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damien666 Special user canada 513 Posts |
Can anyone give me info on this piece of gimmickry? It basically winds up a silk automatically into the gimmick while you pull the hidden silk out (not revealing too much here - as every ad for this trick shows a picture of the above mentioned action taking place)
I am wondering how big a silk can be used and how reliable/easy it is to prepare for the change (get the second silk loaded in front of the audience). I would like to use it for changing a silk scarf (ribbon shaped as opposed to square and I am wondering if anyone can recommend it.. Thanks in advance! Damien |
Bill Wilson Special user 536 Posts |
Damien the Mikame Silk Changer is a wonderful little device. It looks very magical when done right. It can accommodate a twelve inch square silk or a diamond cut one of the same volume. It is not meant, nor can it handle anything larger. To load or rather attach the silk you are changing 'according' to the directions given when you buy the gimmick a corner of the silk is to be stabbed thru a sharp little triangle of metal on the device. This is a terrible way to do it. First and formost it is far to fiddly this way and second it obviously ruins your silk. What I have done is to use magnets. Get yourself four very small round neo magnets. These magnets are very strong and not much bigger then the head of a pin. Put two on the corner of the silk square. That is one on one side of the very corner, the other on the oppose side of the same corner and they will stay there as though they were glued there. If I remember correctly you will notice on the bar or dowel of the changer two sharp triangular pieces of metal which jut out. Bend these pieces in or file them off. Tape the other two magnets onto the centre of the dowel with a thin tape. I use white electrical tape. Tape them so that the magnets are on oppose sides of the bar. That way even if the dowel manages to turn itself a little you will always have one of the two in proximity as you go to attach the corner of the hank. I put a dot with a red felt marker on the white tape, that way I know exactly where the magnets are, but it isn't necessary. This method of attaching the silk will save any fumbling, in fact with a little practice you will find that you barely have to look, being magnets they almost find themselves. It also saves your silk and that's always a good thing. Hope this helps.
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damien666 Special user canada 513 Posts |
Thank you very much wandboy!
I appreciate your thoughts and advice a great deal! |
Bill Wilson Special user 536 Posts |
You're welcome Damien. Also... and this is something you will probably figure out on your own, but while winding the first silk into the changer, stop a couple of times while winding and gently pull on the end of the silk. This will of course tighten the silk a little as it is being wound and will help the wound silk come out at the same pace as the silk which is being wound in. It really does look exactly like a color change should look, if in fact it was really done be magic. After the change, I immediately ditch the changer into a servante, but what you do is up to you. The point is I'm left clean!
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damien666 Special user canada 513 Posts |
Sweet - thanks again Wandboy!
Another quick question if it's not too much of a bother - could you pull the silk back and forth into the winder to further show that it is the 'same silk' changing color? I know that the instant and clean change is the best way to go for magical effect - but I am going to be using it in a different context where pulling it back and forth before the total color change would be preferable.. Just wondering if that is possible or if it is a 'one-way' winder? Thanks again for your advice! Damien |
Bill Wilson Special user 536 Posts |
In theory what you're asking should work. In reality NO it doesn't work. If you stop and pull back on the silk being fed in, the other silk will not wind back at the same pace. It will wind back, but later then it should to achieve the effect you're after. In other words it will destroy the effect. Besides Damien, there is no reason to prove what is happening. Prove in this case, would in my opinion be overkill.
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damien666 Special user canada 513 Posts |
Thanks again for your feedback!
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