Orders from David (and Renee) Borek

[DCBluesman]

I ordered a decent sized (for me) group of woods from David Borek. I called him this past weekend looking for a tracking number. In coversation, David apologized for the delay in getting my blanks out to me. He's had some significant legal issues with a supplier who was trying to cheat him. As any of you who have had occasion to work the legal system internationally know, this is gut-wrenching and time-consuming. BUT, he prevailed! Now he can focus his full attention to fulfilling orders.

That being said, I received my 16 pound parcel from him today. Included were 20 beautiful amboyna burl, 20 gorgeous afzilia xy lay, 20 birds-eye bocote, 10 redwood lace burl, 6 bees wing narra and another 25 or so assorted pieces that he "threw in" to insure my satisfaction and to give me some experience with woods that I had not turned. Total blanks: Over 100. Total price? $200!

And these are no ordinary blanks. They're properly kiln dried, sized exactly (at least according to my calipers}, and packaged protectively by species. I can't wait to get my tools on this beautiful wood.

Now I'm not saying that his wood is better than any of our other suppliers. I love the stuff I've gotten from all of them, but David appears to be ready to make a name for himself quickly. If you're in need of the exotic stuff, give him a call. I'm sure glad I did.

 

[ryannmphs]

I'm sure it's around here someplace, but I'm being lazy today. Is there a website or other contact information?

Thanks
Ryan

 

[DCBluesman]

His new website is still in development, but here's his contact info.

You can call me from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM but I take calls on the toll free orders line till Midnight, central time. 1 (866) 744-9663 My regular number for shootin the bull is (512) 263-8355 or (512) 263-7353 and a fax line (512) 263-7412.

 

[DCBluesman]

Representative samples of the blanks, from top to bottom: black and white (Asian) ebony, redwood lace burl, bees wing narra, bird's eye bocote, afzila XY-Lay.


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[darbytee]

I also received an order from David today and I can't reiterate Lou's message enough. It is absolutely gorgeous wood. My order was significantly smaller than Lou's, but David still threw in a bunch of extras for me to try out. I'll try to post some pics of some of the stuff Lou didn't get to later.

 

[Darley]

Thank's Lou

Serge

 

[penhead]

David must have been busy..I received my order today also. Very nice very beautiful wood.

In speaking with David on the phone several times, I believe he ascertained that I was not familiar with many of the woods he was talking about. He suggested that he put together basically a 'sample' of a few woods because I wasn't familiar with them. This is what I received, and many of them David included for me to try n/c. I would send pics, but I dont thing I could do the wood justice. This is what was included:

masur birch; afzelia xy-lay; black palm; mun ebony; ziricote; amboyna burl; thai cochin rosewood; bee's-wing narra;
bird's-eye bocote; black&white ebony;redwood lace burl; camphor burl; dogwood burl; afzelia xy-lay; amboyna burl;
2-tone amboyna burl; golden amboyna burl; spalted tamarind; chechen burl; golden amboyna; bubinga; bubinga pommelle.

Will for sure post pic's when these are turned into pens...soon I hope!

Thanks,
JohnPayton

 

[woodspinner]

All
I TALKED TO HIM TODAY AND HE SEEMS LIKE A REALY NICE GUY.

I ask him to give me a quote on a set of misc. types of wood that he keeps in stock. I want to be able to show various woods and take order for specialty pens. I find this business is in Austin TX.. I can go that way to visit my Daughter in Lufkin TX. and that has got to cost me big money. Imagine 10,000 sq. ft. of goodies.
I will be going South soon.

Good turning and be safe
Bill

 

[C_Ludwigsen]

Hmmmmm, my wife's grandmother and sister live in Austin and sure want us to visit. I think I just developed an alterior motive (mischevious grin and laugh)...

 

[djborek]

I just wanted to jump in here and say a few things to my customers both current and future ones. I want to thank all of you who had placed orders with me and were patient with the legal issues that came up upon me after I had taken your orders. Everything was cleared up and they had to sign statements of retractions of the accusations they made against us, including there Attorney. I am happy to assist anyone who wants and needs any information about woods, woodturning and anything about wood technology. We are here to help promote the Craft in any way we can. I have been fortunate enough to have had a handful of mentors throughout my life; the one thing they have said to me was to give back to others willing to learn. So that is our mission here. Being near 51 now and having started at 11 on the Delta 12†lathe it has really gone by fast being on the lathe at least 1/8 of my life. I now have four lathes, a Bonnie Klein Lathe with her Thread cutting jig that works on any lathe, a 3520 Original Powermatic made in USA, a 1224 Oneway lathe for my wife Renee and a, http://www.maxnc.com CL-15 4 axes CNC mill and lathe. I also have a commercial Twin 3hp Perske Router motors, CNC closed loop DC Servo Router that I spent about a year part time building in 1999 to make a series of finished and unfinished exotic gift boxes with a 3/16†wall thickness and lids in solid burls, ebonies, and rosewoods.

