Has anyone made their own vent stand and what did you use to do it?

Here's a good source if you want to buy one...http://algoodproducts.com/

Hey, Pam! I made my own vent stand out of some standard metal pipe fittings from Lowes, a piece of plywood, and a microphone stand. I cover the top with a removable black cloth that hangs off the edges.

Here are some photos:



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Robbie Tullock
www.theventguy.com

I just built one right before Easter. I borrowed an microphone stand from the church. I used a standard flange (should be able to purchase that from Lowe's or radio shack). I then cut a 12in long by 8 in wide peice of wood. I drew lines across the bottom to find the center and that's were I placed the flange. The I went to Hobby Lobby and puchased some tassles (About 2 yards, I over did just to safe). I painted mine black (but any color would work)then used tacky glue to glue the tassles on. Then I was able to attach the table to the mic stand.

A peice of advice. Make sure the mic stand is good (problem from using an old one from the church). Make sure it can handle the weight of your puppet and your arm or it will slide down and then you have to adjust mid-show. Just a lesson I learned.

Good luck with it.

This flange will actually fit right onto the mic stand. It's a Mic Flange.... buy this from your music store.

http://www.proaudio.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=49&products_id=4903

I've built my own, but recently I bought an appearing "flash" table - packs small, has a little splash of excitement when you open it -- and it's perfect for a vent stand. Runs between $22-$27 dollars, depending on your source.

Hi,

I googled flash table. Does it have another name and do you have a source? Love to see it.

Pam, google "flash production table" almost every magic shop has them.

Which type of mic stand base have you found works best? The round metal base or the tripod style base?

Also, when I go to do this, how big of a piece of wood should I use as a platform? 1' x 1'? or is there another measurement?

And one final question with this theme: Vent style puppets can sit on the stand. What does one do with a bottom entry puppet? [or as I call them--procto puppets--]

Typically, I use 11" x 11". Some larger, some smaller for specific puppets.
Bottom entry puppets: for gorilla, I've added extra fur at the entry to cover my elbow. For Axtell chicken I built a shallow box out of foamboard. It extends up from to table about 2", hides the entry point and enables free manipulation of the puppet. There's a demonstration of it on my Let's Get Visual DVD.

I prefer the tripods. Much lighter weight, easy to pack, easy to move around. I agree with the 11 x 11 size, but if you have a case for your puppet you can adjust the length or width according to the space on the end of the case.

I use tripods. I took one of our tripods. Picked up a wooden cutting board (meat/veggie) (you can get different sizes) from Wal-Mart. My hubby drilled a hole in the board. Put in a sleeve type thing that a screw can screw into it from the top of the tripod. There we go. A puppet stand that has many heights for different puppets.
I am so lucky so far with the bottom entry puppets that I have. I am only 5'4" so I have short arms. Yeah...not too much hanging out below the puppets' bottom. I can fluff up the drap on top of the stand if needed to cover me. I got accent table clothes to throw over my stands.
Also I took a size 4 little girls fancy skirt and put on one of my stands when I felt like I could get by without the full drape. It was cute. Some of those kids skirts look like fairtale stuff anyways.
I got a matching fabric shower curtain and used it on some bigger stuff.
I am a beginner so I have to really think out of the box or rather off the rack. {:->
When I feel like my Puppet Ministry and Storytelling is really going to take off...I will have a back drop built, and have equipment a little more stage pro-looking.
At the moment I am not charging for my shows. I have told them I do not have a charge but I do take donations to help with the growth of my ministry and the up keep of my puppets.
Being a beginner I felt that was only fair. Most have made my time worth while.
It probably is not a good plan to not charge up front but I just can't bring myself to do that yet.
I have decided if I go way out of my way, and they do not make an attempt to make a donation, I will have to charge them the next time if they call. But so far, that has not been a problem.