Not EXACTLY a FatMax, but...

I had been pondering a FatMax because some of the seams on my scrap booking case that I was using started to unravel. It was only a year old! I need something that is going to be more durable than that! So, we went to Home Depot and I looked at the FatMax up close. We opened it up and I stood there and "pretended" to lean over as if I was using the top portion as a table top and decided it's just not tall enough for me. My back, still uncomfortable from my workout on Friday afternoon and stupidly allowing myself to become dehydrated while painting yesterday, was NOT happy with the height. So, I decided I need to have a bar height table if I'm going to paint standing up, and FatMax would not be worth it for me to replace the bar height table. Click on the thumbnails below to see the larger images.

I decided to purchase this:


I know It won't solve having to carry a separate table, but I just want that extra height. The top portion removes from the bottom portion so I can keep the items I use most frequently in there (and maybe sometimes only carry THAT for small gigs if I rearrange a bit) and then the ones that I use less frequently in the lower section.

Here is how I've loaded it so far. I'm sure I'll change it around a bit over time as my business evolves:
Top section: water cups - 2 stainless steel; brush holder (a faux paint can half filled with gems to support the brush handles); antibacterial hand/face wipes; babywipes, q-tips, business cards, starblends, colored glitter (yes they are tulip, there was a big sale at Michaels and I got them on clearance), hand sanitizer, Wolfe Bros Black/White/Rainbow and Diamond FX Black/white; Tag pearl pallette


Top Drawer: Spritzer H2O bottle, 70% alcohol spritzer bottle, glitter poofer, gems, a couple of fairy fly kits, fairy dust, blush, more business cards, bobby pins, and my attempt at filling craft squeezie bottles with snazaroo glitter gel in silver & gold.


Middle section: brush box propped so you can see underneath: large flat sponges on sticks, Martha Stewart daubers, extra q-tips, extra baby wipes, my Square adapter for CC payments, mylar stencils


Middle section: brush box flat so I can close the drawer:


Bottom flip forward bin: 3 laptop cases (30 Paradise Palette for my 2nd painter, my standard paradise palette with homemade 50/50 split cakes, my ABC/rainbow cake palette) my gallon ziplock bag for dirty brushes, my giant bag o' clean sponges that you can't even see all of in this photo, and my business binder that has my photos of the face art I've done, and the pendaflex folder that I keep laminated copies of my background check/child abuse clearance/insurance cert as well as the agreement with the client I am painting for on that specific day. Lick n' stick tattoos for those who can't be painted.


I don't always carry 3 laptop cases in my kit. I'm prepping for a 2 painter event this coming Friday and Saturday and I wanted to make sure everything I needed for 2 painters would fit. Thankfully it does!!!

Here's hoping I don't end up hating it after the first gig!

Becky. thanks for the pics of an alternative to the fat max.. How tall are you btw? Im 5'7. I just purchased the Ikea foldable chair in the highest ht, and I'm still sitting in my bar heighth chair to paint my little girl..(she hates the back of it ) Is the toolbox comperable the Suzie's plano? thanks

I am 5'6" so almost as tall as you. I also have the Ikea chair in the tallest height. I've never tried to paint sitting in front of anyone in that chair, I got it so I could paint standing. IMPO, it could be a hair taller for the littlest kids, but it is perfect height for older kids and teens. 2 complaints about it are the back (I keep meaning to get a cushion to bring the little ones forward because their bottoms are always sliding forward and that makes them even shorter!) and it has no arms, so squirmy kids make me nervous that they are gonna fall out (hasn't happened yet though). I added a folding collapsible 2 step stool in front for the kids to climb in and out of the chair. That solved the child lifting problem I was having!

I'll try to set up like i would for my gig this weekend and get a photo to post before the week is out!

That looks great! I think the main draw with the FatMax is that it is the perfect height for those of us who paint sitting down. If I were a stand up painter I would probably have chose a camp kitchen instead and transported it on a dolly.

I paint standing from my Fat Maxine, but I'm only 5'3".
The reason I love the way the Fat Max sets up is that everything is set up and "out" for me to grab quickly, I don't think I could handle opening and closing drawers. If only there were a way to elevate the "tabletop" part for you tall peeps....

Okay I am throwing this out there for taller folks...I have no idea how a fatmax looks on the bottom, but what about the 4-5 inch bed risers?? would they work to raise your workplace?

There is only 1 drawer I would need to open regularly, and that's the top one. The other drawers have "extra" stuff (extra baby wipes, extra q-tips) and stuff I might only use once at an event (square adapter to accept cc payments). I can pretty much tuck the bottom half of the Bostitch under my table while I'm working so those items are nearby if I need them, but not out where they will be taking up work space.

Could you post a pic with your laptop cases and how the paints are in them? Or what are your paints on and maybe a pic of when you pull out the paints, what are they in?
Thank you

I paint sitting down also. What model fat max do you use? Or is there a link to it you could post for us newbies?
Thanks,
Amy

Here is the link: http://www.lowes.com/pd_123179-82673-BTST19802_0__?productId=3683980&Ntt=tool+box&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dtool%2Bbox&facetInfo= I'll try to get some pictures of my cases after my "day job" today. It might not be until later this evening because I have an appointment at 4 until 5, and my kids have swim lessons at 5:30. Thursdays are our busy night! I need to make time to prep for the carnival I'm working at my Mother In Law's elementary school, so I just have to remember to bring out the camera when I do that!

I'm looking for a standing station... what is a camp kitchen? - Thanks!

Miss Ronnie wrote:That looks great! I think the main draw with the FatMax is that it is the perfect height for those of us who paint sitting down. If I were a stand up painter I would probably have chose a camp kitchen instead and transported it on a dolly.

Denise Cold uses one. Here's a link to her pic of her camp kitchen setup:

https://servimg.com/view/16402410/487

can't really see her set up...what a shame..it looks pretty compact

This might be easier to see: http://www.target.com/p/coleman-deluxe-packaway-kitchen-silver/-/A-12241665?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=%7C12241665&CPNG=sports&ci_sku=12241665&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=

This is just a sample, but not necessarily the best one for face painting. ;-)

This one's for you, Miss Ronnie! You wanted an ACME pop-up-fold-out-generally just get itself ready for you-table and while this isn't perfect, it's something I would buy if I had a spare $350 kicking around... And still might save for it. It is 27 lbs and the tables look to be about 35 or 36" (according to the dimensions).
But wowee!
http://www.grubhubusa.com/#!grub-hub (demo)
http://www.grubhubusa.com/#!grub-hub/vstc1=features (features)

Oh wow - that grubhub looks fantastic for face painting....

Yes...And camping!!! Bonus!

If money were no object: http://www.polyvore.com/mobile_make_up_station_db-8000/thing?id=21030678

I personally love the idea of the camp kitchen and going to have to seriously consider it! Specially since I got in crap from a health inspector recently for not having a handwashing station in my tent... urk lol.

Trina

I made a tabletop for my Maxie out of two pieces of foam board, with 5" boxes between them. Glued the boxes to one piece, put the other foam piece on top and used duck tape around the edges to finish it off. Now Maxie is a comfortable height for me to paint standing.