Show setup - Wind is a big issue

[Jess Wetherhold]

I have had bad experiences with my setup in windy conditions where bowls take flight and crash to the ground. I have had several pieces ruined beyond repair. I have a fine art show this weekend so I will need to display my best pieces but the show is on the San Diego coast and it will be very windy.
How do you guys deal with this issue? Is there a way to anchor those display stands down? What sort of stands do you use?
Also, my booth will be open to all 4 sides so I will not be using any sidewalls in my canopy.
I would appreciate any advice. Thanks
Jess

[John Terefenko]

They sell rolls of hook and loop velcro stuff. Put a couple pieces on and you are set unless it is hurricane force wind. Just tell people it is there when they go to pick it up so as to not surprise them. Sides on the canopy wopuld surely help though.

[Gary Max]

You ain't going to like this-------use your sidewalls-----inventory takes a lot of time to build and you should protect it.

[Jess Wetherhold]

Well, they gave me a great location. I am on the end with traffic on 3 sides. There is a 5ft space between me and the guy next to me. If I use the sidewalls I will be closing off 3/4 of the traffic. I like the velcro idea but I don't think it will work with the stands that I have.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Jess,

I sell bottle stoppers in little velvet gift bags. On windy days I fill the extra gift bags with marbles and place them in each bowl. It helps, but the side walls are the real solution. Assuming they don't whip into the table a knock stuff off tables.

Frank

[charlie knighton]

without the wind what would the temperature and resulting traffic loss be??? :D

i have been to a couple shows with no wind and i was miserable and it cut down on the traffic

[Jess Wetherhold]

I suppose it does depend where you live. On Coronado the weather is fabulous, sunny and in the high 70's but the wind does suddenly whip up and send tents flying. I will be on the grass of this picture. Notice all of the sailboats :D
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[Andrew Derhammer]

What about turning something, drilling out the bottom and filling w/ lead to make paper(well bowl i guess) weights.

[scott schmidt grasshopper]

hi I have been to those shows with strong winds. if you are getting the bowls/ objects blown away then try some smooth river rocks . or glass pebbles from an aquarium store. pretty walmart glass rocks are cheap and easy on the wood.a bag of ?2lbs? was 98 cents.. also if you are making fruit bowls.. add some fruit to show the useage. good luck
something I use for the booth itself is doggie tie out stakes. they screw into the ground and give alot of stability to your booth canopy. I went to a show last year with my ez up canopy and we got hit with 50 mph wind gusts. mine was tied down and have large blocks of wood on the guy lines to cushion the canopy jarring. it worked even though the show day was cancelled. 2/3 of the rest of the vendors were chasing their canopies across the parking lots....

[Jess Wetherhold]

I use stands like these so when the wind blows strong it sends my work flying fw or backwards depending on the direction. Does anyone successfully use these in windy situations? I guess what I am looking for here is an alternative to these or a way to glue them to the table :confused:
I am just wanting to avoid having my work flat on the table. Maybe that is the only solution.
Thanks for the suggestions. I guess I won't really know until I see what the weather is like that day.
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[Jim Underwood]

I saw a lady use zip lock bags with rice or beans in them to weight down her hollow forms. You could use some cloth bags if you felt plastic was too tacky. My thought about it was that rice or beans (dry, of course) are much less likely to damage that which it was supposed to be protecting, than marbles or rocks..

[Richard Madison]

May not be relevant, but we used to use 3# (now 2#7oz) coffee cans filled with concrete with inserts to hold vertical poles of our booth. Used bungee cords, I think, to secure the poles to the concrete cans.

Weights, clamps, magnets, transparent containers, the force?

[Scott Conners]

What about some earthquake putty? Check it to make sure it wont stain your finishes, but it shouldn't. It should be tacky enough to help a lot, if you use enough. You can get it at most hardware stores.