murphysmagic.com
I don't perform close up except for walkaround and "street magic" so forgive me but what is a close up table? Can someone show me a link to something that is on the market.

I think that is pretty cool.

basiclly a close up mat built into a table

Looks like a fun dvd.

I don't understand what he means when he says make things so you don't have to buy it from other people. You have to buy the DVD from them! Also, I would've liked to see a finished product in the video, to know what I am buying. I also really like Michael Ammar's table that he sells as a download on his site. Just my thoughts.

The Ammar table looks pretty god, and the price sure is right!
I always wanted to get one of the tables (not sure of the designer) from the L&L videos.

Ammar teaches that construction in one of his lectures. It's very practical and easy to make. You'll be able to get most of the things through a hardware store and a large department store.

Greg

Reference please.

Thank you.

The price seems kind of high! 25 bucks?

I think we can all imagine how to build a table, its mostly the materials that we need. So 5.95 is a good price because they tell you exactly what you need and where to get it. I myself use nice big closeup mats, and a nice big table.

I would like to know where the L&L tables are from too! Anyone know?

thanks _Magik

The L&L tables are prolly made by them or something they got to make them. maybe with this dvd you could make one?

its interesting everyone wants a table like that but find 25 dollars to high for instructions?

it's okay ( as far as the community is concerned ) when they charge that for a single card trick. so why not this?

L&L Table:

http://www.jimzeemagic.net/tables/

The Jim Zee's are very nice tables....certainly pricey, but, like anything, quality costs more.

At the other end of the spectrum, here's a consideration for anyone looking for a really cheap, functional table, I bought a small computer table at a local liquidation store for $10. Add the surface material you like to work with, and voila....

Go up where Magicman4646 talked about it. He put a link to it where the highlighted word "table" is.
I guess Ammar now sells the plans separately, but it's under ten bucks.

Greg

I found an amazing "french carved walnut" card table on ebay. Its on a live auction for $50 (might go for $150). Add a nice big closeup pad and you got an amazing card table...
What type of material, where to get it, and how to STAPLE it to a table... this doesn't seem worth 25 bucks. That was all I was saying. Why not just get a nice wooden table, and hire someone to add a nice surface to it?

Nice table, but it's only 24" high!

I Stan Corrected. haha

I only searched for about 30 seconds and found it... but my point is that we can find a nice table out there for cheap. And that you don't need to spend 25 bucks to learn how to staple material to it.

"I don't understand what he means when he says make things so you don't have to buy it from other people."

I've been pretty lucky; in the last few years I've had the chance to get to know some pretty amazing people who work in magic professionally. Three that come to mind the most are Cyril, Rico de la Vega, and Joel Brooke, the owner of High Caliber Magic.

Hanging around these guys has demonstrated to me how much I truly need to learn, and they've been gracious enough to teach me things that their teachers taught them. One important lesson has been to build everything I can myself, and to learn the skills I need to be a producer instead of a consumer. Self sufficiency in magic, as in life, is of real value both economically and emotionally.

A great example of this is the following:

I was at Joel's recently and I got the chance to learn from him and Rico how to build an illusion that I have been planning to use in a TV segment I have coming up, but prior to having the chance to observe these professionals at work, I was going to pay a third party to build it for me at significant cost. It only took being around them and I picked up what I needed to make it myself. Knowledge is of real value to me, so that's why I started the DIY Magic program at Black's.

My focus is on providing practical information for people to learn how to do things on their own that have cross-over value in magic so they don't have to turn to manufactures unless they want to. That is, you can still pay others who can do it for you, but it's nice to have the option. I mean, I can change my car's oil but I often have somone else do it to save time. But I like knowing how.

Why a DVD? Well, some people learn better by watching then by reading a set of plans; each person is different (yeahhhh, for that!). Plans or an ebook costs far less to make and sell too. Get what works for you my friends.

