Bodhran to be irradiated

Subject: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 07:25 PM

Not sure where this should be put (in the politest sense)..

I was up in Shanghai for a couple of weeks and I took one of my bodhrans with me so I could get to some sessions.

When I got back to Perth Customs relieved me of my drum. I have asked about this and there are new rules in place in WA concerning any instruments with untreated skins. Escpecially with the fear of equine diseases. I did point out that it was goat and not horse...

It has now gone off to to be gamma irradiated at a cost of A$60 and a 6-8 week wait. I will also have to get it tagged and get a letter to carry with me to say it has been treated.

Looks like gamma irradiation is better than a smokey pub and spilt beer in killing any nasties..

So if you are coming to Aus and you have any hand drums check first or it may not be allowed in, particularly hard if you are just visiting.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: GUEST,Pete Sumner
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 08:39 PM

For a minute I thought it said 'irradicated' ,,,,,,,\\Good info...thank you....
The skins I use cpme from Mali in Africa...and I don't ask how...
There is an Anthrax issue which many drum makers face....the spores are insidious and radiation probably does for them....my skins still have the mud on and pong a bit when they get to me...

Could be a problem for some folks....

If anyone needs to travel to the US and can't bring their own Bodhran or Tar, I'm happy to lend or hire my own stock to get folks through a tour or tune trip...

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 10:30 PM

G'day Shanghaiceltic (now 'Perthaceltic' ...? and Pete,

I was, a year or so back, looking to repair a banjo for my brother - and I wanted to replace the 'skin' head with a similar one. When I enquired of The Guitar Factory, in Sydney's suburb Gladesville, I was told that they could not get natural skin banjo heads past customs ... because of heightened quarantine restrictions.

I seem to remember it being said that they were not even prepared to do bulk irradiation on a package of skins from a well-known manufacturer ... presumably they want to do them all separately and charge $60 per.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Rowan
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 11:45 PM

Many years ago I was a postgrad in Botany at Melbourne Uni, where another postgrad was researching the mycorrhiza involved with Leptospermum laevigatum at Wilson's Prom; mycorrhiza are soil fungi that the roots of various plants require for optimal nutrient uptake.

She needed to have her soil samples sterilised without being changed chemically or physically, so chemical and heat treatments were out of the question. She got them sterilised at a facility run (in the 60s) by Westinghouse Carpets in Dandenong. This facility was under Customs Bond and used a set of conveyor belts to transport items around a Cobalt 90 source such that all the items' facets were sufficiently exposed to allow sterilising radiation to fully penetrate the items.

The most frequent items were quite large bales of natural fibres; sisal, hemp and camel hair were the most common as far as she could ascertain. The bales were quite large so I suspect a pallet of bodhrans or banjo heads would present no problems at all.

From anecdotes I heard at the time I gather AQIS (its predecessor, actually) assumed most people wouldn't know about the Westinghouse facility and would just confiscate (with eminently reasonable justification) foodstuffs and plant or animal products, as well as things made from natural fibres or skins that hadn't been treated in ways that would sterilise them. But if you knew of the facility you could ask for your "suspect" item to be so treated at Westinghouse. $60 would seem reasonable for such a service. And I'd imagine any label would only need to remain attached until it was released by both Customs and AQIS. You'd be prudent to keep any documentation, though.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Ernest
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 01:55 AM

How about building travel bodhrans with fyberskin heads to avoid this?

Has anyone tried it yet?

Best
Ernest

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 02:29 AM

Fyberskin would be OK. The Customs people would inspect the wood for borers here, but if free they would be allowed through. I have brought in wooden items before and had no problems following declaration.

The Customs dogs here are very very good and they are on a treat incentive for every case they find declarable goods in.

In fact the dogs were onto my drum case before I realised it...and no they did not sit down with paws over ears and howl...

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Mooh
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 07:32 AM

Remo already makes/markets bodhrans with Fybreskin heads. I had one, it was less than superb, but might have sufficed as a travel instrument.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: theleveller
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 07:36 AM

"For a minute I thought it said 'irradicated'"

Me too and I got quite excited and wondered if the same rule could apply to banjos and melodeons as well.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Mr Red
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 07:49 AM

What's this? A leveller having a tilt at Bodhrans?

Where is Cromwell when you need him?

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: quokka
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 08:20 AM

Shanghaiceltic, you don't by any chance repair bodhrans, do you?

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 08:22 AM

Oliver is away having his warts removed at the moment.


Seriously though. I bought an Akubra hat in Oz, and it came with a certificate, stating the croc skin hatband was from farmed crocs. [For meat I assume?]
Was told I might not get the hat out of the country without the certificate, however I wasn't asked for is on exit.


JM

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 08:23 AM

Are they allowed on Easyjet between UK and France? I need to know by next Thursday!

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: gnu
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 08:27 AM

Mooh... My REMO is great around the campfire where I would never use my "real" ones. And it sheds rain. BTW, the whole drum is made of fibreglass.

quokka... I know Frank "has repaired" a Hran. You might wanna send him a PM. He's a busy lad.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Will Fly
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 08:30 AM

theleveller:

'"For a minute I thought it said 'irradicated'"

Me too and I got quite excited and wondered if the same rule could apply to banjos and melodeons as well.'

