Ok... I fixin to jump in over my head. Looks like next year I will be attending my very first reptile show ever..... not only that... but its gonna be as a vendor. :eek: I will be going to the Repticon Little Rock show.

So to all you vetrens out there... .how bout sharing some tips and tricks with a herp show n00b. What can I do to make it a successfull show... what will make my life easier.... what am I not asking :)

Thanks for your help.

I find the animals sell themselves.... apart from that, people are going to hit you with questions.... so be prepared for them. Some will be good, some will sound off the wall and some will sound stupid.... but just answer them as best you can. Treat them all as good questions, not everyone comes into the hobby with a head full of commonsense or information or correct information.

It's a good opportunity to meet n greet with the other vendors, you'll meet some good buyers too. That's part of the enjoyment of a show. If you need electricity for heat and or lighting, make sure you get it!

Make sure you understand the rules of being a vendor.... take a small scale, paper towel.... some people will want animals to be weighed on the spot, be prepared for it... paper towel comes in handy to hand to people if something you allow them to hold craps on them.... try and wait till they leave before you chuckle.... I watched a retic 10ft plus crap all over someone at a show.... LOL

Take your choice of beverage, and snacks.... it can be a long day if you have to travel.... leave early, Better to be early then later and be rushing to setup your table/s.

Dear god, I sound like your mother.... Okay, I'll go shut up now!

And don't forget to quarantine your animals when you get home, you never know what your bringing back from a show! :yessir:

First thing I can think of is to make sure your animals are secure on the table. We take sterlite tubs, burn ventalation holes in the sides, and attach a piece of plexi to the top with hinges. Deli cups go inside tub with the plexi opening up towards us. No sticky fingers that way.

Also invest in good lighting.

Bring a cooler with drinks and snacks.

Make sure there is someone there to spot you for those potty breaks (those also include looking at the other venders tables :) )

Bring change.

Make sure you bring any licensing / permits that are required by the state to sell reptiles.

Caresheets for each species of animal you are selling.

Business cards!! Hand them out to EVERYBODY!! People might not be ready to buy right then, but you might get future sales from it.

Nice table cloth that goes almost to the floor in the front to cover all the cables and such.

Some way to provide heat overnight since it is a 2 day show.

Hand sanatizer to go on your table. Make everybody uses it before they touch your animals and after.

Emergency kit: scotch tape, dry erase marker, pen, perminent marker, duct tape, safety pins, extra deli cups, paper towels, water spray bottle, extra filler (whatever you put in the cups with the animals), notebook, receipt book, ummmmmm I can't think of anything else, but I sure others will pipe in.

Well Ive never vended a show but Ive been to a lot so as a customer/attendee Ill give you some tips.

1. Be Here Now. Thats an old gym expression. What that means is if you intend to vend at a show and have a successful day then really BE there! Dont be sitting in a chair looking bored. Dont be standing behind your table chatting with 2 other people and ignoring the folks looking at your stuff. Dont be reading a magazine and make it look like if someone were to ask you a question they would annoy you. DONT be sitting there eating a five course meal people dont like to disturb people when they are eating. BE there! Stand up! Smile! Let the people know if they have a question they are free to ask. You dont have to push your animals on people, no no. But there is nothing wrong with saying "Good morning! Anything I can help you with let me know!". This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. I wont even approach a booth if I see 3 guys huddled in a corner eating out of a KFC bucket. Its obvious they really dont want to be there. I see this a LOT and people wonder why they dont sell animals. Its called "sales" for a reason. Be happy, be available, be polite, BE there!

2. Make your display is neat and easy to follow. It doesnt have to be fancy. Sure, the elaborate tables with the nice acrylic stack cages, lights, banners, etc draw attention. But Ive seen people do just fine with a small sign and animals in deli cups. But everything was neat, clean, well labeled, easy to see and understand. If you are selling a male pastel ball python label it as such. Not "Ball #4521". No one knows what that is. Some of these folks are newbies. They may be a little intimidated to ask "What is that?". If an animal is not for sale then label it "Display Only". Save yourself a lot of grief.

3. Make sure the animals enclosures are clean and they arent overcrowded. Personally I wouldnt be too exicted to buy a bearded dragon out of a dirty 10 gallon tank with a rusted screen and 25 of his pals in there with him. Its just not a pretty picture. I shouldnt even have to say this but you'd be surprised how often you run into this scenrio.

4. Have some cash available to make change. Have a receipt book with you to give to the customer. For a newbie, giving out a caresheet is a nice touch. Perhaps along with a business card.

