Phatus - 'Magic Underground » magic

Anti-Gravity Ring Trick

Pyro222 — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:27:26 +0000

Instructables user greenpro lets us in on yet another great trick. This time, an anti-gravity ring illusion that is totally impromptu and guaranteed to fool the masses.

[via greenpro @ instructables]

Needle Through Balloon Trick Revealed

Pyro222 — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:42:04 +0000

Here is a well put together tutorial video of the classic needle through balloon trick from Instructables user SaskView. A little bit of setup is involved however it is minimal and quite discreet. Check out the tutorial video below.

[via instructables]

Scam School Episode 28 – Mind Control Scam

admin — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:09:15 +0000

Mental tricks that involve the internet are just awesome. Brian Brushwood and the folks at scam school have taken the time to create a rather bitchin mentalism trick that involves taking the spectator to youtube for a stunning reveal.

[via scamschool]

An idea for making a trick Sharpie

Pyro222 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:09:31 +0000

No doubt most of you have seen the gaffed sharpie from E with the “SixClubs” reveal on it. If not check it out here. Well I just came across this interesting post from carlitoscontraptions where he has found a way to remove the labels off of things like lighters and such using a sugar cube without scratching it. Check out his post here.

I imagine this would work just as well on a Sharpie. So that puts us halfway there. Now the fun part. Finding a way to print on the sharpie.

Here are some ideas….
A while back I stumbled on this video from contraflip @ metacafe where he shows you how to transfer laser prints to your target by using lacquer thinner. Check out the video below. I have never tried this, but this may be a suitable solution to the matter.

Print on Anything! – Awesome video clips here

The other Idea is using some kind of printable tattoo paper that you can cut and transfer to the sharpie. I have yet to find a decent deal on this stuff so if anyone knows of a good online shop that sells blank tattoo paper, please do share and post it to the comments of this entry. This would be great to try either way because should it not work well for the sharpie, you could still use the paper to fashion your own custom stained ink style tattoos for reveals and such.

Anyways, just a few thoughts. Feel free to post your ideas and comments.

2 party stunts from Crow_casla @ metacafe

Pyro222 — Tue, 27 May 2008 07:24:14 +0000

Crow_casla @ metacafe has a couple of cool stunts for your next party. The first is a bar bet and the second is a neat way to turn a cigarette into a flower (you know for the ladies).
As always, Don’t Smoke!

Jumping Egg Bar Bet

Cigarette Flower

2 Bar Tricks from easybartricks.com

Pyro222 — Sun, 25 May 2008 19:27:21 +0000

Here are two cool bar tricks from easybartricks.com
The first will show you how to make smoke from your fingertips. And the second is an easy metalism trick in which you predict the number of sections in a lemon.

Magic Smoke

Magic Lemon

Magic with a TV-B gone

Pyro222 — Mon, 12 May 2008 05:18:44 +0000

These things have been around for years, but I wonder if anyone has tried to implement this genius device into some magic routines. For those that are not familiar with the device, its basically a universal remote control with only one button. When pressed the device rapidly cycles through all of the different remote control codes sending the power signal for each code. There is actually an opensource project for this little gadget at Ladyada.net providing you with everything one would need to make one of these bad boys. There are schematics, opensource firmware for the microprocessor, and even a kit you can buy for $20. Or you can even just buy the pcb for $5 and obtain all of the parts on your own.

Now for the magic part.
I saw an old post at Makezine.com’s blog pointing to one of their magazine articles which involved secretly concealing one in a baseball cap (Instructable here). Wouldn’t it be cool to to freak people out in department stores if you could somehow time this device perfectly allowing you to pop off TVs on command with a simple magical gesture? Or even better, If one could find a way to aim this device, you could have a spectator, choose a TV and ask them to stare at it and imagine it turning off, giving you plenty of distraction to work your magic. This would kill at parties.

Once timed, one could easily develop a specifically timed routine (much like in the way the Iphone tricks are) that would enable you to perform awesome feats of magic especially seeing as how the device can take out TVs from 40 yards away and the light is invisible to the eye.
Also check out this article at instructable on how to boost your tvbgone

2 Bar Tricks for Saturday night – Win some free drinks

Pyro222 — Sun, 11 May 2008 01:50:51 +0000

This is an old video and some may have seen this one already but for those who have not this is a clever little trick thats sure to win you some free drinks. The following vid is by flork @ metacafe. BTW Don’t Smoke!

Also….
Impress your friends or even better, the hot bartender girl while you are out with this awesome zippo trick I saw a while back. You take the flame with your fingers and then magically make it re-appear. I am not sure of the tricks originator or I would give credit. If anyone knows please post in the comments or email us. The video is by InstuctablesTV @ youtube. Check It out.

iPhone Magic

Pyro222 — Sat, 10 May 2008 00:04:34 +0000

I just love technology and magic. Check out these Iphone Magic trick links.
To really get a good idea of the possibilities here check out Imunchies below.

Here is a link to a video file you can use for a card through window err uhhh iphone routine. Also there is a tutorial page that teaches the timing of it.

Magicmagazine.com has a kinda neat Ipod video for download that will give you coffee, xray vision, and even an electric shaver. They also have a video here where cards fall behind the screen and you stab a card with your pen and pull it out from behind the screen

Also check out these great iphone links sent in to us by GaffCards.
http://itricks.com/iphone/ – A website by Andrew Mayne which has several iPhone tricks and pranks on it, all image based.

http://itricks.com/magiczine/ – This website has several tricks on them posted by their original authors.

I imagine that these kind of videos would be quite easy to make. If anyone finds any more or would like to attempt to create one, please post in the comments section or email us and dependeding on the reaction we get, I would be willing to create a page just for this.
Have fun!

Magic Glowing Ice Orb – PK ring triggered

Pyro222 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:42:26 +0000

Sorry for the lack of posts. I had to take a spur of the moment adventure. But I am back to reality now (i think) and with a title like “Magic Glowing Ice Orb” you can tell we are desperate for new material around here. So heres a shot in the dark.

Glow Balloon Vid	LED “Throwie” vid	Hanzablast’s Reed Switch vid

I came across this old video at metacafe that shows you how to implant a superbright LED into a water balloon and freeze the balloon for a sweet glowing orb. However, the wires are hanging out. That just won’t do. An “LED Throwie” is in order here. If you have never heard or seen and LED Throwie, you must check out the video above. Its basically just an LED with a 3v coin battery rigged to it thus eliminating the wires. Instructions here. “But then the thing will always be on and my battery will die” you say? There may be a solution. Hanzablast over at meta cafe has a great video in which he uses a reed switch for a door alarm. Hanzablast makes great detailed tutorials and you can also check his instructables page where I am almost certian he will have a plethora of reed switch projects and information on how to use them. Basically the reed switch is just a switch triggered by a magnet. When the magnet is near, the switch is activated. Rig the reed in, tie a string going from reed to throwie to out the inlet of the balloon, fill er up, and I imagine you would have a pretty fly lil glowing orb triggered only by you and your PK ring, or strong earth magnet. The idea is to suspend the reed as close as possible to the bottom wall. I am not sure of the sensitivity of the switches but I would try to get at least within 3/4″ of the wall for start. Also keep the throwie as close to the center as possible. If I can dig out the materials in some free time I will give this a go and report results. In the meantime we invite our viewers to do the same and if desired, show us what you came up with at admin@phatus.com

NOTE: You may need to waterproof the battery first. Check out this instructable that telittleone found on this subject.