Learning the woods may be much easier than learning the sources. There
are direct importers and then those who have bought from a direct
importer. Then there are importers who buy from the foreign mills the
stuff the others have passed over. Needless to say, the costs to you
and the quality may differ greatly. Expecting 'grade' to protect you
against junk is expecting too much, I think.

I don't know if you've owned a business before but, as the new owner of
the business, you will need to establish your credit worthiness.
Usually that takes time and cash or an understanding bank.

The business is not rocket science but it isn't as straightforward as it
may seem. I don't want to discourage you but there is a lot under the
surface which may not be apparent at first. Also remember that the
exotic wood business tends to be an 'old boys' business. At the
import/wholesale level there are a small number of players and they all
know each other (both the good and bad) and have been doing business
with each other for years.

I'm smart too -- designed and wrote system software most of my life
including several small operating systems and a number of special
purpose compilers. But, I'd never even think of sitting down at a poker
table with a serious poker player. In some ways, that is what you are
thinking of doing.

Bill

Never Enough Money wrote:
Only the little bit I've learned as a woodworked for the past 5 or 6
years. I've used some cocobolo, some bloodwood, zebrawood, and lyptus.

I've also used some domestic woods: hard maple, black walnut, oak.

Of course I've read Hoadly's book and have a few books on
identification of woods. But, I'll confess, unless it's obvious, I
couln't identify many pieces of wood. I could probaly identify easy
ones like purpleheart, walnut, curly maple, zebra wood, etc.

I also know many woods have dangerous dust. I'd have to consult a book
on various things.

I am not an expert by any means. However, I can prove the minimax
theorem so I have a brain. Learning woods can't take too long -- a
matter of months, surely.

Cheers -- not trying to sound sarcastic - I appreciate your response.


Bill Rubenstein wrote:
One question which comes to mind -- what do you know about exotic wood?

Bill

wrote:
Where do I get my wood ???

Have a look

http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum30.html

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Never Enough Money wrote:
I'm considering buying an exotic wood store. He caters to furniture
makers. If I buy it, I'd like to start also selling to turners. So
where do turners (I'm not one) buy their wood? Mail order, internet,
local stores?