Danny's Panel Board

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Danny's Panel Board

Postby Peter Ross » September 10th, 2022, 7:53 pm

I received one of these boards recently, and I agree with B. Henderson's review of the product in the Sept. 2022 Genii.

I have two thoughts I'd like to throw out there: In light of the difficulty to perform this trick smoothly and consistently, I was happy to see Evil Dan's presentation in the accompanying video, as I find it MUCH easier to do with a bottle cap. Second, the video also contained a quick tidbit about a version of the board someone patented long ago that contains a modification (a lip) that would virtually eliminate 75% of the difficulty (imho). I was so intrigued by this modification that I asked Meir Yedid about it. He said that he also really liked it, but that manufacturing it in wood was out of the question. He is working on plastic (3D printed) prototypes of it. Plastic would not be as nice as wood, but with the lip, I think it would be worth it.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 10th, 2022, 8:02 pm

You don't need a lip or a bottlecap. All you need is practice. Saw Danny do it a zillion times and used to do it fairly well myself.
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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Peter Ross » September 10th, 2022, 8:30 pm

I'm glad you used to do it fairly well, Richard. And I envy you for seeing Danny do it live. However, if you apply that same attitude about the lip to cards, then I guess you wouldn't like card gaffs either, which I know isn't the case, as you worship DeLand. Even Yedid agreed that the lip modification was worthwhile. And the bottlecap also adds a nice related prop to the mix. The few times I've been brave enough to try this version for friends, the heat was always on the cap.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 10th, 2022, 10:41 pm

I can't imagine how a bottle cap fits in the slot. It would not have done so on the boards Danny used to sell (I still have mine).
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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Peter Ross » September 10th, 2022, 11:18 pm

The bottle cap is just cover for when you do the move. Check out Evil Dan's routine in the video. It's nice.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby I.M. Magician » September 11th, 2022, 12:10 pm

The panel board itself and the effect it is used for is clean, precise, and some would say perfect. As with any prop, you should practice. If you do, the panel board will work for you without adding things to assist.

Why clutter it up with extra items to assist you in accomplishing the great visual effect? The beauty of the panel board is the minimal use of items. The board, a coin, and your hand does the trick cleanly and perfectly.

Sure, you can add accomplishment aids but if you do, the visual becomes a bit complicated and the spectator does not see as good of a clean visual effect as a result.

To prove my point, watch Copperfield perform it. That is what it is supposed to be!

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 11th, 2022, 12:46 pm

If that's what the bottle cap is used for, I can only say "why"? It's entirely unnecessary.
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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Bob Coyne » September 11th, 2022, 1:23 pm

The problem I have with this effect is the sound the coin makes when sliding on the board into the slot. The video shows a method for modifying the board to muffle the sound of the coin once it fully enters the slot itself. But there's still the problem of the initial sliding on the board as it enters the slot. And the same troublesome sliding sound occurs when it exits the slot in order to reappear.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby I.M. Magician » September 11th, 2022, 1:43 pm

Not sure your spectators will know what that is or even notice it. It all happens fast so maybe not enough time for that to register. Their focus should be on the effect itself.

The demo provides a solution for any unwanted sound so that should do it.

It has been said that Danny did a zillion demos of it and he apparently had no problem selling a zillion of them.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Tarotist » September 11th, 2022, 2:00 pm

Since he was a pitchman he must have bought them very cheaply. Who was his supplier? I have never heard of this item before. And how much did he sell them for? Was it his only item or did he pitch other tricks such as svengali etc;?

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Bob Coyne » September 11th, 2022, 2:25 pm

I.M. Magician wrote:Not sure your spectators will know what that is or even notice it. It all happens fast so maybe not enough time for that to register. Their focus should be on the effect itself.

The demo provides a solution for any unwanted sound so that should do it.

It has been said that Danny did a zillion demos of it and he apparently had no problem selling a zillion of them.

Maybe I missed it, but the only solution to the sound was the treatment of the slot itself, not the more general issue.

If sound wasn't a problem, then why bother modifying the board? And, if I remember correctly, the video even mentions that the sound as one reason that more people didn't perform the effect. He also mentions that when Danny performed the effect there was very little sound. I'm not saying the effect can't work well enough even with the noticeable sound. But I think it would be significantly stronger and more deceptive if the sound could be eliminated or greatly reduced.

btw, I really appreciate the work and care that went into the video. Clearly a labor of love.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby I.M. Magician » September 11th, 2022, 2:36 pm

Please allow me to suggest that you perform the board several times and see what happens. I am thinking that you will be pleasantly surprised.

