Just found a video with information on making mouth coils and snow storms. If you can get it, it's IMS Course Of Magic Volume 39: Paper Magic with Tony Hassini. There's a couple of effects on there and how to make mouth coils is near the middle of it.

Just a question. I used a flat yard stick for my first mouth coils and it turned into a bit of a disaster. Each sheet of tissue paper was about 1m long and I used 8 colours. When I'd finished one coil, I had the problem that it wouldn't fit in my mouth... It was huge. I think I used too much paper... What is the optimum length for a mouth coil? When I used store-bought mouth coils, I has no problem with a 10m coil fitting nicely into my mouth, where did I go wrong? Some advice would be great. I also had a little bit of a hard time keeping the tissue paper tight on the stick and keeping the roll straight. Help would be greatly appreciated.

Are tissues the same as paper napkins?

I'm from belgium and I find that sometimes my knowledge of the english languages is not sufficient enough yet.

Tissue paper is sometimes referred to as wrapping tissue. It comes in sheets about 1m x 1m (or there abouts... Sometimes you can get longer). I usually get mine from a craft shop where they sell all sorts of card, paper, pens, pencils, paints, Xacto knives, scissors, etc... Paper napkins (I imagine) are too fragile and will soak up the saliva in your mouth pretty quick (It's how I first started with mouth coils... by changing a torn paper napkin into it... and my mouth was drier than the Sahara in a drought... that was just with one napkin). I don't know if that helps you or not, but if it did, then enjoy making them!

Tissue paper is also the type used in boxes for flowers being sent to someone (if that helps) it is a bit shiny on the surface.

The roll of paper has to be pretty tight. I usually wind about 6 sheets when I make mine. I use a round wooden pencil for the core, and some furniture polish wax to make the paper slip off when I am done winding it.
I tend to wind mine in 4 inch sections, as keeping a full sheet width tight on a dowl by hand is very hard. I can actually turn the pencil to wind most of the paper on rather tight.
I use a plain white tissue at the end, about 2 inch strip to give me a white outside, as sometimes the colors will transfer when wet.
I find that I have to use a smaller size coil when I use the boughten ones as otherwise I set off my own gag reflex.Besides, the handling of un-winding a coil allows perfect cover to place an additional one and start it as well if you need more color and stuff!
k

Thanks for the tips! I know what you mean about the gag reflex... my first attempts at making a mouth coil ended up with me desperately trying to get it out of my mouth and fighting for air after the whole "I-made-it-so-it-WILL-go-in" argument I had with myself. I suppose I'll just have to use two coils and steal one during the first unwind. But once again, thanks for the advice, I'll certainly try it out!

I make my own mouth coils and it's very easy to make once you get used to it. The material I use it called "Japanese Paper"... well, that what we call it in the Philippines. I use 11 strips and each strip is 2 inches in width and 27 inches in length. The outer part is covered with a glossy white board (here it's called cartolina) this is to protect the Japanese paper from getting wet once you put it inside you mouth.

Hope this helps!

Sal

I'm having still haviong trouble (sorry about this). After I've cut the mouth coils, I'm having serious problems pulling out the middle to get it started. Sometimes it tears until it reaches the next colour. Am I wrapping them too tightly or do you think it's a problem with the size of the stick I'm wrapping them around? I've used a yard stick and a pencil so far and both have caused trouble. Perhaps I'm not cutting them enough or cutting them too far...? Did anyone else have this trouble when you started making them? If so, how did you manage to solve it? Thanks in advance!

Try winding the first color a little bit looser.

Still cant cut the coils. I have a very sharp pair of scissors.

I do not use scissors, as the throat does not let you get close enough to make the cut without making a mess, or taking the safety of your fingers into play! I take my coil once it is OFF of the dowel, and mash it a bit so it is slightly flat on the table. I make the half cuts first, as it is easier to control the blade on the large roll, then I cut the sections for the coils all the way through. I use a matt knife, sometimes called a box or craft knife, with the angled (replaceable)blade that has a nice easy to grip handle. Paper is notoriously hard on cutting edges, and so either change your blade often, or have a hone ready to hand when the knife blade starts to drag a bit. Push the point to the center of the coil from the top, and press through to the cutting board, then draw the blade outwards to the edge. after cutting them off, I revers the mash, and fold them back against themself.
Hope this is a helpful explanation, if not let me know I will try to take some pictures of making these.
Kay

Jozo Bozo shows on his DVD how he makes his Mouthcoils

Contact spellbinder here in the Café.

Does anyone here make there own mouth coils, I have made mine for the last 20yrs, Now I am looking for something like a small table top band saw to cut the paper, please contact me if your using one, I have always used the secateurs. magicwalsh@gmail.com

I use a a plastic pipe cutter that I bought in one of the large hardware stores (Lowes, Menards or Home Depot) They are under $30 They come in about 2 sizes and I have one of each.