Posted on by Information Seekers

Turning a Failure into a $1,500 Table

This coffee table didn’t sell. Let’s fix it.

Thank you to TotalBoat for sponsoring this video. Save 5% on TotalBoat products: https://www.totalboat.com/morleykert

Building the original table: https://youtu.be/2qrDFrJGJ8g

Gain exclusive access to behind the scenes content and Discord community by becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/morleykert

Ryan’s company: https://www.bbops.me/

Here’s the full story of the customs issue… I live in Canada, the buyer is in California, and I shipped the table in two boxes via UPS. I included customs invoices, thinking that was sufficient, but I was wrong. A few days after shipping, we noticed that the package was being held in a warehouse in Michigan, so I called UPS and they told me that they needed a Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) declaration. After a fair amount of research, we filled it out (which basically just says what the table is made of), and submitted it to the email address we were provided. A few days later, no movement. Called UPS again, and they told us they had no record of the form. The buyer tried to resubmit the form with no success, and eventually, UPS just sent the packages back to me. When the boxes arrived back at my doorstep, they were not only undamaged, but it looks like they were never opened. The customs invoices were also unopened. So, yeah. An annoying, ridiculous problem that probably could’ve been avoided if I had hired a customs broker. Next time. Kudos to you if you’ve read this far!

THINGS I USED IN THIS VIDEO:

VEVOR Thickness planer: https://amzn.to/3w5qMgd
DEWALT 10-Inch Table Saw: https://amzn.to/3IJPjfQ
Festool TS75 Track Saw: https://amzn.to/42vjVdH
Doweling jig: https://amzn.to/3NJiSCO
Circle cutting jig: https://amzn.to/3HL5ZEC
RYOBI Cordless Hot Glue Gun: https://amzn.to/3IqgcHP
RYOBI 4Ah High Performance Batteries: https://amzn.to/3uQ58Mv

TotalBoat ThickSet Deep Pour Clear Epoxy (Get 5% off with this link): https://www.totalboat.com/products/thickset-deep-pour-clear-epoxy?sca_ref=3269067.320uHdw18q

TotalBoat Halcyon water-based varnish (Get 5% off with this link): https://www.totalboat.com/products/halcyon-water-based-varnish?sca_ref=3269067.320uHdw18q

White epoxy pigment: https://amzn.to/3LHqKSG
Heat gun: https://amzn.to/3K0TWFi
Milwaukee Random Orbit Sander: https://amzn.to/3OucSuQ
Makita Compact Router: https://amzn.to/3bO9oFB
Milwaukee M12 Cordless Drill/Driver and Impact Driver: https://amzn.to/3XHSYCd
Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C – Pure: https://amzn.to/3Yqg6VG

Hexagon light feature – Nanoleaf Elements: https://amzn.to/3ORmFwm

MY FAVORITE THINGS:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/morleykert

Note: The above shopping links are affiliate links, meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

MUSIC (in order of appearance):

Drive Slow – Lofive
Singularity – Lagua Vesa
Superior – Silver Maple
Get Up on That Horse – spring gang
Wow Factor – Daniel Fridell
Golden Coast – Chill Cole
Silver Smile – Ryan James Carr
Wiz Kid – OTE
I’m a Dynamite – Harvio
Grifting in Vegas – Kit and the Calltones
Add It Up (Blah Blah) – Bonkers Beat Club
Swerve Space – Lama House
Overrated – Matt Large
Hypnotic – Enigmatic
Chimera Chasers – Ryan James Carr
Bazar – El Flaco Collective
Time to Fly – Ryan James Carr
Shuffle – Jones Meadow
Cyan – West & Zander
Ghosting – Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
cAN’t lEt u Go – Hank Lotion
Rush – Jones Meadow

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/morleykert/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/morleykert
TIKTOK: https://vm.tiktok.com/xSfbdj/

https://morleykert.com/

#woodworking #DIY #failure

27 Replies to “Turning a Failure into a $1,500 Table”

  1. With epoxy being so expensive why not trying a bucket of water 1st to test for leaks just enough to cover the bottom. Then if no leaks just dry and proceed with use.

  2. Why not fill out the forms when you got the packages back and reship it?

  4. Liked, shared and commenting. B4 u mentioned staying at original price, I was gonna mention the plastic jigs u made to clamp the legs. But since u stayed at original price n even ended up lowering price further, I won’t mention em. Lol. Great video as always ????

  5. Great video. I just got my first 3d printer and it's been great. Are there any prints that weren't job specific that you would suggest as a maker?

    I also just bought that same doweling jig, it had the biggest width capabilities which has been great. I find the glue ups to be a little messy but that's probably my own fault for using too much glue.

  6. Pretty sure Rubio Monocoat instructions says max grit 150 as higher grit sanding ‘seals’ the pores prevent it from soaking in the fibers and compromising the protection it can offer. I may be wrong?

  7. I enjoy your workethics and enthousiasm. Your design choices though I have mixed feelings about. But I’m glad you found a buyer. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all. 🙂

  9. As someone who works in The UPS store I HATE SHIPPING INTERNATIONAL shipping to Canada normally is pretty smooth however sometimes UPS "rejects" random package just cause they fell like it and for us at the store it's very annoying telling customers we don't fully know why something was returned ????

  10. I think you should use black instead of white next time. Black goes with everything, white, not so much.

    By the way, I love the table, but wife said no way because it was white.

    That and Black Forest Wood Company sells a really good nano protective spray. So does Blacktail Studios, but Black Forest is in Canada. It protects the top against stains and scratches. I use something similar on my tables at home and it works really well.

  11. That’s a good guy. Though he does have your signature on file now, ????.

    I’m sure it’s fine, but isn’t a thing signed in sharpie proof in it’s self that it’s genuine.

    Funny, I hate how newer technology, which is designed to bring us together, sometimes drives us apart.

  13. You can take some flex paste and put it on the parts where the epoxy leaks out i found that out from blacktail studio

  14. Another great build! Think its worth it for sure! Maybe its better to cover the rockwool in your workshop, better for your health and easier to hang your tools 😉

  15. Hi from Chicago! I was just curious where do you normally list your furniture to sell? This table is very cool!

  16. Great video Morley! I always enjoy your energy and your craftmanship. Btw, when it comes to leakage with the epoxy, try Flexpaste (I think it's called that) I've seen Cam from Blacktail use it, and it always seem to to the trick. Cheers!

  20. I always wonder what kind of people buy this expensive furniture? Sure it's nice, but no coffee table will ever be 1500$ nice to me. Maybe if I were like a multi millionaire without any concept of money anymore?

  21. So happy to hear you sold it and the person you sold it to was awesome. Great job 🙂

  24. Next time before you attach the acrylic to a project, put a bead of silicone caulk and let it set up for a few days…should seal better than tape

  25. Blacktail Studios uses Flextape, the paste form, to stop leaks. Actually he had this problem on his last video. So you might want to check that out.

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