This reminds me of those who had issues with sounds from Tenyo Crystal Cleaver and Tenyo Crystal Pyramid. For the Cleaver, it is the sound of the magic happening and never a problem. For the Pyramid, the sound problem is a result of the owner not reading the instructions carefully if at all. That prop has no noise problem!

So…remember that you know what is happening and your spectators do not. Don’t overthink it.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Peter Ross » September 11th, 2022, 4:26 pm

I guess there will always be disagreements about what apparatus are perfect, with no room for innovation.
With the Panel Board, I believe the lip is a legitimate improvement for ease of handling. It takes a move that requires much practice and consistency (getting the door to line up to the slot every time) and eliminates that variable by mechanically making it consistent 100 percent of the time, thereby allowing one to focus on performance more.

With regards to the bottle cap, check out the video if you can. It is just as smooth and simple as using no cap. It does become a slightly different trick in the spectator's mind, as they believe the trick is about the cap and the coin, with the board just being there to hold both items. The cap also has the added benefit of using the coin noise to your advantage, as the spectator can hear the coin rattling around in the cap before or after a vanish or appearance. The noise becomes part of the trick. So my hat is off to Evil Dan for this clever addition.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 11th, 2022, 8:08 pm

Like I said, practice makes perfect.
It should be noted that Danny's counter at Macy's was located directly next to a set of escalators, and there was a lot of ambient noise from the selling floor. But the coin doesn't make any sliding noise. The well-trodden path of the coin smoothed the board so there was no friction (and, hence, no noise). The only sound the coin makes is landing in the slot and hitting the inside wall. But the point is that you NEVER tilt your hand or the board far enough forward to give the coin enough velocity to produce the sound.
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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Tarotist » September 11th, 2022, 9:27 pm

So who supplied him with the bloody things? Or did he make them himself?

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Bob Coyne » September 11th, 2022, 10:55 pm

Tarotist wrote:So who supplied him with the bloody things? Or did he make them himself?

In the video, Meir mentions that Danny Tsukulas had them made in Japan by the same company that made the wooden Mount Fuji coin slide box trick. Meir bought 18 cases of the boards that came from Danny's estate. He's selling two versions. Here's what his website says.

►Classic Edition:
These are made of wood and are based on the original designs. They have a checkered front and can handle small coins like US Dimes and Pennies. Overall size is approximately 3.75”x3.38”x.25” and they are all identical.

►Modern Edition:
In 1999 David Haversat, who was Danny’s friend, released the Miracle Board which had multiple wood finishes to make it look like a designer coaster, and many new improvements to make the board run more smoothly. It also could handle coins as large as US Quarters. David recently found a case of them and agreed to let us sell them. Overall size is approximately 3.63”x3.5”x.25” and there are no two that look alike. Limited quantity.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 12th, 2022, 11:18 am

Danny's board used quarters.
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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Tarotist » September 12th, 2022, 12:26 pm

Bob Coyne wrote:
Tarotist wrote:So who supplied him with the bloody things? Or did he make them himself?

In the video, Meir mentions that Danny Tsukulas had them made in Japan by the same company that made the wooden Mount Fuji coin slide box trick. Meir bought 18 cases of the boards that came from Danny's estate. He's selling two versions. Here's what his website says.

►Classic Edition:
These are made of wood and are based on the original designs. They have a checkered front and can handle small coins like US Dimes and Pennies. Overall size is approximately 3.75”x3.38”x.25” and they are all identical.

►Modern Edition:
In 1999 David Haversat, who was Danny’s friend, released the Miracle Board which had multiple wood finishes to make it look like a designer coaster, and many new improvements to make the board run more smoothly. It also could handle coins as large as US Quarters. David recently found a case of them and agreed to let us sell them. Overall size is approximately 3.63”x3.5”x.25” and there are no two that look alike. Limited quantity.


Thank you kindly. As a retired pitchman naturally I am more interested in the sales side of the product rather than what it actually does. What puzzles me is the profit margin. A pitchman needs to sell things for at least 4 times the wholesale cost to make things worthwhile. With all that wood material and workmanship that cost must be quite high so Danny must have sold the item for a high price to make it worthwhile. However high prices scare off the punter so I am puzzled as to how he got away with it! Does anyone remember what price he sold them for retail?

