talkmagic.co.uk

russpie wrote:Got mine from Maplins. Have a look on their website. Cheap & has so far lasted 8 years.

Just recieved mine from Maplin yesterday, super fast delivery and just in time for this evenings gig. I added some foam in the Lid and under the compartments so everything stays snug in transit - Not sure how I ever managed with a string bag before!!
Here's a photo...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8872490@N04/5308903319/

Seriously, how many packs of cards do you need....?

The only issue with a metal case is that it looks like it's worth either stealing or investigating. Had the same concern when I was a photographer and ended up using a padded handbag for the lenses.

Mark Waddington wrote:Seriously, how many packs of cards do you need....?

What can I say! I like cards!!

You asked, so here is the why...
Most of these packs are just spares / old decks that are good for practising / replacements (I'm not a fan of keeping too many signed cards in a deck so like to carry spares) and as I'm being put up at the hotel and will have time to practice tomorrow before my parlour show I thought I may as well take them all...

I had the fun of opening some new decks the other day, and breaking them in, for this evenings gig. It will be nice to use fresh new cards for the routines this eve.

I have three routines, and only one of them is quite heavy on decks (I use five if you include the rope routine which I keep in a card box). But it is worth having a few extra decks I think to see the look on their faces when the whole deck turns blank, then after a trick I learned from Michael Ammar the whole deck turns to aces etc - lots of decks needed, but in the hands it works fine. My wife is pleased that the shelf looks tidier now!

aporia wrote:The only issue with a metal case is that it looks like it's worth either stealing or investigating. Had the same concern when I was a photographer and ended up using a padded handbag for the lenses.

That is a fair point, and a reminder that I shouldn't leave it lying about! On the flip side, it looks professional when you turn up for a gig, and if you are lucky enough to live somewhere like Pembrokeshire (no bu**er steals stuff round by here see!) then you can perhaps afford to have a relatively flashy case! The case does come with a key to lock it, but to be honest it's actually not that secure, and if it was stolen it would take about 1 second to get into it!

I think I can count 24 decks in there.

Also what are the stickers on the side for? Maybe you could have got a much smaller case and had less of your old decks in it. surely you dont need all of those spare old decks at your gigs, if they are for practicing surely they could be left at home. Surely you dont want to carry all of that extra weight about with you,especially if you are using the tubes in london. Just my opinion.

Deano

Or

http://www.gerstnerusa.com/DETAIL101.html

deano0010 wrote:I think I can count 24 decks in there.

Also what are the stickers on the side for? Maybe you could have got a much smaller case and had less of your old decks in it. surely you dont need all of those spare old decks at your gigs, if they are for practicing surely they could be left at home. Surely you dont want to carry all of that extra weight about with you,especially if you are using the tubes in london. Just my opinion.

Deano

Hey Deano,
Stickers on the sides are not stickers, but removable bands made from card to let me know which deck is set up for what. I'm a big fan of Lennart Green, and have spent many years (20) getting to know a whole bunch of false shuffles, so I can have different stacks for different tricks, and the bands let me know which deck is set up for which bunch of tricks (and is of course removed before I go do the gig). For example setting up the stack for Lennnarts poker deal takes quite a bit of time, so I keep a few decks ready stacked to save me time. I'm not a fan of trick decks, these are all normal decks, just with the odd duplicate card etc. I don't travel lightly, and for someone who does this case would be too big! I have a mwb sprinter van, and as well as performing magic at the weekend I was playing the piano, so had amp, stand, keyboard, etc. and my wife and dog came too. Plus we were based near the beach, so took all our surfing stuff - nice clean 2ft waves yesterday and today in Pembrokeshire So on this occasion a few extra decks of cards didn't slow me down too much! and inbetween the close up table magic and bar show I did new years evening, and the Parlour magic show I did the following evening, it was good to have all the old decks in my room to rehearse my routines with, and deface with a sharpie etc.

If I was travelling on the tube, or indeed having to carry the case more than about 50 yards from my van to the hotel I would carry less stuff for sure! I did travel on the tube with my surfboard once en route to the airport - never again!

So, not a case for those who travel lightly, but for me the case is ideal.

DrTodd wrote:Or

http://www.gerstnerusa.com/DETAIL101.html

Nice!

Tommy Magic wrote:

deano0010 wrote:I think I can count 24 decks in there.

Also what are the stickers on the side for? Maybe you could have got a much smaller case and had less of your old decks in it. surely you dont need all of those spare old decks at your gigs, if they are for practicing surely they could be left at home. Surely you dont want to carry all of that extra weight about with you,especially if you are using the tubes in london. Just my opinion.

Deano

Hey Deano,
Stickers on the sides are not stickers, but removable bands made from card to let me know which deck is set up for what. I'm a big fan of Lennart Green, and have spent many years (20) getting to know a whole bunch of false shuffles, so I can have different stacks for different tricks, and the bands let me know which deck is set up for which bunch of tricks (and is of course removed before I go do the gig). For example setting up the stack for Lennnarts poker deal takes quite a bit of time, so I keep a few decks ready stacked to save me time. I'm not a fan of trick decks, these are all normal decks, just with the odd duplicate card etc. I don't travel lightly, and for someone who does this case would be too big! I have a mwb sprinter van, and as well as performing magic at the weekend I was playing the piano, so had amp, stand, keyboard, etc. and my wife and dog came too. Plus we were based near the beach, so took all our surfing stuff - nice clean 2ft waves yesterday and today in Pembrokeshire So on this occasion a few extra decks of cards didn't slow me down too much! and inbetween the close up table magic and bar show I did new years evening, and the Parlour magic show I did the following evening, it was good to have all the old decks in my room to rehearse my routines with, and deface with a sharpie etc.

If I was travelling on the tube, or indeed having to carry the case more than about 50 yards from my van to the hotel I would carry less stuff for sure! I did travel on the tube with my surfboard once en route to the airport - never again!

So, not a case for those who travel lightly, but for me the case is ideal.

If you can travel on the tube with a surf board,im sure 24 decks of cards is quite easy.

Deano

I have 9 decks in my case.

3 set-up normal decks which I continue to use for impromptu effects so I'm not continually swapping.
3 older decks to pilfer for spares.
3 special decks for special occasions. (Invisible, Series 1800, Karnival ... I'll be swapping these for something better when I can afford it)

I'm not a big fan of set-up decks but I figure it makes for an easy confident start if I need it, after which I go into impromptu method based effects, which I prefer.


My case contains those 9 decks, various set-up and uncut ropes, a TT, 4 sponge balls, a chop cup combo set, a sharpie and scissors.

I still have things to get but I want it to be capable of many hours worth of mixed material with minimal props.

My case contains an ID and a few double facers. I use one regular deck and throw it away as soon as the gig finishes

Mark Waddington wrote:My case contains an ID and a few double facers. I use one regular deck and throw it away as soon as the gig finishes

Why do you throw them away?

Because they dont work as well after a couple of hours performing with them. Afterall, they only cost about £1 a deck, and my fee is a good fee, so I can justify the £1 outlay of expense

Just been browsing for an aluminium case for some tools I need to carry around safely and thought I'd share the link. I use a hot knife to custom cut the foam. its still just a flashy magic case BUT the are great value and well made:
http://www.cases-and-enclosures.co.uk/i ... gory_id=54