Any one know where I can find out where Duane Laughlin is lecturing in the near future?

You can call them at 406-295-7790 and ask. Their website is http://www.laflinmagic.com, although their schedule isn't on line.

Best to you,
Joe

Duane & Mary Laflin will be in Warren MI March 9 & 10. Email me and I will send a flyer when available. Bubba Sikes and Dave & June Privette will also be here.
Rick

Thanks guys for the information. Was looking for a table to use in my act and I know Duane uses one that Chalet is producing. Wanted to see the table in person to see if it is for me.

That's a GREAT table. I would love to get one, but I just can't afford it.
I went to Michael's (craft store) and bought three wood "totes." I've used them as-is several times now out of necessity; but right after the holidays are over and I get some time, I am going to put a thin layer of foam on the bottom on the inside and cover the inside bottom and sides with black felt. I haven't decided if I'm going to paint the outside of them or drape velvet around them. The foam and the felt is functional, (mainly I will be doing that to cut down on noise when dumping props and to help protect the props during dumping or transport). Paint and/or velvet on the outside is just for show.

Anyhow, one of my close-up cases sits on what is basically a tall luggage rack and that is my table during performing. I keep it to the right of me and perform next to or in front of it. I have another small folding table that I put on the other side of me that one of the totes sits on. This has silks draped over the edge and has plastic film cylinders affixed to the sides of the tote with velcro tape. These hold TTs so that I can steal the TT when I grab a silk. It holds about 80 percent of my tricks with the larger props sitting in front of the tote or to the left of the tote on the table. The second, medium-sized tote is my dump box and sits out of sight behind the table that the larger tote is on, (that table has a cloth draped over it that reaches to the floor, concealing what is behind it). The third tote is what I keep the prizes in that I give to the audience members chosen as my assistants, (I always give my assistants something...ESPECIALLY when those assistants are children). I keep that on the floor behind the covered table and next to my dump box. I can then dump the props for the trick just used and in one motion, grab their prize.

So...Until I can justify spending that kind of dough for a table with the wife or find someone to build one to my specifications for next near to nothing...the totes are working fine. Necessity is the mother of invention, I guess. This might not work for everyone...but without a true magician's table, this definitely works for me. Hope this suggestion helps someone else!

Duane built his own table. Up close you can see that it is thin wood and a lot of gaffers tape. The table Chalet builds is named a Laflin table because it is based on Duane's idea of an open top table.

Magicballoonman,

You are kind of right. George Kimery built the table for Duane per his instructions. It is a great table but very expensive and heavy. Steve Varro has one like it from Chalet Magic. Duane had someone else build his present table smaller so that it will fit in a suitcase when he goes overseas.

Richard Hughes and several of us had a discussion in Magic Café on open top manipulation tables and Richard had a great idea. Corplast and piano hindges. Corplast is plastic corrigated material that signs are made out of. I put one together in a couple of evenings and covered it with olfin ( the carpet like material used to cover concert speakers). I did use a 3/8" plywood base for the bottom of the table. It works great and is light.

Do a search on Magic Café to find the forum.

Here is the link for the forum.

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=10

Duane shows details and explains how to build his smaller tables in one of the videos in the "The Art of Gospel Magic" series. I can't remember which volume, but I know it's there.

I built mine from his explaination, out of plywood, paint, and an old stand for a fan. I made a "skirt" for it from $1 per yard fabric from walmart. I may have $15 all together into it, and it looks and functions great.

Hope this helps,
Mike