NASA assigned three separate teams to investigate the embarrassing, US $125 million debacle and determine its cause. Preliminary public statements faulted a slip-up between the probe's builders and its operators, a failure to convert the English units of measurement used in construction into the metric units used for operation.

---------------------------

Yes, this is a bamboo update. No, the news is not great for some of you that have been waiting for cane.

As we see with the Mars probe accident, a small set of numbers can wreak havoc when they are not properly translated. We have experienced a similar occurrence in our bamboo ordering process this month. I recently received the Packing List for the container holding the rod makers Tonkin poles. I was looking over the numbers to ensure that this container held everything ordered. I noticed a few small discrepancies which is no surprise; there are often a couple of bundles too few or too many in these shipments. But then I read the fateful number 73. SEVENTY THREE:
12’ x 50/60 10 73

As in, of the 12’ x 2” poles that come ten to a bundle, there are a grand total of 73bundles on this container. The long and short of it is that this was not a typo and that is all of this size pole on this container. This is far short of the number of bundles already reserved on this very wait list.

I am not sure exactly what happened but the basic gist of it is that somehow my friend, translator and aid in China who is the eldest son of my supplier screwed something up. He is in charge of getting my orders and telling his father what to ship and when. This fellow has helped me in my business for about four years now (before that his sister and others have helped with the translations) and together we have ordered, loaded and shipped about ten containers per year. Nothing like this has ever happened and in short, we don’t have a good excuse for why it happened this time. Bottom line is the some people are going to have to wait for their cane.

Those who have been on the wait list the longest WILL have their orders filled.

Immediately upon finding out the exact number of poles on this container I was sure to make another order. As soon as my supplier is able to collect and dry enough poles I will high-tail it back to China to select more poles to ship to Seattle as quickly as possible. The earliest that this secondary order of poles will arrive is June of this year. One of the problems now confronting us is that spring is not the harvest time of year for bamboo in China and it will be a task to even collect enough poles. I do, sadly enough, have more poles sitting in my warehouse in China but far too few to ship alone. The logistics of shipping dictate that a product of this size is not cheap to ship unless enough material is collected to fill the better part of a shipping container. Therefore I must get back to China to buy more material to ship with this next order. [The current container set sail with a lot of other bamboo poles for non-rod making markets but those markets can not help fill the next container as they are seasonal and done for the year.] So it will be a while yet before I can get the second batch of cane to Seattle. Note that “June” is the best case scenario. The worst case scenario is that it is too damn rainy in the hills and the farmers can’t collect enough cane for an order this spring. In that case, I will not have ANY new cane in Seattle until next November.

As for this current shipment the only fair thing I can think to do is to doll out the cane on a first come first serve basis; those who tried to order poles last November and ended up on this wait list will get their order. I will contact some customers who placed larger orders and ask that they split their orders in two to ensure that some of the “smaller” makers will get their orders. Orders that I cannot fill at this time will get filled as soon as I can land the next batch of poles. I will go to China again in November of this year to buy a larger number of poles so that we do not run into this supply problem again. Only once in my 12 years of business have I been out of cane and that was only for about three weeks. I never expected this drought and I am very sorry to many of you who need poles to keep your businesses and hobbies alive.

I will be getting in touch individually with all of you on the wait list over the next week to make arrangements for shipping or to let you know if you are on the next wait list. The container is due to arrive in Seattle next Monday and it should be cleared of customs (and delivered to my warehouse) the following week. Shipping can commence immediately thereafter.

An important note is that I do have a limited number 1 7/8” and 2 1/4"-2 1/2" poles available. I will offer these poles to the people on this wait list starting with the folks longest on the list. I will post notices if/when these sizes run out as well.

I have started a secondary Wait List onto which I will put the names of all those who can expect bamboo to ship out of Seattle sometime after May. Of course there are no obligations from anyone on either the primary or secondary wait list.

I think it is also important to note that I do not feel that our overall bamboo supply is in any danger at all. I’ve not heard any such rumors floating around out there but I would like to comment that the bamboo market in Southern China seems as healthy as ever and I have no reason to believe that we will not be able to see as much bamboo as we would like to in the rod makers market by next winter. This is somewhat of a colossal error for the short term but it will not affect us in the long run.

Please contact me directly if you have questions or need more information. Thank you one and all.

Sincerely,
-Andy

-------------------------------------------------

Winter 2008

Gentlemen,

Greetings! Finally, an update, the first in over a year. I'm not quite moving at the speed of bamboo here but we are getting somewhere at last.

