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I recently emailed UBeaut in Australia to see if I could buy some of their Hard Shellac.  A representative answered and said that they couldn't ship it, but "However I am talking with a gentleman who looks like bringing a large quantity of it in some time in the next couple of months and will be selling it throughout the US.  Check back with me in a couple of months and I could be able to help you."

Anyone know anything about this? 

Thanks,

There was someone on here a month ago saying they were looking into becoming a distributor but i don't remember who it was.

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Guitars, guitars and more guitars.

Was it Tracy at Luthier suppliers?

That was Mike Toby.  Here is the link to the thread.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I actually did contact Neil of Ubeat, and I proposed to become a distributor. He said he would get back to me, and I have never heard back. That was about 1 month ago. I have been in touch with Mike, but haven't heard from him in awhile too. I just hope someone can get this stuff into the US market. I love it, and will continue to use it if I can find more.
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

[QUOTE=LuthierSupplier]I actually did contact Neil of Ubeat, and I proposed to become a distributor. He said he would get back to me, and I have never heard back. That was about 1 month ago. I have been in touch with Mike, but haven't heard from him in awhile too. I just hope someone can get this stuff into the US market. I love it, and will continue to use it if I can find more.
Tracy[/QUOTE]

Hey Tracy, the guy I heard this from at UBeaut was Neil Ellis.  Here's a quote from his email,"Check back with me in a couple of months and I could be able to help you.  Wast of time me saying I'll get back to you because I know me, and I won't."

Maybe you should send him a note.

Best regards,

Max Bishop,Brighton, Michigan

Tracy

Ubeaut is a very small business with a total of two employees - Neil and his wife.

As you can imagine he's flat out like a lizard drinking just manufacturing his products which is why he sometimes is hard to get hold of or get a reply from.

The best way to pin him down is to phone him.

Cheers

Bob

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Thanks guys, but Mike Tobey is in contact with him directly. If that deal won't go through, then I may contact him. I may end up working with Mike to sell and market this stuff. Time will tell. Thanks!
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Tracy,

Please let me know if you hear anything.  I gotta get my hands on some of this stuff.

thanks,

For anyone wondering what the problem is:

The problem is that as hard shellac contains Ethanol, it's classed as dangerous goods. That means there are prohibitive customs/import duties attached to shipping it into the US, even more prohibitive shipping it into Canada.

Same deal, I guess, as Stewmac not shipping nitro to Oz, you can ship this stuff, but the rubber stamps on the paperwork cost far more than the product is worth.

Neil has been trying to find a way around this, but it's an up-hill battle. Imagine having such a great product that people are ringing you up about it from the other side of the planet, but your hands are tied by mindless bureaucracy.

Paul,
I totally understand about the Ethanol issue. HOWEVER, he is already selling Shellawax all over the US, and it's #1 ingredient is Ethanol! So why is it that he can sell Shellawax and not Ubeaut? I would think he just has to throw some on the boat with the shellawax, and be done with it. At least that is what I hope he decides to do.
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

I called up Penn State about it and the lady I spoke to was really crabby about it and not listening to me at all. I ordered from the previously, but wanted a back-up bottle of it. I hope we see another source here in the us very soon.
Anyone with import capabilities please keep trying.
-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

I get my Ubeaut supplies from Jim Carroll at Carrol's Woodcraft Supplies here in Geelong.

Jim told me that Neil had thrown in some Ubeaut Hard Shellac with a Shellawax shipment to Lee Valley to see how it went. From what he said I don't believe that Lee Valley had orderd it and it was Neil's initiative.

At that stage Neil had some enquiries from the States from OLF members and also some prodding from me about exporting the stuff.

As I said Ubeaut is a tiny company and the hard shellac is very popular here in Australia particularly with furniture restorers for use on horizontal surfaces of tables, sideboards etc.

It may be the case that Neil is at production capacity to supply the domestic market. He also runs the biggest woodworking forum here in Oz so as well as producing his fine products he's also flat out trying to keep a bunch of hooligans like us under control.

If any of you are REALLY keen I'll drop by and see him and get the skinny on what the story is on getting this stuff to the States.(his factory is only 10 minutes from my place)

Bob

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Bob, count me in on REALLY keen. I used it on the last FP top I did and loved it. It was very durable and sounded great. I'm planning on FP'ing or straight spraying my next 2 with the hard shellac and don't want to run out 1/2 way through. Its fantastic stuff and I hope I don't have the last bottle I'll ever be able to buy.
-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

Given that it's produced by a two man company, it kind of surprises me that it couldn't be replicated locally. Is there some magical secret formulation?

Pat

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There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

Maybe Neil would license someone in the US to use his proprietary formula?

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

It is a secret formula. Well, shellac in ethanol with a secret ingredient. Not so secret, since he mentioned it in his woodwork forum once.

Eucalyptus oil?

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Guitars, guitars and more guitars.