UPS screwed the pooch and delivered it without notification before I was awake . They left two different notifications as to where it was but eventually I went to Londis in Lee about a mile away and retrieved it, The 9.5 mm dowels were excellent clean round and straight the 6mm dowels were all nicely machined but three of the ten were marked by dark knots - they may be useful depending on what parts I can use. One was grey green throughout but seems okay strength wise ONE was not Tulip wood at all it was easiliy identifiable by its grain feel and smell as OAK. However I shall use this as a secondary High wind rear spar as though heavier it is phenomenally flexible and an unexpected alternative timber for kites. I don't know why I got the oak maybe there were only nine 6mm dowels left in the bin and whoever packed it figured nobody would notice. packing was wexcellent - the box could have held a hundred 6mm dowels which is what I might order next time as the machining is superb - most dowel one buys in DIY stores is not round its sort of oval and the cutters often leave a lip down both sides and frequently it has knots or else finger joints at 50 cm intervals. I used to use Ramin but it is a horrible wood for kites as under stress it splits into long daggers that go through the covering. Ash would have been fine but all the planks I could get had fiddle grain and the sawn thin sticks warped. I think your operation is a great help as otherwise I would have to make old style kites entirely with bamboo which is very variable. European poplar was commonly used by French kite builders and Tulip wood is similar even if the Trees are not closely related. Next time I shall need 12.7mm and 15mm Dowels longer than 1metre as the kite will be 3 metre wingspan and 225 tall so the length would be around 150mm - it would be silly to build kites this size without tube joints as they provide extra strength in the middle and the package would be difficult to carry to kite Events above 180 cm. I do not drive and even if I did it would be hard to find a big enough roof box. I do use carbon fibre tube but the cost is horrendous and I will not build Cotton kites with it as it is far stronger than the fabric and I would prefer to have to replace a snapped spar than make a new kite.