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Just wondering. A few coolers are around here but nothing in them..thought it might be cool to do.

No issues here, I used a shell to make my smoker stand...I like the repurpose of these and this was a fun project

I like the chair, with the larger coolers we've seen both a loveseat and couch.

        Are we opposed? Heck no,but Coca Cola sure is!

        I used to make couches from the large coolers that were otherwise headed for the dump, and sell them from my shop in California.
But as soon as I advertised online, I received a visit from the Coca Cola police, in person from Atlanta. They served me a notice in writing that stated they could sue me for $10,000 if I 'sell' this couch. (Trademark infringement).

        They would have no problem with me restoring and selling it as a cooler, but once it is modified like a couch or trailer they get pissed.

        No problem either for Joe citizen to make one for himself , he just can't legally sell it.

        If I were a shareholder in the Coca Cola company, I would be delighted to see these sitting in as many homes as possible.       

 

   

 That really Sucks....how is it any different say if you brought a Ford pickup and turned the Ford embossed tail gate into a table and sold it?  Is Ford going to come after you..... Rick's Restorations does with the same with the Coke coolers... are they going after him as well?

I think anything that keeps them from ending up in the scrapyard is positive.  Different strokes for different folks.  If you prefer to make an old cooler into a chair rather than restore it as a cooler then I say go for it.  I'd love to have a cooler couch for the rec room, don't necessarily want the Coke police showing up though.  Guess I'll have to set up a back alley purchase.   :smile:

I talked to a guy in Rhode Island that had his letter framed!!! His attorney told him there was nothing coke could do, technically, but you could easily be hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees fighting their lawsuit. He stopped!

When looking into it, his attorney said that someone had sued Coke after cutting their hand on one of these and they were out a lot in legal fees. Now they can say they told them not to.

When I read this thread last night. My first thought was Coca Cola being greedy. My second thought was "they're scared of getting blamed for someone getting hurt on this stuff." Sure enough, I was right.

That's a shame. Ambulance chasers spoiling the fun.  :down:

"Professional driver on closed course. Do not attempt."

Check out this pickup ad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_OtbXmu9kg

0:25 - "Dramatization....." Really?  :tounge: Oh WOW, I never would have guessed it was fake.  :darn:

They always show a vehicle with MORE options than the base, even if those features aren't always obvious in the commercial, they insist on letting you know it's not the  base package. I know why such disclaimers are there, but this constant insult by corporate lawyers of my intelligence is wearing kinda thin.

Hmm..what I don't understand is...I see SO  many of these on Ebay..Craigslist and several other sites...I have even seen 3 that are listed as trailers for sale.Does Coke fly a lawyer all over to put a stop to them selling them..? I mean you own the cooler outright don't you.? Cant you just say in your ad.." Can be used as a cooler..if modified" ? Moondawg..how do you make one into a couch or chair.? Complicated..?

         Remove the liner, cut 1 side out. Make plywood seat, back and 2 sides. Cut 4 " foam  for each piece of plywood and cover them with vinyl

There are some laws about trademarks and if you don't defend your trademark for unauthorized use, you can lose the right to prevent its use. Its not 100%, its reasonable effort. They dont have to chase every ebay sale. If you put it on your website and profit, you may hit the radar. (You may not)  The guy I met said he put an ad in the national coke collectors magazine at the time. Coke and Disney are both known for aggressively defending their trademark.

Also, they don't have to fly anywhere, there's usually a local attorney that they can farm the local work to if they see it.

As far as how can the prevent the secondary use, they really can't. Go ahead and start a website, advertise them for sale, and hire an attorney and you will likely win. He got his letter in the 1980's or 1990's, I'm sure it was cheaper then to fight it, the question is... Can you defend yourself in a lawsuit against a billion dollar company with unlimited resources that doesn't want you to do something? I know I couldn't afford $500,000 in legal fees to sell a $2000 couch! Bully, but that's how it is.

Seen people go so far as to turn them into gun safes.  As it was said earlier to each their own.