The Thurston method is not the Abbott/Okito version. Theirs was a one man operation. This one explained by Herman Hanson takes two assistants to operate. Thurston still did some of the movement with the thr***, but not like the one man version. If you are going to go to this much trouble to rig the stage, I would go with the Don Wayne set up.

I just thought the OP should have all the easier to find methods. If he is truly interested, he can then decide and create a nice parlour version of the trick. The version the little girl did has a lot more to it then what you see on the video.

There is a version of this in the German 'The String Book' previously mentioned. The hard part is finding a 5" or 6" ball for the trick. Don Wayne's Ball is 8". That is very large for parlour. I guess you could use the ball that floats in front of a cloth. I think it is called Astro Sphere, you will have a ball that can be used for other floating type effects.

AstroShphere is an option, and a good thought too, though the ones made today (especially the mini) are pretty poor quality. Rings and Things once made an aluminum beauty.

It took me a long while to solve the 6" ball problem, the usual suspects like tell-tale xmas ornaments are too heavy and too hard to gimmick with no tell-tale signs. I can maybe help out but only in a PM.

With all this hard stuff and tough options the original poster seems to have floated off and vanished?

Magically,
Walt

I thought Six would be back as he was gone for 9 days from his 1st post to his 2nd post. So I just wanted to complete the comments in case anyone else is interested. I always wanted to work on some of the hook-ups in the String Book, but never did, I think it would be great magic in a smaller venue.

Your absolutely correct, great in a small venue, but with adjustments and expansions of the methods for non-theatrical lighting or special backdrops. Very specialized and painstaking process, but it can work!

Magically,
Walt

My method can float virtually any lightweight object including a 13" beach ball, #14 balloon, or styrofoam ball. That is why I joined in.
His constraints were that he did not want wall or floor attachment or assistance.
Tony Spina was concerned when I had designs on releasing this as he had just started to market the astrosphere. My ball movement looked identical without using his method.

Magic ian, are you suggesting your method/version is available? Being you mentione that you never released it, I take it that you wish to keep it for yourself, or wait until you have finished creating your miracle.

Your effect looks wonderful, but if you have not published a book or created a video on the working and method, and/or are offering it for sale; why suggest this to the original poster again.

Please, I am un-clear from your suggestions.

I have often thought about doing the Abbott/Okito version by attaching the thr*** to something like a coat rack or something tall like Lance's lightpost. I think it would work well. The problem is making a mystery out of it. Once you float it, then what? That's why I think that having Okito's choreography would be very valuable.

Without having that, I feel the best floating routine is Raymond Crowe's Naked Zombie. There is no hookup, just a zombie ball. He adds some good moves that you can milk. And if you combine it with a good zombie routine like Al Schneider, I think you would have a good routine that can last a while.

Yes, I fully intend to release it pending some minor adjustments. It is not on the market yet but there have been some inquiries in PM's and e-mail where I have discussed the use of the method.
In the past, when I have thrown in the link, the potential user has contacted me and discussed his needs.

I do use this forum as a sounding board and an interest generator and I usually post in on most zombie conversations.

The video instruction is very involved and that is primarily where I am working. I also have been experimenting with a lit version that could fit into the latest fads of led and flashing lights. That actually solved some of the lighting problems I have had in the past.

I originally developed mine for Jeff McBride years ago when he was doing his isolation moves at his fairground act. I discussed some of these aspects with Jeb Sherril as well who thoughts were along my style of thinking. He too, has a similar unpublished zombie method.

I contacted him when I was trying to emulate some of the contact juggling motions and infuse them into my floating method.

Sorry to tease about the availability. When I release an effect, I try to make sure it is a significantly different method. I hate to ever have the comment that some old master of magic might have done this in the past. Forum conversations like this help me a lot.

I have used the method to float a candle, ball, standard zombie, balloon, large styrofoam objects of almost any shape, and silk foulard.

Okay, so when will it be available? Do you have a launch date? How much will it be? Will it be released before I die? Does it have to done on a darken stage? Why do I have to pull all this out of you. If you have not guessed, I would like to be exposed to the methodology.

[quote]On 2011-06-06 18:11, mtpascoe wrote:
I have often thought about doing the Abbott/Okito version by attaching the thr*** to something like a coat rack or something tall like Lance's lightpost. I think it would work well. The problem is making a mystery out of it. Once you float it, then what? That's why I think that having Okito's choreography would be very valuable.

Mt. Pascoe-

If you do the Okito / Bamberg staging that is in "Oriental Magic of the Bambergs" and you do it well... you needn't worry about making a good solid mystery of it. It's all there.

If you wish to conclude the routine with an assistant (as Bamberg did) and have it float into a box, well, that puts a 'button' on the end and will get you considerable applause.

I used this effect with a single 'hookup point' in revue shows in Vegas and other places, and it played very well!
Regards-
JNeal

Thanks for writing on this. I wish that the "Oriental Magic of the Bambergs" was available. If one can find it, it is rather expensive. Now, I wouldn't mind spending money on a good effect like the way Okito and his son did it, but now that it is a collector’s item, it makes it inaccessible for those that do not have deep pockets.

While the Bamberg routine is certainly a desirable starting point, much of the same information (albeit in less detailed form) can be found in the Ralf Wichmann book on Floating effects and also the Burling Hull manuscript for the floating light bulb effects.

As for the ball itself, a trip to Hobby Lobby or any good craft store and you'll find a ball that is adaptable. I made my first floating ball for about 3 dollars and it worked just fine.
JNeal

Just took a look in my Owen Catalog, they still list the Floating Ball, price was $700 in 2005, comes with a wood chest. It says it include a routine, but from my experience with Owen magic tricks, it is not anything like a full routine. Whenever I purchased a trick from them, it came with a single sheet of instructions. I think this trick would need a lot more then a single page. The ball is metal and is 7" in diameter.

The Owen Ball is a work of art, really beautiful, well made, innovative design, perfect weight, I had to have one. It is only useful for the traditional hook-ups with the traditional drawbacks,and yes, it arrives with one sheet of instructions.

Magically,
Walt

Here is Lance Burton doing his classic Floating Bird Cage routine, is this the Okito or Thurston method?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEHOGLna3......aynext=2

Definitely not Okito. More than likely it’s Don Wayne, but I’m not sure. The Don Wayne can do much more than that.

To eliminate any confusion, a bit of information about Don Wayne's floating effect and apparatus.
The Don Wayne ball is (was) suitable for an Okito (or David P. Abbott if you will....) method.

Don Wayne also created a different arrangement of the traditional gimmick that worked with his or any other ball for that matter.
This alternate 'method' required a second person working in the wings and it was very clever. It was outlined in the booklet that came with the ball as I recall.

As to Lance's effect. It was fairly standard in method but definitely NOT the Don Wayne method. I saw his hookup backstage on several occasions.

Regards-
JNeal

As stated above, it was not a Don Wayne hookup, but it looks like it is not a one man setup like the Abbott/Okito method.

JNeal is right on the money as always. I've seen Lance's from backstage as well and it is a very simple self contained one man set up that is basically an Okito style rig. When I did the floating ball at the Castle it was literally a one man rig. The girl brought me the ball then went to do a costume change. No one but me touched it throughout the routine. When I do it on a full stage it is modified (as I do it on a different size stage every day) so I use one person backstage that basically is my "trim" for the gaff. That way I don't have to "measure and pre-wind" everything each show. On the other hand, they do not do any "work" as in the Blackstone Light bulb method. It is still basically a one man effect.

I DO use the Don Wayne method (the one man version that comes with his ball) as it gives me a little more freedon than he traditional coller button method.