Your channel is great but you should work on keeping your voice natural and not sounding "sales-y". Your old videos you sound more natural. Please keep your selling for sponsors to a minimum and don't sound like a car salesman when talking about sponsors. Every channel makes the mistake of becoming overly polished and sales-y. Please don't turn this channel into that. Thanks
I love the table. I think selling it would be easier if the photos weren’t in the street. When I first saw it in the street i thought it looked decent. But as soon as I saw it in the house it looked so much better for some reason. I think adding some extra time and effort (and maybe money) to get better photos would be totally worth it for these projects.
For sure! Staging is everything with furniture pieces. Seeing it in a space, potential buyers can envision how it might look in their space surrounded by their furniture and decorations.
The reason why the original legs didn’t really work aesthetically is because those are the same sort of wheels. You would see on variously different equipment in the warehouse. You don’t usually decorate things with what you see in a warehouse. It’s not that wheels are a bad idea, it’s just those particular wheels themselves I think improving those legs was a good idea. It would be nice to see more woodworkers create their own legs more often. In order for the design to feel complete it needed some sort of base or skirt. I do feel as though at the tips of the word touching the glass you should glue on felt tips. Having the glass making contact with a wood wood hard surface, is a bad idea.
Your transparency on price and cost breakdown is great. Knowing how much to charge and how much you value your time when being self employed is such a hard skill to learn, and you don't often see people talking about it so clearly. Much appreciated!
That was super awesome of that guy putting those scraps away for you. I feel like you will be getting plenty of cutoffs from him in the future. As far as the table.... it's a completely off the wall style. I like it but it just would not fit anything else in my house. But keep on building because you have inspired me to start building more things.
I think part of the reason people "complain" about the price is comparisons to mass produced furniture of a similar style, which is naturally cheaper. That doesn't matter as long as you and your buyer are happy with the price for: 1) higher quality, hand-built goods, and 2) support of a local maker.
Yes yes yes. People should also know they truly are getting a one of a kind piece. There will never be another like it so it truly is a piece of art you are investing in
It's a sick looking table... but there will be a massive amount of dust that is going to collect underneath the glass,, in all those little cracks & crevices.. So it'll be a nightmare to clean without some pressurized air
This is easily my favorite thing you've made. To see a table from those scraps was real vision and to see you grow through this channel is fun. You've come a long way in a short time. I'm also excited you kept the table. It was no way a failure. You have a great focal point for your new living space.
LOVE This table. And, thanks for the callout on the wage vs hourly rate. SO many people can't see that and have such a problem with makers charging these rates. Your example of the garage rates was great. It can be so frustrating.
I think the design would look really cool for a full sized table if it was flipped upside-down and scaled up a bit. Really cool and unique piece that probably wouldn't be cost effective if it wasn't scrap to begin with.
I was thinking the same, I think it should be flipped over! The way all the pieces tile together looks great, and the arches remind me of aqueducts. Put the glass on top and it would look great
kinda defeats the purpose of the look he was going for. he's built tables that look like that on top and that's clearly not what he was going for with this build. He wanted to make the most of the actual shapes of wood he got without altering them too much.
Great looking table! Doesnt fit my style or any of my furnishings, but it looks cool. I'd probably take the glass off, flip it over and use the bottom as the top. Kinda like a butcher block coffee table.
I appreciate your handmade items and you deserve every penny you want to charge and then some. The people who appreciate this skill and talent will have no problems paying your asking prices. Keep up the great work!
Awesome piece. And I think you gave it a very reasonable price. I’m curious to see how the joints hold over time though. Since non of your glue joints overlap. (Are all in the same line) I probably would try to glue an undersized board sheet of wood to the under side. And att at h the legs to it. The wood and glue might hold up fine over time but as a premium piece I’d want to do all I can to add to it lasting as long as possible.
Beautiful table. Your explanation of the difference between a wage and an hourly rate was spot on. $80/hr is more than fair for skilled craftsmanship. Problem is that people are accustomed to paying for junk they buy from a big box retailer. I love owning furniture with a story behind it.
I think part of the issue people have is that he isn't a skilled craftsman. He is certainly good, but all he did in this build was glue wood together. Same with previous builds, it's just glueing and sanding. He is creative but the quality isn't there to justify the price tag.... but again there is someone willing to pay it so what do I know
@@John...44... I have to agree. The 'supporting small creators' is a Hype I Wish to end very soon. Many of those small creators lack Skill and thus have to Charge insane prices to make hourly Rates they find to be fair (which in Most cases is far more than any skilled craftsman would usually earn). Besides that: this Dude wouldn't sell any pieces If it wasnt for His huge followership. I mean He sold a cutting Board anybody with the tools for the Job and 2 hands could make in about 2 hours for 300+ Dollars. And he didnt even use Special wood, in fact it was for free. Don't misunderstand me. This Dude has skills. You can See this from His 3d printer Videos. But His skills aren't related to woodworking in particular
I would put some support planks underneath the table and connect them to the legs, maybe in an X shape especially to hold up those pieces in the middle. The wood glue will wear off if it’s the sole support for those middle pieces and the table will break in half. Just a heads up!
