Tucson Rock and Mineral Shows

[Koolau]

It's the same people that put on one of the "Big 3" shows in Tucson so you never know.

I kinda wonder what it costs to fly "rocks" to Hawaii from the Mainland.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I kinda wonder what it costs to fly "rocks" to Hawaii from the Mainland.

Matson.

I once had a theory that the vendors in Tucson would be more willing the deal on the last day of the show to avoid shipping their rocks back home. Come to find out, most of them don't ship home. They just store them in Tucson for next year. I understand storage is cheap.

 

[Koolau]

Matson.

I once had a theory that the vendors in Tucson would be more willing the deal on the last day of the show to avoid shipping their rocks back home. Come to find out, most of them don't ship home. They just store them in Tucson for next year. I understand storage is cheap.

I'm sure Matson is cheaper than air, but it ain't cheap. We looked into moving our "stuff" here via container. Instead we sold a little, gave away a lot and dumped the rest. MUCH cheaper.

 

[2HOTinPHX]

I'm sure Matson is cheaper than air, but it ain't cheap. We looked into moving our "stuff" here via container. Instead we sold a little, gave away a lot and dumped the rest. MUCH cheaper.

Matson only handles full container loads. You would want to use a freight forwarder unless you plan on buying tons and tons of rocks...LOL.

 

[SecondAttempt]

Matson only handles full container loads. You would want to use a freight forwarder unless you plan on buying tons and tons of rocks...LOL.

I thought we were talking about the vendors. They mostly deal in full containers.

 

[SecondAttempt]

My research shows $1500-$7000 to ship a 40 ft container anywhere in the world with the range accounted for by distance and type of transport. 25 years ago I worked for a company building and installing equipment all over the world. For us a container cost $5000 (roughly) back then and where it went hardly mattered. Where it got complicated was if you required under deck, 2-4 adjacent spaces (for large items), etc.

Even if we assume the high end, a 40 ft container can handle 59,200 lb. That's about 10 cents a lb, pretty cheap. Cheaper than mailing a letter!

 

[Koolau]

In '07, we looked at a full container (door to door) about 5000 miles was going to be about $8K. I'm guessing that's 50% higher by now though I have no data or site. Just know that sending stuff to Hawaii over water has gotten out of hand of late. YMMV

 

[2HOTinPHX]

I thought we were talking about the vendors. They mostly deal in full containers.

Oh I was thinking of an individual flying over from Hawaii to visit the Tucson show and shipping back their new treasured pieces....

 

[SecondAttempt]

In '07, we looked at a full container (door to door) about 5000 miles was going to be about $8K. I'm guessing that's 50% higher by now though I have no data or site. Just know that sending stuff to Hawaii over water has gotten out of hand of late. YMMV

In 2014 it cost me $5837.62 to ship a 20 ft container door-to-door from Tucson Arizona to Kona Hawaii. My understanding is that the price is similar now. A 40 ft container would not have been double, only $1000 more roughly. At the time Matson charged me about $1750 to ship a vehicle to Hawaii from Tucson.

 

[Koolau]

In 2014 it cost me $5837.62 to ship a 20 ft container door-to-door from Tucson Arizona to Kona Hawaii. My understanding is that the price is similar now. A 40 ft container would not have been double, only $1000 more roughly. At the time Matson charged me about $1750 to ship a vehicle to Hawaii from Tucson.

I don't still have my figures, but that's what I recall - about $8 Grand door-to-door. That was the larger container. This would have been from the Great Lakes area which is another almost 2000 miles from where you started. Sounds about right. When we figured what we would be shipping at that cost, it didn't make sense. One of the great things about Oahu (not so much the other Islands) is that used "everything" is typically inexpensive (except cars.) The rapid turn over in military and disappointed transplants means there's a constant supply of nearly new used items available.

When we originally moved, we stayed in a hotel for 4 days and bought 2 used cars and filled a 3 BR condo with furniture. The furniture (including bedding) with delivery cost totaled less than $3K.

Heh, heh, a few years later (and one move to a different condo) and we could have completely changed out our furniture when the family next door moved back to the mainland (after less than 2 years.) We bought a few items from them, but most of it went on Craigs list, etc. for pennies on the dollar. I know it was all new because the family BEFORE the family selling it bought all new - and then left everything with the apartment 4 months later. Not sure what they charged the next family, but probably next to nothing as they just up and moved "home." So from purchase to selling (two families in a row) was 28 months. We still have a few pieces we bought for almost nothing - and we were doing them a favor to take it off their hands. YMMV


Returning you now...

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

DrRoy, thanks for the update in the BTD thread! It inspired me to look up the gem & mineral shows again, and there is a new one in our state even closer to us, in March, when we can go! (The one that was on the schedule earlier is taking place when we're on vacation out of state, so I had given up for this year.)

If anyone on the board is going to the one at the Montgomery County (MD) fairgrounds in March, feel free to PM me!

So, anyone have any tips for a noob? I know I can haggle, not to act too interested, and that being willing to walk away is the best leverage. I'm only looking to spend a few hundred to start, although maybe into the low 4 figures, but I figure I should start slow.

