That packing material was where the foam feet came from. Actually a smart way to reduce waste... and send their garbage overseas. We have ordered quite a bit from China and have rarely had issues. The extras were definitely compensation for breakage in shipping.
ive bought quite a few items from china myself. 90% of the bulk stuff i ordered had literal garbage like this in it. i once bought rope from them and the core of the rope was major brand baby diaper material..
I'm so glad I found your channel Sam. Can finally put my lasers to good use. I've ordered 24 of the slate coasters from Amazon... For some reason, the bulk pack in the link you provided would cost me over $200 to ship, which makes the Amazon ones my best bet here in Canada. Thanks so much for all the great content.
Sam, this is not a comment on this specific video. I like what you do! Your channel is very inviting. You share things you have learned in an informative and helpful manner. You seem to be open to constructive comments and you avoid drama! Good on ya! I enjoy watching. Just so you understand me, I'm 57 years old with a great career but I enjoy building things and learning from folks that thrive on sharing knowledge and experience freely. I look forward to your interview new content!
I appreciate your comment very much! You've made a great observation into things I consciously work on with my channel to remain true to who I am as a person, and to remain as true as possible to you all, my viewers. :) Thanks!
I took the gamble and ordered 100 coasters from this source. The total cost, with shipping, was just under $75. Today, after a 7 week wait, I received 101 coasters in perfect condition. The only caveat is that a few are pretty thin and a few are on the thick side. These will be used to experiment with engraving techniques. Most are what I consider "usable". Thanks for the tip, Sam.
Warm up the pads with a heat gun and they can be removed usually. That's probably where the foam fluff in the box is from. It's the waste from cutting all those rubber dots.
Sam I love your videos, I heard you say in one of them about reusing a scratched slate coaster after sanding. I made a mistake and went to my wood whop and sanded the image from the slate tile, cleaned it, sprayed with clear coat then reburned the image it came out great. No problems. Thanks again for your educational videos.
For your thickness sorting maybe make a quick little height /go-no go gauge from a scrap of wood to quickly sort one or two similar heights rather than have to independently measure each coaster.
I’m a retired Tool & Die machinist and I enjoy your videos on engraving these coasters. I have a thought about a jig to hold your coasters to keep the surface constant to the laser height. PM me if you’re interested in my idea.
Před 2 lety+5
Hi Sam iv ordered a good amount from China and delivered to Ireland I have to say never had any issues and like you I have always received more than I actually ordered which is good. Also just noticed your subscriber count is increasing nicely 👌
I'm just getting into engraving. I do vinyl, painting, and epoxy crafts. Engraving looked really cool. I wish I would have spent for the orturo machine that engraves metal. I opted for the cheapest one. My job was cut and my husband will be going back to work in February. I want to help with bread winning by my own business. So thank you very much for sharing.
You may find that you dont want the seller to ship without the foot pads. Those pads are doing dual duty. They not only keep the slate from scratching the end user's table surface. They also keep the tiles from shattering during shipping.
For anybody watching this video more recently, one thing to know is customs will at times open your package and inspect for anything illegal, especially coming from china. which is one of the reasons some packages come mangled or obviously repackaged and taped. just letting yall know.
You gotta risk it to get the biscuit. Funny that they put the pad paper (sans the pads) in the box anyway. They would save time to just put the pap paper in the box and let you place them. HOWEVER, they may do it to add additional padding to help prevent more damage.
If you are doing that many just make a jig that locates the coasters on the top surface from underneath. Could be very simple like a frame and some something with give like a spring or even foam rubber. The foam will push the coaster up to the frame from the bottom. No sorting needed since the top surface will be at the same height for all.
If you saw how packages are handled by couriers, you wouldn’t be surprised at the condition of the box! lol The extra 6 would be there to compensate for the possibility of a few getting broken. It’s cheaper to add those than spend extra on a better box or send you replacements.
I honestly prefer to buy the smooth edge slate coasters. They just look better and sell better. Though ive only been able to find good quality ones from a single seller on amazon. Just remember to use some gloss spray enamel on them first. Makes the engravings show up much better and makes the slate a darker black.
Does spray enamel take away the absorbent factor of slate? Cannot seem to find any product that will give me a better look without sealing the slate and taking away its absorbent properties
I have ordered from overseas for years. Just make sure duties are included also. I also work for DHL Express and most of our business is international. A lot of boxes come to us like that, smashed and such.
