The U-235 effect...

[I.M. Magician]

I don't know if this effect has ever been discussed on the Forum. I am interested to hear from anyone who owns a U-235. It can be the original Thayer model or the Collector's Workshop model.

Which one do you own? Do you like it? Any ideas or suggestions concerning the U-235? Any input would be appreciated.

[JFox]

Hi:

I don't own it, but I have seen a live demo of an original.

I'll start this thread off just by saying that the penetration illusion is very deceptive - visually as well as audibly...as long as the spectator(s) are directly in front of the props.

To make it more angle-safe, I suppose that a small 3-sided wall could be placed behind it, as though it was a mini-stage setting for it(?).

I believe that Thayer never advertised this item in their catalogs, but the ads did appear in Genii.

--Joe Fox

[I.M. Magician]

Thank you Joe! I certainly appreciate your input. Would you happen to know what year the ad was in Genii? If I have the issue, I would love to see the ad.

At the moment, I am fixated on the U-235 so I want to learn whatever I can about it. The rear screen idea is excellent.

From what I have heard, the Collector's Workshop model is an exact replica of the Thayer model.

[JFox]

Marketed in 1946 by Thayer; devised by Sam Sharpe.

The Genii ad issues can, no doubt, be found via an "Ask Alexander" search.

And I'm sure you know, that the "U" refers to a "U-boat"..specifically a German submarine/U-boat.

[Bill Mullins]

Marketed in 1946 by Thayer; devised by Sam Sharpe.

The Genii ad issues can, no doubt, be found via an "Ask Alexander" search.

And I'm sure you know, that the "U" refers to a "U-boat"..specifically a German submarine/U-boat.

Appears in a Genii Nov 1946 adv.

U-Boat???? I'd have thought it referred to Uranium 235, the isotope that was used in the atomic bomb which had recently been dropped on Hiroshima.

[I.M. Magician]

I just googled it and it looks like you are correct Bill. That would explain the "dropping" concept off the trick I suppose.

[JFox]

Oh, thanks for the clarification...I had always assumed the "U-boat" definition.

[Tom Moore]

Whilst it might be interesting as an historical artifact i'm really not sure it would be deceptive for a modern audience in anything other than exceptional situations. It's very "angly" really not examinable and has a very obvious explanation that cannot be disproven without swapping out the main props - in fact i'd go so far as to say the design of the lower tube really telegraphs something that is only 1 tiny step away from the actual method. In the original version the "impossibility" of the engineering required added to the deception but people are now so used to handling complicated 3D "impossible" shapes that a key element of its puzzle has been removed surely?

[I.M. Magician]

Here is a demo of the effect.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EnPwu7P7pAI