Ray, Believe it or not, I actually played with the roller idea last night to complete the concealment after the change. I was actually testing the concept by laying a piece of black felt over the object to complete the concealment. The illusion seemed to have promise. With corrected lighting it should work rather well. I just wanted to deal with that lighting issue first.

I did not know about the blinds on the Abbott's version. I have photos of it that I saved when someone here sold one several months ago.

MR, Thanks for the tip on the Thayer plans. I have those in the Byron Wels books, and will study them. The Abbott version in the photos I have does look somewhat bulky, but I think I can work to improve that.

~michael

Mr. Baker, I know that you build a few items but do not know how extensive your magic library is. If you have a copy of Paul Osborne's Haunted Illusions, go to pages 73 - 75. There you will find "The Hand of the Wolf". This is a small Pepper's Ghost illusionette that utilizes the roller blinds you are considering. At least you will be able to see the arrangement of things. They are not required on Owen's Reincarnation due to careful lighting and design work.
MR

Sounds like fun. Wish B'ham was a little closer.

I don't have that particular Osborne book, but those kinds of illusions are right up my alley. I've told myself more than once that I should get it, but so far, have not. Too bad it was not one of those Osborne Illusion in the Genii magazine. I have most of those. (If it was published there, it's one I don't have.)

Tabby, Be glad you're not here this week. We've had a ton of rain, and my workshop flooded last night. Not bad, but there is a lot of wet sawdust down there. Ugh...

Osborne also has plans for the Abbott style. Will look around for them. They are in the office here somewhere or at home in the shop.
Ray

Been there. Better air it out. I'll get over there soon to visit.

Sounds good! Just holler and make sure I'll be here.

Definately. Thanks.

Here are a couple photos of this thing. Built over a weekend 90+% from scrap stuff laying around the shop. The venue planned is a Halloween haunted trail built on the site of an old steel mill blast furnace, hence the rusty, retro-industrial slant given the prop.

Everything that shows on top and on the front is just window dressing. The actual controls are on the back.

This is with the original lighting cans, as described in the plans. As we've discussed here, these will be changed.

Photo 1 shows the box with illumination on the "A" compartment (straight ahead).
Photo 2 shows the reflected compartment "B". I purposely emptied compartment "A" for this shot to avoid photographing the problem. What seems to be more subdued lighting in this compartment is actually caused by the camera's flash diluting the reflected image. In reality, the images show up equally as well.

I have been looking for better lighting supplies, and feel it would be best to use either candelabra base, or intermediate (just a bit larger). I can easily find everything I need for the candelabra base sockets and bulbs, but they are small wattage (up to maybe 6w). I can find intermediate base lamps (bulbs) up to 40w 120v, but am having a difficult time finding intermediate sockets. Even my internet searches have come up pretty dry.

I'd still like to finish this, but other, better prop designs have come my way, so I will likely pursue those, too.

That looks great Michael. Retro spook show. Wonderful!!!

Thanks. It's a slap job, but it's not supposed to be "pretty". I'd thought about adding a few sparkle powder flash units to it, and we could "accidentally" microwave a cat. If it looks like it was "invented" by a crazy scientist, and that maybe it shouldn't work, it makes more sense when it doesn't (sort of...). For now, I just need it to work. Ha-ha!