Hey bud found your youtube channel the other week. I am liking your videos. At the beginning of this video when you 1st showed the condition of the box I about cried for ya, I was like OH NO! LOL
The reason the box is so beat up is because the box goes through customs as it goes through the countries. Sometimes they will open the boxes to make sure there's nothing bad in there
Great video as usual. Price is good but shipping is a killer. 100 coasters with shipping to Canada is about $250, works out to abouit $2.50 a coaster. I can get them at the local Micheals for $1.24 each!!!! Buying from China isn't always a good deal!!
My disclaimer, I've ordered from foreign countries for years. Over all, I've had great success, and, my experience has been, if items arrive broken, they replace them right away. You usually always get a few extras of items to cover for breakage. If you order again, request that they tape the entire box.
I'd say you probably could reorder and ask for the foam feet to not be added and sent as sheets to apply yourself. I've found that a some Chinese manufacturers are accommodating to such requests.
Thank you for your honest, objective review. I've seen so many products ordered from China which gave me those same 'uh-oh' moments, and mostly, the result was that the handlers, shippers did all they could do to get them to me safely. Whew! Yes, it's a lot to consider, but in the grand scheme, they have the product and want nothing more than for you to receive what you paid for ... to keep a good business relationship. This is the goal!
Hope your shippin was cheaper than showing to Canada. I can get them here locally for $8 for a boxed set of 4, mind you they are square, but it's worth the 10 minute drive. overseas manufacturers have raised shipping so much as well as product price on so many things, it's becoming unviable to outsource. Love the channel Sam. Thanks for what you do
It wasn't a surprise that there were no damages to the coasters... It was a MIRACLE that there was no damage to the coasters .. That packaging was shocking.!! 😧
That's awesome. I have a truck load of slate I sourced locally in the U.S. and no way I could sell it that cheap. My laser and rotary came from China and they arrived fairly quickly, maybe a little over a week. Longer than it takes from Amazon but saved over a hundred dollars. I enjoy your videos! Also, welcome to TN hope you like it! I'm about an hour west of Knoxville.
Cheers Sam for the insight. A video on how you prepare for dispatch would be good, i. e. .finishing, wrapping etc. The business side of things, how you manage expectations, profit and payment. Thank you.
Ordered from China, only problem is the amount of time it took to get the order. When I ordered it I wasn’t aware that it was being shipped from China!
Such a great video. I really appreciate the information provided and it was very helpful for me as I am doing my research as I wait for my laser cutter. Wishing you the best
I'm not a supporter of China products. That being said, sometimes you have no other choice. I so wish you would offer wood coasters you sourced from your own land. I make Christmas ornaments from slices of our maple tree. I dry them really well on top of our pellet stove, then I use a wood burning tool to create my designs. Then I either paint, stain, polyurethane, or sometimes just leave natural. Depends on the design. I would much rather buy something locally sourced than from China, however I have bought your coasters and do love them. The engraving is beautiful. ❤️
I completely agree! I wish I could find a US-based manufacturer! Funny that you mention that about the wood coasters. :) It's in my "when we get settled" notebook of things to change and add to our business. LOCALLY SOURCED!
If you buy 200 next time Sam, you'll save 27 cents on each one. Cost for 100 is $1.08 ea, while cost for multiples of 100 is 81 cents; 1000 pcs gets you to 70 cents. I'm going to guess the damage will be exponentially worse the more you order, so I stuck to 200 for now and will see what happens. Maybe they'll use a stronger box?
Looks like Slateworx LLC in Virginia US has 100 for 115$ free shipping to US. Coming from overseas they are .27$ per but shipping is 72$. For slightly more it's probably higher quality and feet are not pre attached. 🤷🏻♂
Not sure if this would be any help to you as i know that running a business you need to keep costs down but if you contact them they will ship them to you with the feet not installed. They will ship in a different box so its a little more money. For me it was an extra $25 to have the feet shipped separately for 200 coasters.
Quick question about something no one talks about, lots of videos about ideas of what to sell or getting your laser business going etc. What I dont see is anything about how do you get orders? If from Etsy, do you get instant notifications that you received an order? If selling locally do you use the square etc. How do you receive orders?
The 'padding' in the box looks to be the remnants of the sticky adhesive feet that go on the bottom of things. There is a lot of waste like that from what is left from whatever shape/design they cut out. Like the pads on the bottom of the coasters you ordered. I'm assuming it is the left overs from some other part of their process they are repurposing as padding instead of just trashing.
