I haven't used it in any recent shows yet. I only performed it for my wife and a friend. It scared my wife and my friend said it was cool. I will add it to the next show I do where the kids are a little older. A lot of stuff I do is 4 & 5 year olds.

I've actually had an awesome idea of making one that is much larger (almost 3-ft. in diameter). I'd love to build it into a large cabinet-style box and have danger and caustion tape all over the box... It almost would have a Rudy Colby feel to it! Any suggestions?

Bryan

I'm making an 18" diameter spiral right now. It will be powered by an old cordless drill with 3V batteries. I'll see if this works for my audience. I'll try it next weekend in a beach corporate party outing. I just hope it won't be that windy.

I ordered mine directly from Mr Kalver over the phone and am anxiously awaiting it's delivery as I type!

By the way, Mr. Kalver was very helpful and pleasant to speak with.

I love doing business with nice people, shame that it doesn't happen more often!

=Frank=

Ive had mine two days and getting about 50 percent on it so far. However,Im only doing it one on one. I have yet to do it on my larger audiences.

I really wish it was made better. I hope lamination will not give it a glare. I bought it with the drill.

If it was made better it would of course cost a lot more! Being you own it, make one out of wood, metal, plastic; your choice! Just use the one you have as a template.

I don't believe there is any hidden mystical spell put on the design of this product. Or is there????

Good idea Bill, if only I could not be all thumbs. I need to check with a sign shop. Of course, it has to be lightweight to spin correctly.

Lamination is now a no go. I looked at something I had laminated and it was not glare proof.

Scotchguard is another alternative. Dull Coat goes on thinner pasteboard cards and they are fine so Scotchguard should be okay. A few coats would make the cardstock last a bit longer. The problem I had, my wheel came off the drill bit and made a dent the first day.

Im looking so forward to doing this in front of a crowd instead of one or two individuals. I have not seen one negative post from using it in a crowd as of yet.

Lou
let me know how your 18" disc works at the show. I'll be anxious to hear about it. Hey...BTW everyone, when you have them look at your face, after the 30 to 40 second spin, hold the pose ( add a silly look to your face) for five seconds to let the effect kick in. Also try stepping forward one step as you hold that look on your face. I think this increases the magnification of your head. Step back one step after reversing the spin as this may add to the shrinking effect of your head. It works for me.

John

John,

So many great tips, really appreciate it! I may have to go and do a free show now, I think my next adult stage is a few weeks or week after next, I really am excited at this! All about getting the audience on your side and enjoying themselves.


It's a keeper! Okay, tried this for the first time with more people. Did it at family gathering today and got about 70 percent response! Did twice the first way and once the second. Did it for the 30 seconds also.

Cons: This may be what people will remember my show by, something so easy to do too:)

Classic response: One fellow said as I turned and walked away: "Don't walk away with your head little like that."

Candini

Glad to hear that Candini got a great response from it. I'm anxious, as I'm sure Candini is also, about the response that Lou gets from his beach party. Oh...and here's a thought..Lou, if you're doing a beach party and the attire is swimsuits...I wonder what would happen if after you spin to enlarge..and that you have the guys immediately look at the girls in swimsuits ( if you know what I mean) and see what happens? This could put a new meaning to " Instant Gratification". LOL.

John

I've been trying different geared motors and ended up with my old cordless drill. I'm now figuring out what speed is best.

Magicshore, I will try it on the beach this Saturday. It's an all adult corporate party outing. Hmmm, I might get one of their sexy lady employees as volunteer. Good suggestion.

To those who have this, what is a better effect for this? To get a volunteer on stage or to let the audience look at their partner's nose?

If this 18" diameter wheel works for me, I might make a 36" diameter wheel.

Lou

Try a spectator on stage. As far as letting the audience look at their partners nose... I find that distance works best. I tried having the audience look at the person sitting next to them after the spin but it didn't seem to work nearly as well.

John

Ok, I finally completed this prop. The slower the spin, the slower the head grows or shrinks. I experimented and made it spin in a faster mode. The faster spin, in my opinion, is better.

And yes, the farther the object, the better the effect. So a volunteer on stage as subject is better than having the audience look at their partner.

Any suggestions or ideas how to introduce this prop to the audience? I will call mine a "Hypno Wheel". Any patter for this?

I have a performance at a park festival this Friday. I've done this effect many times, but always for small audiences - the organizers of the festival say there may be 1000 people there.

I'd love to give this a try - does anyone have experience with this large of a crowd? Will it work for that large of a group?

Thanks.

Ron

I think it is better to let the audience realize the effect themselves. If you say - I am going to make my head shrink, and then do it that it would have a lot less impact,IMO. It's not really a "trick" so nobody will wonder how you did it, it is just a cool optical illusion. I think it's OK to say that it is a hypno wheel, but make sure that you prime them to look at your nose on the count of 10 prior to and while you are counting down. If you just tell them to stare at the wheel and then shout "look at my nose" I don't think it has the same effect.

Thank you Marvello, good suggestion!

Ron

I've done it for a crowd of about 300 people. It got a great reaction and I took notice that the people further back still seemed to react stronger to it. With that in mind, I believe that a larger crowd will still get the effect assuming that those further back can see it. I'm sure, at a far distance ( however far may be ) that you will lose some, especially since many will not be able to concentrate visually on it because of the distance. I say go for it and take note of the people in the far back. And do us a favor, let us know for our benefit also

John

Thanks, John. That's very good information to know. I will take your advice and give it a try on Friday, and then report back my results.

Also, after I posted my question here, I emailed Bruce Kalver and asked him; I just got a response that confirms what you say, John. He says he's done it for Civic Center audiences, and when they're far back, they can concentrate on the center of the disk better than those up close.

Ron

Ron

Thanks for the confirmation from Bruce. Now, if I ever get invited to do the half-time show at a Super Bowl I'll know I can bring my Enlarging/Shrinking Head Disc with me to perform. Me ? Super Bowl ? Now that's an illusion !!

John

It worked! I did a show in the beach yesterday and a birthday party today. I was performing surrounded in the beach. It was for the Citibank employees’ family outing. Only the people in front were able to experience this effect. I will have to paint the other side of my spiral so I can also do this on my front and back sides.
On both shows, some could not get it the first time but definitely most got it the second time. I told them jokingly this only works for intelligent people. I first shrunk my head then I got a child on stage for the growing head part. Indeed, there is a delayed reaction so don’t expect an immediate response from your audience.
This is a fun and different thing to do. In my opinion, the 18” spiral I made is a good enough size. It is really how you present this prop that makes it both effective and entertaining.