5. Most of the vendors Ive met are cool people. Some are jerks. If you run into a jerk just deal with it. If a customer is a jerk just deal with it. If you're selling a snake for $50 and someone down the line has the same snake for $40 you dont have to get into a price war. Just politely say yours is $50. Not saying you cant wheel and deal a little but dont feel pressured to drop your prices because some kid says he saw the same animal for a few bucks less.

6. Having a bottle of hand cleaner and paper towels at the table is a good idea. If someone wants to handle one of your animals offer them the hand cleaner and a towel. It shows you care about your animals and dont want to cross contaminate.

Id show of some of your beautiful photography and make it a part of your display. It would be a crime not to.

Im sure Im missing a ton. Thats just off the top of my head from an attendee. Im sure the veteran vendors can be of more help. But thats my two cents.

[QUOTE=Sputnik;28009]I
Dear god, I sound like your mother.... QUOTE]

And dont go swimming after you eat for at least two hours!

Here ya go Kevin, is that a redtailed python? Is that lizard in water? What do you mean heat it? What is a thermostat? What is a rack system? How big of pinkies do I feed that boa? Will that gecko climb the walls and eat all the spiders? Don't you have *insert animal of your choice*? Well can you get it for me?

Yep that is what it's like...

Besides that you'll meet great people, have a good time, do some trading and hopefully alot of selling....

Table cloth, new containers, everything all shiny and pretty....wear comfortable cloths just not old torn stuff...lots of stuff to drink in the cooler...stay away from spiked drinks until after 1pm...lol

Think professional....go to KS look at all the up coming shows and go to their pages, look at the pics from the different shows. Find something you like and try to recreate it....

Thanks for all the tips and tricks.... Keep em coming. Not only are you helping me... but maybe someone else down the road vending at their first.

Thanks again.

As for the display.... I have seen alot of the plastic types that hold deli cups. Those are nice... but is it a no-no to stack deli cups on the table?

Im sure I can come up with alot of other stuipd questions.

Ok... another dumb question... where is the best place to get those oversize tablecloths that go to the floor.

Thanks for all the tips and tricks.... Keep em coming. Not only are you helping me... but maybe someone else down the road vending at their first.

Thanks again.

As for the display.... I have seen alot of the plastic types that hold deli cups. Those are nice... but is it a no-no to stack deli cups on the table?

Im sure I can come up with alot of other stuipd questions.

Ok... another dumb question... where is the best place to get those oversize tablecloths that go to the floor.

Stacking deli cups is up to you....every single time I have seen Bob Applegate at a show he has a small table full of deli cups and a sign that says how can I help you..hell this year he had the feeding records taped over the lid of the deli cup so you had to move it to see what was in it, some of it I think is him just messing with folks but good, 1k milksnakes mixed in with the $50 ones....

Bolts, reams (whatever they are called) are the best table clothes we have found...

Ok... another dumb question... where is the best place to get those oversize tablecloths that go to the floor.

You can get material on a bolt at various widths I think 60" is that largest width and that may do the trick. Muslin is a good choice and does come in basic colors. If not you should break out a sewing machine and just straight seam two 9-10 foot pieces together of a smaller width fabric.

I use a double bed sheet. I got mine from the dollar store and have a few backups in case of accidental messes. It looks good, it’s cheap, and washable!

I think most things have been covered. Biggest point is be patient! You will get a LOT of questions and will find you repeat yourself all day.
One thing to watch out for is kids wanting to hold the animals. They go from table to table asking to hold animals and, unfortunately, I decline most as you never know what the person next to you has in his/her collection. If the parents are buying, then they can hold it. Hand cleaner is useless against most of the serious stuff out there.
And someone else pointed out to be attentive to people at your table. Try not to let people stand in front of the table and talk for an hour but be friendly. If the conversation gets lengthy, step to the side of the table so other people can still see what you have.
We have a guy at one of the shows I go to that sets up his table, puts on his headphones, and reads a book the entire show. If you walk up to his table, he won’t even look at you most of the time. He usually goes home without selling anything. I wonder why????

And someone else pointed out to be attentive to people at your table. Try not to let people stand in front of the table and talk for an hour but be friendly. If the conversation gets lengthy, step to the side of the table so other people can still see what you have.
We have a guy at one of the shows I go to that sets up his table, puts on his headphones, and reads a book the entire show. If you walk up to his table, he won’t even look at you most of the time. He usually goes home without selling anything. I wonder why????