💕If you plan to order again from the same place then contact the place/owner of purchase & explain that box needs to be better taped as it arrived ripped💕You will find most of them to be very accommodating because they don’t like to lose repeat ordering customers💕
Only $1.31 from JDS industries with warehouses around the country. Free shipping over $99 & you can return anything that is not acceptable....so I would say why bother waiting months & taking the risk
that weird packaging material was probably the thing the rubber footsies come from. Maybe use that one with the footsie on top as a commemorative of your first bulk order and engrave something special on it. Though I would suggest trying to get a source outside of China.
I’m curious what your all-in per piece cost was. The ones I get on Amazon are $1.06 each and arrive within days with free shipping. I think I would need at least a 50% discount all-in to go the alibaba/China shipping route.
the reason those boxes are so flimsy' is that the cardboard has been recycled so many times there is just no fiber integrity left. I know because I tried to sell some bails of it for my company once and they wouldn't buy it because of that. recycling still has its place though. Have a good un.
I used to import natural sharpening stones from Germany. First shipment looked just like this in a busted box but no significant damage. Second shipment came in a really beat up box, obviously folded and re-taped and containing only about 50% of my order. I assume the rest was lost when the outer box broke open and the shipper just gathered what they could and folded the now half empty box around the remaining product. I no longer import stones LOL
Hi Sam, I've been watching some of your video's and find them very informative and well put together... I'm in the process of purchasing my very first laser for the purpose of starting my online laser business. Would you recommend either the Ortur laser master 2 pro or the Aufero laser 2 with air assist? Great videos, keep them coming. I won't be in competition with you as I'm based in the UK!!😊😊
That's so wonderful to hear, I'm very happy they're of help! I honestly don't think you'll go wrong with either of those machines. I believe you can get the same diode laser head for them both, too... maybe? I would 1000% recommend getting the tool free Z Axis adjustment first thing, too. Crucial to ease of use IMO. Best of luck!!
Got mine today. I ordered 100 coasters. Received a box a month later than looks like a box lost from the cast away movie and used as a soccer ball for a few years. Opened the box and discovered they only sent me 60 coasters 2 were broken and about 10 of them had such rough surfaces I will not be able to engrave on them very well.
The packaging is their trash. I have seen similar things before. I'm retired, early, and am close to pulling the trigger on an xTool. The little hints like the height of the coasters, is nice to know.
So nice of them, huh? :) I am working on a video edit showing how to test and overcome the height differences in slate coasters. It should be out in a week or so. It's also using an xTool that I show it. :)
@@Samcraftcom I just saw a video about cutting thick material. They mentioned focusing the laser below the top to the material. That might help. You could also sell it as being natural and no 2 are the same, blah, blah, blah. 😁
Some of it may have been, but mostly it was the fire pit going to town in front of the workshop burning up scrap wood. I've been working to move out of my shop this past week and downscale things.
I got an order form Amazon containing what now looks like the Ali* coasters resold there as indicated by only having THREE feet - I would have wanted 4 b/c the 3-feet ones will tip 😫
Hello from New Zealand :) I have seen so many videos of laser engraving and it's definitely something I want to look into to start a small business. I really enjoy your videos and your channel. I find them super informative. Can someone who has zero experience in this do it? Other than the laser engraver itself, what are the other must-have tools and accessories to have in this type of small business?
Hi on a laser forum I’m on, one of the must haves is a digital caliper. You’ll need that to measure the thickness of the material so you can adjust your focal length as needed.
That packing material was where the foam feet came from. Actually a smart way to reduce waste... and send their garbage overseas. We have ordered quite a bit from China and have rarely had issues. The extras were definitely compensation for breakage in shipping.
ive bought quite a few items from china myself. 90% of the bulk stuff i ordered had literal garbage like this in it. i once bought rope from them and the core of the rope was major brand baby diaper material..
If you had projects that needed smaller round nubs you could cut those out if there was enough material in between.
Too funny!
I have sourced over $20,000 worth of goods from China. So far 90% are great! Always get samples before going big.
Sam you are the man!! I’m 64 and just starting out with the s1 xtool with all extras. You are a great teacher and I thank you for your time.
