HI,

I'm doing a large trade show as the booth entertainment. I'll need a table to work on and was thinking of making a case, with a table top and a step at the back to stand on. Has anyone done this? (Think footlocker turned on its end for size.) The whole thing should be portable as well.

Thanks

CW

I've done it. I got a overhead projector stand. The brand name is not in my head right now, but it had 4 detachable legs and a shelf. The detachable legs were telescopic so the height was adjustable to about 5 feet!
The top surface was about 15 x 24 and the legs attached directly to the top and flared out at a slight angle giving a footprint of about 2 x 3 feet.

I got some velour-like cloth and velcro'ed it to the top surface edge making a drape that dropped to the floor and dressed it nicely. the whole thing fit into a footlocker type case that I reinforced and allowed me to use the case as something to stand on. The best part was ...including case, table, cloth, PA (Anchor brand ), and speaker stand weighed at just less than 50 pounds, so no excess baggage!

Don't know if it's still like this... but I grabbed a spare box to stand on in a trade show in Chicago. Next thing a union guy came by and said it had to be carpeted. He grabbed a scrap, stapled it on and the bill was over $200.00.

OUCH!!!!!!!!!

Professional Trade Show Magicians use nothing more then a box on a single pipe attached to the floor or base this should be 42" high from base attachment to top of box table.

The box is about the size of a large close-up mat, open at the rear. Your trade show company usually will build you a platform to stand on. Or you can build your own, a platform 12" high. Put wheels on the platform to move around. If you are at a trade show, you cannot move anything yourself. It must be done by union workers, or your stuff will disappear forever.

The cheapest covering for the box table is speaker cloth like they use in car speaker around the wood boxes. This only sells or $2 a yard. It is Velcro friendly.

I think you should get some of the trade show DVDs on this type of work. Your job is not to entertain but to build a crowd and give product information and collect buyers business cards so the company you represent has sales leads.

This is from a magician that has worked trade shows for 40 years.

I've never had problems with Union workers on the trade show floor. The only thing I request of them (and I do this through the client) is a 110 electrical outlet in the corner of the booth space I'm going to be in. Still, I bring a 20 foot extension with me as well.

Table do vary from a box on a pipe stand. Some clients prefer a formica'ed table. Joel Bauer has spent thousands of his own $$$ on radically new designs and innovations. I remember working Comdex (when comdex was really COMDEX!) and there were 30 different magicians working!

Over the past few years I've gotten away from what is called podium work to do "Theatre style presentations" with 15 to 30 prearranged chairs in front of a mini stage. It's a luxury of space that most companies can't afford...dedicating floor space to chairs as opposed to having potential clients stand in the aisles. However, the theatre style lends more gravitas to the message.

Thanks - very very useful info...and just the sort of info I was looking for.


Dave

I have only done a few trade shows. But at each one I used a Lefler suitcase table. It was perfect!

David

Pete Biro had a neat case/table. I took some pictures of it when he lived in Walnut Creek. It was pre digital days but I have some prints in a cigar box someplace.

-=tab

Can you post them?? Or just send a few?

cw guy

Thanks for reminding me. I will need to dig out a print and scan it but I will b4 the weekend is out.

-=tab

OK, here are a couple of pics of Pete's table. I took the pics close to 20 years ago at his digs in Walnut Creek.



-=tab

Every time that I've heard about what a trade show performer uses, he typically has the company that built the exhibit make a table to match the rest of the exhibit. The performer has to supply the specs.

There are several ways this can happen. If the company that you are working for wants a certain consistency of 'look' they may offer to have a table made to your specs , in their style. Companies like GES and others charge the company (their client for this service...(at pretty expensive rates)

So, that's great...but sometimes a company that is using you for the first time may not opt to go to that expense and ask you to provide your own table. All this factors into how good a value you are for the company.