Thumb Tip Holder 3000 by Butzi, Magicien
(Editorial note: Butzi is a French magician
that I work with often. He’s a frequent contributor to the Secret Arts Journal. He says
“People use to call their discovery ‘something 2000’. I decided to be ahead of my time
and call the thumb tip holder: ‘Thumb Tip Holder 3000’ “
The final product is seen above. – Jeff).
THE AIM
Your objective is to build a portable, removable, adaptable thumb tip holder that you
can load at the last second and produce hard to handle objects. This is very effective
if you have a big thumb tip or have something delicate to produce such as liquid, fish
or sand.
Picture 1.
Picture 2.
You will need a glue stick, super glue, scissors (Picture 1), seven playing cards (Picture 2),
and paint or a marker (more about that soon).
Glue six of the playing cards together using a glue stick (picture 3).
Picture 3.
Next, take the remaining playing card and cut it in half length ways. Shape it as shown in picture 4.
Picture 4.
Picture 5.
Before gluing the shaped thumb tip holder to the other six cards, make sure it fits your
thumb tip! If you make the shape too round rather than rectangular, it’s not bad but
you’ll have to match the exact size of the thumb tip. If you fold it in a rectangular shape,
you’ll be able to fit several different sizes of thumb tips. See picture 5.
Use super glue to affix the holder to the block of six cards glued together. I suggest
you use gloves so your fingers don’t stick together as shown in picture 6.
Picture 6.
If you prefer you can staple it instead of using super glue; just make sure it won’t get
caught in a piece of fabric. I prefer glue. I love glue.
Take the other half card and create this shape (Picture 7) and while waiting for the super glue to dry.
Picture 7.
Picture 8.
When it’s dry, stick the thumb tip in the holder (Picture 8) and use the shape you just
created with the other piece of card to block as something to stop it.
Paint the whole thumb tip holder the color of your chair or the prop you’ll be attaching
the gimmick to (Picture 9). I have chosen black and glued a magnet on the bottom
(Picture 10) because I use a metallic black chair . So if your prop is metallic as well you
might consider this option.
Picture 9.
Picture 10.
It is easy and cheap to glue the magnet, which can be very helpful if you have metallic
props or if on a given venue you find some metallic surface to attach your gimmick to.
You can also use blu-tac or strong double sided tape to affix the magnet temporarily
to anything!
Now you can put anything in it: fish, liquid, sand, money, whatever, position it as you
wish and load the thumb tip whenever you are moving the chair, inviting your spectator
to sit for example.
Picture 11 shows the Thumb Tip Holder in an upright position for a fish , liquid, or sand.
Picture 12 shows the Thumb Tip Holder in the side position for a steal of a fixed object
such as bills.
Picture 11.
Picture 12.
I usually use the gimmick to make appear 3 large bills in a big thumb tip and get a
spectator to sit. I can show my hands empty and load the thumb tip at any moment
by holding the back of the chair.
ENJOY IT AND SHARE IT!!
by Butzi, Magicien
www.Butzi-Magic.com
