Does anyone have any info on how to build a Foo-can or Lota bowl device that vanishes liquid? I'd be very appreciative with for any help.

I have made a few liquid handling props, but I would need a bit more inforomation on what you are trying to effect, how much liquid, and what type of set up. feel free to pm me with particulars so we don;t tip anything here, and if I am able, I will gladly share what information I have come up with, with you

Without giving you a drawing of what to do, I can still pass on a tip to you that will make your life a little easier when you make yours. Use epoxy glue. It will stay watertight and will survive packing and hauling better than super glue. Silicone has never worked out for me. It is apparently temperature sensitive and will eventually leak. (It is odd that we use it on diving gear. It seemed like it would work. But then, who wants to take a dive on stage?) Back in the 60s mine were lead soldered. It worked too. Had you lead today? Don’t drink it!

I’m sure you can find a diagram of what you want in some old magic books. (Tried Tarbell?)

Good Luck!

Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic

Why would you want to make a Foo Can when you can buy one for less than $25.

http://www.magicgoods.com/FooCanB.htm

They have 2 sizes available.

I have ordered from this place and they are very fast, order on monday, delivered before Friday.

Also Herb Morrisseymagic.com has his standard one available.

By the way Lota Bowls produce Water, not Vanish it.

Bill

In an old Linking Ring, Peter Marucci, had an effect he called the "giant Pea Can, something like that. Similar method with papercups could be expanded to make a foo type vanish device.
quack

Depending on what you are trying to accomplish as far as an effect and the amount of water you wish to vanish you could use slush powder.

You would need to experiment with the container size and the amount of water to slush powder ratio but it works.

I once did a “shell” game with the large Styrofoam coffee cups each time pouring the water from cup to cup to show that the water was sill there and at the end turned all three cups over thus vanishing the water.

I don’t know if that helped but it is an easy solution.

Kent

I have used the vanishing bowl of water with great success. A clear bowl is brought out on a tray. Water is poured into the bowl and then a cloth is placed over the bowl. The magician then lifts the bowl through the cloth away from the tray and walks toward the audience. He then stops,and then tosses the cloth into the air. The cloth drops and the bowl of water has vanished.

If this is something you're interested in, please contact me.

I love the vanishing bowl of water also works well with a cake baking act if you have 2 assistants

I guess I missed this post the first time around. My Dollar Store Magic section (on my site) has directions on how to make Milk Pitchers, Foo Cans, Lota Bowls, and more from stuff found in the typical Dollar Store, or these days the plastic utensils section of any store for not much more than a dollar.

Spellbinder, all the dollar store items are five dollars, and I see only a milk pitcher, where can I find Foo Cans,Lota Bowls etc.

It would help if I learned to read,

Shouldn't it then be a five dollar store?

In the US, there are several chain "dollar" stores. Family Dollar, and Dollar General have a wide range of prices. Dollar Tree is true to its name... everything's a dollar. There may be others that I'm not aware of. There are in fact many items that one can use to make a number of magic tricks available at these stores.

Back on topic (even though the topic was started almost 10 years ago)... A Foo Can is the old standby device to use if you wish to vanish liquid. Lota Bowls are made to produce liquid. I made my own Foo Can once from a decorative can I found at Michael's.

The main issue is cutting the partition so that it sits inside on a diagonal, allowing sufficient space to hold a sizable quantity of liquid. It is a specific elliptical shape with one flat end, somewhere between round (that would fit horizontally inside a round can) and rectangular (which would fit vertically inside the same can).

This can be a fairly tricky curve to cut if you do it free-hand. As woodworkers would say, you have to sneak up on it. In other words, cut the piece too large and trim it back little by little until you have a good fit. Then, if you are using metal, solder the partition in position, or as I did, use a good epoxy like PC-7 (or PC-11, or JB weld) to get a solid and watertight seal. This kind of epoxy is slow-setting and is more like a very thick paste, which is necessary for its gap-filling properties.

There are other ways to find the proper shape for the divider, but would probably require a knowledge of 3-D computer drafting, or very advanced mechanical drafting skills. I have neither, so I just eye-balled it until it fit.

Inflation ya know. Still Magic Nook is a great resource and an amazing value in today’s world. Building your own props makes it so much more your own.