I'm so glad I found your channel Sam. Can finally put my lasers to good use. I've ordered 24 of the slate coasters from Amazon... For some reason, the bulk pack in the link you provided would cost me over $200 to ship, which makes the Amazon ones my best bet here in Canada. Thanks so much for all the great content.
Sam, this is not a comment on this specific video. I like what you do! Your channel is very inviting. You share things you have learned in an informative and helpful manner. You seem to be open to constructive comments and you avoid drama! Good on ya! I enjoy watching. Just so you understand me, I'm 57 years old with a great career but I enjoy building things and learning from folks that thrive on sharing knowledge and experience freely. I look forward to your interview new content!
I appreciate your comment very much! You've made a great observation into things I consciously work on with my channel to remain true to who I am as a person, and to remain as true as possible to you all, my viewers. :) Thanks!
I took the gamble and ordered 100 coasters from this source. The total cost, with shipping, was just under $75. Today, after a 7 week wait, I received 101 coasters in perfect condition. The only caveat is that a few are pretty thin and a few are on the thick side. These will be used to experiment with engraving techniques. Most are what I consider "usable". Thanks for the tip, Sam.
Warm up the pads with a heat gun and they can be removed usually. That's probably where the foam fluff in the box is from. It's the waste from cutting all those rubber dots.
I bought some coasters for my daughter's boyfriend and he absolutely loved them!
Sam I love your videos, I heard you say in one of them about reusing a scratched slate coaster after sanding. I made a mistake and went to my wood whop and sanded the image from the slate tile, cleaned it, sprayed with clear coat then reburned the image it came out great. No problems. Thanks again for your educational videos.
Awesome to hear that it worked good!
For your thickness sorting maybe make a quick little height /go-no go gauge from a scrap of wood to quickly sort one or two similar heights rather than have to independently measure each coaster.
That's a cool idea!
@@Samcraftcom I’m trying to watch your new video, but it says only for members, but I don’t see any way to become a member?
I’m a retired Tool & Die machinist and I enjoy your videos on engraving these coasters. I have a thought about a jig to hold your coasters to keep the surface constant to the laser height. PM me if you’re interested in my idea.
Hi Sam iv ordered a good amount from China and delivered to Ireland I have to say never had any issues and like you I have always received more than I actually ordered which is good. Also just noticed your subscriber count is increasing nicely 👌
Nice to see a fellow. Must join you on your journey.
I'm just getting into engraving. I do vinyl, painting, and epoxy crafts. Engraving looked really cool. I wish I would have spent for the orturo machine that engraves metal. I opted for the cheapest one. My job was cut and my husband will be going back to work in February. I want to help with bread winning by my own business. So thank you very much for sharing.
The padding they used was the leftover material from the feet pads I reckon!
China sends it’s trash with love
Clever packaging
Was 2 going to...
You may find that you dont want the seller to ship without the foot pads. Those pads are doing dual duty. They not only keep the slate from scratching the end user's table surface. They also keep the tiles from shattering during shipping.
I love how the box is a totally accordioned around the fragile contents warning!
For anybody watching this video more recently, one thing to know is customs will at times open your package and inspect for anything illegal, especially coming from china. which is one of the reasons some packages come mangled or obviously repackaged and taped. just letting yall know.
You gotta risk it to get the biscuit.
Funny that they put the pad paper (sans the pads) in the box anyway. They would save time to just put the pap paper in the box and let you place them.
HOWEVER, they may do it to add additional padding to help prevent more damage.
If you are doing that many just make a jig that locates the coasters on the top surface from underneath. Could be very simple like a frame and some something with give like a spring or even foam rubber. The foam will push the coaster up to the frame from the bottom. No sorting needed since the top surface will be at the same height for all.
If you saw how packages are handled by couriers, you wouldn’t be surprised at the condition of the box! lol The extra 6 would be there to compensate for the possibility of a few getting broken. It’s cheaper to add those than spend extra on a better box or send you replacements.
This is great to see always wondered if it would be worth ordering bulk myself
I honestly prefer to buy the smooth edge slate coasters. They just look better and sell better. Though ive only been able to find good quality ones from a single seller on amazon. Just remember to use some gloss spray enamel on them first. Makes the engravings show up much better and makes the slate a darker black.
Does spray enamel take away the absorbent factor of slate? Cannot seem to find any product that will give me a better look without sealing the slate and taking away its absorbent properties
I have ordered from overseas for years. Just make sure duties are included also. I also work for DHL Express and most of our business is international. A lot of boxes come to us like that, smashed and such.
