Issues with freight

[Handstitched]

Not sure where to put this rant.

Today I ventured out to the 'big smoke' for the first time  in about 8 months  +   to get some leather . I've been avoiding heavily populated areas because of COVID .  My supplier is over 2hrs away in Perth WA , they're also an agent for NSW Leather Co. . While  I did phone ahead,  and they are very helpful,  didn't have everything I needed, except the few hides I regularly use   , just enough to tie me over., so I grabbed whatever I could.  I could have it couriered out, but I like to see what I'm buying. 

The remainder of my order  is at least 1 month away as a result of   massive floods in the east, one of the main rail lines connecting the east with west got washed out and has only just opened, and on top of that, we're still dealing with COVID. Operators can't work if they have COVID....putting  all freight services under pressure, causing all sorts of issues. Shop shelves are nearly empty  . Our state 'gubment' even changed trucks rules to allow triples into supply yards etc.  to catch up.    On top of this, thanks to  Poo Tin 's war, the price of fuel has gone through the roof. 'But wait theres more', as they say in the ads ..... Many events, markets , fairs etc. have largely been cancelled...and ........my local  regional town council decided to "redevelop"  the main street ...and the carpark where I hold  my regular stall, and what a major f** up its been. .......... Thats me out after 12  loyal years, with no guarantee of a return, thanks a bunch  

I'm working solely from home now , may as well be in lockdown .  Dam it, time for some chocolate!!!

**sigh** Sure hope things are a bit easier for you where ever  you are ? 

HS

[Tugadude]

Freight movement is a nightmare right now for many reasons.  Lack of drivers, cost of gas and diesel, and more.  The company I work for has had to resort to adding fuel surcharges to orders and I just saw today that Uber and Lyft are going to raise their prices due to the increased fuel costs.  It won't get markedly better for some time.  Prices on most everything are impacted by fuel and freight so don't be shy about buying ahead if you can.

[Mulesaw]

Ah, nothing like a redevelopment of a city.. Those redevelopments always seem to be planned according to some smart people who thinks that this or that looks great on paper, and when it is finally done in concrete and tarmac. Well it doesn't work as they had hoped anyway.

All city planners in Denmark dream about making that southern Europe feeling with plazas and pedestrian streets that are crowded with people in the evening. The problem is the always forget that the reason why it works in Southern Europe is because they actually have a climate that makes it nice to stay outside for an evening. Even in the late summer. 
We on the other hand normally have cold summerdays with lots of rain and wind, and that doesn't go well with sitting outside and enjoying a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

Good idea with a cup of chocolate actually :-)

[Spyros]

29 minutes ago, Handstitched said:

**sigh** Sure hope things are a bit easier for you where ever  you are ? 

Yes, very.  Ivan LW over in Taiwan (to which I'm not affiliated in any way) has the cheapest Horween leathers I've seen anywhere with FREE DHL, so I stocked up and in 4 days it was at my doorstep.  If I can't find what I want, Buckleguy.  If I still can't find what I want I will happily give up leatherworking entirely before I order *anything* from Australia again.  I live in Bentleigh East but for some reason our posties keep sending random orders to Brighton East, it's got to the point where the guy knows me know and he just texts me "hey come get your crap".   And I keep receiving his salts for his swimming pool so I just let those wait until the next time we have a mail swap.

 

[Spyros]

20 minutes ago, Mulesaw said:

Ah, nothing like a redevelopment of a city.. Those redevelopments always seem to be planned according to some smart people who thinks that this or that looks great on paper, and when it is finally done in concrete and tarmac. Well it doesn't work as they had hoped anyway.

All city planners in Denmark dream about making that southern Europe feeling with plazas and pedestrian streets that are crowded with people in the evening. The problem is the always forget that the reason why it works in Southern Europe is because they actually have a climate that makes it nice to stay outside for an evening. Even in the late summer. 
We on the other hand normally have cold summerdays with lots of rain and wind, and that doesn't go well with sitting outside and enjoying a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

Good idea with a cup of chocolate actually :-)

Nah, it's not the climate, it's the people.  Having lived half my life in Southern Europe and the other half in Australia, with similar climates, I can tell you the difference is the people.  Just different rhythm of living.  