 

[GaryInCO]

I know it was all new because the family BEFORE the family selling it bought all new - and then left everything with the apartment 4 months later. Not sure what they charged the next family, but probably next to nothing as they just up and moved "home." So from purchase to selling (two families in a row) was 28 months.

Wow. I would not have guessed there are many people who would "up and move to Hawaii, fully furnish their apartment with brand-new furniture, change their minds a few months later, abandon all their new purchases, and head back to the mainland much poorer" !

You would think they'd research things a bit more carefully so they had some confidence they'd want to stay.

 

[SecondAttempt]

Wow. I would not have guessed there are many people who would "up and move to Hawaii, fully furnish their apartment with brand-new furniture, change their minds a few months later, abandon all their new purchases, and head back to the mainland much poorer" !

You would think they'd research things a bit more carefully so they had some confidence they'd want to stay.

I've said in other threads, Hawaii can be a tough place to live. I won't list the reasons but a lot of people move here thinking it is like the mainland with tropical weather. But many things do not function well here and it can be very frustrating for many to the point that they abandon their plans once reality sets in. I love it here. But there is a lot I just have to put up with.

 

[DrRoy]

DrRoy, thanks for the update in the BTD thread! It inspired me to look up the gem & mineral shows again, and there is a new one in our state even closer to us, in March, when we can go! (The one that was on the schedule earlier is taking place when we're on vacation out of state, so I had given up for this year.)

If anyone on the board is going to the one at the Montgomery County (MD) fairgrounds in March, feel free to PM me!

So, anyone have any tips for a noob? I know I can haggle, not to act too interested, and that being willing to walk away is the best leverage. I'm only looking to spend a few hundred to start, although maybe into the low 4 figures, but I figure I should start slow.

It depends a lot on the circumstances. I find at a rock shop, it is unusual to get more than 10-20% off. Here in Tucson, some places are 50% off anything, others are much tighter. The best discount that I had to work for was 45%, but that was a low 4 figure piece.The others were more like 25%, but one rare item only 12%. You can say that you can only just afford X, and see how it goes.

 

[DrRoy]

I posted in BTD, but here are some acquisitions so far.
The trilobite is about 12 in long.
.

 

[braumeister]

That's remarkable! I've never seen a trilobite more than a couple of inches long, and that's a beautiful specimen.

 

[Koolau]

Wow. I would not have guessed there are many people who would "up and move to Hawaii, fully furnish their apartment with brand-new furniture, change their minds a few months later, abandon all their new purchases, and head back to the mainland much poorer" !

You would think they'd research things a bit more carefully so they had some confidence they'd want to stay.

I've said in other threads, Hawaii can be a tough place to live. I won't list the reasons but a lot of people move here thinking it is like the mainland with tropical weather. But many things do not function well here and it can be very frustrating for many to the point that they abandon their plans once reality sets in. I love it here. But there is a lot I just have to put up with.

Continuing thread drift:



Our research was 12 trips over 30 years before moving (last one being 6 weeks of "practice" as if we lived here.) Living in Hawaii could be an entire thread. Suffice to say that we are the only mainland folks we know who have "stayed" after 16 years. Next closest was 8 years. Most 2 years. YMMV

 

[DrRoy]

That's remarkable! I've never seen a trilobite more than a couple of inches long, and that's a beautiful specimen.

The largest trilobite fossil is 28 inches.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I posted in BTD, but here are some acquisitions so far.
The trilobite is about 12 in long.
.

Be careful with that selenite. If you live in an area with high humidity it may literally melt away after just a few years. You may want to install it in a sealed enclosure with desiccant. I lost a beautiful citrine to humidity after about 3 years in Hawaii.

 

[DrRoy]

Be careful with that selenite. If you live in an area with high humidity it may literally melt away after just a few years. You may want to install it in a sealed enclosure with desiccant. I lost a beautiful citrine to humidity after about 3 years in Hawaii.

The crystal cluster is quartz.

 

[MarieIG]

My favorite is the purple (Amythest color?)

 

[Spock]

I lived in Tucson for 29 years. Went to the gem shows every year. My commute took me past the airport (TIA). If I hadn't watched the calendar for the gem show, the jammed private jet parking lot at the end of runway 21 would remind that the gem show was in town.

 

[SecondAttempt]

The crystal cluster is quartz.

Yep, I saw your response in the other thread. It's beautiful!

 

[Koolau]

Be careful with that selenite. If you live in an area with high humidity it may literally melt away after just a few years. You may want to install it in a sealed enclosure with desiccant. I lost a beautiful citrine to humidity after about 3 years in Hawaii.

Heh, heh, sounds like our screen doors, concrete and exposed wood. It all melts away here in Paradise.

 

[2HOTinPHX]

Someone over on miata.net posted a link to a collection they are auctioning off. Lots of cool pieces to look at...
I added a few cool examples below for those who don't click on links.

Premium Rock, Fossil and Gemstone Auction:
This no reserve auction is comprised of 475 high-grade rocks, fossils, minerals, gemstones, rock furniture and jewelry, hand-selected by the owner, an established and respected rock collector for the last 35 years.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/312611_premium-rock-fossil-and-gemstone-auction/