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tedski Special user New Jersey 792 Posts |
Not to sound cheap, but can you make a mouth coil with tissue, or is it impractical?
If so, where would I find a reference to this? thanks for the help |
Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
There is not any written instructions on how to make your own mouth coils. You will have to purchase a pack and tear it apart to see the construction. I really do not know were you would find tissue paper in hundred foot rolls.
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GuySavoie Loyal user Tampa, FL 242 Posts |
Tedski -
You do not need 100 foot lengths of tissue paper, despite what others may say. Plenty of people make their own mouth coils. I often make my own when I need custom colors. (Patriotic, Money, Halloween, etc.) It's not hard, but it can be time consuming. For your first mouth coil, grab a sheet of tissue paper from a shirt box, or dig out the old Christmas wrapping tissue. (That is where you will find the nice colors.) For your first coil, cut about a dozen lengths of tissue about 2 inches wide. It's going to end up being bulky, but you'll need the practice your first time out. Note that this technique is not ideal, but will get you started. You will quickly find techniques and invent your own improved tools to fit your style. Take all of those strips and use Elmer's white school glue to make a long single strip. You can let the ends overlap by 1/2 to 1 inch or so. Let it dry completely. Add a strip of regular copier paper to the very end. Make sure the length of copier paper is at least 5 or 6 inches, until you have more experience. Now grab a pencil and use a very short length of tape to attach the tissue end to the center of the pencil. Now roll the tissue around the pencil, into a coil. Continue rolling it, until the typing paper totally wraps around the tissue paper. If you like, you can cut the typing paper at this point, so it completely encompasses the tissue coil, but doesn't wrap around several times. Grab some more cello tape and wrap it around the entire typing paper section, to make the secure outer coil. You could now remove the entire coil off the pencil. Don't do it yet, though. Now grab a very sharp exacto knife, or one of those snap off utility blade tools, and you are going to slice the coil almost in half (as if you were going to cut it into two coils. Here's the idea: You want to cut all the way through to the pencil. Now look down the pencil and see the circle of the coil. You want to think of the blade as the hour hand of a clock. You want to cut from 12 o'clock around until 9 o'clock. If you make the blade take the proper alignment that the hands of the clock would, you will be in good shape. This leaves you with a nearly bisected coil, but every wrap is connected by about 1/4 that is uncut. Make sure you are cutting all the way through to the pencil, through all layers. You may need to use your blade in a sawing motion to complete the process. Now you are ready to remove the coil from the pencil. If the tape is still attached to the pencil on the innermost coil, simply spin it in the opposite direction of the coil, and the tape will disengage itself from the pencil. slide it off. Now think of that uncut section as a hinge. Bend half of the coil backward upon itself, so you now have two half coils side by side, but attached by the paper hinge or "spine" - the innermost section will want to shift upward a little bit, due to the stress of the spine pulling the innermost paper out. As long as it's not too bad, don't sweat it. If it's too severe, you might need to slice to 10 o'clock next time. Now squeeze the two coils together so you get two ellipses next to each other, and wrap a final layer of cello tape around the two halves. You've just finished your first mouth coil. Sloppy? Yes. Serviceable? Absolutely. Remember, pinch out the innermost tissue and make a small ball of paper as a handle to pull out the coil. With practice, you will likely switch to a piece of 1/2" PVC with a slot cut across the center in it for your wrapping tube. It makes the first 75% of cutting the slit in the coil much easier. You will also find it easier to make bigger, and cleaner, coils, once you have some practice. Now don't believe for a second that you will be able to use this method to go into business and take over the mouth coil market. It's way too labor intensive. For mass production, you would need true paper cutting equipment as used in paper mills, book making, etc. And even then, the profit is not exactly outrageous. David Cresey is not exactly driving a Ferrari, you know. |
tedski Special user New Jersey 792 Posts |
Wow, thanks for the detailed response Guy- a huge help!!!
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GuySavoie Loyal user Tampa, FL 242 Posts |
No problem. Let me know how your first couple turn out!