Oh, please spare my 1904 tenor banjo - it never meant any harm.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 08:35 AM

I know someone who was working on a Uni project about seed genetics & viability. He brought in some seeds from overseas (all the proper authorisations in advance!) as part of the project. Customs just could not understand why he would not agree to let them be irradiated...

I'm not making this up you know...

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 09:46 AM

Never mind irradiated, they should be nuked.

eric

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: theleveller
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 10:23 AM

Bit harsh, that, Eric. Moderate amounts of conventional explosive would be quite adequate.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 10:48 AM

Don't think you'll have any trouble on Easy Jet.

JM

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: GUEST,roj
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 12:21 PM

Our drum was confiscated at Perth international and stored "outside Australia" i.e. in a quarantine shed for 6 weeks at a cost of around 30.00 dollars, I think. We were advised that irradiation could/would damage the skin by making it brittle. Don't know if it's true because we left it in quarantine and bought another one which we then left behind in Australia at a friend's house so the whole drama would not be replayed.

For what it's worth, we had a jacaranda seedpod confiscated as well, which I was careful to point out had originated in Western Australia and could we please keep it, at which point the nice customs lady politely asked if my guitar was made of wood from outside WA, and would I like to shut up or have that quarantined as well. It was 1.30 in the morning and we were both having a bad day.

They really are worried about alien infestation in Oz, and thinking about it, who can blame them.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: gnu
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 01:34 PM

Seems as tho the Celts are getting a bad rap in more ways than one, here.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 02:40 PM

They really are worried about alien infestation in Oz, and thinking about it, who can blame them.

well, me for one.

You didn't hear me complaining when Germaine Greer and Barry Humphries were hogging the headlines over here in the sixties, did you ?

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 03:16 PM

Are they allowed on Easyjet between UK and France? I need to know by next Thursday!

Only if you dont play them in the aisles or when the plane is taking off or landing..

Quokka. I have repaired bodhrans but not yet replaced a skin.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: quokka
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 08:33 PM

Thanks for that - I will PM you

Quokka

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: open mike
Date: 09 Oct 08 - 02:07 AM

nice to hear from you again..Shanghai Celtic...
perhaps kangaroo or sheep skin drums would pass muster?

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: gnu
Date: 09 Oct 08 - 04:32 AM

Mutton?

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: GUEST,Guestartist
Date: 09 Oct 08 - 01:19 PM

What is the difference between a Bodhráin and a new pair of Brogues?
Well, one bucks up your feet......

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 11 Oct 08 - 01:01 PM

Thought that was the chiropodist?
Shanghai celtic............LOFL
Anyway, turns out I can actually play the French tunes we've been sent on my B/C button accordion, despite the sh#tey keys they're in; said intrument also conveniently meets the Easyjet hand baggage dimensions, so the bodhran will be left at home, but the shakey eggs (AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!) might come too!

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: nickp
Date: 30 Oct 08 - 04:43 PM

From BBC news today

Drum maker is treated for anthrax

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 15 Nov 08 - 02:18 PM

Update:
Finally got the drum back. It had to go to the east coast to be zapped. Seems to be OK but all the plastic fittings on the carrybag have become very brittle due to the radiation.

I also asked about a letter or some form of 'passport' so I could take it with me on future trips. I was told that they no longer issued these and I would have to get a temporary export/import licence, or pay again for more irradiation.

Bloody silly if you ask me...

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 08:33 PM

Reminds me of a trip to New Zealand, where they are VERY touchy about animal products; someone got fined 200 NZ dollars for accidentally importing a forgotten ham roll in his pocket. Then we did a short trip to Fiji, and some of the folks on the trip tried to bring these souvenir spears back into NZ; they had to be fumigated first and collected from the airport 24 hrs later.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 04:48 AM

It's not just the Aussies and Kiwis, I've never forgotten arriving at the California state border where a huge fully-armed cop from the department of agriculture got onto the bus and confiscated everyone's lunch.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Stu
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 04:59 AM

"How about building travel bodhrans with fyberskin heads to avoid this?"

Brian Howard used to make these, but I have a feeling he sells through Remo.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 05:09 AM

This summer, customs at Raleigh Durham airport almost took my little container of homemade trail mix because it had raw cashews and almonds bought in England.

What's next, they start confiscating all instruments made of wood, because they may harbour termites or wood worm not native to country being carried into?   

Damn. Better not give the bureaucrats more ideas.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 06:51 AM

I think that the easy answer here is to remove the head entirely since the plastic Remo gets mixed reviews. Granted this would be a bit odd as instruments go but I bet you will be smiled upon by many and invited to more sessions.

Just an opinion...........


Spaw

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: trevek
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 07:50 AM

gamma radiation... isn't that what happened to Dr Bruce Banner/The Hulk?

Watch out, if the bodhran gets angry it might turn into a giant green taiko drum.

Embarrassing in the middle of a session.

Subject: RE: Bodhran to be irradiated
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 06:15 PM

On a more serious and timely note:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7735782.stm