In regards to the table, what kind of cloth really works and why? You can go through the exercise of figuring that out yourself and spend $100 buying the wrong kind (which I did based on what other magicians thought and shared with me) that will quickly wear out, or you can buy cloth that is specifically designed to handle significant wear.

But you can't just pick the cloth up at Joann Fabrics or WalMart. Sure, some will argue with me and state here with authority what they think works and why, and that's cool. I have an informed view that I share on the DVD and I'm confident that some people will benefit from the information because they specifically want it.

As to price, it goes without saying that producing a DVD isn't free and that the transfer of knowledge has value, so I charge a fair price to teach the viewer who has turned to this (or other DVDs we produce) in lieu of direct personal instruction; the DVD is simply an instructional reference volume. And since some tables are well over $500, it's not unreasonable to have the option of learning how to build one that will require significantly less outlay to build, and that does the job well. We actually use the tables we make for all of our videos now and whenever we travel to do work (where required). So, at least for me and my crew, they serve the purpose for which they are designed.

To me, that's no different than paying a barber for a haircut, a plumber to snake your toilet, or a personal tutor to help you pass your math exam at university. And since it is a one hour DVD that covers more than just how to staple a bed sheet to a table, I feel it's a good product for those who want it.

Regardless, thanks for the thread. I've already received some nice PMs and a few emails because of it.

Best, JC

Teach In dvds are great for some things, however building things in my opinion aren't one of them unless they come with an exploded blueprint telling you right down the the thread count of the screws you use. Think about it, how many have a dvd player and tv in their workshop or garage? On the other hand, if you want to learn say coin magic, you can sit and follow the moves at your coffee table. As to plans being cheaper to produce, nonsense, I'm not a draftsman, **** I can't even draw a stick person without it looking like it was hit by a car. A draftsman is NOT cheap.

There are two types of woodworkers, designers and finishers. Finishers know exactly how to build something and design it so proper finishing can be done. The average weekend worker that has little or no experience in building anything will most likely still find it difficult to complete the task, at least on the first few trys.

People pay prices for upscale merchandise because it's the tools they make thier living with. No a 1250.00 Cocobola closeup table with inlay is not for the average person nor is a 5500.00 snakewood and ebony table. But those who work professionally and have bookings to reflect their needs, that's a different story.

There are a number of books out there just on tables that give you numerous plans for all sorts of tables. Magic Inc. in Chicago has Magic Table Volumes 1 & 2, both combined cost less than the dvd and you can have the plans sitting in front of you.

One thing I noticed was he was applying aeresol spray glue with no respirator on. There are a few of us on the Café who have forgone the respirator and we paid dearly. Maybe the fumes was causing the out takes of being able to say "glue"?

The statement of never having to buy something from someone else ever again is pretty misleading, you have to run around at 4.00 a gallon + and buy materials or have postage to have them shipped to you, don't you? Then there is the time involved running back and forth from the TV to the garage or workshop hoping you remember it all. Or maybe the idea is to undermine craftsman that have the skills to make what others can't but have a need for.

Remember your return bookings are based on your performance and your presentation. Part of your presentation are you tools (props), keep that in mind.

Some things in my opinion just shouldn't be do it yourself on dvd, another that comes to mind is making your own flash paper, but that's only my opinion some people will spend hours to think they are saving $ while not counting in what their time is really worth.

Jim Zee's tables were nice when he built them. Jim has retired and sold both his woodshop and his metal shop. There is only 2 people I know that are building a sorta kind like Jim Zee table and the actual ones.

Jake,

Nice to see you've recovered enough from your hospital stay to come out swinging. Missed talking to you man. How are things?

JC

Ah! Now I see it!!!

Thank you so much Greg.

Kind regards,

James - I noticed that "How to make a Quality Close Up Table" does not appear in the Black's Magic DVD section of your website.

I also could not find any mention of cloth (as referenced in the DVD).

I'm returning hobby after a few years away and am amazed at the amount of resources
both god and bad, that are avalable!

Rick