Help with powder for a poof

Discuss your favorite platform magic and illusions.
Umpa Duze
Posts: 183
Joined: June 5th, 2008, 8:27 pm
Location: Humboldt County CA

Help with powder for a poof

Postby Umpa Duze » March 30th, 2005, 12:38 pm

Hi all,
This is most certainly an odd post, but I have run out of ideas and wonder if there is someone out there who can help. I have been experimenting with the instant silk vanishing wand. I like the effect, but the silk vanish is strangely too fast. That is, by the time you realize something has happened you have no time to savor it. I know that sounds odd, particularly for me, because I love visible magic, but I have been trying to find a way to give the effect a momentary afterlife.

I have fitted the end of the wand with a small tapered pocket similar to a phantom tube. This still allows the silk to pass unobstructed. I put a pinch of powder in the pocket so that when I snap the wand towards the silk causing it to hook and vanish, a small cloud of "smoke" is left hanging in the air. This adds a really nice visual to the effect, but I am struggling to find a powder that is very light and does not clump. I have tried a few different things including baby powder, flour, fix-all, and a couple of unknown substances found in the bottom of drawers etc. They all work ok, but are not quite smoke-like enough.

Anyway, if anyone has an idea about a very light powdery substance that resists clumping and "floats" in the air a bit I would appreciate the help.

Cheers,
Eric
Cheers,
Umpa Duze

Guest

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby Guest » March 30th, 2005, 1:19 pm

"Help with powder for a poof"

Just speculation on my part, but I'm guessing that "a poof" doesn't mean the same thing in the US as it does in the UK?

Dave

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27054
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby Richard Kaufman » March 30th, 2005, 2:04 pm

Yes, Dave, it means something different.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
BlueEyed Videot
Posts: 208
Joined: May 17th, 2008, 8:19 pm
Favorite Magician: Max Maven, Ray Anderson
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby BlueEyed Videot » March 30th, 2005, 2:24 pm

Take the "poof" powder off the wand, and rub it liberally, into the silk. When the silk snaps, the powder poofs.

Umpa Duze
Posts: 183
Joined: June 5th, 2008, 8:27 pm
Location: Humboldt County CA

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby Umpa Duze » March 30th, 2005, 3:49 pm

Thanks for the idea Richard, I did not think of that. But now I need to find out what Poof means across the pond! I will have to change the silk to a white one, but I will try powdering the silk. Thanks again.
Cheers,

Umpa Duze

Umpa Duze
Posts: 183
Joined: June 5th, 2008, 8:27 pm
Location: Humboldt County CA

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby Umpa Duze » March 30th, 2005, 4:11 pm

Richard, the effect was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much for your help.
Eric
Cheers,

Umpa Duze

Guest

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby Guest » March 30th, 2005, 5:19 pm

For a colored silk, using your original gimmick, try fuller's earth or diatenacious(sp)earth. They use it for movie FX's when they want dust to fly in fight scenes. Although I don't know how it will look live. I've been thinking of trying it for another effect, for reasons similar to yours. It might be available from a pool supply. It is used in filtering systems.

Umpa Duze
Posts: 183
Joined: June 5th, 2008, 8:27 pm
Location: Humboldt County CA

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby Umpa Duze » March 31st, 2005, 6:47 pm

Thanks Mike,
I will try picking up some of this. Does it come in various colors? It sounds like it would be earth tones.

Cheers,
Eric
Cheers,

Umpa Duze

User avatar
BlueEyed Videot
Posts: 208
Joined: May 17th, 2008, 8:19 pm
Favorite Magician: Max Maven, Ray Anderson
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby BlueEyed Videot » March 31st, 2005, 7:30 pm

Guys, I'd be a mite careful using diatomaceous earth (DE) in the manner suggested. You should take a look at this before you go powdering up your workplace...

ISCS: DIATOMACEOUS EARTH

Bill Palmer
Posts: 719
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Houston TX
Contact:

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby Bill Palmer » April 1st, 2005, 10:42 pm

Just so's you won't have to look it up, diatomaceous earth is one of the most insidious abrasives known to man. If you want to kill fleas, sprinkle a small amount in your back yard. It will work its way through the exoskeletons of the fleas and kill them. It can also kill your DVD reader, your CD reader, and you.

Talcum powder or cornstarch is much better. Use just a little bit.
Bill Palmer, MIMC

Pete McCabe
Posts: 2332
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Simi Valley, CA

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby Pete McCabe » April 2nd, 2005, 7:08 am

Fourth Bruce:
Well gentlemen, I'll just remind you of the faculty rules. Rule one: no pooftahs. Rule two: no member of the faculty is to maltreat the Abbos in any way whatsoever -- if there's anyone watching. Rule three: no pooftahs. Rule four: I don't want to catch anybody not drinking in their room after lights out. Rule five: no pooftahs. Rule six - there is no rule six. Rule seven: no pooftahs.

Guest

Re: Help with powder for a poof

Postby Guest » April 13th, 2005, 6:44 pm

Appologies, fullers earth was once a regular fx in film and I experimented with it myself. I plead ignorance.


Return to “Platform & Stage Magic”