I hope I get to talk to most everyone here at one time or another. If you call me toll free @ 1-(866) 744- 9663 I can call you back at no cost to me in the lower 48 States Lots of orders keep me very busy and when I find the time to sit and talk it is a rest period for me now and then. I have been busy building a new web page due to open November 7th 2004 on my 51st Birthday, it will be called Http://www.blankity-blanks.com and we are also starting an Ebay Store called, Blankity-Blanks Exotic Wood Supply this next week of Oct 22, 2004.

We will be having drawings and prizes of special pen blanks for people who register online on our Web page by placing an order of our “Exotic Woods Price List via Email onlyâ€. Through either djborek@zeecon.com before we have the web page open and on our Web page requesting information after we open.

Best regards,

David J. Borek & Renee B. Borek

 

[tipusnr]

Good luck to you in your endeavors! I don't think we've done business as yet but you ARE highly thought of among my peers and a Scorpio to boot (I'll turn 50n on the 17th). With the attitude you've expressed you'll go far enough to enjoy life and, in my book, that's as far as we need to go. Congratulations, in advance, on your new site and e-store.

 

[Darley]

Hi David did you receice my e-mail ?

Thank's

Serge

 

[djborek]

Serge,

I did! Can you tell people I made this past post and would hope to have them contact me for a price list and for some great woods we will be giving away when we open. We have put your name in the hat we plan on drawing names out of on November 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, & 11th. I had a hat made by Johannes Michelsen out of Quilted Maple, he started making them and lots of people make them now. I am just glad we had gotten one by trading him two maple burl monster blocks that were 18" X 18" X 11.5" and one the same size of Quilted maple for my Wifes hat. That was just about 500 lb of wood to make hats that weighted onces when they were done. When I think about it now I can't belive all of the waste it takes to make a hat.

Anything I can help you with just email me at djborek@zeecon.com

Best regards,
David J. Borek

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[Darley]

Goossshhh !........Ho! la laaaaaa! ........... what an impressive list David, thank you to send it to me, I don't know where to starter so much choice. I will wait until you got your site up an runing like that you will have the price done as well, are you goin to post photos of each species ? are you doin only pen blank or any other blank like stoppers ? Thank you to put my name in the hat, by the way beautiful hat. I think every body should see your list, what is again Ho! yes 112 species this is a pen turner paradise and a good way to have headache just to make our choice []

Cheer

Serge

 

[djborek]

Well my friends at IAP.Org we had the Drawings at our Web Page Opening, http://www.Blankity-Blanks.com and it all came out to be fun for us all with my Wife Renee and I pulling WINNERS from the hat from small folded cards with all of the people who registered and anyone who emailed me from the IAP.Org

All of our Winners receive free freight and handling; we take care of all of your winning gifts and will be sending them all out next week! If anyone has a change of address please email us with your new or current one.
First up we have;
Bill Hale Won our Laos collection II of 5 species of Bottle stopper blanks!
Dan Benton Won a ten pack of assorted prime pen blanks!
Scott Greaves Won a ten pack of assorted prime pen blanks!
Gary Ruth Won our Laos collection I of 5 species of Bottle stopper blanks!
Ernest Mc Farlane Won a ten pack of assorted prime pen blanks!
Jeff Brown Won a 20mm Badger Shaving Brush Head
Kirk Bass Won our Laos collection I of 5 species of Bottle stopper blanks!
Fred Ritter Won a ten pack of assorted prime pen blanks!
Lou Metcalf Won a ten pack of assorted prime pen blanks!
Lorie Auguste Won a 20mm Badger Shaving Brush Head
Charles R. Teener won our Laos collection I of 5 species of Bottle stopper blanks!
George Mosko Won a ten pack of assorted prime pen blanks!
John Payton Won our Laos collection II of 5 species of Bottle stopper blanks!
Claude Schilling Won a ten pack of assorted prime pen blanks!

I will be emailing all of you and sending them out just as soon as next week. We have been very busy filling our orders and have been in a little back up because of the holliday season. We hope you enjoy the the winnings from our drawings.