That coffee table is a serious piece of Art! Your mind vision quickly pulled together the scraps into a unique look. I like it! It has a deep MCM vibe. Sometimes....... well don't worry because you moved and you both needed a new coffee table for your new home. A Mid Century Modern Vibe Art coffee table! Excellent work!!
I know we're gettin' down to business when I hear The Sanding Song! Repurposing cast off wood cuts is something near and dear to my heart. I love that you make something out of products that otherwise would be discarded. Thanks for sharing!
Recently found you channel.. out of curiosity I looked back at views on older videos because I was thinking “how have I not seen this guys channel before”… glad to see your channel snowballing upwards!!
From a financial gain point of view, is see these and think shelf brackets. Minimal effort on your part and a very saleable product. Not sure what they’d sell for per pair but would make a great little Etsy product run.
Hey Morley! I really dig the design and aesthetic of the table, POST casters :D those wheels were an abomination lol As a note though: if you're selling furniture at a premium, you should finish at a premium. Knocking the caster mounts off and not sanding and re-finishing the bottom is a big faux-pas in my mind. Others may disagree since you'll never see the bottom, but I imagine if someone in the future were to pickup their bespoke, handmade piece of furniture and it was less than perfect on the underneath wouldn't sit well. Either way, great spin on a project! It's unfortunate that it didn't sell before moving but that's a real lesson learned: if you're aiming high you've sometimes gotta wait for the right customer. As a fellow Canadian, props to you! Did you stay in Ontario?
I noticed it in the video but i really didnt think about it with the price. Its actually a really good point. Handmade high quality needs to in fact be high quality
Glad at the end of the video you pointed out how having a timeline to sell something rarely ever works out. Having an expectation of something selling right after making it has led me down the rabbit hole of thinking my work just isn’t good enough when in fact these things take time.
Hi Morley. Your explanation of the difference between 'Hourly Rate' and 'Hourly Wage' is spot on. I have designed and produced ornamental fountains and a close relative is an avid water color artist. We both took a class a few years ago which had a large focus on just how to make an accurate assessment of all the expenses an artist or maker automatically has because of the nature of their work when compared with someone who works hourly for a company. These expenses include everything you mentioned as well as liability insurance, health insurance, and taxes, etc. Anyone who seriously works at their speciality as a Business has to consider all of these aspects. The business Must first support itself. Then, very importantly, it Must support you. If it doesn't, it is Not a Business. It is a hobby. To avoid being a starving artist one Must include all of these components in order to be and remain a viable business. There are many who understand the mechanics of the process. And many others who may not but simply like what they like and are happy to show their appreciation monetarily by meeting a Fair price. Sadly, they are a minority in the sea of potential customers. Although sometimes it is wise to modify your price. Or to decide to wait, or not to wait, for a buyer. Never devalue your work or yourself. Remember, in the entire world, in most cases, there will be only one of each completed work from you. And certainly, only one of you. All the best to you and those you care for. Keep Making Mor...ley.
That was a very thoughtful explanation of your hourly rate at the end of the video. Hopefully it will clear up any confusion for those that didn't understand the concept. The way I see it, you're the one who designs and assembles the furniture so you can charge whatever you want for it.
I just came across your channel this morning (this is the second video I’ve watched). I watched the $1200 table for Mackenzie video & I’m about 3/4 of the way into this video. I’m starting to get into some building & refurbishing and it’s super helpful to see you work through each step. I also love that you do a running time count and a cost breakdown.
In my opinion, it's definitely NOT a failure. The fact you used scrapwood which was about to be thrown away to build something so interesting in its geometrical aesthetic is really cool. Good luck, Morley! 😉👌
Awesome table! I agree that I like the legs much more than the casters, but there's no doubt you'll find a great project that puts those casters to good use! Looking forward to the future projects!
People not understanding how much things cost is a rule of life. No matter the country, the job, the time of the year... People just won't understand the price. Which means, that you actually have to make them feel that it's fair priced. And that's where marketing comes in.
awesome coffee table.. the casters are more industrial. the legs are nicer funny that so a small change makes so much difference. good luck in your new house.
The table needed someone with a unique taste which can take time but I think it's nice that you got to keep it. I really liked the spiky/curvy design and maybe next time you can make a side table with the design turned upside down with hairpin legs? Happy you posted the video even though it didn't go to plan!
I really love that you broke down rate vs wage. As a professional artist and designer people lose their minds over fine art prices, but hand painted items take a lot of time for a one off, these pieces aren’t being mass produced.
I loved the look with the casters, very modern industrial. Someone would need a very specific aesthetic for it to work in their home though. The legs make it more assessable to more people, but in the end I'm glad you kept it. A great first piece in a new home. (Also I think staging the pieces in your home would help sell items, makes it easier for people to see it in their home)
Actually the coolest design ive seen from you, setting the picture up in a room (even an empty one) makes you potential buyers imagine them in their space. Personally think thicker legs woulld look better proportinally, but good job on progressing your builds
Definitley not a failure, the table looks incredible. In the area where I live it's really hard to get people to pay a high price for furniture from a carpenter unless it's a commission piece. So most of the time I end up keeping and using the interesting projects that I designs and build that are a bit out of the box.
