Not Just Killer Tables!

I took on a huge project, at such a bad time.. I half regret the choice, to build it.. But, the outcome is is pretty fantastic!

Probably the toughest build yet, and definitely the longest.. Not because of design or lack of skill.. It's just that I had people coming to view the house.. Documents to sign.. Open house.. Ugh. It was just bad timing. My own fault. And had I known.. I would have waited, until after the move.

That being said.. I know the client, and wanted to get this big bastard done! She'll love it. Assuming it fits in her truck.. I so, hope it fits..


This exact model is certainly not available, by the way.. It's definitely one of a kind.. However.. That being said. I will most likely have a similar model, once I am back up and running.. Maybe a bench / coat rack.. With storage.. Maybe.. I don't know yet!

Did I mention the house is sold?!? Sell with Keller Williams. They are very dedicated and knowledgeable! Not your average slithering, shifty Realtor.

Thanks Michelle and Rob! <3

Escape from London

My time in this city is quickly reaching it's joyous expiration date. Killer Tables will inevitably be packed up, and buggered off, to another location. Good times!

Will I miss London? I dunno.. I met some pretty awesome people here.. But, there's certainly no shortage of weirdos, either.. I only hope the normal, human folks don't mind a quick burn down the highway, to visit the new shop. <3

Down to business:

My absolute, very last custom order is out the door! From here on, there will only be "inventory" coffee tables. That's 4'x22"x17"H  standard. There's just no way to guarantee the pickup location of a custom order, at this time.. And I am going to avoid that argument, like the bleeding plague.

Sorry, if that's a bit of a bummer.. It's just how things is. We'll inevitably get over this sadness and move on with our lives, though. I promise. Things will turn around for you. They will.

Keep an eye on the blog, for updates on the workshop location though. I'll keep you all posted!

Customer Appreciation

Customer Appreciation day, in any company, is mostly a bullshit way of pretending to care about the hardworking clientèle.. Really, it's the investor's that appreciate you. And by you, they clearly only care about your cash! At the end of the day, you're either a dollar amount, or you are Irrelevant.

So, how am I different? Well, for starters.. I looked at what my competition was selling, and created a similar product, at less than half of their price! I didn't do that for me, did I? Hell no. That one's for you. I know you guys love this rustic furniture stuff.. And it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, knowing that I made someone happy!

There's no unlawful, or shady business going on here. The building supplies are all newly purchased, from a local businesses. The reason I can sell things cheaper than everyone else? Realistically valuing my own time.. Builders seem to feel entitled to an outlandish salary, for something anyone can do. All you need is a few bucks and access to the Internet, where you'll find countless, free tutorials.

Or, my own instructional account of getting started.

It's important to appreciate customers, every day. Not just their money.. But, their sense of satisfaction. Take pride in your work. When your client's face light up, it will all be worth it.. And stop overcharging. My clients can afford to come back, and buy more.. And they do! Do yours?

Bang on my tables!

My coffee table are so sturdy, that you can bang on them!*


*Please don't bang on furniture, before purchasing.


*Structure strength of furniture may vary, based on your size.

*get your mind out of the gutter..

In with the new

I know the new business model isn't ideal, for you.. But, it makes things easier for me. Giving me the freedom to built what I please. Rather than running down a list of orders, prioritized by deposit and urgency.

My clients are very understanding and sympathetic to my concerns, thankfully. So we've come up with a new way of doing things..

You can request whatever design, model, colour, race, breed.. Whatever you want. Then I'll get back to you, when I feel there may be something in stock, that I feel you'll be interested in.

These precautions are to protect my hobby, as well as my family. There's too damn many weirdos out there, for me. And I can't have those freaks getting under my skin. Let's just build some affordable furniture, and be happy.

The only thing I ask of people buying my furniture.. Don't be a crazy person.. Please. No drama. Just money, tables, and we can be friends.

Semi Weekly Hardware Store Visit

As I get older, I feel myself becoming more and more like Hank Hill.. I am not entirely sure how I feel about it.. Though, I am not exactly upset about it. Especially being able to say, "That boy ain't right."

My regular trips to the hardware store and racially appropriate neighbour certainly do nothing, to sway this image.. As long as I don't run out and buy myself a pickup truck, I should be fine.

I met up with a client first, too. So, now I've got a few projects, to keep me busy. A few guaranteed sales.. I do love all of the compliments and the "I want" 's. I'd love to build you all furniture. But, I need to function, as a business. So, unfortunately, I need a deposit. Just to guarantee that I am making furniture, for a reason.

Slow day, good progress

Despite the miserable weather, I manage to get Mr. Big table's big table, into the final staining process. Which is surprising, considering it's size! I am definitely under charging, for this beast. I really hope he likes it!

The rain had me in and out of the house, all day.. Just when it looked like the sun was going out.. Downpour! So, I gave in, and did the staining inside.. Not in the basement. Because, the table is too big for lugging around the house.

I need a workshop..

Safety and quality

So, what you may not know about KLR Furniture, is that I am also a stay home dad! Building furniture is something I squeeze into my spare time. During nap time, for example.

So how much care goes into my furniture? Well, because the design is almost entirely stored, in my own living space. Along with my toddler, son. These items must be 100% structurally sound and chemical free!