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Brad Henderson » September 12th, 2022, 4:56 pm

Vanishes feel differently when they are out in the open versus when they are covered. Both are equally valid types of feelings to want to convey to the audience. There’s a lot to be said for using a cover in order to cause the coin to disappear. In fact Danny at times used a dollar bill to cover the coin, briefly , instead of his hand. Danny’s goal was to sell the product. This is a slightly different goal entertaining an audience. I don’t think we should dismiss Different ways to approach the Board based simply on what the person who used it the most, or the people who’s intention is to pay homage to him, did. I think the use of the shot glass is a particularly interesting possibility as it makes the production seem to occur without cover but under even more impossible conditions

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Bob Coyne » September 12th, 2022, 5:03 pm

Tarotist wrote:Thank you kindly. As a retired pitchman naturally I am more interested in the sales side of the product rather than what it actually does. What puzzles me is the profit margin. A pitchman needs to sell things for at least 4 times the wholesale cost to make things worthwhile. With all that wood material and workmanship that cost must be quite high so Danny must have sold the item for a high price to make it worthwhile. However high prices scare off the punter so I am puzzled as to how he got away with it! Does anyone remember what price he sold them for retail?

In the video Jim Sisti (who knew Danny since he was a kid) describes how Danny performed it at the Connecticut fair. He would pitch a certain amount of time and then he would sell. He was good about teaching how to do the effects he just sold in off moments or after he was done. And at the fairs, his wife collected the money. He was also pitching/selling svengali decks and sponge rabbits and adam's items (chinese sticks and ball and vase)...slum magic stuff.

At Macy's (where Danny pitched it for 25 years), Macy's took 60% and Danny took 40%. So he had to charge a lot more there for everything (svengali decks, wonder mouse, etc) to make up the difference. Though of course it was a benefit being in such a prime location. David Haversat (Danny's student who later had a new batch of boards made and sold/pitched them in the 90s) talks about that in the video...says he has some of the old original price sheets he got from Danny.

If I remember right, Meir mentions in the video that the price of the boards at Macy's were too high for him to afford (as a kid)...perhaps around $20 at the time (in the 70s?).

Sounds like you would enjoy the video, which has quite a bit of background/historical info as well as performance instructions/tips. :-)

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Tarotist » September 12th, 2022, 5:37 pm

60 PER CENT!!!!

He must have been stark raving mad! You should never pay a department store any more than 25%! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! I have never heard of anything so damn stupid! I have worked in hundreds of department stores in different countries over the decades. Sure, the buyers are trained to get as much out of you as possible especially when they have prime locations. When I first started in the business I was daft enough to give in to that crap often giving them 30 to 35% of sales. They even asked for 50% sometimes! However, one day I met a veteran grafter (I have no idea why Americans use that silly word "pitchman") on a train and told him I was giving stores a third of my sales. He educated me with words to the effect of "You NEVER give a store a third. NEVER! They will ask for it and even demand it but you must refuse. Look them straight in the eye and tell them that they are only getting 25% and NO MORE! Ignore what they say about their foot traffic and prime location and tell them 25% is all they are going to get. They will always give in"

I followed his advice and from that day on I never ever gave a department store more than 25%. They often tried to get more but in the end they ALWAYS gave in. I know there is a big magic company who I won't name who gives them ridiculous percentages and I have already told them in the past how daft they are to do so but then they have never had a grafter's mindset.

I would have never given this information out in the past but now that I have retired from the grafting business some of you have just received priceless information that can save you a lot of money.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Richard Kaufman 2 » September 13th, 2022, 4:33 pm

Danny sold the boards for about five bucks.


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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Tarotist » September 13th, 2022, 4:54 pm

Theodore DeLand wrote:Danny sold the boards for about five bucks.


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That sounds more like it for the seventies! The $20 quoted in the comments sounded quite high to me. If he sold them for $5 that means he probably bought them for about $1.25

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby jplibby » September 21st, 2022, 9:23 pm

The routine that EvilDan shows on Meir's tutorial, in which the coin vanishes and appears under the cap, is similar to the routine that was provided for the trick when it was sold in the 1880s. It's a good use for the board. All you have to do is find a cap that is the right size to work with your panel board.

But I think the trick is very easy to do even without the cap. You need to practice a bit just to get the hang of it and get comfortable with handling the board.

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Philippe Billot » September 22nd, 2022, 4:01 am

For those interested in history (and if you understand French), you will find this apparatus explained in Le Magicien amateur by Magus published in 1897, page 41

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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 22nd, 2022, 10:41 am

Thanks, Philippe, I had no idea it was that old. Does the description mention any use of a cover over the coin?
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Re: Danny's Panel Board

Postby Philippe Billot » September 22nd, 2022, 11:34 am

Yes, with a business card and the opening is made with the second finger.


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