Hugard's M A G I C
Monthl
V
DEVOT ED SO LE LY TO TH E I N T E R ESTS OF MAGIC A N D M A G IC IANS JUNE ,
Vol. XVIII, No. 1
1 960
50 cents
NEW WINE FROM OLD CUPS This is written to encourage those of you who have the small set of plastic cups (for the simplified version of the Cups and Balls) to dig them out and experiment with the following routines. These cups are available at your favorite magic dealer's. Any small set of cups will do providing, however, they have the recessed bottoms. The set I use is made of aluminum and measures 2 V4" high, 2" wide at the mouth and 1 Y&" at the bottom. EFFECT: Three small sponge balls vanish, penetrate and transpose themselves through solid plastic cups. REQUIRED: A set of plastic cups or their equivalent; four special sponge balls; a strong Alnico magnet from a "Snooty Pups" set; Johnson & Johnson flesh-colored plastic tape; a piece of Wiztax. PREPARATION: I use special sponge balls for this effect, although there is no reason why other soft material wouldn't serve the same purpose. My sponge balls are really small balls of
By FRED G. TAYLOR AMERICAN EMBASSY, PRAGUE Illustrations by the author
These are the dimensions of my cups. They need not be exact. rubber. These strips should be about Vi" wide and II/2" long. Coat one side with rubber cement. When strips are dry, wrap one strip straight around a ball and snip off the overlap. This first strip will leave the sides of the steel wool core exposed. Use the second strip to wrap the ball in such a way that the strip passes over these exposed sides. Snip off the overlap and roll the ball between the palms. The sponge cover should be thick enough to hide the steel wool core, but thin enough not to interfere with the working of the magnet. Instead of
HOW TO MAKE SPONGE BALLS
FORM Vi" BALL
COAT WITH
OF STEEL WOOL
RUBBER CEMENT
CUT THIN STRIPS OF FOAM RUBBER A N D COAT O N E SIDE WITH RUBBER CEMENT
PUT ONE STRIP EACH AROUND DIRECTION
ALNICO MAGNET
BALL IN OF ARROWS
steel wool covered with thin strips of foam rubber. To construct, form four balls of steel wool into half-inch spheres. Coat these with rubber cement and allow them to dry. Cut eight very thin strips of foam
AFFIX W STRIP OF WIZIAX TO TOP OF MAGNET
sponges you may wish to shop at the 5 and 10 for some of the small, smooth, cotton balls that are used as trim on window curtains. Remove the cotton filler, replace with steel wool and resew. Your magnet should be the flat Alnico type used with the "Snooty Pups." Make certain that it is strong, and when not in use keep a piece of metal attached to it. To prepare the magnet for this effect wrap it in one thickness of Johnson & Johnson flesh-colored plastic tape. The V2" width is suitable. PUT Vi" STRIP Of 1. i 1. FIESHCO1ORED PIASTIC TAPE ABOUND MIDDLE OF SECOND PHAIANGE OF MIDDLl FINGER Of RIGHT HAND
Before your performance, place a piece of the V2" flesh-colored plastic tape half way around and underneath the second phalange of the middle finger of your right hand. In addition to the strip being almost imperceptible, it will not interfere with the performance of card tricks or other effects prior to your performing with the cups. Affix Vi" strip of Wiztax to the top surface of the magnet and place the magnet bottom down somewhere to the right on your table. (I put mine behind a card case that is later moved to one side.) When you are ready to perform, simply press the second phalange of the right middle finger down on the magnet so that the Wiztax hits and adheres to the plastic strip around that finger. The only other preparation necessary is to see that the fourth ball is hidden in the second or middle cup. PRESENTATION: TO begin, the cups are nested and held mouth-up in the left hand. This is the basic position to (Continued on page 1)