Speak the truth, brother.

It makes me crazy. Im a polite person. If I pass a table and I see an animal or some dry goods I might like to buy and the vendor is in la la land like you just described I feel STUPID going "Umm..excuse me? Hello? Excuse me!!". I just wont do it. I wont BEG someone to take my money. Id rather go buy from the guy who is standing up, smiling and is eager to help me. Herps and herp products are non-necessities. Ok, some people on here may argue that but you know what I mean! LOL!

This is a service business. You can get a normal ball python any where. The reason I have made numerous purchases from Pro-Exotics, Reptile Basics, Rodentpro etc etc etc is their service. It is top notch. The reason if I wanted a snake I would look to the BLBC members is because from getting to know you folks I KNOW I will be taken care of. I wont have to beg you to take my money. God, I HATE that!

I used to sell snakes. I now sell lizards on a very small scale. But if someone is buying a lizard from me I dont care if that lizard costs $5 I will jump through HOOPS to make that person happy. HOOPS I tell you! Especially if all they want is a couple pics or maybe the weight of the animal. You know I once inquired about some lizards and the dealer who shall remain nameless actually told me he didnt have time to take an updated pic? Seeeeeeeeeeeeeyaaaa!!

Rant mode off.

A few more tips from a show promoter and attendee, although I have never actually vended at a show (don't ask how I am promoting shows without ever being a vendor, it works LOL).

1. Be professional, yet approachable. This includes anyone you bring with you to work the table as well. I steer very clear of tables where the people standing behind it look like they just woke up, and don't have the time to present THEMSELVES nicely as well as their animals. This is a business, present yourself as a business person and people will respect you more. This includes watching your language (kids can be ANYWHERE in earshot, think of them too), dress nicely but comfortable (nothing wrong with a good pair of jeans and a polo and good sneakers), brush your hair, brush your TEETH (sounds stupid, but think about some of the nasty vendors you have seen smile and gross you out), and don't pick your nose (yeah, I've seen that too!). Look like someone who means business, takes things seriously, and that will get you a long way. This includes how the show promoter views you, and that is important if you want to go back. Cathy (who runs the show you are attending) is a GREAT person, and she wants quality vendors, so be one for her, and you are set.

2. People don't want to wade through stacked delis that have to be moved around a lot to find something, plus you don't look desperate to unload 1000 animals. And you don't look like a flipper or wholesaler, which a lot of people will steer clear of if they can. You want to catch their eye as they walk by as much as possible. Getting people to stop at your table is the first goal, because if they stop, they look, they ask questions, and will buy more readily if they don't have to search too hard to find what they want.

3. Make yourself a list of every animal you bring with you to keep behind the table and keep track of what you sell. For your own peace of mind, and in case you have anyone else working for/with you, put down your LOWEST price you can take on that animal on the list for quick reference. That way you know the animal someone is offering you $50 for CAN'T go for less than $75 if you want to make any money, even if the price tag says $150. Does that make sense? Plus you can mark off the animals you sell for your own inventory purposes, how much you got for it, etc.

4. Don't forget, when choosing animals to take, that in this economy, a lot of people don't have big bucks to spend, and might be looking for "pet quality" animals. Price accordingly, and bring BOTH lower end and higher end animals. This way you have a good selection for people in all ranges of prices. And know where the ATM is, and if at all possible, be ready to take credit cards (you can use PayPal if you don't have a merchant account). Have as many payment options as possible, and you open yourself up to more customers. Don't take checks from people you don't know personally, INCLUDING vendors.

5. Get to know as many of the other vendors as possible. Not only is it fun, but it gives you some great business connections. Plus you might end up getting some great deals.

6. Print up caresheets for everything you bring. Make sure you have at least one per animal (meaning if you bring 30 BPs, bring 30 BP caresheets MINIMUM). I would suggest having a few extras just in case people want to take some for research purposes. On your caresheet, make sure to have all of your contact information in case anyone has questions.. You can either type it up on there, scan a business card into it, or staple a business card to it.

7. Just be YOU. You have a great personality, and a lot of knowledge to share. Talk to people like human beings, and they will respect you more. Answer every question you get that you can answer, and don't be afraid to tell people you don't know something, but direct them to someone who might. Also, try to know what vendors are there and what they might be carrying on their tables, because if it is something you don't have that they want but know WHERE to get it, it makes you look like a good guy to the other vendor. Plus, people know that you aren't there JUST to make you money, and it gains you a lot of respect.