If you got more of those offcuts, I'd love to see what a sort of "wave" design could look like with each layer offset like an inch or something like that. Might not work at all, but I feel like it could look incredible!
I think it would look good if you made a base for the table to make it look as if it is floating. Or you can use 8 of the remaining unused offcuts to make right angled legs for each corner to mirror the spikes of the base.
If you go get scraps from that guy again, turn up with a pizza per employee and drinks as a way of saying thanks. I'd be happy to have you back for sure! Table looked great, wheels looked horrendous, legs looked great. Seeing it in the house, it looked like an art installation!
Definitely trying to hard with those legs. You have a solid coffee table with just those wood blocks on the bottom. Could easily just round off the edges on those wood mounting blocks and call it a day. Keeps the theme consistent. I think of tables as usually like 2 elements/materials put together. In this you have a glass top, intricate wood body, then odd metal legs in one way or another.
The table is extremelly nice. That price is a little bit too much though (but also a fair price for the work you spent on it, the glass etc..). Keeping it was a good idea.
Love the channel, Morley. You've quickly become one of my favorite places on UA-cam. Excited to see what you have in store...perhaps a new workshop tour is in the works!?
I might be saying something that you have heard a thousand times by now, but... despite I like the table a lot, in the original design, I would flip it upside down, planned the "bottom" to be the top and have a table with a thousand tiny legs. Yes, the geometry wouldn't be as visible, but te top would show the different pieces and grains and would look something like a butchers block. However, its a great piece, and the casters were not a bad idea, maybe if they were black, people would appreciated them more.
I believe presentation makes a huge difference. If you had it in your house with stuff on it, when you took pics, would've been better then pics of it in the street. It's a nice piece, especially without the wheels.
I had a different idea though. I would create a sort of triangle-tiled counter/desk top, with custom table legs. But I love the creativity and risk behind it
Great video and ending. Agree most consumers don't understand the value of labor. The price of a mass produced products have warped our sense of value. I think the table looks awesome. Cool and creative design. Also it's upcycled from scrap wood. Mahalo for sharing! : )
Finish in a spray can is kinda like spray paind it doesnt dry as hard. Compaired to swedish finish and automotive paint. This make it eaasy to scratch or damage!!!
About the hourly rate. Maybe it makes sense to have a differential hourly rate. Maybe one rate for woodworking time, and a different rate for other skills. Maybe have a higher overhead factor for the first X hours, and a lower overhead factor for the next hours. It's one thing paying 100$ hourly rate for a 3 hour job. It's very different when you get to 12 hours.
Killer table, never would have thought to use off cuts like this. Price breakdown makes a lot of sense as a craftsman. Personally I would've done a plinth style base, a few inches in from the edge to sort of ground the heavy looking top.
Beautiful design! I like it so much better with the legs. It amazes me how people don't want to pay for someone's skills. It's a well made piece of furniture and hold firm in the future. As you said, patience. I had a piece I was selling and people were offering 50% less than the asking price. I held firm and it sold a few days ago for what I asked for. I'm a relatively new subbie and enjoy your videos! AND kudos to your mother.
I personally didn't like either the casters or the legs. I think a more substantial leg made out of walnut would have been a better option. You could possibly mimic the shapes of the table, but you'd have some problems to solve with the strength of the thin portions.
You forgot two other differences when pricing your time as an independent vs employee: an employee (usually) gets a guaranteed number of hours and an employee (once employed) doesn't have to spend time marketing themselves. An independent has a highly variable number of hours per week and has to continuously sell themselves or their products.
Firstof all, i`m digging watching a channel that is so local relative to where i live which is in the Uxbridge area. My wife and i have little art/woodworking/ handcrafts shop/studio at our home and the bigger pieces like your coffee table are the hardest to sell. I made a random pattern end grain coffee table in a mid century modern style and it turned out really good, is one of a kind aaaaaaand it has not sold as of yet lol. You have a new subscriber. I`ll be curious to follow a local lad and fellow pallet wood and reclaimed lumber craftsman. Good stuff!! Keep it coming.
To be fair, that's a reasonable asking price for what you built. I'm honestly not in the market for it but it definitely looks absolutely stunning for that price point. I think if it were some 'established' high end furniture manufacturer they would've charged 500-1000 more and nobody would question it. Keep up the good work!
I would like to thank you for inspiration about creating things. I live in Markham and you help me decide to branch out to leather working. I have been 3D printing for about 7years. Thanks John
Great video, love that you spoke about the costs and your rate. Another difference between your rate and a full time employee getting a wage is that none of your time included breaks or benefits. $80 is quite a good deal actually but if you hade more automation (read higher overhead costs) you might have reduced the hours but then your overhead would be less. There's also that intangible fee for knowing stuff, like where to get the wood. Most people don't realise that the TCOE (Total cost of employment) is normally (varies widely depending on your skill level and type of work) around twice what you get paid as a wage. That's before you work in some profit and overhead. I don't really like the table but that's subjective, wheels wouldn't have looked good indoors but they are great functionally. What I didn't like was the finish, too many sharp edges but that part of the project is also the most time consuming and would cost lots more to add. I did like the design concept and maybe you could have extended the nice curved shapes concept to the legs (if you had some left over). The glass top showing off the geometric shapes worked well. Again, style depends on every person's taste and where its going to be located. Love you channel, very real.