--- Guy |
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Tedski,
I, too have made my own mouth coils for specified uses. My approach is similar, but slightly different than that of GuySavoie. I roll a master roll before cutting. It saves time, but presents a different sort of problem to deal with: you must have a very sharp tool with which to cut the roll. Here's the deal: I began by glue-sticking as many sheets of tissue end-to-end as was needed for the length I wanted (subjective to your needs). Glue stick really speeds up the drying time, and lessens the chance of the coil becoming glued together somewhere in the middle. I then rolled this very long strip around a suitable rod. I found early on that wood dowel doesn't work well because it is very difficult to remove it from the completed roll. I solved the problem by using the adjustment wand from a set of vinyl mini blinds. Seemed to be just the right diameter with almost no friction when it came time to pull it out of the rolled tissue. Anyway, roll up the entire length, and glue stick the end to form a roll that is about 2 feet wide and an inch or so thick (based on number of sheets used). Slide the wand from the roll leaving a hollow core. Now comes the part you must be VERY careful with. Using a straight razor (old time shaving device, still available in select locations), slice this roll into lengths of approximately 2" each. Other cutting devices would probably work, but it really needs to be ultra sharp. If you are friendly with a printshop, they just might cut the roll for you on their industrial guillotine-type cutter. Regardless, you will have to cut through each of these rolls a little better than halfway, by slicing across the width. This was quite well described by GuySavoie. The only comment I will add here, is that when your cut reaches to the hollow core, allow it to fork, as with the letter "Y" (2 cuts branching off the original). This will relieve the stress at the hinge when it comes time to fold the two halves away from each other. Follow Guy's great instructions to the end. You can even make coils from newspaper, although they are extremely bulky and not recommended for your mouth. But, for a twist on a T&R paper?.........
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
GuySavoie Loyal user Tampa, FL 242 Posts |
Michael -
I like the newspaper idea very much! I also use a full length when doing them in "bulk" (more than 2 or 3 needed). Best Regards, Guy |
kaytracy Inner circle Central California 1793 Posts |
Remember to use a final outer layer of a neutral, or non-color paper to avoid staining your mouth, as if done correctly, the coil will only brush your lips, and the newprint, or whatever you are using will not leave any telltale staining!
Kay and Tory
www.Bizarremagick.com |
zaubern Veteran user Seattle, Wa 335 Posts |
I tape several sheets together in a long line, roll then around a broom to form a tube, cut them into sections, then proceed from there with cutting almost in half etc...very time cosuming but you can make custom coils.
Zaubern
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Wayne Hackler Regular user 139 Posts |
I would like to say to GuySavoie and Michael Baker thanks to both of you for your instructions and advice. I have often had the thought of making my own mouth coils, but didn't want to buy one and reverse engineer it. I have too many other things that need to get done. Thanks for the tips guys.
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tedski Special user New Jersey 792 Posts |
Yes,
I am glad I asked and received such great advice - thank you again! |
wally Inner circle 1828 Posts |
Onc I have rolled the tissue paper for about 15" it is hard to cutt into 2" pieces. whats the best way to cut them.
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Larry Bean Inner circle I'm digging enough holes for 2016 Posts |
I am definitely going to try to make a mouthcoil. I like that I can use custom colors and I am thinking about a comedy ending to my Torn and Restored Newspaper where a few scraps of newspaper are seen protruding from my pocket after the restore - and then pull out about 30 feet of newspaper from the mouth-(pocket)coil.
Do you think a sharp bandsaw would just shred the coil? I've done some amazing things with my bandsaw and know a single strand of tissue would be impossible - but once it is coiled it might just work. Has anybody tried it? What do you think? |
ClintonMagus Inner circle Southwestern Southeast 3997 Posts |
If you accidentally swallow it, does it taste like chicken?
Things are more like they are today than they've ever been before...
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kaytracy Inner circle Central California 1793 Posts |
If you do this with a bandsaw, I might be inclined to try it with the dowel still in place for handling purposes, and remove the small bit of core afterwards. It would also allow you to make the center cut with the band saw as well.
I have to say I use the PVC giant cutters to make mine with. Also, if using newspaper, be sure the paper used soy based inks! k
Kay and Tory
www.Bizarremagick.com |
mrunge Inner circle Charleston, SC 3716 Posts |
I use "Handi-Cut" shears from Sears. You can find them online at the following link or in the tool department at your local store. They work great.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.d......okie=Yes Mark. |
kaytracy Inner circle Central California 1793 Posts |
Yup! those look just like the PVC pipe cutters!
Just keep the blade clean and sharp! For the center cut half way, I still use a razor blade- single edge, you really need the control there for the Y cut! k
Kay and Tory
www.Bizarremagick.com |
raywitko Special user western Pa 527 Posts |
I use a flat piece of aluminum to roll the paper on. It's about 3/4" wide by 1/8" thick. I don't use any glue but tape the paper together. Also use tissue wrapping paper. A band saw will work for cutting the coil but use a fine tooth blade. Not as clean cut as a sharp knife but quicker and easier.
Ray
Sometimes it seems there are more than one of me.
Tabman USA magicdmv email me at [email]fursclass@magicdmv.com[/email] |
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