8. My biggest piece of advice is go to have FUN. Don't let things get you down (like not having a good day money-wise), and concentrate on the fact that you are vending at your first show. If you are having fun, and the guy next to you looks like he would rather be somewhere else, people will come to you to buy. Educate people as much as you can, and have fun doing it. Smile a lot, dance if you want, just have fun. Go with the expectation of not making one single penny. This way, when you leave with wads of cash, the day will just be that much better!

Hope it helps some! Good luck with the show!

Yeah, on the whole "stacking-delis" thing...I think it works better not to, and having your 'surplus" under the table ready to replace something once you make a sale. That seems to be more common practice these days. And the customer is more than welcome to ask, "do you have any more corns besides these?"...and if they don't, just be sure to offer, "Hey man, I got more corns you can look at if you want.." etc etc etc blah blah blah.

Yeah, on the whole "stacking-delis" thing...I think it works better not to, and having your 'surplus" under the table ready to replace something once you make a sale. That seems to be more common practice these days. And the customer is more than welcome to ask, "do you have any more corns besides these?"...and if they don't, just be sure to offer, "Hey man, I got more corns you can look at if you want.." etc etc etc blah blah blah.

Good advice here. I dont use any type of display at all. I use clean, NEW delis with the price and what the snake is on the lid. I single stack and if I have more than will fit on the table, I keep them in my tote and move them to the table as I can.

Make sure you understand the rules of being a vendor.... take a small scale, paper towel.... some people will want animals to be weighed on the spot, be prepared for it... paper towel comes in handy to hand to people if something you allow them to hold craps on them.... try and wait till they leave before you chuckle.... I watched a retic 10ft plus crap all over someone at a show.... LOL

Take your choice of beverage, and snacks.... it can be a long day if you have to travel.... leave early, Better to be early then later and be rushing to setup your table/s.

Dear god, I sound like your mother.... Okay, I'll go shut up now!

sputter
i always said you sounded like my mother...
just yesterday she told me on the phone to make sure i had my paper towels, and that they were the extra absorbent kind, in case anybody's ten foot retic crapped on my lap. great advice, from you and mom !
but, so as not to wander off topic, as we've been advised to not do, as a veteran of many shows (on the attendee side of the table ) my best advice would be to err on the side of courtesy, smile at everyone (yes, some guys will think you're a fruit, but do it anyway ) and try to get there early enough so that you can cruise the show before it opens. it's great when a vendor, who may not have what i'm lookin' for, is all willing to tell me where to go (in a good way ! ) to find it. people are comforted by another's willingness to help when there is no personal gain involved. you may not sell them anything, but they wont forget you when their friend needs what you've got.
good luck brotha,
ck

sputter
i always said you sounded like my mother...
just yesterday she told me on the phone to make sure i had my paper towels, and that they were the extra absorbent kind, in case anybody's ten foot retic crapped on my lap. great advice, from you and mom !
but, so as not to wander off topic, as we've been advised to not do, as a veteran of many shows (on the attendee side of the table ) my best advice would be to err on the side of courtesy, smile at everyone (yes, some guys will think you're a fruit, but do it anyway ) and try to get there early enough so that you can cruise the show before it opens. it's great when a vendor, who may not have what i'm lookin' for, is all willing to tell me where to go (in a good way ! ) to find it. people are comforted by another's willingness to help when there is no personal gain involved. you may not sell them anything, but they wont forget you when their friend needs what you've got.
good luck brotha,
ck

Not much I can do about the voice, I just hope I don't dress like your mother....

Off topic is okay, it's healthy..... just not for page after page..... we all like a laugh, hell if we didn't, we wouldn't be here. Just don't want a 4 page thread about an animal to be only one page about it.... if ya get my continental drift?

And yes you're right, be friendly, say "hello, how's it going?" Nice is good!

And helping out for no personal gain is a plus.... people don't just like it, they appreciate it!

sputter
i always said you sounded like my mother...
just yesterday she told me on the phone to make sure i had my paper towels, and that they were the extra absorbent kind, in case anybody's ten foot retic crapped on my lap. great advice, from you and mom !
but, so as not to wander off topic, as we've been advised to not do, as a veteran of many shows (on the attendee side of the table ) my best advice would be to err on the side of courtesy, smile at everyone (yes, some guys will think you're a fruit, but do it anyway ) and try to get there early enough so that you can cruise the show before it opens. it's great when a vendor, who may not have what i'm lookin' for, is all willing to tell me where to go (in a good way ! ) to find it. people are comforted by another's willingness to help when there is no personal gain involved. you may not sell them anything, but they wont forget you when their friend needs what you've got.
good luck brotha,
ck

Another very good piece of advice. I do this all the time mostly because I know most of the people dealing with colubrids and want to help them as much as myself. The favor is usually returned when that vendor doesnt have something a customer is looking for....

