I find it hard to believe that this isn’t being made by multiple people/companies, but searches have proved somewhat elusive.

If this has already been discussed, feel free to just point me to the discussion.

I'm looking to try to get something at a reasonable price and I'm just starting out and trying to work my way up and prove I could actually generate money from this. I have someone who is good at making things, who is willing to help if there are plans anywhere.

I’m trying to see if it’s possible to have something that I can actually carry my things around in as well as provide a work surface / table.

I’ve seen this: http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S13618 which seems like it would have issues. They legs are separate, and it doesn’t really look like I could work out of that, just carry my stuff around and then would have to have something else to hold them unless I was actually going into the briefcase in between tricks for the next props. It also looks like I’d have to build some sort of table on the top end of the briefcase (maybe just attach a close-up pad).

Likely out of my price range, flipdisc.com has The Ultimate Gig case, and The Busker case (although it’s not at all clear to me that I’d be able to work out of The Busker case). Even though Doug was nice enough to reply to an email, I guess I’m too new to understand whether or not I could work out of The Busker case, it still just seems like a carrying case / place to ditch things with an amp. The Ultimate Gig case seems nice, but pricey (I'm not saying it isn't worth it, just that I'm not sure I could justify the cost at this point in time). Also, to show how little I know, I’ll admit that I’m not sure how good heavy duty Exhibition Ribbed carpet is for working on.

I’ve tried looking in the workshop section, but haven't really found much there, either. I found a couple of suggestions to sites that don’t seem to exist any longer, or aren’t taking new members (like http://cupsandballsmuseum.org/ ) and a couple of people saying they had made their own, but no actual plans, just pictures.

If I just need to carry multiple things, I will. Again, it just seems like someone would be making this for buskers, and I'm just not finding it.

Thanks,
Bart

Restaurant tray stand with old suitcase on top. Stores your stuff, easy to carry, can perform on it, and relatively cheap. Or tray stand with plywood top covered with felt...can go extra mile and put bunting around top and servante.

Greetings and Salutations,

This is a topic that arises frequently, and I'll give you a plain and simply solution. See Frank Starsini's site at http://www.theambitiouscard.com/index.cfm. Check out his table tops, and servantes or pouches. Get a tray jack stand at a local restaurant supply store. You can experiment with various table sizes cutting down a sheet of plywood and constructing your own servantes and pouches. But when it's all said and done, unless you're skilled and handy with tools, and have the tools, you are time and money ahead buying what you need and working on your act.

Just my $.02 (USD) worth. YMMV.

Joe Zeman aka
The Mage Ulysses

I bought an aluminum tool box at Home Depot for $26 ... similar to aluminum briefcases sold at Office Depot for $99 ... you can also find nice gun cases at Bass Pro Shop with cut-out foam inside. They are all comparable to the case in the link you provided, minus the legs and close-up pad.

I painted a sign on the bottom and glued a closeup pad to the top - use 3M "spray glue".

http://joejoeonline.com/pics/perform/case-sign.jpg/

For legs, just get a wooden bar stool and remove any foam cushion. The briefcase sits very well on top of it, very stable even in the strongest of winds. I used this setup for years ... can see it in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9KSmLz2hWg



-JoeJoe

Second hand stores

I just use a tool case I got at home depot and drilled an base to screw in a stand like the one in the picture you've shown. Worked well for me on the streets and also when I perform in daycares.

You know Joe Joe, the one thing I noticed in your shows is that you always seem to advertise either a store that you are near or something else happening in the area. I'm betting the store owners appreciate that.

Frank's site is http://theambitiouscard.com/

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check out Frank's site and also see what home depot has available.

I'm not that handy, but I have a friend who's very handy and has a whole shop at his disposal.

Since someone mentioned second hand stores, I'll say I'm surprised there isn't a second hand forum on here. I would have guessed that there would be active trading / selling of used items. On the other hand, if it got cutthroat, it could cause issues as well.

Very similiar to what is said above; I've seen a laptop stand and suitcase (you find ones at suitable price) used
by some indoor guys......

Here is laptopstand that might work...and fit int he desired suitcase...

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/39790......od4kgAzw

I've made table tops and stands for many people, including Gazzo. There are a lot of people out there that do this work, but they aren't always in it for the long haul. The things are easy to make yourself, and there's barely any money in it for the craftsman. So usually it's just a do-it-yourself project.

They don't have to be fancy either. Look at the ones on the Art of Street Performing DVDs that Cellini described, or the one Gazzo shows in his cups and balls DVD. Those are examples of inexpensive, but quality pieces of gear.

Tabman tables were great, but I don't know if you can get them any more. I don't make them any more. Whit used to sell a nice one on his scoundrels website, and Frank did too on the ambitious card.

Maybe it's like a Jedi having to make his own light sabre. Maybe you'll perform better if you put a little of your own elbow grease into it!

An aluminum keyboard stand seems to work well for legs.

Here is a picture of my table with the keyboard stand.

I also have a briefcase table that I now use for all my shows.

And here is a picture with the briefcase table.

http://www.facebook.com/birthdaypartyexpert

The plans for this table are in Chris Capehart's Lecture Notes.

Hey friends,

I recently built a table and as I was doing it I took some pics so I could make a tutorial for you guys - hope it helps if you are a 1st time table builder and don't have a lot of tools to do fancy work



Here is a link to the PDF - feel free to use it and redistribute it

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3552091/table%20tutorial.pdf

Enjoy,
./sam

Wow,
Where were you a few weeks ago Sam?
Thanks so much for taking the time to look at the pdf.
Great pic by the way! You do some amazing work based upon
your website pics etc....it looks like everyone is having a blast
http://www.mypirateisland.com/

LOL I was thinking how I could build this table with tape, glue, staples and some precut boards from the Home Depot

Sorry Devious I've been lurking around here enough and thought it was time to contribute something - even if it is a 10mb PDF

Thanks for the vote of confidence on Pirate Island (Arrrggghhh)

./sam

Sam- thanks you so much for the PDF. I'll be using it!

After doing a lot of research on the same subject I ended up finding that a drummer's tripod is an inexpensive option. I bought mine for 30$

http://images.static.steveweissmusic.com......opup.jpg

You can make your own table and adapt a roll-on system with the help of a carpenter and/or blacksmith/welder so that your table is the "cap" and the end of the tripod is the "bottle"

I haven't tried with large tables like the one that gman posted. Still, it's cheap, strong and collapsible (a reason why I didn't like the X shaped tables)

My father made the same thing but instead of adapting the roll system to a wooden table, he adapted it to a suitcase. Great idea but a small and unstable surface for my kind of work.