I was in China for the last two weeks of November selecting more fly-rod cane for 2008. My current supply in Seattle is completely exhausted. This new shipment will be in the warehouse by mid-February. I am compiling a "Wait List" now for North American and select overseas makers. Whoever wants to order cane can just let me know and I will add their names to the list. When I know more about the arrival date of this shipment I will let everyone know and start setting up shipments at that time.

I am working directly with rod makers groups in Australia, Europe and Japan this year. Shipments to all three locations will leave China by February of 2008. Contact me directly if you are not yet on a contact list for these locations. We will need confirmed orders by late January for these groups.

There are three sizes to choose from this year: 45-50mm, 50-55mm and 55+mm (that is roughly 1 7/8", 2", 2 1/4+"). As is normally the case, the smaller cane tends to be a bit "cleaner" in complexion while the largest pieces have more... uh, "character marks"... The big stuff is certainly big and heavy though; this is the stuff that guys building salmon or spey rods get excited about. Or guys who just like the big stuff. These poles are still a bit rare and there will only a couple hundred available per continent.

The overall quality of this year's poles is very good. But it is NOT a year for makers of blonde rods. Unlike my last selection period two years ago, this was not a year of exceedingly clean cane. There seems to be a pattern in the bamboo world that either renders poles that are a bit lighter weight and cleaner in complexion or heavier-weight with more marks. This year's poles are of the latter category. Blonde rods will have visible marks on them. These marks are the typical "water marks" most makers are familiar with. While not actually caused by water these are natural marks on the surface of most poles. How deep the markings go into the fibre is variable. Some of this year's poles have a lot of brown "freckles" on them but in my experience most any light brown marks are ONLY on the surface of the cane and they disappear when the enamel is scrapped off.

The overall colour of the bamboo is very good. As always I do allow for some cane with a greenish tinge to it. This is not the grass-green colour of poles that still need sun but a very light green. Often these poles cannot be made more yellow because if they are left in the sun they will quickly crack; they are as dry as can be. Depending on the weather at the time the poles are dried sometimes the poles just never get to that deep straw-yellow colour some makers prefer. Oddly enough the Chinese swear up and down that the poles with a bit of green in them represent stronger bamboo while they say the more yellow poles are getting older and weaker. The Chinese aren't rod makers though and they don't play a role in determining what is best for you makers. In any event, any green tint should cook out evenly.

I took to having the bottom 5-15 inches of each pole cut off. What I am trying to do is maximize the node spacing while leaving the heaviest part of the cane (the bottom of the pole) in tact. I pick a spot on each pole that I think gives us the best of both worlds.

As always, no slash marks or burn marks on this cane.

Prices are still being determined. I am waiting to learn what my final costs will be for shipping and importing. I will keep the prices as close to last years as possible. I imagine the prices may go up about $1/pole. I will get another update posted here on that issue within a couple of weeks. A price ESTIMATE is as follows:

45-50mm (1 7/8”) 10 pcs/bundle
~1-4 bundles $145
~ 5+ bundles $125

50-55mm (2”) 10 pcs/bundle
~1-4 bundles $185
~ 5+ bundles $165

55+mm (2 1/4+") 5 pcs/bundle
~1-5 bundles $115
~5 bundle maximum per order

Shipping rates will be similar to the past. This averages between $90-$140 per 1-4 bundle order depending on location throughout N. America. International shipping rates very widely, contact me for a quote. I am feverishly working on shipping rates for customers taking part in the group orders in Australia and Europe. My goal is to land the poles at one major city in each country for the same above prices so your shipping costs will only be the cost from Sydney or Stockholm or Hamburg for example.

Don't hesitate to write to me directly with any questions or comments.

Thank you one and all.

Warmth and joy to all as we speed on toward a new year!

-Andy
bamboo@w-link.net

Winter 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:53:00 +0000

Gentlemen,

Greetings! Finally, an update, the first in over a year. I'm not quite moving at the speed of bamboo here but we are getting somewhere at last.

I was in China for the last two weeks of November selecting more fly-rod cane for 2008. My current supply in Seattle is completely exhausted. This new shipment will be in the warehouse by mid-February. I am compiling a "Wait List" now for North American and select overseas makers. Whoever wants to order cane can just let me know and I will add their names to the list. When I know more about the arrival date of this shipment I will let everyone know and start setting up shipments at that time.

I am working directly with rod makers groups in Australia, Europe and Japan this year. Shipments to all three locations will leave China by February of 2008. Contact me directly if you are not yet on a contact list for these locations. We will need confirmed orders by late January for these groups.

There are three sizes to choose from this year: 45-50mm, 50-55mm and 55+mm (that is roughly 1 7/8", 2", 2 1/4+"). As is normally the case, the smaller cane tends to be a bit "cleaner" in complexion while the largest pieces have more... uh, "character marks"... The big stuff is certainly big and heavy though; this is the stuff that guys building salmon or spey rods get excited about. Or guys who just like the big stuff. These poles are still a bit rare and there will only a couple hundred available per continent.