Kelly touched on something that I was gonna ask.

Does most folks agree....NO checks?

What is the normal size of tables... 6' or 8'... I want to do some sort of display but dont know what size is normal.

Someone mentioned Muslin for the talbecloth... funny you should mention that... As some know... Im also a Semi-Pro photographer... however I dont see me doing that with my photography backgrounds.... I may just have to buy another one though... $150 tablecloth... that sounds reasonable :)

Tamra.... Not gonna happen. Id have better luck figuring out the meaning of life vs. running a sewing machine.

Does most folks agree....NO checks?



Absolutely no checks....

We do cash and paypal, we take out laptop for that.

Stay away from the checks bro... I dont do paypal anymore either since they screwed me. Its cash or sometimes I can one of the other breeders who has a credit card machine to run credit cards for me if he has enough cash on hand.

what substrate would you use for the deli cups?

what substrate would you use for the deli cups?

People tend to get fancy, sometimes using pebbles and the liek, but since this is specifically deli cups I'd recommend using paper towel or maybe aspen, no need to get fancy.

what substrate would you use for the deli cups?

We use the very fine aspen....

Just don't put it so deep that the animals completly bury underneath it and can't be seen.

A small amount of aspen.... make sure you bring extra in case one decides to poop at the show.... and they do this frequently!

That reminds me, bring something to put garbage in (especially when cleaning those deli's)

anyone know of any links for animal displays?

would you also use the aspen for baby leos?

I've also seen people use Carefresh bedding, comes in colors now too.

anyone know of any links for animal displays?

i think BARRS has display caging on their site.
ck

would you also use the aspen for baby leos?

I would use napkins for baby leos....

anyone know of any links for animal displays?

http://www.acreptiles.com/store/index.php?target=categories&category_id=29

http://www.thereptileemporium.com/servlet/the-Reptile-Show-Displays/Categories

ugggg I hate it when my brain wont shut off so I can go to sleep.

Time for some more n00b questions

Its gonna be a 2day show... do you leave the animals there overnight or take them back to the room.... in my case... I will be able to set up friday night or sat morning... before the show

How much money do you bring for the cash box... and in what denominations (sp?)

How long to you hold a animal .... how do you handle it

Ok...now maybe I can get my brain to shut down so I can crash.

Its gonna be a 2day show... do you leave the animals there overnight or take them back to the room.... in my case... I will be able to set up friday night or sat morning... before the show
Most shows allow you to leave them there overnight and have security on site. If not, I would take them with. Make sure the hotel will allow this though....

How much money do you bring for the cash box... and in what denominations (sp?)

I usually have at least $100 in change on me with lowest denomonation being 5s. But this depends on your pricing. All of my animals are priced in $5 increments.

How long to you hold a animal .... how do you handle it
I dont hold animals unless they pay for it up front.

This thread is a great resource for anyone thinking of vending for the first time. Chock full of good info! The Bush-League does it again!

:cheers:

I've also seen people use Carefresh bedding, comes in colors now too.

Yeah, I don't like it myself... it looks like popcorn and seems easier for animals to hide in jus ta small amount of it.

This thread is a great resource for anyone thinking of vending for the first time. Chock full of good info! The Bush-League does it again!

:cheers:


Bush League rocks man! :yessir:

Wish I had a thread like this before my first show, but luckly I did have a lot of these members around for me to ask questions of.

Keep an eye on your table & inventory if / when you get a lot of people stacked up around your table. THAT is when any a-hole will sneak a deli cup off your table. Some vendors counter this by spreading a net over their table only accessible on their side.

Take extra deli cups and/or snake bags. There are bound to be vendors who didn't bring enough or forgot them entirely. You could make a few extra bucks reselling a stack or two or a handful of bags to other vendors.

Keep an eye on your table & inventory if / when you get a lot of people stacked up around your table. THAT is when any a-hole will sneak a deli cup off your table. Some vendors counter this by spreading a net over their table only accessible on their side.

Take extra deli cups and/or snake bags. There are bound to be vendors who didn't bring enough or forgot them entirely. You could make a few extra bucks reselling a stack or two or a handful of bags to other vendors.

