I recall a thread from some time back about bringing wood from overseas back into the USA in your luggage. I haven’t been able to find the thread, so perhaps someone can respond that has some experience. Can I do it or will customs take it away from me?
I’ll be traveling to Australia next week on business and I’d like to bring back a few turning blanks from some of their local timbers. I’ve searched the US Customs web site and can’t find anything that says I can’t bring wood in, but that would not be a common question so it might not show up on a website.
Thanks.
Replies
I doubt that customs and immigration will bother you over some wood pieces in your personal luggage. Strictly speaking, any wood products taken into the US must be fumigated against insect infestation. Importing wood or wood products requires among other things a certificate from an accredited fumigator with the chemical details of the treatment given. Unless your supplier can give you such a certificate, you'd better just take your chances. If you're the honest type, then tell the customs official the truth and see what happens. If your willing to stretch it a bit, don't declare anything and hope for the best. If they stop you you can reasonably claim that it didn't enter your mind to declare pieces of wood...
In any case, all you've got to lose is some pieces of wood.
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
The company where I work got burned on that fumigation issue shipping some auto parts to China. When it got there, Chinese customs refused to allow the stuff entry as it was on wooden pallets and there were no fumigation certificates. So back it came via FedEx Freight to be repacked and re-shipped on plastic pallets. The shipping and customs fees ended up far exceeding the cost of the parts.If you build it he will come.
Oh definitely. Actually the Australians are known to be the strictest in the world. I wouldn't recommend any commercial shipment anywhere without all the required docs, and your company's freight forwarder should have known better. But some wood pieces in the OP's personal suitcase are another matter.David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
I'd say you're taking your chances. I've been on a few trips to the carribean for diving vacations, and some members of our party brought back some carved wood doo-dads purchased from the locals. Customs seized them at the airport when we were re-entering the US, for the exact reason that David noted - they were possible vectors for the importation of agricultural pests.
What you could consider doing instead is shipping the pieces back by UPS, with a customs declarations form that notes that they've been sterilized.
NEVER TRUST CUSTOMS! Of any country. USA especially!
I had papers from the USA Consulate AND the Consulate in Australia (long ago) to do just that!
At the US border.. With papers... They said 'Means nothing to us' In the trash'
At the Australian border... With papers... They said 'Means nothing to us' In the trash' unless you pay the Tax!
The Tax was about 5 times what the wood was worth! LOL.. I traveled all over the world. Never bring anything! Cheaper to have it imported!
Sort of a joke and not a joke... Been there many times! EDIT: Not just wood.
Your best bet is to have it shipped to you address by a local (country you leave from) shipper.. They know how to get it across the borders.. But then again some BoZo on the other side may reject it anyway!
Edited 10/11/2008 3:22 pm by WillGeorge
Thanks everyone. Sounds like I shouldn't get my hopes up. Too bad, I'd already traded notes with some turners in Australia and they do have some very interesting wood. By the time I'd pay for the blanks and pay shipping, I could probably get some pretty fancy wood that has already been imported.
I hear you!!
A few weeks ago at the Ontario border, U.S. customs confiscated a bald eagle feather I had found while on a fishing trip. Their reason(s)? It was from an endangered species, and who knows that I didn't kill the bird?
I replied that, if, indeed, I had killed the eagle, wouldn't I have a TRUNKFUL of feathers, and not just one? And how would they treat a First Nation chief, on his way to a powwow in the U.S., with his eagle feather headdress?
Well, now,... that was an entirely different situation, etc., etc....
I think the guy just wanted a souvenir.
If they'd devote as much energy to catching terrorists, we might all be safer.
kreuzie
And how would they treat a First Nation chief, on his way to a powwow in the U.S., with his eagle feather headdress?On that note I believe they have a special exemption... Eagle feather do hold a special meaning to them. A few years back my father was doing police work for a local band, and as a gift they gave him a n eagle feather.
A few years back my father was doing police work for a local band, and as a gift they gave him a n eagle feather.
Was it the Village People?
Yes, it was the village people...Native Band...