Lol, awesome! Really like you sharing the process! Thanks Sam!
Very nice work. You are very easy to listen to and a NICE person. Thanks very much!!!
I can attest a belt sander will surface slate extremely well. You can remove a bad engraving or level imperfections quickly and easily
Thank you for sharing. I do like that you say good or bad to a product being honest. Thank you
Thanks for watching, I do try to be honest in all videos. :)
Love the fragile sticker.
The rubber feet on the coasters may be why the box was so rumpled but the coasters weren't broken.
Hey bud found your youtube channel the other week. I am liking your videos. At the beginning of this video when you 1st showed the condition of the box I about cried for ya, I was like OH NO! LOL
The reason the box is so beat up is because the box goes through customs as it goes through the countries. Sometimes they will open the boxes to make sure there's nothing bad in there
Great video as usual. Price is good but shipping is a killer. 100 coasters with shipping to Canada is about $250, works out to abouit $2.50 a coaster. I can get them at the local Micheals for $1.24 each!!!! Buying from China isn't always a good deal!!
Wow... shipping was only $50 when I purchased these!
@@Samcraftcom $50 would be great. Maybe they have a US warehouse?
Maybe there's a glitch on thier page. Shows $168 shipping now
My disclaimer, I've ordered from foreign countries for years. Over all, I've had great success, and, my experience has been, if items arrive broken, they replace them right away. You usually always get a few extras of items to cover for breakage. If you order again, request that they tape the entire box.
I'd say you probably could reorder and ask for the foam feet to not be added and sent as sheets to apply yourself. I've found that a some Chinese manufacturers are accommodating to such requests.
That’s a good idea!
Thank you for your honest, objective review. I've seen so many products ordered from China which gave me those same 'uh-oh' moments, and mostly, the result was that the handlers, shippers did all they could do to get them to me safely. Whew! Yes, it's a lot to consider, but in the grand scheme, they have the product and want nothing more than for you to receive what you paid for ... to keep a good business relationship. This is the goal!
Glad it was helpful!
Hope your shippin was cheaper than showing to Canada. I can get them here locally for $8 for a boxed set of 4, mind you they are square, but it's worth the 10 minute drive. overseas manufacturers have raised shipping so much as well as product price on so many things, it's becoming unviable to outsource. Love the channel Sam. Thanks for what you do
^I sometime use a USPS box to store things.
It wasn't a surprise that there were no damages to the coasters... It was a MIRACLE that there was no damage to the coasters .. That packaging was shocking.!! 😧
That's awesome. I have a truck load of slate I sourced locally in the U.S. and no way I could sell it that cheap. My laser and rotary came from China and they arrived fairly quickly, maybe a little over a week. Longer than it takes from Amazon but saved over a hundred dollars. I enjoy your videos! Also, welcome to TN hope you like it! I'm about an hour west of Knoxville.
Then we'll be about 2 hours apart. :) I'd love to find a US company for slate coasters, but haven't found any yet.
Cheers Sam for the insight. A video on how you prepare for dispatch would be good, i. e. .finishing, wrapping etc. The business side of things, how you manage expectations, profit and payment. Thank you.
Have you seen this video? It may be of help: czcams.com/video/0cz9mYt08R8/video.html
@@Samcraftcom thanks Sam, great info.
Thanks for sharing appreciate seeing this kind of videos; especially right from the opening of the products
74 cents on alibaba or $1.28 on ebay. Ebay 2 weeks Alibaba 3weeks to 2 months. Square or round. Thanks for the video.
Ordered from China, only problem is the amount of time it took to get the order.
When I ordered it I wasn’t aware that it was being shipped from China!
looks like they definitely handled that package with extreme care.
:D
Such a great video. I really appreciate the information provided and it was very helpful for me as I am doing my research as I wait for my laser cutter. Wishing you the best
Glad it was helpful!
I was hoping you would give the price savings as compared to purchasing from Amazon. What is the average cost per unit of each?
take the dots off, use goo be gone to remove resedue if any is left, try one. te doted side actaully looks better.