The overall quality of this year's poles is very good. But it is NOT a year for makers of blonde rods. Unlike my last selection period two years ago, this was not a year of exceedingly clean cane. There seems to be a pattern in the bamboo world that either renders poles that are a bit lighter weight and cleaner in complexion or heavier-weight with more marks. This year's poles are of the latter category. Blonde rods will have visible marks on them. These marks are the typical "water marks" most makers are familiar with. While not actually caused by water these are natural marks on the surface of most poles. How deep the markings go into the fibre is variable. Some of this year's poles have a lot of brown "freckles" on them but in my experience most any light brown marks are ONLY on the surface of the cane and they disappear when the enamel is scrapped off.

The overall colour of the bamboo is very good. As always I do allow for some cane with a greenish tinge to it. This is not the grass-green colour of poles that still need sun but a very light green. Often these poles cannot be made more yellow because if they are left in the sun they will quickly crack; they are as dry as can be. Depending on the weather at the time the poles are dried sometimes the poles just never get to that deep straw-yellow colour some makers prefer. Oddly enough the Chinese swear up and down that the poles with a bit of green in them represent stronger bamboo while they say the more yellow poles are getting older and weaker. The Chinese aren't rod makers though and they don't play a role in determining what is best for you makers. In any event, any green tint should cook out evenly.

I took to having the bottom 5-15 inches of each pole cut off. What I am trying to do is maximize the node spacing while leaving the heaviest part of the cane (the bottom of the pole) in tact. I pick a spot on each pole that I think gives us the best of both worlds.

As always, no slash marks or burn marks on this cane.

Prices are still being determined. I am waiting to learn what my final costs will be for shipping and importing. I will keep the prices as close to last years as possible. I imagine the prices may go up about $1/pole. I will get another update posted here on that issue within a couple of weeks. A price ESTIMATE is as follows:

45-50mm (1 7/8”) 10 pcs/bundle
~1-4 bundles $145
~ 5+ bundles $125

50-55mm (2”) 10 pcs/bundle
~1-4 bundles $185
~ 5+ bundles $165

55+mm (2 1/4+") 5 pcs/bundle
~1-5 bundles $115
~5 bundle maximum per order

Shipping rates will be similar to the past. This averages between $90-$140 per 1-4 bundle order depending on location throughout N. America. International shipping rates very widely, contact me for a quote. I am feverishly working on shipping rates for customers taking part in the group orders in Australia and Europe. My goal is to land the poles at one major city in each country for the same above prices so your shipping costs will only be the cost from Sydney or Stockholm or Hamburg for example.

Don't hesitate to write to me directly with any questions or comments.

Thank you one and all.

Warmth and joy to all as we speed on toward a new year!

-Andy
bamboo@w-link.net

WINTER 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:03:00 +0000

Gentlemen,

Greetings! Finally, an update, the first in over a year. I'm not quite moving at the speed of bamboo here but we are getting somewhere at last.

I was in China for the last two weeks of November selecting more fly-rod cane for 2008. My current supply in Seattle is completely exhausted. This new shipment will be in the warehouse by mid-February. I am compiling a "Wait List" now for North American and select overseas makers. Whoever wants to order cane can just let me know and I will add their names to the list. When I know more about the arrival date of this shipment I will let everyone know and start setting up shipments at that time.

I am working directly with rod makers groups in Australia, Europe and Japan this year. Shipments to all three locations will leave China by February of 2008. Contact me directly if you are not yet on a contact list for these locations. We will need confirmed orders by late January for these groups.

There are three sizes to choose from this year: 45-50mm, 50-55mm and 55+mm (that is roughly 1 7/8", 2", 2 1/4+"). As is normally the case, the smaller cane tends to be a bit "cleaner" in complexion while the largest pieces have more... uh, "character marks"... The big stuff is certainly big and heavy though; this is the stuff that guys building salmon or spey rods get excited about. Or guys who just like the big stuff. These poles are still a bit rare and there will only a couple hundred available per continent.

There will be a VERY limited supply of the AA poles again this year. These are poles that excel in all criteria of size, heft (fibre density), colour and overall appearance. My rule is that I keep half of these poles in the mix of the regular "A" poles while I pick out half to sell on their own. These poles are $50/ea and sold in two-pole bundles only (one bundle per maker). There are only a grand total of 20 of these poles (out of over 8,000 poles I sorted through). First come first serve to reserve these AA poles, starting NOW!

