I've just finished decorating my table with what is becoming my signature blue stars pattern ... I'm considering bringing cups n balls into my act and been messing around. I'm just really not sure the balls can sustain the wind - I'm a half block from the beach and it is not uncommon to get 20-30 mph gusts during my shows. I've got a "maybe ... we'll see" attitude about it.





I think I can pull off a move where I drop that pineapple out of the cup as a climax. Again, maybe we'll see.

-JoeJoe

What about all chop balls...and NO chopped cups...and a special lil sompin sompin under the fabric to keep dem der balls from blowin round?

Dunno. Table looks great though! I like the lime kicker too. That's funny!

JoeJoe,
Use Mouse Balls. They are heavy as he77.

I love those things. Love 'em. They take a bit of getting used to but once you do, you'll really like them.

In fact, I've been promising Josh to send him some because I want some MF balls made from these. PM me if none of this makes sense.

Frank

p.s. And if all else fails, make snow in your front yard during summer.

Man I want to be you. What a gig! To always have a chance of your balls being blown during a show.

I second Frank, mouse balls (as in the device used to control a computer peripheral), are fairly heavy.

Chad gets points for creativity.

Robert

Chad: great idea, but I'm thinking the balls might look funny if they don't roll

Frank: great idea, any tips on coloring them red? Paint them? Or learn to crochet? I'm thinking soak some yarn in glue and wrap it around them like the inside of a baseball.

Robert: yea, it's a pain in the rump - everything blows ... can't do bi-section, can't do a zombie ... half the time you can even do the ballerina hanky. If it's not nailed down, it flies. But in all honesty, its worth it - nothing like a cool ocean breeze in the 120 degree heat index.



-JoeJoe

How about taking the mouse balls or marbles & wrapping the ends of 2 260 balloons around them.

Here are different ideas:
1. we make felted balls which is what I've used in the past.
2. josh can make monkeyfist balls from them.
3. use plasti-dip to make them red
4. I don't know about the balloon idea but it doesn't sound half bad.

Wrap em in foil too! Who says that gotta be red, right?

Cellini used foil balls (at least in the New Orleans DVD from Kozmo he did)

What dice? Could they be covered to deaden their sound? Maybe still too light though...wouldn't exactly role down the boardwalk though

You can drill dice and put shot in them...ummmm...errrr...so I'm told....

How about adding a lip around the edge? That must surely help.

Genghis

I wen to a Brother Paul lecture, he is a street magician, and he used tiny bean bags instead of balls so that they wouldn't roll around.

For those that are not familiar with the ocean breeze, here is an example of just how strong they can be - I'm standing there doing my thing when a gust of wind came from nowhere ... I noticed the lid of my suitcase table starting to tip forward from it, and the next thing I know the whole table went face forward:



I was worried the wind might take down the lamp, so I tied it to the table - never thought the whole table would go, I'm lucky the bulbs didn't break. I've decided it is better to put the heavy battery invertor in the bottom of the table instead of the top shelf, so it's not so top heavy.

As for the cups n balls, we are starting to bring them into the rotation now. Only, I've decided I don't need the fruit. I don't need the table either, I'm doing it on the concrete. And I only need one cup ... and one ball for that matter. Getting great reactions, should be able to capture a video before the summer is over.

-JoeJoe

Ouch!

Another reason to use a tray stand, your table will never act as a "sail" and blow away. Well, maybe "never" is too strong a word...

PS- I just gotta say that I LOVE the blue star pattern you've got going there. It's pretty, it's highly contrastable with your other props for good visibility, and it's good branding. A+

I can appreciate the problem with the wind JoeJoe. I recently visited the Outer Banks of North Carolina where the new sport of kite boarding (I think that's what they call it) is making quite a splash.

Get some clar plastic 1/2 square strips and put around the edge of table. And use ball that don't roll easily, like monkey fist, or beanbag type.

OK ... so I took out all the unnecessary moves, removed the junk, and stripped the trick down down to its very bare essence. I have a feeling I'm going to keep doing this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxzgEOkPijI



-JoeJoe