Not trying to pick on any one group of people but watch groups of young kids and teens. Especially ones with big baggy sweatshirts...... they like to pick up delis in their sleeves and walk off. Caught a kid doing this in Richmond, VA once. I wasnt happy....

Not trying to pick on any one group of people but watch groups of young kids and teens. Especially ones with big baggy sweatshirts...... they like to pick up delis in their sleeves and walk off. Caught a kid doing this in Richmond, VA once. I wasnt happy....

Yes sir, you gotta use the full spectrum of your eye sight. What you worked hard to produce shouldn't end up in the hands of someone that did nothing to earn it....

Thanks for all the tips and tricks... keep em coming.

I am seriously looking at getting some of these...

http://www.acreptiles.com/store/index.php?target=products&product_id=147

hopefully that will help with sticky fingers.

When we are done... the BLBC will have a beginners guide to shows :)

all of these are great ideas and tips. here are just a few more

1: bring any and all paper work for any animal you have for sale on your table. I hate going to buy and animal with PH or HET or even just a co-dom and not getting paper work. Feeding records, background, Hatch date, ect.

2: Bring the swag; if you have shirts or what ever that you give to customers bring them. Sale them for what you paid and sale the damn things they won't make you rich but they'll make you known. Reptile people like their swag.

3: Learn how to engage more than one person at a time; I was talking to Tom Harbin at the DixieSouth show, He was able to talk to me and still answer questions.

4: Learn to tell the shopper from the buyer; 12 year old kid wanting to hold the Clown and ask questions Ok fine get the kid excited and move on. 12 year old kid telling mommy and daddy "that's the clown I want for my birth day right there" theres a buyer.

These are the threads I like seeing!!!!

Great resource!!!!

BLBC rocks!!! :rockon:

I believe the boaphile makes the nice acrylic displays too. You should shoot him an email. http://www.theboaphile.com

I like to see animals on white carefresh FWIW, I can see the colors better.

I think there was only one person that responded to this question.... so I will ask it again.

How do you go about things if someone wants you to hold an animal. Do you ask for a non-refundable deposit... give them 15 mins... then put back on the table. ??????

I give them 20 minutes.

I'll hold it unless someone else is buying it...lol

No not really, just depends on the price, ATM locations etc....

Normally I don't hold any of them but I have been told I can be an ass and also why I don't do to many shows and none of them without my better half...:cheers:

I think there was only one person that responded to this question.... so I will ask it again.

How do you go about things if someone wants you to hold an animal. Do you ask for a non-refundable deposit... give them 15 mins... then put back on the table. ??????

Depends on how many people have shown interest in that animal and how late in the show it is. If its early in the show and there have been a few people make comments on or showed interest , then yea some sort of deposit that is non-refundable is a nice gesture.

But If the show is and hour from closing and no one has looked twice at it. I'd hold the animal you you don't come back and someone else is standing there 2 minutes before the show closes wanting it it gets sold to them and your SOL.

If a person is wanting to by something they normally bring the money to do so. I have only had one instance where I had to run get money for an animal because I was really shocked to find it and couldn't pass it up.

I'll hold it unless someone else is buying it...lol

No not really, just depends on the price, ATM locations etc....

Normally I don't hold any of them but I have been told I can be an ass and also why I don't do to many shows and none of them without my better half...:cheers:

I am with you Jeff unless its someone I know and trust. Of course with someone I know and trust, they know me and wouldnt ask me to hold it unless they were buying it.
I have had people ask me to hold something and I tell them politely that I will hold it until someone else hands me cash for it. Thats just the way it has to be.....

I think I remember reading someone mention something about lights... what kind do you use... and where did you get them?

no help on your lighting???

Hey Wolf, I use desk lights with an adjustable spring arm. Something like this: http://www.desklamps.com/adjustable-desk-lamps/swing-arm/adjustableclipondesklamp.cfm

Im gonna need to get another job

Im gonna need to get another job
:lol: Keep in mind, the ones I had came from the dollar store Bro! I didnt get all fancy schmanzy like the one I posted.

thats good to know... Its prob gonna cost me 3 times more for equipment than I will bring in already

thats good to know... Its prob gonna cost me 3 times more for equipment than I will bring in already
True... but most of it is a one time expense. The lights I used worked for a good 10 years!

With a little Pvc and a few clamp lamps , you can whip up a frame that stretches over your table with overhead lighting.