At first I was thinking the table was going to be the other way around, with the flat section as the top and thought it would look really cool. I think the legs would have looked a little better had they been rotated 45* so they were pointing out towards the corners of the table as well.
It is a nice looking table. It will be the focal point of whatever room it is in, however, such a style fits in specific areas. You built something from nothing which in itself is fantastic!
Amazing coffee table and it looks like you took inspiration from Brasilia the capital of Brazil and the architect Oscar Niemeyer who planned and built it but I know it wasn't. Kind of Mid-Century modern style and I love it. Great, great job.
When you said $80 an hour I was surprised compared to £45 that I charge in manufacturing, seamed fair though when taking into account that's your mark up too. Where as I'd take material + hourly rate (which covers my full operating cost per hour), then add a mark up after. So I'd have costed about the 1k mark +30% =1300, then I'd charge delivery extra depending on location so your 1400 is pretty spot on in my book!
if you have to justify even to yourself how much your paying yourself , then you are paying yourself to much ! you are not experienced enough to charge professional prices is probably why people say you may be paying yourself to much.
Yeah, not to mention SELF-EMPLOYMENT TAX!!! I always mention taxes, when a customer complains about my prices. I'm like, "If it makes you feel better, about 30% of that goes to Uncle Sam". People don't understand employers pay like half of your taxes for you.
great looking table and thats awesome about the free supplies, i need to find someone local that has scraps like that, did you reach out to them or did they reach out to you? In regards to the hourly rate. people need to think of all the professions these days, nothing is sub 60$ an hour. massage, electrician, hvac, mechanic, handyman, personal trainer, etc. everything should be assumed 60-100$ an hour.
I've been watching your videos for the past 2 weeks and this is the best coffee table I have ever seen. In terms of your pricing, something you need to work on so you can earn a profit, maybe its time to get a manager who can negotiate for you to get private clients to commission work from you
Just curious, is the glass heavy enough that it doesn't easily move on the table top, or is there another way that you're keeping it from sliding around in case someone were to prop their feet on it? Looks cool!
Another suggestion because you probably haven’t had enough of them. Cut the table down the middle points, flip it on top of the other half and make it an end table or an entry table. It gives off a Victorian vibe for some reason. Looks good!!
Been watching your channel by surprise and saw your technical and design aptitudes and saw a nice challenge for you as it has been in wood already and you have also a wide knowledge of 3D printing PLA materials as it will require different strength and probably texture but here the challenge…….would you be able to make an 3D printing of the Antikythera mechanism!!! (I’ve subscribed already your channel and got the notification bell full on!!!) I’m already excited by what you can do!!!
Awesome table. Thank you for explaining hourly wage versus rate. I just wish mechanics if they charge $100/hr they would work an hour not 30 min and still charge you the full hour.
Could be a interesting to see what it would look like if you filled it with resin in between the big space. Maybe cool colored and patterned. If the negative space is something you’re going for then no resin. But if not could be cool.
Get a 1 month FREE TRIAL of Skillshare: skl.sh/morleykert10221
$271??? lol, you got scammed.
Edit: Unless this is in Canadian monopoly monies? It's still pricey but not as bad.
No
Your channel is great but you should work on keeping your voice natural and not sounding "sales-y". Your old videos you sound more natural. Please keep your selling for sponsors to a minimum and don't sound like a car salesman when talking about sponsors. Every channel makes the mistake of becoming overly polished and sales-y. Please don't turn this channel into that. Thanks
you forgot to blur out the house number on this video
The 1 month FREE Trial for Skillshare didn't work for me, its forcing me to pay
I love the table. I think selling it would be easier if the photos weren’t in the street. When I first saw it in the street i thought it looked decent. But as soon as I saw it in the house it looked so much better for some reason. I think adding some extra time and effort (and maybe money) to get better photos would be totally worth it for these projects.
For sure! Staging is everything with furniture pieces. Seeing it in a space, potential buyers can envision how it might look in their space surrounded by their furniture and decorations.
Very true
The reason why the original legs didn’t really work aesthetically is because those are the same sort of wheels. You would see on variously different equipment in the warehouse. You don’t usually decorate things with what you see in a warehouse. It’s not that wheels are a bad idea, it’s just those particular wheels themselves I think improving those legs was a good idea. It would be nice to see more woodworkers create their own legs more often. In order for the design to feel complete it needed some sort of base or skirt. I do feel as though at the tips of the word touching the glass you should glue on felt tips. Having the glass making contact with a wood wood hard surface, is a bad idea.
Your transparency on price and cost breakdown is great. Knowing how much to charge and how much you value your time when being self employed is such a hard skill to learn, and you don't often see people talking about it so clearly. Much appreciated!
That was super awesome of that guy putting those scraps away for you. I feel like you will be getting plenty of cutoffs from him in the future. As far as the table.... it's a completely off the wall style. I like it but it just would not fit anything else in my house. But keep on building because you have inspired me to start building more things.
Thank you!