I'm not a supporter of China products. That being said, sometimes you have no other choice. I so wish you would offer wood coasters you sourced from your own land. I make Christmas ornaments from slices of our maple tree. I dry them really well on top of our pellet stove, then I use a wood burning tool to create my designs. Then I either paint, stain, polyurethane, or sometimes just leave natural. Depends on the design. I would much rather buy something locally sourced than from China, however I have bought your coasters and do love them. The engraving is beautiful. ❤️
I completely agree! I wish I could find a US-based manufacturer! Funny that you mention that about the wood coasters. :) It's in my "when we get settled" notebook of things to change and add to our business. LOCALLY SOURCED!
@@Samcraftcom so glad to hear that. Better profit margins too. I'd also love one of those french rolling pins 😂
On the coaster with the extra dot you should engrave "It's not a tumor!" with a picture of Arnold screaming.
Hahaha LOVE IT!!!!!
Sam thanks for sharing your perspective with us.
My pleasure!
If you buy 200 next time Sam, you'll save 27 cents on each one. Cost for 100 is $1.08 ea, while cost for multiples of 100 is 81 cents; 1000 pcs gets you to 70 cents. I'm going to guess the damage will be exponentially worse the more you order, so I stuck to 200 for now and will see what happens. Maybe they'll use a stronger box?
I foresee another order in my future... just in a few months probably. :)
@@Samcraftcom Gotta get that new workshop done first!
Looks like Slateworx LLC in Virginia US has 100 for 115$ free shipping to US. Coming from overseas they are .27$ per but shipping is 72$. For slightly more it's probably higher quality and feet are not pre attached. 🤷🏻♂
I like how the one “fragile” sticker was the only thing in mint condition on that box 😂😂😂
Just engrave “Oops” on the coaster with the growth.
I recently did something similar. They all made it but, a bunch were not flat on the bottom. So they rock on flat surfaces.
Argh, that's a bummer!
Not sure if this would be any help to you as i know that running a business you need to keep costs down but if you contact them they will ship them to you with the feet not installed. They will ship in a different box so its a little more money. For me it was an extra $25 to have the feet shipped separately for 200 coasters.
Quick question about something no one talks about, lots of videos about ideas of what to sell or getting your laser business going etc. What I dont see is anything about how do you get orders? If from Etsy, do you get instant notifications that you received an order? If selling locally do you use the square etc. How do you receive orders?
The 'padding' in the box looks to be the remnants of the sticky adhesive feet that go on the bottom of things. There is a lot of waste like that from what is left from whatever shape/design they cut out. Like the pads on the bottom of the coasters you ordered.
I'm assuming it is the left overs from some other part of their process they are repurposing as padding instead of just trashing.
Hi. Love your videos. Can you maby explain how you did shipping from China? I seam to get murdered on eny shipping I try....
Congratulations Sam!
Thanks for the link, looks like a good deal all things considered
No problem 👍
I'm sure there is a joke about a box of rocks that could be used here 🙄......I'm going to have to watch and see how it turns out 😆 🤣 😂
Thats the debri from the base cushioning
💕If you plan to order again from the same place then contact the place/owner of purchase & explain that box needs to be better taped as it arrived ripped💕You will find most of them to be very accommodating because they don’t like to lose repeat ordering customers💕
Only $1.31 from JDS industries with warehouses around the country. Free shipping over $99 & you can return anything that is not acceptable....so I would say why bother waiting months & taking the risk
that weird packaging material was probably the thing the rubber footsies come from. Maybe use that one with the footsie on top as a commemorative of your first bulk order and engrave something special on it. Though I would suggest trying to get a source outside of China.
nice job on the intro audio!
Thanks!
That's a pretty decent profit margin worth the wait
I feel you on the shipping brother lol
I'm sure that's exactly how those folks selling on Amazon receive them.
I have ordered from aliexpress before. Yes subpar cardboard and damaged packaging.
Looks like the foam circles could have been feet for the coasters
Love your tutorials very informative and extremely useful thank you for sharing.
I’m curious what your all-in per piece cost was. The ones I get on Amazon are $1.06 each and arrive within days with free shipping. I think I would need at least a 50% discount all-in to go the alibaba/China shipping route.
3 dots ......oh man i need 4 😀 Great video thanks
the reason those boxes are so flimsy' is that the cardboard has been recycled so many times there is just no fiber integrity left. I know because I tried to sell some bails of it for my company once and they wouldn't buy it because of that. recycling still has its place though. Have a good un.