Best regards,

David J. Borek
EarlOfBurl@Blankity-Blanks.com
http://www.Blankity-Blanks.com

 

[Gregory Huey]

I have not done business with you yet but your web site has been down loaded to my favorites. After hearing what my peers have to say you will have my next wood order. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

 

[jkirkb94]

Wow David! I just realized that I won something. And I have just started doing bottle stoppers. I still am enthralled( big word)with the blanks that I ordered from you.[] I hope to make some pens next week from some of them. I will be posting them on the forum. Thanks again for the quality of woods that you stock.[] Kirk[8D]

 

[penhead]

WoW..I actually won something...first time ever for me...guess I was just waiting for the best[]

Knowing the quality of wood you sell David, I can hardly wait to see whats in the box.

Thanks ever so much,

JohnPayton

 

[DCBluesman]

Wow! I'm heading out for lottery tickets! First the election, and now I've won your drawing. Who could ask for more? I can wait to see what kind of sawdust I can make out of these blanks...I'll post pictures when I get them turned into pens! [8D]

 

[Scott]

Thanks David and Renee!

I really appreciate all the stuff I have gotten from you! And now I win a drawing! Cool! You two are just too good to us!

Scott.

 

[Scchil]

Thanks David & Renee,

I seldom win anything! There at the end of the list was my name! As I was reading the list of names I was thinking what a cool thing to do for those on the list.

When I first started turning pens, and needed some blanks, I called David to order some. I told him I was just starting, gave him a dollar amount and ask him to send me some blanks that he thought would be good for a beginning turner. WOW!

Then he chatted with me about turning giving me titles of good turning books and suggested which tools to buy. I learned more from David in 45 min than in everything I had read.

When the blanks came it was like early Christmas. In addition to the ordered ones there were additional ones to "give a try".

I work as a consultant and coach whith business and I often tell the story of the blanks from David when I talk about customer service.

David & Renee, thanks again for everything. What wonderful people to do business with!

Claude

 

[penhead]

Wow..!!! I was just thinking of this wood this morning and was wondering about it...lo and behold a package just showed up from FedEx minutes ago with five of the most beautiful bottle stopper blanks I have seen..!!

Almost spooky timing David[]
but thank you ever so very much, what a great Christmas present.

Gonna have to order some really special stopper kits now to show this wood off..

Thanks again David, and hope Santa is good to you and yours,

JohnPayton

 

[PenWorks]

You sure that wasn't my order John ? I ordered some of his Badger shaving brush heads too. Anthony

 

[penhead]

Nope Anthony, not sure...all that was in the bag were the five stopper blanks - no brush heads.

Give him a call, he is pretty easy to talk with.
Let me know if this was suppose to be part of yours.

Let me see now - its how far from AZ to VA - so if I start making sawdust now...hmmmm..[]

JohnPayton

 

[PenWorks]

Yeah John, he makes those stopper blanks sound so nice, I wanted to put something really nice on the end. And those badger brush heads look nice. He also claimed using the almound soap & his brush, I would look younger in a month.

So unless there were about 50 pen blanks in there too, I'll let it slide. Besides I got my blanks back from Steve today, I sent about 50 to get stabilized and although I havn't cut any, it looks like he does a real fine job. Anthony

 

[penhead]

Read that about the almond soap and brush on his page...thought about it...but since my daughter has never seen me without a beard (she is sixteen now) I wouldn't want to scare the heck out of her by shaving...guess I will just have to stay looking old[^]

JohnPayton

 

[PenWorks]

Just heard from David, He was under the weather a bit and said the IAP members slammed him with orders. He's working OT to catch up, but sounds like he is getting further behind. He says, just be patient to any body who hasn't gotten their orders yet. He also stated they are not shipping partial orders. I am only passing this along at his request.

John WOW ! you owe it to your daughter to shave so she knows "Whos Your Daddy", My brother shaves his off about every threee years, I do a double take when I see him, and tell him to grow it back.

 

[DCBluesman]

What a nice post-Christmas present...I received my prize from David's drawing. Here's a picture.

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On the left are two black & white ebony blanks. Top to bottom are leopardwood, birdseye bocote, bubinga pummelle, ziricote, tulipwood, Afzelia XY Lay, tiny beeswing narra and curly maple.

Thanks David and Renee!

 

[Tom McMillan]

Hey Lou---you do know I have a birthday soon don't ya???

 

[Scott]

I got my prize from David - it's an assortment like Lou got. Man, are these nice blanks! Of course I've known that for a while - you should have seen the blank I got from him for a walking cane! Thanks David!

Scott.