Does any one know how to make custom thumb tip ? I mean , really make it from scratch ? Is there any DVD or instruction how to make one or similar items, such as amask ,like in the hollywood movie ?

It's really a detailed process and much too long to try and post here.

My suggestion would be to go to a library or bookstore and find reference material for Movie/Theatrical Make-up. Most all these books have chapters on "Prosthetic Make-up" (making masks, individual facial pieces, body parts and the like), which techniques can be applied to your thumb. Keep in mind that you will need a liquid plastic, as opposed to liquid latex, regular foam or scotch foam latex as is required for masks etc.

Cheers!

I have been making custom tips for a while now and to be honest....I would be lost without some pretty technical materials and processes.

Making a mold of your thumb is easy but turning that into a truely usable tip is a whole other "kettle-of-ball-game" as I say.

I use about 3 - 6 different plastic resins, coatings, and mold rubbers at any one time. Then there are the paints!!!

As Stanyon suggested a knowledge of prosthetic make up is pretty important (my day job actually) and experimentation is part of the learning curve. DIY magic accessories is a very rewarding past time but you will have to be pretty dedicated to produce your own custom TT.

Good luck with it, I'm sure you will learn loads of useful stuff along the way!

Nice portfolio Tom. And to think that in my college days all I ever got to do were five severed heads and a Dracula mask for the coffin staking scene.

Cheers!

Tom, Excellent! I knew I had seen the name before. Monster lab

Does your thumb ever get caught up? or does it slip off and on pretty easily?

Chris

Thank you Tom, Stanyon. Based on you information, I have checked Amazon.com, I think I found the book I need.
My reason is because, I just want to learn to make thumb tip as a hobby.
Thank you !!!

Tom, what is the best kind of paint to use on, say, a standard vernet, if I were so inclined to try and get a better skin match ? Vernets are just a tad too dark, but not much.
Also, I saw your liquid skin on sale at Alakazam, which I assume is latex. What if I made a batch of colored matched latex instead and painted that on the thumbtip ?
I know latex doesn't last but I could always take the old coat off and put a fresh new coat on as necessary I guess. Does that sound viable ?
thanks !

The problem is that standard TTs are vinyl. This is a nortoriously difficult plastic to paint. It is a "soft" "oily" material that does not accept most available paints or adhesives but is "cheap as chips" to work with.

Coating it with latex might work...maybe. I would suggest that you sponge on / paint on a layer or two of PVA wood glue and then paint on top of this with acrylic paints that have had a tiny bit of wood glue added to it...be warned, this mix will dry darker than it looks wet. Wood glue will not chemically bond with the tip but should have a thin and robust mechanical grip andprovide a good bond for paint...better than the vinyl itself. It could well rub off but it is worth a try.

I have two tips. My first fits on the end of my thumb and is very deep. That would be for loads (which I don't do). My second is larger and loose fitting and is for billets and bills (which I do..do..hmmm).

I have now added Sanada Gimmicks to my Elite range of Thumb Tips, feel free to have a look...

Thanks for the great tips, Tom.. no pun intended
I will give that a shot.
You almost make me wish I lived in the UK. Great job on the Sanada gimmick, as usual, you never fail to amaze.

I've visited Tom's studio and had a thumb and finger tip done and I can fully recommend Toms tips (so to speak). They are better 'in real life' that you can see on the website.

I use the thumb tip for a bill switch, the very close matching skin colour and custom moulded shape give me the confidence to do a bill switch surrounded. I know nobody should see the tip but in the real world they do, so any tool which reduces that chance is, in my opinion, worth every penny.

The finger tip is used for a silk vanish and using Toms custom tip means I can do much more open hand gestures, and have even shaken hands with the tip on. Again it's a confidence thing I suppose. There is much less chance of seeing these tips so for me they're a tool to use.

If you are a worker, or want to be a worker then you will benefit from owning one (or more) of these tips.

Al.

P.S. I forgot to mention that the only downside to visiting Tom is that you have to listen to his corny jokes while he has you captive, and you have to remind him he said he would make coffee!

Only Joking Tom! Thanks Mate, great product.

Al.

Oooooooo...you cheeky sod!

Anyway, this magician goes into a pub...

;)

Hi Tom

This magician goes into a pub... actually I did on Monday evening, to the local magic club meeting. I showed a layman the vanishing silk effect using my Elite Thumb Tip (i didn't have my Elite finger tip with me, which is my prefered) and this guy said "I was watching your thumbs all the time 'cos I've got one of those plastic thumb things!" and he wanted to know "how you did it without a plastic thumb." Laymen know about thumb tips from Joke Shops etc, so if Tom's Elite TT range help remove this possibility from the 'educated' laymens mind that can only improve the percepion of magic.

The coffee was good when it arrived though Tom, and the jokes weren't that bad.

Al.

That's better...

I'm REALLY glad you had that experience Al. That really is one ideal for the use of the "Elite TT"..."hide in plain sight" sort of thing. Cool.

-Tom

Holy Christ, Tom.
I don't plan on making my own tips any time soon,
and I don't forsee the funds to fly across the pond
to visit your shop, but those tips (based on your
web photos) are some of the greatest things I've
ever seen.

Thanks very much...it has taken me nearly 25 years to get to the point where I feel confident in doing that kind of work. Funny thing is, I started out wanting to be a magician and then went into special effects. One of the first things I remeber having was a metal thumb tip! HAHAHAHA!

It's quite an honour to do bespoke work like this for some top magic professionals...a real thrill! Thanks everyone for your compliments and support!

Tom,
Your work is absolutely beautiful.

Tom, relly great work you´ve done!

Talking about painting a Vernet...vinyl indeed is difficult to paint. Have you ever tested whether it would work if you paint it with diluted silicone? that's what I´ve used when painting silicone (another notoriously difficult material to paint) but never tried the approach on vinyl-which I have never worked with actually.

This is actually a bit off-topic but what the heck... I´ve got the Yoshino 3rd hand gimmick and the gimmick is nice but the color is really off. I found it much easier to make-up my hands to match the gimmick than vice-versa. I just airbrush a rub-proof make-up on and the match is pretty perfect.

Re: painting vinyl...

Nothing much sticks to silicon except silicon... and vice versa; silicon-based paint isn't likely to stick to non-silicon (note: it sticks to glass).

For painting vinyl I would suggest roughing it up first so the paint can make something of a mechanical grip on the plastic, since it's unlikely to make a decent chemical bond.

If you searched long enough, you could probably find a nasty paint using nasty chemicals that would stick... but an enamel paint from the hobby shop is probably your best bet.

If you experiment, post your results!

Actually, I've tried an enamel paint, it holds lousy because it forms a brittle coat that cracks and flakes off due to the somewhat flexible nature of the TT.
Then again, isn't nailpolish enamel ? That holds okay.

Here's an interesting thought - I've found that nailpolish actually holds up fairly well, on the nail anyway. Maybe try a couple of "nude" type colors of nail polish on the body as well as the nail, and then seal over the "body" section with dull kote to remove any gloss.
"Nails for Males" is something I've tried, and it's too shiny for the body, but works okay on the nail, - it doesn't have any color of it's own. It just helps the nail look a bit more like a real nail I suppose, but could stand improvement !

I can't believe all this could be so involved and difficult!