Does anyone know how to make your own homemade Mouth Coils and Throw Streamers or is there a book somewhere that explains how to do this. Mouth Coils are plastic coated and Throw Streamers are made out of lightweight tissue paper. They shouldn't be too difficult to make yourself. Thank you.

Why would you want to? They aren't that expensive

Actually, they are pretty easy to make and way less expensive than the pre-made ones. Besides, you can choose the colors and sizes to meet your needs.

A lot of people have asked me about how to make these and here is my answer:

Visit http://www.magicnook.com/papermagic/tearablecontents.htm and order the PDF file there. It's only $3 and tells you everything you need to know.

I'm not associated with this site at all, but it is where I learned to make mouth coils and the $3 has been paid back many many times over.

Thanks,
Richard

Spanky:

Yes, Mouth Coils and Throw Streamers are cheap. I wanted to make my own set for the reasons that rtgreen mentioned. I wanted Mouth Coils and Throw Streamers in custom colors and sizes. Thanks everyone.

Do a search on the Café, as I remember someone explained how to make the mouth coils here.

Streamers are much more difficult to make as you need very long tissue paper and be able to wind it tightly. Then cut the roll in widths, very hard to do at home.

It's easy to make mouth coils, and it is no big trade secret. Just get a yardstick, and some tissue paper and a glue stick. Tightly wrap the tissue around the stick. Start with white tissue since that will be the first color out of the coil, and also end with white since that will be the outer wrapping - you can use any color tissue you want for the "inner" pieces. When you get to then end of the tissue use some glue stick to join it together with another sheet, and then continue rolling the next sheet around the yardstick and keep on repeating until you get a good size coil - 7 -10 sheets is good. Just remember to keep it tight when rolling around the yardstick. Then tightly glue the last sheet to itself and carefully remove the yardstick by sliding it out gently. Then cut the tissue log you created in to 2 inch strips and then cut each 2 inch section half way through - do not complete the cut - so you will end up with a 2 inch section that has a cut half way through it at 1 inch. Then simply grab each half and fold the ends together and then put tape around the coil to hold the 2 halves together, and you will have a bunch of 1 inch mouth coils for a fraction of the price. You can get yard sticks for free at Ace hardware, and you can get tissue paper at most dollar stores.

If you want to do seasonally themed mouth coils you could use red white and green for christmas, orange and black for halloween, etc.. I have even seen tissue paper that has dollar bills printed on it, and have made some fun novelty mouth coils that look like shredded money. I have also used zebra striped and polka dotted mouth coils, and they all look fun and a lot more interesting that "store bought" mouth coils.

I've found if you wrap the tissue paper around a broom stick or wooden dowel, it works a little better than a flat surface wrap...

Bryan

cool- I will give it a try. Rather than a yarstick, I actually use a piece of wood that is about 1/2 the width than a regular yardstick - I think it is a slat from a window blind, though I am not sure.

Gotta disagree with Bryan Gilles regarding the use of a round stick versus a flat yard stick. Paper rolled around a round stick will want to unroll, making the whole process a lot more tedious. I've also found that a round stick is more difficult to remove once the process is finished.
I don't use a glue stick. I join each new sheet with clear tape. It's instant. There is no chance of bleed-over as there is with any kind of glue. And functionally, the coils work just great.
For cutting the roll into individual coils I use the "Handycutter" from Sears. It's an anvil-type cutter with a thin razor-sharp blade.
I can make a dozen coils with materials that total about $1.25.

Which paper is the best for making mouth coils. pm me. thanks

Tissue paper

Well, as for my experience on this: I needed very long mouth coils in solid orange, and had no choice but to make them. I first tried the wood dowel method. I discovered, as many here did, that I couldn't get the paper off the stick when finished, so I came up with a very simple yet effective solution: Staighten out a coat hanger and lay it alongside your dowel. Wrap the paper as normal, and when you're finished, slide the piece of wire out first (it will come out easily) and you'll find that this loosens the whole thing sufficiently that the paper roll will now slide right off the stick. Also, I too use clear plastic tape instead of glue. I cut the individual coils with a band saw using a fine blade. Good luck!

Still can not find the right tool for cutting homemade mouth coils here in UK.

I have for years taken large rolls of paper, rewound them to size and length needed, and then sawed them with a band saw to make my own hat coils.

That would be me...

Send me a PM

Derek Merdinyan

Sears Craftsman 3-7/8 in. Handi-Cut is what I need to cut mouth coils , but they will not ship to England, please please help. any Canadian magician to help. will pay well .

I would take the advise on throw streamers from Derek Merdinyan I got the idea from him and it works great.

Best,
Jeff

You can also use a bandsaw to cut them. I cut 3 or 4 rolls at a time. The other reason to learn how to make a coil is if you run out and need one ASAP you can build your own. You become self reliant. If you on the road and loose your stuff then you can run up to the store, buy some paper and make one.

Love this community! All of the magic I need to buy here in China is over-priced (western prices on a Chinese salary isn't great). This information alone is going to save me a fortune considering the amount of mouth coils I seem to get through entertaining kids at our school, and being able to make custom colours will just add much more variety to the shows I do. Thanks a million, guys!

Wally, on cutting the coils, for MOUTH coils, I simply use a sharp razor knife (also called a utility knife, or click knife) One could also use a Linoleum cutter knife, or even a very sharp paring knife from the kitchen- use the cutting board, and be sure to re-sharpen when you are done! Paper really dulls sharps edges.
Unless you are cutting some behemoth coils (or hat coils) you should be okay, just take your time, and cut carefully. AND it is okay if the coil mushes a bit flat while you cut it, it will get turned and shaped before you are all done anyway!
k