Give you an example: my friend (45 year old, engineer, married with children) went back home to Greece last week.  8 hours time difference from me, tired, jet lagged, he lost track of time.  So he rang me Wednesday morning 2am (my time) to ask me something random.  Of course I was awake at 2am on a Wednesday, because I'm Greek.  So I pick up the phone:

- "Hey man, it's 2am here". 

- "Oh, yeah... so what's up? Blah blah blah" LOL   

If I ring anyone in Australia on a weekday after 9pm they'll probably think someone died :D

Edited March 15, 2022 by Spyros

[chuck123wapati]

i got good shipping just crap product Herman oak midgrade almost half ruined with machine gouges and scrapes. 

Edited March 15, 2022 by chuck123wapati

[TomE]

1 hour ago, chuck123wapati said:

i got good shipping just crap product Herman oak midgrade almost half ruined. 

You might email or call Hermann Oak Leather Co.  I've found them very responsive and would think they'd be concerned about that hide representing their product.  About a year ago they had production problems because of a splitter that was off line for several weeks, and SLC was short on quality product.  I ended up keeping a side that had a lot of puckering because it was all that was available.  A few weeks ago, HO told me they were at maximum production capacity and not taking on new customers at this time.   

[rktaylor]

1 hour ago, TomE said:

A few weeks ago, HO told me they were at maximum production capacity and not taking on new customers at this time.   

They still aren't. I called yesterday.

RT

[fredk]

3 hours ago, Mulesaw said:

Ah, nothing like a redevelopment of a city.. Those redevelopments always seem to be planned according to some smart people who thinks that this or that looks great on paper, and when it is finally done in concrete and tarmac. Well it doesn't work as they had hoped anyway.

All city planners in Denmark dream about making that southern Europe feeling with plazas and pedestrian streets that are crowded with people in the evening. The problem is the always forget that the reason why it works in Southern Europe is because they actually have a climate that makes it nice to stay outside for an evening. Even in the late summer. 
We on the other hand normally have cold summerdays with lots of rain and wind, and that doesn't go well with sitting outside and enjoying a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

Good idea with a cup of chocolate actually :-)

 Same has happened in Belfast and some other towns in N.I.

We had a couple of really nice, hot, summers and the councils got rid of the covered places, redeveloped them into open air plaza type places. Bars and restaurants which were encouraged to open up there soon closed up, too cold and wet most days. Now the councils are wasting more public funds in schemes to correct their mess up

[chuck123wapati]

2 hours ago, TomE said:

You might email or call Hermann Oak Leather Co.  I've found them very responsive and would think they'd be concerned about that hide representing their product.  About a year ago they had production problems because of a splitter that was off line for several weeks, and SLC was short on quality product.  I ended up keeping a side that had a lot of puckering because it was all that was available.  A few weeks ago, HO told me they were at maximum production capacity and not taking on new customers at this time.   

i took off the name of the company, I'll be glad to tell anyone who wants to know on a private message but beware, is the middleman. And they don't have a  review section for customers to check their service. They say that midgrade leather is C or d seems to me out of 4 grades it would be B or c. I can read and did know it may have scratches and bug bites and a brand, that is what i wanted but this piece has machine cuts and gouges completely through the top layers almost half unusable imo.

Now what does it have to do with shipping? It cost me 20 bucks +3 days to get it, to send it back for refund another 20 bucks +3days  then to re order from someone else 20 bucks +X days then maybe i get a decent piece with just scratches and bug bites. LOL  OR eat the 100 bucks i throw away in bad leather and save four or five days of aggravation and forget it.
 

Edited March 15, 2022 by chuck123wapati