Maybe... but it's nearly a 2 hour drive back to Toronto for him so he'll probably look for something more local :)
I think part of the reason people "complain" about the price is comparisons to mass produced furniture of a similar style, which is naturally cheaper. That doesn't matter as long as you and your buyer are happy with the price for: 1) higher quality, hand-built goods, and 2) support of a local maker.
Yes yes yes. People should also know they truly are getting a one of a kind piece. There will never be another like it so it truly is a piece of art you are investing in
It's a sick looking table... but there will be a massive amount of dust that is going to collect underneath the glass,, in all those little cracks & crevices..
So it'll be a nightmare to clean without some pressurized air
I agree...i was also thinking about animals like cats crawling into the open spaces between the glass and the wood
This is easily my favorite thing you've made. To see a table from those scraps was real vision and to see you grow through this channel is fun. You've come a long way in a short time. I'm also excited you kept the table. It was no way a failure. You have a great focal point for your new living space.
LOVE This table. And, thanks for the callout on the wage vs hourly rate. SO many people can't see that and have such a problem with makers charging these rates. Your example of the garage rates was great. It can be so frustrating.
I think the design would look really cool for a full sized table if it was flipped upside-down and scaled up a bit. Really cool and unique piece that probably wouldn't be cost effective if it wasn't scrap to begin with.
I was thinking the same, I think it should be flipped over! The way all the pieces tile together looks great, and the arches remind me of aqueducts. Put the glass on top and it would look great
Yeah flipping it and having the thin parts as legs had a much better look, just something about the tiled grain on the walnut stood out to me
kinda defeats the purpose of the look he was going for. he's built tables that look like that on top and that's clearly not what he was going for with this build. He wanted to make the most of the actual shapes of wood he got without altering them too much.
Great looking table! Doesnt fit my style or any of my furnishings, but it looks cool.
I'd probably take the glass off, flip it over and use the bottom as the top. Kinda like a butcher block coffee table.
I appreciate your handmade items and you deserve every penny you want to charge and then some. The people who appreciate this skill and talent will have no problems paying your asking prices. Keep up the great work!
Awesome piece. And I think you gave it a very reasonable price.
I’m curious to see how the joints hold over time though. Since non of your glue joints overlap. (Are all in the same line) I probably would try to glue an undersized board sheet of wood to the under side. And att at h the legs to it. The wood and glue might hold up fine over time but as a premium piece I’d want to do all I can to add to it lasting as long as possible.
Beautiful table. Your explanation of the difference between a wage and an hourly rate was spot on. $80/hr is more than fair for skilled craftsmanship. Problem is that people are accustomed to paying for junk they buy from a big box retailer. I love owning furniture with a story behind it.
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I think part of the issue people have is that he isn't a skilled craftsman. He is certainly good, but all he did in this build was glue wood together. Same with previous builds, it's just glueing and sanding. He is creative but the quality isn't there to justify the price tag.... but again there is someone willing to pay it so what do I know
@@John...44... I have to agree. The 'supporting small creators' is a Hype I Wish to end very soon. Many of those small creators lack Skill and thus have to Charge insane prices to make hourly Rates they find to be fair (which in Most cases is far more than any skilled craftsman would usually earn).
Besides that: this Dude wouldn't sell any pieces If it wasnt for His huge followership. I mean He sold a cutting Board anybody with the tools for the Job and 2 hands could make in about 2 hours for 300+ Dollars. And he didnt even use Special wood, in fact it was for free.
Don't misunderstand me. This Dude has skills. You can See this from His 3d printer Videos. But His skills aren't related to woodworking in particular
07:14 wow look at that surface. I want that to be the top of something, not just a mounting point for castors
I would put some support planks underneath the table and connect them to the legs, maybe in an X shape especially to hold up those pieces in the middle. The wood glue will wear off if it’s the sole support for those middle pieces and the table will break in half. Just a heads up!
$80 seems like a more-than-reasonable rate for a craftsman's time, but $1400 is about a grand more than I would pay for a coffee table.
That coffee table is a serious piece of Art! Your mind vision quickly pulled together the scraps into a unique look.
I like it! It has a deep MCM vibe.
Sometimes....... well don't worry because you moved and you both needed a new coffee table for your new home. A Mid Century Modern Vibe Art coffee table!
Excellent work!!
I know we're gettin' down to business when I hear The Sanding Song! Repurposing cast off wood cuts is something near and dear to my heart. I love that you make something out of products that otherwise would be discarded. Thanks for sharing!
Recently found you channel.. out of curiosity I looked back at views on older videos because I was thinking “how have I not seen this guys channel before”… glad to see your channel snowballing upwards!!
From a financial gain point of view, is see these and think shelf brackets. Minimal effort on your part and a very saleable product. Not sure what they’d sell for per pair but would make a great little Etsy product run.
Hey Morley! I really dig the design and aesthetic of the table, POST casters :D those wheels were an abomination lol
As a note though: if you're selling furniture at a premium, you should finish at a premium. Knocking the caster mounts off and not sanding and re-finishing the bottom is a big faux-pas in my mind. Others may disagree since you'll never see the bottom, but I imagine if someone in the future were to pickup their bespoke, handmade piece of furniture and it was less than perfect on the underneath wouldn't sit well.