All stain and paint is adequately covered with a polycrylic sealer, which dries fast and non toxic! The paint used, is a very durable brand, designed for metal application. This means that it's especially resistant to scratches and markings.

Did I mention reptile safe??

Dragon house!

Here's and oldie, but a goodie!

This is a project that I had done a while ago. Enjoy!

Before

It started with an armoire, destined for the landfill. It seemed to have run its course. An obsolete cabinet, designed for an obsolete style of television. Game over, you big, ugly waste of space..

But wait.. Recycle!

After drawing out some horrible plans, I immediately gave up on planning. The only way I would get this done, is by recklessly diving in. No guides, or foolish diagrams to hold me back. It's DIY anarchy!

Then my wife stepped in and told me what color to use.. Which started me off in a specific direction. So, it's off to the hardware store! And then Walmart.. Then back to the hardware store!

This is mostly a Home Depot project. Although, I did end up getting the light fixture and Mod Podge from Walmart. But, only by chance. Had I found a sealer and cheap light at Home Depot, I would have shopped there exclusively, for this project.

That being said.. I have since found a better, cheaper solution to Mod Podge. Stocked at Home

Depot, is Minwax Polycrylic non-toxic, water based sealant. Knowing this, I would definitely suggest substituting the Mod Podge, for Minwax. It's reptile safe, once dry.. So, give it a few days.

Materials used:

Free, donated, or already owned.
Shitty armoire
Stone basking tile
Dome basking light
Dragon

Purchased for project
Stone flooring - $ Home Depot
Paint - $27 Home Depot
2 paint brushes - $2 each
Mod Podge - $30 Walmart
Plexiglas - $32 Home Depot
Sliding track - $3 Home Depot
Light fixture - $20 Walmart
2x2 lumber - $2 / 8 feet Home Depot

Tools used
Measuring tape
Drill and driver bits
Ryobi one+ drill
Ryobi one+ fan
Ryobi one+ circular saw
Ryobi one+ spotlight (painting at night)
Ryobi one+ shop vac
Yeah, I have a thing for Ryobi tools..

Step one, was to rip the bastard apart and set everything aside. Most of the painting was done inside, because of the armoire's weight. And thankfully, this acrylic paint didn't give off any weird fumes or toxins. It wasn't ideal, but it worked.

Although the paint dried surprisingly fast, I still gave it a day, before applying the Mod Podge. This stuff is messy, expensive, and smells like a kindergarten class, during craft time. I really wish I had known about the Minwax sealer, prior to this step.. But, that's just bad luck, I guess.

I used a tub and a half of the horrible Mod Podge, which worked out to about 3 coats. 4 along the sides, where I felt the dragon may regularly brush against. Each coat was left for an hour or two, drying with the aid of a couple fans.

Once the miserable process of sealing was finally out of the way, it was time to mount the lights! The strip light was a cinch. I simply screwed it at the back of the top shelf, dead center. Nothing fancy, here. But the dome light isn't made for this kind of enclosure.

There was a lot of silly attempts, to hang the light, without drilling a hole.. But, in the end, I used the little clamps, that come with these types of fixtures. Well, half of the clamp.. Instead of fixing the hardware to the actual clamp, I tightened it onto a long bolt. The bolt was tightly fit into a hole, drilled near the strip light. Then, for added "No fally" protection, I applied a nut, onto the end. That thing ain't goin' nowhere!.. Excuse my double negative..

Aside from painting the doors, I didn't do anything to them.. Just screwed them back in place.. Originally, I was going to cut windows into the door. But, instead, i left them solid. That way, if I want to hide the dragon, from prying eyes.. I can easily close him off, from the world.

Which leads us to the sliding door!

I had some idea of how I was going to do this. But, not really. I knew that I was going to have two sliding Plexiglas doors.. The rest was a little bit of walking around Home Depot, looking for anything useful.

Eventually I spotted these plastic things, bending high above me. I still have absolutely no idea, what they are.. But they only cost $3, for a strip, measuring 8 feet. It's solid enough to hold the doors, and easy to work with. I used a hand saw, however. I felt that the circular saw may produce some level of shrapnel danger.

The bottom track is held to the main flooring, of the unit, with Mod Podge. It's staying there, pretty solid, for now. Though, it may need added support at some time, in the future. The top of the sliding doors is a a length of 2x2, cut to fit the armoire. Once painted and sealed, I used a few nails to hold the track in place.

The 2x2 itself, is held in place by a couple of thick screws. I drilled the holes first, using slightly larger drill bits on the armoire. This leaves the board sturdy, in place, yet it can still be twisted in place. This is important, because not only are my doors a bit big. But, at some point, I'll definitely want to remove them, for cleaning. This technique makes it much easier than taking the whole thing apart.

TV table

I am just finishing up this tv stand, for a senior gentleman. It's a really nice looking piece, with light weight, in mind. For maneuverability. Because, he's old.. And I think of these things. ;)

I'll add this to the side bar, with a price, later today. I can whip up some more, if there's a demand.

Something new! Newish..

Well. This table is a bit different. I had some bits of this and that lying around.. And this is what I came up with!

Let's call him; Frankentable

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