Aloha from Kauai

[Bruce Page]

This is the first time that I’ve had a chance to log on to SMC this month! It’s been hot & humid over here but it is beautiful! I did manage to locate some Koa wood but it is crazy expensive – a 2”X4”X24” piece of select grade was $33.50 Yikes!

[Warren White]

Hi Bruce,
You at Barking Sands? I spent sometime there with others from LLNL as well as payload folks from Sandia some years ago doing a few High Altitude X-Ray experiments. We went over there three or four times.

We love Kauai. There is a place just as you get to the hlll before you get into Lihui (from the other side of the island) right hand side of the road, in the back of another store. They sell koa boxes and they had some wood for sale including some seconds. I bought one piece I had high hopes for but it was difficult to mill.

Take care. Incidentally, you probably already know, but you can get internet access at any of the libraries by purchasing a Kauai Library card. I still have mine from our last trip over.

Warren

[Jim Becker]

I'm jealous!! Nice place to be "parked" if you have to be away from home!! (Lots of wonderful nature on that particular island, too)

Free avitar update...

[Norman Hitt]

Now That Picture looks like a man that enjoys his work, (or at least, one that enjoys his workplace).

Bruce, did you see the post I sent you in a reply to your post when you were leaving to go over there, about Matts, the woodworker?

Enjoy your stay there, It's gotta be better than Kodiak.

[Ted Harris]

This is the first time that I’ve had a chance to log on to SMC this month! It’s been hot & humid over here but it is beautiful! I did manage to locate some Koa wood but it is crazy expensive – a 2”X4”X24” piece of select grade was $33.50 Yikes!

Can you get the names & phone numbers of the places that you find selling curly koa and any other exotic woods that come from Hawaii? I could really use them, as I would like to use Koa in my pool cues. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[James Mahoney]

How'zit Bruce, been to Kauai three times years ago. I 'm on Oahu, on the northshore side. I havn't come on line in a while, been so bizzy. What part of Kauai do you live? I know some guys from there. Get family too. Aloha Jim.

[Michael Perata]

Ah, the most beautiful and the most quiet of them all.

If you are a golfer, I hope you have had a chance to play the big Prince course at the Princville Resort. 145 slope and you'll think it underrated.

[Bruce Page]

Hi Bruce,
You at Barking Sands? I spent sometime there with others from LLNL as well as payload folks from Sandia some years ago doing a few High Altitude X-Ray experiments. We went over there three or four times.

We love Kauai. There is a place just as you get to the hlll before you get into Lihui (from the other side of the island) right hand side of the road, in the back of another store. They sell koa boxes and they had some wood for sale including some seconds. I bought one piece I had high hopes for but it was difficult to mill.

Take care. Incidentally, you probably already know, but you can get internet access at any of the libraries by purchasing a Kauai Library card. I still have mine from our last trip over.

Warren

Hello Warren, I just got home yesterday after spending 4 weeks at Barking sands – actually Sandia’s facility, KTF, separate from PMRF. I stopped at the place you mentioned, on highway 56, he was the guy with the sky high prices. He did have a couple of beautiful koa rocking chairs but I was afraid to ask him the price! There was another place in Hanapepe that had a pretty nice supply of actual lumber but it was by appointment only and he never returned my calls.
Are you still enjoying your retirement? Sorry, that was a stupid question!

[Bruce Page]

Jim, thanks for the new avatar, I’ve already put it to use.

Hi Norman, I wish I could have gotten over to Maui to see Mats’s work, he sure builds beautiful furniture. Unfortunately we were working 12+ hours a day, 6 days a week, so Sunday was reserved for local touristy stuff, laundry, & sleep!

Ted, I didn’t bring any of the numbers back with me, maybe James M. below can help you out.

James, I was on Kauai working, it’s a beautiful place as are all of the islands. When we were approaching HNL the pilot said there were 875,000 people on O’ahu, is that true or is that all of the islands?

Michael, Kauai has some gorgeous courses, too bad that I gave up on golf years ago. (I really sucked at it)

[James Mahoney]

Bruce, Thats about right in numbers,and sadly to say its growing. Nobody wants to live on a crowed island. With visitors it swells to a 921,000 average. Just Honoluu alone holds 377,000 residents. Yep Kauai is lovely for sure. Koa wood is $22 a foot at this place not sure if I can say the name on here, but the phone # is 808-842-1818,fax 808-842-7887, I just called them they only have long , no short . and no other native wood like milo, kamani, kou, but all island wood guys have their little stash I know I do. Well OK people, can you smell the wood in the air,........James.