Either way, great spin on a project! It's unfortunate that it didn't sell before moving but that's a real lesson learned: if you're aiming high you've sometimes gotta wait for the right customer.
As a fellow Canadian, props to you! Did you stay in Ontario?
I noticed it in the video but i really didnt think about it with the price. Its actually a really good point. Handmade high quality needs to in fact be high quality
Glad at the end of the video you pointed out how having a timeline to sell something rarely ever works out. Having an expectation of something selling right after making it has led me down the rabbit hole of thinking my work just isn’t good enough when in fact these things take time.
💯
Hi Morley.
Your explanation of the difference between 'Hourly Rate' and 'Hourly Wage' is spot on. I have designed and produced ornamental fountains and a close relative is an avid water color artist. We both took a class a few years ago which had a large focus on just how to make an accurate assessment of all the expenses an artist or maker automatically has because of the nature of their work when compared with someone who works hourly for a company. These expenses include everything you mentioned as well as liability insurance, health insurance, and taxes, etc.
Anyone who seriously works at their speciality as a Business has to consider all of these aspects. The business Must first support itself. Then, very importantly, it Must support you. If it doesn't, it is Not a Business. It is a hobby.
To avoid being a starving artist one Must include all of these components in order to be and remain a viable business.
There are many who understand the mechanics of the process. And many others who may not but simply like what they like and are happy to show their appreciation monetarily by meeting a Fair price. Sadly, they are a minority in the sea of potential customers.
Although sometimes it is wise to modify your price. Or to decide to wait, or not to wait, for a buyer. Never devalue your work or yourself. Remember, in the entire world, in most cases, there will be only one of each completed work from you. And certainly, only one of you.
All the best to you and those you care for. Keep Making Mor...ley.
Hey Morley! I am so happy to see you thriving on youtube. I'm loving this recent series of build/sell videos. Keep it coming :)
That was a very thoughtful explanation of your hourly rate at the end of the video. Hopefully it will clear up any confusion for those that didn't understand the concept. The way I see it, you're the one who designs and assembles the furniture so you can charge whatever you want for it.
I just came across your channel this morning (this is the second video I’ve watched). I watched the $1200 table for Mackenzie video & I’m about 3/4 of the way into this video. I’m starting to get into some building & refurbishing and it’s super helpful to see you work through each step. I also love that you do a running time count and a cost breakdown.
In my opinion, it's definitely NOT a failure. The fact you used scrapwood which was about to be thrown away to build something so interesting in its geometrical aesthetic is really cool. Good luck, Morley! 😉👌
Awesome table! I agree that I like the legs much more than the casters, but there's no doubt you'll find a great project that puts those casters to good use! Looking forward to the future projects!
People not understanding how much things cost is a rule of life. No matter the country, the job, the time of the year... People just won't understand the price.
Which means, that you actually have to make them feel that it's fair priced. And that's where marketing comes in.
as soon as you flipped it over i wanted that to be the table top. love your idea's. so creative
Me too Thor ⚡
awesome coffee table.. the casters are more industrial. the legs are nicer funny that so a small change makes so much difference.
good luck in your new house.
The table needed someone with a unique taste which can take time but I think it's nice that you got to keep it. I really liked the spiky/curvy design and maybe next time you can make a side table with the design turned upside down with hairpin legs? Happy you posted the video even though it didn't go to plan!
I really love that you broke down rate vs wage. As a professional artist and designer people lose their minds over fine art prices, but hand painted items take a lot of time for a one off, these pieces aren’t being mass produced.
I loved the look with the casters, very modern industrial. Someone would need a very specific aesthetic for it to work in their home though. The legs make it more assessable to more people, but in the end I'm glad you kept it. A great first piece in a new home. (Also I think staging the pieces in your home would help sell items, makes it easier for people to see it in their home)
Actually the coolest design ive seen from you, setting the picture up in a room (even an empty one) makes you potential buyers imagine them in their space. Personally think thicker legs woulld look better proportinally, but good job on progressing your builds
Definitley not a failure, the table looks incredible.
In the area where I live it's really hard to get people to pay a high price for furniture from a carpenter unless it's a commission piece.
So most of the time I end up keeping and using the interesting projects that I designs and build that are a bit out of the box.
If you got more of those offcuts, I'd love to see what a sort of "wave" design could look like with each layer offset like an inch or something like that. Might not work at all, but I feel like it could look incredible!
Unfortunately I used the rest of them in the end grain cutting board, but that would look cool!
This is your coolest make yet, hopefully the algorithm picks this gem up.
Sick table! People don’t respect craftsman enough, your time is valuable
I think it would look good if you made a base for the table to make it look as if it is floating. Or you can use 8 of the remaining unused offcuts to make right angled legs for each corner to mirror the spikes of the base.
If you go get scraps from that guy again, turn up with a pizza per employee and drinks as a way of saying thanks. I'd be happy to have you back for sure! Table looked great, wheels looked horrendous, legs looked great. Seeing it in the house, it looked like an art installation!
Appreciate the time and cost breakdown. Enjoyed the video, as always. Agree with the legs rather than casters. Keep up the great work!!