Ok here is a story with show and tell:
We had this friend who for years had this habitual rout: Led bicycle tours in France to make money, then flew to Sinigal to study African drumming with the real dudes. Ok she stays as long as her money holds out, buys several drum bodies in the rough and the head skins to go with them and on the plane she goes for America right?
The drum bodies are cut from solid tree trunks and hollowed out while the wood is still wet. So they aren't dry yet when she puts them on the plane ! The drum heads are goat skins all rolled up with the hair still on them; blood here and there ! She made it through many times back in the 1990's.
She used to bring them to me to weld the steel hoops on the skinny waist area of the drum body then she laced the heads on with stout climbing rope and shaved the hair off the goat skins. She had this long lever thing for synching down the rope tight, tight.
When she got together with the local black group they played in a hall while the BIG African women danced the traditional dances. Picture very large bare footed women in loose, flowing, colorful, clothes dancing so light and beautifully they reminded me of butterflies ! They were really something.
I cannot over emphasize how LOUD these drums are in person. They are talking drums. Djembe. The original portable phones ! Just at the beginning of the youtube video notice the carving on the drum !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_gDWpYUXw8&NR=1
Here is a group effort.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oty-IO-VNsI
So it used to be possible to haul wood through an air port. Our friend was worldly and a very strong personality: international bike racer, black belt, born in Hawaii. So maybe those qualities of presence and determination help.
GO FOR IT !
Edited 10/12/2008 5:30 pm by roc
Edited 10/12/2008 5:38 pm by roc
Edited 10/12/2008 7:09 pm by roc
A few nasties come to mind. Dutch Elm disease, Chestnut blight, Emerald Ash Borer. Do your part and do it right by getting inspected and certified material for import. Only God knows what gets past customs when it comes from China in a container.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Thanks for the music. I have 'tin' ears but drum's sure sound nice!
I brought back some wooden craft pieces from Bahrain and got them through with no problem. I never said anything about it being wood just some souvenirs. They never checked. If you are leaving from an international airport in the US you could ask them at the airport if wood is allowed in and depending on what they say take your chances from there.
Following up on my question about bringing wood back through the airport . . .
I just got back from my quick trip to Australia and I brought back 6 small turning blocks in my luggage. The US Customs form doesn't ask if you have wood or wood products (unlike the form for entering Australia). So no one asked or looked and I now have 6 small blanks ready to be turned.
I was careful to only select blanks without any bark, dirt, or worm holes. That meant passing up the burls and some interesting bits of small trees. I suspect these "clean" blanks would have made it through an inspection.
The participants in an Australian woodworking forum, http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/index.php , were very helpful. One of the local Brisbane turners actually picked me up at my hotel, took me to a local woodworking store, and threw in a quick tour of the city. The store's owner spent quite a bit of time giving me a lesson in Australian timbers - including pulling samples from his private stash in the back room.
Great - now let's see what you turn with those blanks.
Also - how about some pictures with a name/description of the blanks you brought back. Don't see much Australian wood here in southern Mississippi ;-)
Lee
Since it will be a while before I turn the wood I just brought home, I'll attach a couple of pictures of bowls I turned about 10 years ago from Australian wood friends brought back for me.
The first is lacy sheoak. Which is not really an oak.
I was told the second is an iron bark burl.
OK Lee, a picture is attached.<!----><!----><!---->
These are small blanks - 5 to 6" by 1-1/2 to 3" thick. They include camphor, rose mahoganey, red cedar, mango, myrtle burl, and Huon pine. The camphor isn't really a native of <!----><!----><!---->Australia<!----><!---->, but the grain looks pretty interesting. The Huon pine comes from <!----><!---->Tasmania<!----><!----> and is no longer logged - only recovered from previously downed trees. From what I read, this pine grows at a rate of 120 mm per century reaches maturity after about 2000 years - it will be interesting to see how tight the growth rings are!
These are just samples I picked from what was available at the woodworking store I visited. I think there are a lot of other interesting trees in Australia - I just didn't have a prepared sample to pick up.
It will probably be a while before I get around to turning these pieces. I still have some green wood, courtesy of Ike, that I need to rough out before cracks too much.<!----><!---->
Your going to love the finished results of the Camphor and myrtle. I've turneds bowls from each and it's another pair of bowls that I am not allowed to sell.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
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