Some people have asked about building a table for busking/ portablity.

I have a table posted here

http://img440.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... 082vb1.jpg

and what i did to build that was
take an 18x 23 piece bulletin board
and a 20x 25 piece of velvet


staple the velvet to the bottom, get the velvet tight, make the corners tight, etc
i used a staple gun to attach it



i used a tray stand, any type of tray stand

instawares.com i think is the site, just google it.

and thats it, hope this helped at all!!!

Would a tv dinner tray work if you put the velvet on it?

I am sure it would work. But you wont know for sure till you try.

It probably wouldn't be tall enough, or sturdy enough. You'll learn in a big hurry that if the stand is even an inch too short, you'll kill your back stooping over it.

Standard waiter tray stands are about 32" If you're tall like me, you'll want their "tall" stand which is about 36-38" high. You can then cut off the attached webbing and replace it with an adjustable luggage strap (available at Wal-mart for $5) and you can lower the top while at the same time widening it to make it more stable.

I used a 3/8 piece of plywood and stapled on professional poker cloth and padding. The top cost me about $50 in materials (I needed the green cloth, which was the biggest cost. One yard of Naugahyde or felt will cost you only about $2) and the stand was about $25, plus $5 for the strap. I added screw eyes in the ends of the stand and buckled on a left over laptop case strap. Just unbuckle the web strap and use it to fasten the top in place, and I'm ready to go anywhere!
You can see the Naugahyde version on my MySpace page, and the Poker Cloth version in the picture slide show on that same page. www.myspace.com/dvmagic

Here's a good way to estimate the required table height.

Stand with your arms at your sides and your palms parallel to the floor. Be sure your elbows are comfortably flexed. Then measure from your palms to the floor. This will work for nearly everything you'll want to do. If you do dice stacking, or some Cups and Balls move that require your hand closer to the table, you might want to raise the height another inch or two. That's the beauty of using a waiter stand and adjustable strap. Also, you'll never outgrow your table that way. Tops can be interchanged from hard dice stacking to soft padding, with or without fringe, whatever.

Thanks that helped me out.

Let me try to get some more knowledge before i go out and build a table.
Dave sounds like the table you have there don't have a framework to stop anything from rolling out?

For me i don't have a staple gun so what should i use? Please don't tell me to go buy a staple gun becasue i have no intentions on buying something thats 30 bucks and using it only once.

I want to build my table out of a 3/8 peice of ply but i have no carpenter skills at all. So how do i put a a framework onto it? For me a framework for the table top is top piority. If you can suggest anything.

My plans are as follows as of right now

Get a bullentin board or a art frame . I'm leaning toward the bulletin board tough. Then either get closeup mat from my local magic shop and thumb tack the close up mat onto it. I would perfer a close up mat becasue it has padding with it.But i have to check the bullentin board's recess becasue i dont want the padding to be higher then the framework itself. I am still afriad that the table will tip back if i drop 4 balls onto it and
coconut. A bullentin board doens't seem to have to weight and balance it needs. (now im just guessing becasue i don't have one yet.) So maybe by adjusting the table stand wider without it going off the height i need would be a better solution to balancing the table itself.Feel free to critize me on what is wrong with my plans so i can make it better and not make a frankenstein and not use it later.

Also Guardian could you post more pictures of the table and the stand.
Lastsly if anyone else have sugggestions or would like to post how they made their table please feel free to post.

Okay peewee,

First, don't build it if you have no carpentry skills. Have someone you know do it.

Second, For the top itself I would use a 1/2" piece of plywood.

Third, For the the padding I would use maybe a 1/4 - 1/2" piece of foam which you can get at an art supplies store. And on top of that I would put some nice velvet on it.

Fourth, For the framework I would either use oak or pine.

Finally, Forthe base I would use a restaurant tray stand.


Hope this helps

If you're average height, you'll want 6 more inches (doesn't everyone?).

And most I have come across have been very unstable.

However, if you're handy, check out the ones they have at Ikea, or Walmart and take a look at how they're made, and what makes them unstable, then construct your own. Home Depot or Home Hardware should have everything you need in terms of hardware for your hinges and such.

You don't have to be too handy. They're not very complicated so anyone with a small knowlege of woodworking should be able to make a decent looking table.

my professional table came today

here are the pics. (im going to go with velvet next time)

top view
http://img72.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2215qv7.jpg

traystand and table
http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2216vy2.jpg

just tray stand
http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2217rz4.jpg

Back of table
http://img401.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2218sl6.jpg

TOP view of table
http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2219gu1.jpg

Side View of table on stand
http://img142.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2220yb5.jpg

Cards spread on table
http://img299.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2221yi0.jpg



Hope this Helped!!!

im getting velvet next time though, but still

GREAT table by the way

Wow guardian it's beatiful. You think if i payed him for making a table for me you think he will do it? Of couse i would have to throw in shipping.

i got it for 70 bucks



maybe he would

i could always have you send me the price of it to my paypal, then i would pay him for it, then i could ship it to you

(not joking, i would be happy to do it for you)

just a thought


ill ask if he ships the table top is he builds it