Imagine wiping dust off all those spaces in between the pieces
Definitely trying to hard with those legs. You have a solid coffee table with just those wood blocks on the bottom. Could easily just round off the edges on those wood mounting blocks and call it a day. Keeps the theme consistent.
I think of tables as usually like 2 elements/materials put together. In this you have a glass top, intricate wood body, then odd metal legs in one way or another.
The table is extremelly nice. That price is a little bit too much though (but also a fair price for the work you spent on it, the glass etc..). Keeping it was a good idea.
Love the channel, Morley. You've quickly become one of my favorite places on UA-cam. Excited to see what you have in store...perhaps a new workshop tour is in the works!?
I might be saying something that you have heard a thousand times by now, but... despite I like the table a lot, in the original design, I would flip it upside down, planned the "bottom" to be the top and have a table with a thousand tiny legs. Yes, the geometry wouldn't be as visible, but te top would show the different pieces and grains and would look something like a butchers block. However, its a great piece, and the casters were not a bad idea, maybe if they were black, people would appreciated them more.
I believe presentation makes a huge difference. If you had it in your house with stuff on it, when you took pics, would've been better then pics of it in the street. It's a nice piece, especially without the wheels.
I had a different idea though. I would create a sort of triangle-tiled counter/desk top, with custom table legs. But I love the creativity and risk behind it
Looks like he did lol
When I first seen the table I didn't think it was very cool but now that I see in the actual process that it went through... that shits dope
Great video and ending. Agree most consumers don't understand the value of labor. The price of a mass produced products have warped our sense of value. I think the table looks awesome. Cool and creative design. Also it's upcycled from scrap wood. Mahalo for sharing! : )
It’s neat! Personally I’d be nervous that the glass isn’t fastened on
Yup I know nothing about furniture construction but was wondering if that could be a liability or not if someone bumped into it by accident
Finish in a spray can is kinda like spray paind it doesnt dry as hard. Compaired to swedish finish and automotive paint. This make it eaasy to scratch or damage!!!
About the hourly rate.
Maybe it makes sense to have a differential hourly rate.
Maybe one rate for woodworking time, and a different rate for other skills.
Maybe have a higher overhead factor for the first X hours, and a lower overhead factor for the next hours.
It's one thing paying 100$ hourly rate for a 3 hour job. It's very different when you get to 12 hours.
"Off road coffee table" lmao
You need a black/white backdrop to take photos of your pieces. Like Cam over at blacktail does
I couldn't agree more with the explanation of cost PH at the end, spot on! 👌🏻
I think some overhang with the glass would have made it look much more attractive, even just two inches on each side
Killer table, never would have thought to use off cuts like this. Price breakdown makes a lot of sense as a craftsman.
Personally I would've done a plinth style base, a few inches in from the edge to sort of ground the heavy looking top.
The legs should be inset a bit further so they don’t stick out from the plane of the table itself.
Great use of those offcuts! I agree on the wheels, I think if anything a vintage cast iron wheel may have did the trick, but the pegs looks great too.
Beautiful design! I like it so much better with the legs. It amazes me how people don't want to pay for someone's skills. It's a well made piece of furniture and hold firm in the future. As you said, patience. I had a piece I was selling and people were offering 50% less than the asking price. I held firm and it sold a few days ago for what I asked for. I'm a relatively new subbie and enjoy your videos! AND kudos to your mother.
I personally didn't like either the casters or the legs. I think a more substantial leg made out of walnut would have been a better option. You could possibly mimic the shapes of the table, but you'd have some problems to solve with the strength of the thin portions.
that thing will be a nightmare to clean after a few months of collecting dust...
You forgot two other differences when pricing your time as an independent vs employee: an employee (usually) gets a guaranteed number of hours and an employee (once employed) doesn't have to spend time marketing themselves. An independent has a highly variable number of hours per week and has to continuously sell themselves or their products.
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▶️ Í'll Íñtródúçé You Tó Sóméthíñg Pröfïtãble .
Firstof all, i`m digging watching a channel that is so local relative to where i live which is in the Uxbridge area. My wife and i have little art/woodworking/ handcrafts shop/studio at our home and the bigger pieces like your coffee table are the hardest to sell. I made a random pattern end grain coffee table in a mid century modern style and it turned out really good, is one of a kind aaaaaaand it has not sold as of yet lol.
You have a new subscriber. I`ll be curious to follow a local lad and fellow pallet wood and reclaimed lumber craftsman. Good stuff!! Keep it coming.
Thanks for watching!
To be fair, that's a reasonable asking price for what you built. I'm honestly not in the market for it but it definitely looks absolutely stunning for that price point. I think if it were some 'established' high end furniture manufacturer they would've charged 500-1000 more and nobody would question it.
Keep up the good work!
The table turned out really well with the new legs. Pretty cool concept coming from scrap wood. Congrats on the move. Bigger, better shop space?
