All items are usually shipped Priority Mail.  We are in the middle of the USA in southwest Missouri so no matter where you are, the transit time should be 2-4 business days after we ship.

We always use Delivery Confirmations and require our local post office to scan them.  This definitely helps keep packages from getting lost and it helps when something does go wrong with their service. (The post office refuses to scan the freebie confirmations you can get online, so what good are they?)!) 

Staves, slats, bamboo require extra time, special packaging and extra care.  We charge $3 per package handling because of this.  We normally ship Priority Mail.  If you require UPS, we charge $5 package/handling fee because the paperwork takes longer and we must catch a driver in our area to get your item shipped...pain.  Please allow 1 week depending on the circumstances.
 

The lead time on Stone typically is about two weeks.

We have literally tons of stone but processing it properly takes time.
Much of it requires Jim to spall it, the rest for me to saw it.
Nearly all of it requires some level of heat treatment to chip its best.
This can take about one week or less.
When I cook a load of Burlington, for example, it will be cooked to a minimum temperature, then cooled and most all pieces in the load will be checked and sorted.  Those that chip well are ready for shipment.  Those that need more heat, go back into the kiln to repeat the heat treat process at a bit higher temperature.  Larger pieces like the over 7" type, is that, if rushed, it will be a good cook on the outside but deep into the stone, you will not have the same quality.  So we always cook larger stone slower and for longer times.
 
All these processes take a lot of time.  When I am working on the stone, I am not shipping orders.  When I am shipping orders, I am not working on the stone! 

After the stone is ready to sell, we select the sizes you want, sample check again the heat treatment for chip-ability, weigh it out, wrap every piece in packing paper, and then fit it into the box so it cannot move or (hopefully) be broken on its way to you.  We charge $1 per box.  Choosing your order and packing it can easily take 30-45 minutes out of the day!

Updated 11/25/2007