I used to import natural sharpening stones from Germany. First shipment looked just like this in a busted box but no significant damage. Second shipment came in a really beat up box, obviously folded and re-taped and containing only about 50% of my order. I assume the rest was lost when the outer box broke open and the shipper just gathered what they could and folded the now half empty box around the remaining product. I no longer import stones LOL
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing every step.
love the goonies never say die
Hi Sam, I've been watching some of your video's and find them very informative and well put together...
I'm in the process of purchasing my very first laser for the purpose of starting my online laser business. Would you recommend either the Ortur laser master 2 pro or the Aufero laser 2 with air assist?
Great videos, keep them coming.
I won't be in competition with you as I'm based in the UK!!😊😊
That's so wonderful to hear, I'm very happy they're of help! I honestly don't think you'll go wrong with either of those machines. I believe you can get the same diode laser head for them both, too... maybe? I would 1000% recommend getting the tool free Z Axis adjustment first thing, too. Crucial to ease of use IMO. Best of luck!!
I'm in the UK and with shipping it's over £1 per coaster.
with shipping to Canada it's about $2.50 each or about £1.50. I can get them local for less. Buying from China isn't always a good deal!!
Wow... wonder why it's so much higher for you guys? UK & CA
So I didn’t hear how much you spend , and how much it cost per coaster when you break it down
Got mine today. I ordered 100 coasters. Received a box a month later than looks like a box lost from the cast away movie and used as a soccer ball for a few years. Opened the box and discovered they only sent me 60 coasters 2 were broken and about 10 of them had such rough surfaces I will not be able to engrave on them very well.
Dang.. bummer!!!!!
That foam tape is their trash lol those missing circles are probably the foam circle feet on the coasters
I’m really surprised none were broke from the looks of the box.
Me too!!
I have been watching your videos and enjoy them can you please tell me which model laser you use for the slate
The packaging is their trash. I have seen similar things before. I'm retired, early, and am close to pulling the trigger on an xTool. The little hints like the height of the coasters, is nice to know.
So nice of them, huh? :) I am working on a video edit showing how to test and overcome the height differences in slate coasters. It should be out in a week or so. It's also using an xTool that I show it. :)
@@Samcraftcom I just saw a video about cutting thick material. They mentioned focusing the laser below the top to the material. That might help. You could also sell it as being natural and no 2 are the same, blah, blah, blah. 😁
@@Samcraftcom I just realized the circles look like the size of the feet on the coasters. Like I said trash.
Thanks for sharing!
When I had a business, I usually bought in bulk. 😉
Hearing snaps in the background. Is that your little one snapping the bubble wrap? 😄
Some of it may have been, but mostly it was the fire pit going to town in front of the workshop burning up scrap wood. I've been working to move out of my shop this past week and downscale things.
I got an order form Amazon containing what now looks like the Ali* coasters resold there as indicated by only having THREE feet - I would have wanted 4 b/c the 3-feet ones will tip 😫
That box took a licking. Ever thought about a sunflower on coasters?
Hello from New Zealand :) I have seen so many videos of laser engraving and it's definitely something I want to look into to start a small business. I really enjoy your videos and your channel. I find them super informative. Can someone who has zero experience in this do it? Other than the laser engraver itself, what are the other must-have tools and accessories to have in this type of small business?
Hi on a laser forum I’m on, one of the must haves is a digital caliper. You’ll need that to measure the thickness of the material so you can adjust your focal length as needed.
I can only imagine what state they'd arrive in if the box hadn't been marked fragile. 😉
The box was the deluxe shipping option. For standard shipping, they just dump them all in a gunny sack w/o bubble wrap.
What about shipping stone across the ocean? That’s the kicker with these things.
$50 at time of ordering, and now $80. Overall not bad on price-per-unit
someone is having fun with bubble wrap in the background! Dont JUDGE! :P hehehe
Or its the wood stove….
You are both right! :) I had the fire pit roaring outside burning scrap wood and my five year old son was also going to town on the bubble wraps! :)
Hi Sam, I don’t know if you’ve been asked this question, but what would you price these sets as? Just getting started. Thank you.
Ohh that package looks like something Ace Venture would like to use as a football to get a dog to its real owner... or something like that.. haha..
What machine you using to do the bulk coasters?
Most likely they are packed by weight and extra to cover possible damage to others.
nice work my friend...new sub from the UK...
My LP3 is on the way. Do you find round or square coasters more popular?
I've only ever sold round ones, even with both listed on my website for sale.