magic.Phatus.com

A while back, one of our members wrote in asking for us to post something on counting cards. I personally do not know how to count cards however the4est @ instructables has posted a cool how-to on counting cards. Check out the instructable here…

We are now releasing a public re-distributable copy of our Gaff Card Creation Guide (aka PGCGC) in PDF format. This guide is much more extensive and detailed than any of our current public projects regarding gaff card creation. There is even a chapter involving an experimental method of applying a new finish to your gaff should you use loose the old finish in the blanking process. It also includes a section at the end that we will use to append information and advancements obtained from the community. This will be an on going, updated document with more future releases to come. Please feel free to re-distribute this document as much as you like. We only ask that you credit the Phatus Magic Community if you do.

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If you would like to add information and experiments to this project, please feel free to email us or post something in the forums.

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

Give this a try
3 Files (all are in OpenOffice’s Calc format)

1) MiniDeck-Faces

2) MiniDeck-BlueBacks

3) MiniDeck-RedBacks

3 Steps
1) Get your favorite cardstock paper and print file 1.
2) Flip paper and print either file 2 or 3 (note: your paper may already be flipped after the printer gives it back to you).
3)Cut.

If you are feeling really creative, try applying a finish to the sheet as per the “Finish It!” chapter in the PGCGC before cutting.

If you do not have openoffice see this post.

Here are the files in OpenOffice’s xls export 1 | 2 | 3

You know round here at phatus we like ourselves some free any chance we get. Well heres 2 for the weekend. Happy Easter!
First freebee is openoffice.org - OpenOffice is a full suite of “open source” office applications. It supports many formats and best of all its FREE. The Main application of interest at the moment is OpenOffice’s “Calc”. Calc is OpenOffice’s substitute for Microsoft Excel. And quite the substitute it is.

This brings me to my next links. I say if you are gonna print some gaffs, then print some gaffs. Here are two files. Both are “Calc” files that I have created. The files have their cells set to the exact dimensions of a standard playing card and fit 6 cards per sheet.

(One with borders) and
(One without borders). We suggest a thick cardstock paper for the next steps. Simply open the first file with borders in calc, mark the bottom left of the first paper in the printer tray, and print it out. Now cut out the space(s) you would like to print in with a razor knife and straightedge. Now your blanks should embed themselves perfectly in your cutout(s). Now just Tape the back around the perimeter covering as much of the card as you like and as a bonus the face is completely exposed(use laser labels instead of tape for easy peeling). Next, load the second borderless file into Calc. Click the mouse once in the cell that you would like to insert your gaff into. Next From the file menu select (insert, picture, from file), then select your gaff card file. Assuming you cropped your borders good on your image, Calc will automatically scale and center the gaff image in the cell leaving you with 5 other bays available. Use em up, and print it!. Remember to make note of the “BL”(bottom left) that you marked in the first print. The cards should peel easy out of the cardstock (like a sticker), and plus you can save the cardstock as a template for your next 6. This will save you much ink in the long run on test prints.
Here is an attempt at an export to Microsoft excel (no guarantees) Borders | No Borders
Hope you enjoy this.

Note: This is new and experimental, If you have troubles with the template’s sizes or alignment please email us.

The anomaly Teaser video is in. Give it a look.

I have noticed that there have not been too many hits to the Library Research page in the magic library and I wanted to encourage users to take a look (if you have not allready) as we are creating an index of worth while tricks and methods found in the free books. For example some of you may recognize our latest finding, “The Phantom Artist” from Practical Mental Magic By Theodore Annemann pages 100-102. Here is an effect that has been improved upon and being sold today on DVD as a rep making street magic effect. So be sure to not neglect the Library Research page and be sure to email us your findings if you feel like sharing.