I would like to thank you for inspiration about creating things. I live in Markham and you help me decide to branch out to leather working. I have been 3D printing for about 7years. Thanks John
Great video, love that you spoke about the costs and your rate. Another difference between your rate and a full time employee getting a wage is that none of your time included breaks or benefits. $80 is quite a good deal actually but if you hade more automation (read higher overhead costs) you might have reduced the hours but then your overhead would be less. There's also that intangible fee for knowing stuff, like where to get the wood. Most people don't realise that the TCOE (Total cost of employment) is normally (varies widely depending on your skill level and type of work) around twice what you get paid as a wage. That's before you work in some profit and overhead.
I don't really like the table but that's subjective, wheels wouldn't have looked good indoors but they are great functionally. What I didn't like was the finish, too many sharp edges but that part of the project is also the most time consuming and would cost lots more to add. I did like the design concept and maybe you could have extended the nice curved shapes concept to the legs (if you had some left over). The glass top showing off the geometric shapes worked well. Again, style depends on every person's taste and where its going to be located.
Love you channel, very real.
When he says “a lot of what I’m giving you is walnut…”
Literally everyone 😢
At first I was thinking the table was going to be the other way around, with the flat section as the top and thought it would look really cool.
I think the legs would have looked a little better had they been rotated 45* so they were pointing out towards the corners of the table as well.
It's cool! I agree about the casters. I thought maybe having the flat side up. Just my 2 cents
I have only just stumbled across your channel and wow! You're such a cool dude my man! Keep up the great work champ!
It is a nice looking table. It will be the focal point of whatever room it is in, however, such a style fits in specific areas. You built something from nothing which in itself is fantastic!
Amazing coffee table and it looks like you took inspiration from Brasilia the capital of Brazil and the architect Oscar Niemeyer who planned and built it but I know it wasn't. Kind of Mid-Century modern style and I love it. Great, great job.
When you said $80 an hour I was surprised compared to £45 that I charge in manufacturing, seamed fair though when taking into account that's your mark up too. Where as I'd take material + hourly rate (which covers my full operating cost per hour), then add a mark up after. So I'd have costed about the 1k mark +30% =1300, then I'd charge delivery extra depending on location so your 1400 is pretty spot on in my book!
Wow what a great guy giving that to you to reuse instead of throwing away! amazing!
if you have to justify even to yourself how much your paying yourself , then you are paying yourself to much ! you are not experienced enough to charge professional prices is probably why people say you may be paying yourself to much.
I really appreciate the financial analysis and explanation. The table is beautiful! Congratulations on your new space!
What a beautiful and creative way to recycle off cuts! Nice job 👍
Yeah, not to mention SELF-EMPLOYMENT TAX!!! I always mention taxes, when a customer complains about my prices. I'm like, "If it makes you feel better, about 30% of that goes to Uncle Sam". People don't understand employers pay like half of your taxes for you.
30% feels a tad low once you factor in federal and state taxes.
Super sweet, but flipping it and having the end grain as the top would have been primo. Great work as always!!
Funny that you changed the legs because they were throwing me off. Maybe if they were darker and didn't contrast as much. Overall awesome piece!
That is a very nice coffee table. I can't believe someone didn't buy it
great looking table and thats awesome about the free supplies, i need to find someone local that has scraps like that, did you reach out to them or did they reach out to you?
In regards to the hourly rate. people need to think of all the professions these days, nothing is sub 60$ an hour. massage, electrician, hvac, mechanic, handyman, personal trainer, etc. everything should be assumed 60-100$ an hour.
I've been watching your videos for the past 2 weeks and this is the best coffee table I have ever seen. In terms of your pricing, something you need to work on so you can earn a profit, maybe its time to get a manager who can negotiate for you to get private clients to commission work from you
I'm thinking a glass top that overhangs by 4 to 6 inches each side with nice round edges and 4 to 6 inch rounded corners. Thick as possible.
Just curious, is the glass heavy enough that it doesn't easily move on the table top, or is there another way that you're keeping it from sliding around in case someone were to prop their feet on it? Looks cool!
Another suggestion because you probably haven’t had enough of them. Cut the table down the middle points, flip it on top of the other half and make it an end table or an entry table. It gives off a Victorian vibe for some reason. Looks good!!
Been watching your channel by surprise and saw your technical and design aptitudes and saw a nice challenge for you as it has been in wood already and you have also a wide knowledge of 3D printing PLA materials as it will require different strength and probably texture but here the challenge…….would you be able to make an 3D printing of the Antikythera mechanism!!! (I’ve subscribed already your channel and got the notification bell full on!!!) I’m already excited by what you can do!!!
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Awesome table. Thank you for explaining hourly wage versus rate. I just wish mechanics if they charge $100/hr they would work an hour not 30 min and still charge you the full hour.
Love the coffee table! I want to start making furniture also 🤔
15:23 your cat faceplant just made my day
Could be a interesting to see what it would look like if you filled it with resin in between the big space. Maybe cool colored and patterned. If the negative space is something you’re going for then no resin. But if not could be cool.
It would be cool to see a wine rack coffe table. This table reminds me of a wine rack, some bottles of wine under the glass would look nice.
that walnut haul is a come up! great partnership right there!
Yes! And I got a bunch more of it 😊
Sanding song EVERYTIME XD great post!
I would have paid $1,400. So unique and beautiful. Good move changing from casters to legs.
Love the design and how it came naturally from the shape of the scraps!
Thanks Dave!