On Apr 30, 2017, JNeal wrote:
Anyone can make a Palmo type gimmick in about an hour with the most modest of household tools.

BeThePlunk tipped the essence of the idea when he wrote:
Ever the experimenter, I created one of my own by taking two Palmos, carefully cutting them with a pipe cutter 2/3 of the way up the barrel, and then joining the two large pieces to create a Palmo with half again as much volume. This will handle a 24" silk and also do the Half-Dyed Silk routine with a single gimmick.

I've used a similar device of my own construction for years. But there is no need to use previously purchased Palmo gimmicks to do this... in fact, they don't need to be made of metal at all!

I used two plastic 2 oz. bottles (such as 5 hour energy drink) and removed the labels and necks (see the pic). Then I cut both both bottles about an inch or so down from the neck line (second pic) Naturally, a larger bottle segment will produce a larger gimmick and hold a larger set of silks. Make TWO of these halves... one from each bottle. It is a good thing to sand the holes smooth with 400 grit sandpaper.

Then I use a good grade of 3/4" plastic tape (Scotch brand is still the best I have found) and wrapped a ring of it on the INSIDE of one half of the two bottle segments.
Please note that the sticky side is facing OUTWARD!

Now the two segments are joined together and with a finger or implement the tape on the inside is smoothed down so that it adheres to both halves of the bottles.
If you have done this correctly, this joint will last for years. We use a good grade of tape for this so that the adhesive doesn't bleed over time onto the silk fabric used

The next step is to paint the gimmick if desired. Use a good grade of spray paint. Krylon makes a product that is called FUSION and has some special property that will BOND the paint to plastic surfaces... and guess what? It really does! Just follow the instructions on the spray can.

When the paint has cured or hardened, wrap another piece of CLEAR plastic tape around the midsection of the newly made gimmick. Again, it should be pressed smooth so the edges don't lift. Finally, make sure that the two openings are sanded smooth with some 400 grit sandcloth, if you haven't done this yet.

On Apr 30, 2017, JNeal wrote:
OK, one more bit of advice for you hobbyists who want a great gimmick and have the time or desire to make one for yourself:

When I searched for 2 ounce bottles, I went to a makeup counter for cosmetics and found that often the plastic bottles are made of COLORED plastic that represents the color of the makeup in the bottle! This means that you can virtually select the color bottle that best represents your skin type! Being relatively pale, the picture here shows the gimmick that I actually use and made myself.

IT IS OVER TWENTY FIVE YEARS OLD! So, for those who doubt that this gimmick works, that is the proof.
I had to replace the outer tape only once, about 15 years ago. If you look carefully, the inner plastic tape is white and the outer tape is clear.
It is about 25% larger than a RICE Palmo and holds a larger silk.

Because the plastic is made in flesh color, it will never flake paint, and also because it is plastic... will not make any metallic suspicious sounds if it accidentally taps against a finger ring such as a wedding band.

the only tools used to make this gimmick were a pair of scissors, sandpaper, and clear plastic tape. My investment was under $10 at the time. And if I need a new one... it takes about an hour to construct!
visit me @ JNealShow.com