The overall quality of this year's poles is very good. But it is NOT a year for makers of blonde rods. Unlike my last selection period two years ago, this was not a year of exceedingly clean cane. There seems to be a pattern in the bamboo world that either renders poles that are a bit lighter weight and cleaner in complexion or heavier-weight with more marks. This year's poles are of the latter category. Blonde rods will have visible marks on them. These marks are the typical "water marks" most makers are familiar with. While not actually caused by water these are natural marks on the surface of most poles. How deep the markings go into the fibre is variable. Some of this year's poles have a lot of brown "freckles" on them but in my experience most any light brown marks are ONLY on the surface of the cane and they disappear when the enamel is scrapped off.

The overall colour of the bamboo is very good. As always I do allow for some cane with a greenish tinge to it. This is not the grass-green colour of poles that still need sun but a very light green. Often these poles cannot be made more yellow because if they are left in the sun they will quickly crack; they are as dry as can be. Depending on the weather at the time the poles are dried sometimes the poles just never get to that deep straw-yellow colour some makers prefer. Oddly enough the Chinese swear up and down that the poles with a bit of green in them represent stronger bamboo while they say the more yellow poles are getting older and weaker. The Chinese aren't rod makers though and they don't play a role in determining what is best for you makers. In any event, any green tint should cook out evenly.

I took to having the bottom 5-15 inches of each pole cut off. What I am trying to do is maximize the node spacing while leaving the heaviest part of the cane (the bottom of the pole) in tact. I pick a spot on each pole that I think gives us the best of both worlds.

As always, no slash marks or burn marks on this cane.

Prices are still being determined. I am waiting to learn what my final costs will be for shipping and importing. I will keep the prices as close to last years as possible. I imagine the prices may go up about $1/pole. I will get another update posted here on that issue within a couple of weeks. A price ESTIMATE is as follows:

45-50mm (1 7/8”) 10 pcs/bundle
~1-4 bundles $145
~ 5+ bundles $125

50-55mm (2”) 10 pcs/bundle
~1-4 bundles $185
~ 5+ bundles $165

55+mm (2 1/4+") 5 pcs/bundle
~1-5 bundles $115
~5 bundle maximum per order

Shipping rates will be similar to the past. This averages between $90-$140 per 1-4 bundle order depending on location throughout N. America. International shipping rates very widely, contact me for a quote. I am feverishly working on shipping rates for customers taking part in the group orders in Australia and Europe. My goal is to land the poles at one major city in each country for the same above prices so your shipping costs will only be the cost from Sydney or Stockholm or Hamburg for example.

Don't hesitate to write to me directly with any questions or comments.

Thank you one and all.

Warmth and joy to all as we speed on toward a new year!

-Andy
bamboo@w-link.net

SUMMER/FALL 2006 UPDATE

noreply@blogger.com (Bamboo Broker) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 21:25:00 +0000

I returned to China in February of this year to select a new batch of bamboo poles for makers of split cane rods. This was my first trip in about five years in which I was not hosting friend, family or curious traveler and I found that being alone in China really aloud me to get a lot of work done! I was able to sort through the approximately 7,000 poles my supplier had picked out for me in about five days, which left me with some time to do some exploring in the Yunnan Province, two provinces to the west. Down south in Yunnan (just north of Burma) is pretty damn hot year-round. I arrived at 10:30 at night to 85-degree weather. Each day I was there was a bit warmer as March was coming on. I can’t imagine being there in August! And the Chinese like to combat the heat by energizing the body with heat… as in, hot food. And they are not kidding around. My last meal there stuck with me for about five days after I returned home!

In any event, the bamboo I worked with on this trip was absolutely fabulous. VERY clean cane for the most part. Some selection days were filled with nothing but exceedingly clean cane, pole after pole! And the size, weight, color and overall quality are all very good as well. Overall it is just great cane this time around. I spoke with Harold Demarest up at Corbett Lake in April and he said the same thing about his shipment this year. Good stuff!

It is not a result of the cane quality but my material, shipping, ocean freight and import charges have all increased. Some of these went up fairly significantly. As a result, for only the second time in my ten years, prices are going up. Ten-bucks per bundle.

Also, I have decided to stop separating the large culms from the 2” pieces. I did this since I had not experienced a strong demand for the larger cane in the past two years. Of course, in the past four months or so the demand for the big pieces has shot up but I’m mixing the big poles in with everything else. Many bundles will have a couple of nice big ones in there now!

And I do have a very limited supply of AA poles. These are poles that rate exceptionally high in size, weight and appearance. These are in bundles of 3 and sell for $120/bundles while supplies last (and they won’t last long).

Trucking rates continue to slowly rise. Contact me directly for the latest rates.

One bundle (10 pieces) = $175
Five or more bundles = $155