I have never held or seen an actual Ultra tube (neither the original nor the Elite version), I've only seen videos (of both).
The effect is really good, and I'm therefore wanting to create my own (just for my own personal use). From the videos I can see how and when the gimmick is operated, but the actual mechanics of the gimmick is of course completely hidden.

I am a fairly proficient 3D CAD designer (for a hobbyist, that is), and I have 3D printers at my disposal, so what I'm thinking is to mainly 3D print my prop, if possible.

I have questions regarding how the original tube works (the internal mechanics), but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to even ask about that in here, so please let me know if I'm violating anything with this thread. And if the thread is in the wrong subforum, feel free to move it.

Should anyone be willing to give me some insight by PM, that would be great, but I fully understand that I might be asking too much here. I found one video on YouTube of a home made Ultra tube, which seemed to work much like the original, except for the instant change (which was not shown). The video is rather old though, and the link to the author's web site is dead, so he might be doing something else now.

I do have a rough idea of how to create my own, but with that method the visible die would be at different positions before and after the change, and from the videos the position seems unchanged with the original Tenyo.

Mroek, what you are asking is called stealing and theft, to steal another person creation is dishonest. I don't understand people today, they think that everything is okay to steal just because they want to know.

Want to make your own, then buy the product, and make your own. That is how most honest people do it. Magic products is just like anything else, secret and protected by the owners.

How will they feed their family and live, if you steal their creation.

Why not call up Apple and ask them for their plans to the new iPhone, because you want to make your own phone. See that they say to you.

It is the policy of the Café, to not disclose secrets concerning magic. Why not read the rules before you post and reveal who you really are.

@Bill Hegbli: Since this is a discontinued product that is no longer in production, and buying one is close to impossible due to it being a collector item, I don't see it as stealing if I am able to make my own (for my own use).

If my question has offended you (or anyone else), I apologize.

I am so offended that I will hold my breath until I am blue in the face....
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.... Ahhh! That's done. Go ahead and work on your 3D print model, and while you are at it, improve the old trick with your new ideas. If you think about it, it's a dumb idea to begin with... to use such a long tube just to make a die change color. I'm sure you can improve on it either by shrinking the tube, or by doing away with the tube altogether. Hey, I know a way to do it with sleight of hand using a coin sleight from J.B. Bobo. Uh, oh. Now I'm in trouble. I may have to hold my breath longer next time.

@jimgerrish: I'm not entirely sure whether you are pulling my leg or not, but I certainly have an ambition to improve old tricks if I can, but due to my lack of experience in well-known secrets, I thought I'd try to reproduce old tricks first, and then perhaps reuse the principles (or come up with new ones) in original creations. Exact copies of the original will never be the goal, but sometimes the principle will be identical.

I'm not very good with sleight of hand, so I'll primarily concentrate on stuff that needs just (very) modest skills in that area.

As I write this, I'm close to finishing my first version (3D printed) of another Tenyo trick (Magical door), but I don't think I should post any video or pictures of it, given that I do not own the original trick (figured out how it works by looking at videos online, and liked it a lot), and if the consensus in here is that what I do is wrong, then I better just stay away.

Good plan, but don't stop thinking and making improvements.

No, I will of course always try to make changes and improve, but if the inspiration comes from a well known trick, how do I know if my version is different enough from the original to be shown in here (without being told off and accused of theft)?

Not that I really must show anything in here at all, but having feedback can often be valuable.

I kinda doubt if the creator is to worried about somebody building a copy for personal use. In a lot of cases its not enough just to know how it works to build a good copy anyway. You always start building a prop with the secret known, however it may take hours, days, or years to produce a working model. Sometimes you never get a working piece.

@gimpy2: Everything you wrote is obviously correct, and my main reason for asking in here was to perhaps gain a starting point regarding the complexity of the mechanics involved, but I understand that I stepped on toes by doing so, and I will not start any similar thread in the future, rest assured.

Having watched the video several times, I can see several ways this can work.

When you get 50 posts, you can post a request for purchase in the Let's Make A Deal section of the Café, and see if anyone wished to part with their Ultra Tube.

Found this description of the 1977 model which sold for $27.00 on an auction website. This was an all blue model, not as in the referenced video above.

I was planning to just abandon this thread due to the rather unwelcome tone, but since it was now brought up again, I'll just say this:

I have successfully created my own version of this now, and details has been posted to a different forum. There's also a video on YouTube which shows it in action. Those that wants to see will probably be able to google it.

To the other members here: I have seen mroek's work, and it is a top notch item. He is a very adept with a 3D printer, with this as well as his marble machine.

I intend to make my own tube out of wood at some time in the future. But this version might already be superior because of the solidity of the device.