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Magician's DIY Tips and Tricks
by Chris Wasshuber


#2 Gambling author
$15

(2 reviews, 17 customer ratings) ★★★★

PDF | by download [0.25 MByte]  
Magician's DIY Tips and Tricks by Chris Wasshuber

This is a collection of money saving tips and tricks for the magician. I have been raised with a DIY attitude. Over the decades I have collected tips and tricks to make an expensive dealer item for a few dollars, or to replace something with a cheap item from the hardware store. If you are not afraid to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty, then you will find a lot of useful tips in this ebook.

With contributions by Jack Poulter, Wilhelm Eberhard, Chuck Smith, Bruce Kalver, Jeff Stone, Robert Kaldy-Karo and Scott Xavier. This PDF will be updated periodically as I discover new tips and tricks. Every customer will get access to all future updated editions.

Among other things, the following questions will be answered:

  • What is the best over-the-counter replacement for roughing fluid?
  • What is a cheap source for magician's wax?
  • What is Science Friction really?
  • What is a cheap source for fanning powder?
  • How do I remove partially or fully the coating of playing cards?
  • How to glue playing cards together?
  • How do I split cards?
  • How do I glue split cards together?
  • How do I mark cards?
  • How do I check if a deck of cards is marked?
  • How do I make my own belly strippers?
  • What is a good daub?
  • How do I turn a card box into a switching and ditching device?
  • How do I make my own gaffed cards?
  • Where to get cheap slush powder?
  • How can I quickly make a flash paper substitute?
  • How to create a burning paste?
  • How to create a fire flash?
  • What is the cheapest appearing rod?
  • How can I make my own sponge balls?
  • How do I keep my cardboard props better looking and longer lasting?
  • How can I make loaded dice?
  • What is a good and simple soap bubble formula?
  • How do I best clean my Aluminum apparatus?
  • How do I best clean my Copper and Brass apparatus?
  • How do I wipe marker stains from my hands?
  • How do I remove a drawing from a balloon?
  • How can I build illusions and other stage props on the cheap?
  • What is a cheap reel replacement?
  • How can I make my own pull?
  • How can I prevent my rope ends from fraying?
  • How to attach magnets to rope ends?
  • Where can I buy these stretchy rubber or silicon sheets?
  • Where can I get newspaper that tears easily?
  • How to store and transport silks without having them all wrinkly?
  • How to make a sponge ball holder?
  • How to make your gimmicks flesh color?
  • How can I make paper money flat and crisp?
  • Where can I find a fine invisible wire?
  • How to make a Nylon thread less visible on stage?
  • How can I avoid dropping my manipulation balls?
  • What is the best DIY thumb writer?
  • How can I build a self-igniting something?
(For a similar publication, only 60 years older, check out George Armstrong's Tricks of the Trade.)

1st edition 2012, 23 pages.
word count: 7395 which is equivalent to 29 standard pages of text



Reviewed by Ryan Reid (confirmed purchase)
★★★★★   Date Added: Monday 15 November, 2021

This is an interesting document with some valuable ideas to get you started.

There were some things I had an inkling of, but it was helpful to have examples of the kinds of supplementary items you could use. That said, some parts could benefit from more "examples of" even if they're not the perfect substitute to help point you in the right direction. Knowing these things will help to diversify your options/manner in which you think about approaching the topics contained within.

If you have a basic understanding of the topics listed in the description, $15 is pretty steep for the information provided.


Reviewed by Michael Lyth (confirmed purchase)
★★★★★   Date Added: Tuesday 03 January, 2017

I would be surprised if any reader could not find something they could use, improve or create an alternative this i will give pride and place in my working lybrary and return without a kite but in search for inspiration I use the wax found on some cheese. which comes in various colours red I have used for back of bicycle playing cards when attaching thread of the invisible variety. black for for black art boxes for spook shows so read this book and find answers to a problem you may have with a effect also if you collect a large amount of wax of cheese you can roll it into a golf ball size sphere which is good for hand exercises for old stiff fingers we all will have a tip or two why not send it to Chris so this work can expand?