Working on making single spring bills and found info on the basics in Hugard and Lamonte but have a question on material for the spring.

Anyone tried an over sized bobby/hair pin? Suggestions on modern material for spring?

Pete

If you have to make your own, just go buy thin brass sheets at the hardware store. Cut in strips and then cut down the center and stop short of the end. Now take a round dowel, and put your thumb on the brass strip over the dowel. Now draw to the end, turn it over and do the same thing. This is similar to making those curled ribbons on Christmas presents. Best to cut up one bill to use as material to cover the brass on the outside.

The bills have to be folded on each side of the base inward. Like a paper shack is folded in on the sides.

I find plastic tape the best solution over ordinary transparent tape.

This was published in an old Genii Magazine, how to make spring bills.

Today most spring bills are made by gluing 2 bills together, but with the split brass, it is to thick and have to make like the old days of only one bill per spring.

This will cost you much more then the other suggestion I made in the Secret Section. Getting a bunch for $5 is cheaper and less work. Those spring bills are made with real spring tempered metal which is not available on the common market. I can't find any, anyways.

Jim Sommers told me the source years back- Use tape measure metal. Buy cheap ones. 1/4 or 1/2 inch wide. You can cut it with strong scissors. You can strip the paint off if desired, but not necessary. Cut it down the center and stop about 1/2'' from the bottom. Bend each side in opposite directions over a pencil to shape and tape to the bills. If you put it inside, you only need one bill. Made lots of spring bills back in the day and this worked great.

Thanks, Craig. That's good information to keep handy for someday when I need to make some spring bills.

Ron

That's what I use to make spring flowers. I use the yellow part, but a friend makes his using just the inner steel spring. Pick one up at the dollar store and you'll have enough springs for dozens.

You can curl the springs over the blade of a scissors like curling ribbon... just check for burrs on the steel before you drag your thumb over it, or wear gloves.

One other thing I've done is to take a worn out packet of spring flowers and just reclaim the springs. They are already to go.

Mary Mowder posted on another thread going awhile back that she has used strips cut horizontally from plastic soda bottles. Just fold them in half appropriately. I have not tried this, but it sounded like a good idea.

You can make the bills by simply folding them in half with the spring inside, or you can give it a few mountain and valley folds so it will appear "fluffier". This will cause the bunch of them to appear greater in volume because they cannot accidentally "nest" nearly as easily.

Whenever I tried to bend spring steel, it would always break. It has to be heated to bend it properly, if not there is a process I know nothing about.

The original Genii article, said to use aluminum cans, the problem with that is that it was before the cans were less then paper thin and plastic coated. I don't believer that process is good any longer.

Owen's Magic used the brass as I described, I ordered a custom set from them years ago, just after Les Smith passed away. Took 5 months and several letters to get them made up.

The spring steel I have used to make spring bills, come from retractable tape measures found here: http://www.orientaltrading.com/star-measuring-tape-key-chains-a2-14_1542-12-1.fltr?Ntt=tape%20measures. Take them apart and use the thin spring steel inside. It is bendable and cuts easily. Excelent for spring flowers also.
JMN

I use steel shim material that you can buy in sheets or strips.

BJ

Hello from Finland. I'd like to use some spring Bills, and perhaps some of my own design colorful things for children's magic, in my routine but it looks that those springy things are not available in EU. If I bought them from the States the postages are huge and even if those gimmicks are cheap there, it makes the buy expensive due to taxes. If I bought only one to see how it's made, it's under 22 Euroa, which is the limit.

But if I just could find a picture to see how these are constructed, I could make my own using tape measure. The idea how you add several bills so that they open easily and are neatly foldable to store in the holder. So, is there a clear picture of the mechanism somewhere? I have a shop where to make those. I couldn't find any using Google image search.

Matti Kaki,
I can't help you out.
But did you already try the magic shop in your own country: Markku Purho Ky, to order from them.
Or you could order in Europe: Dynamite Magic Shop in Netherlands and look for: klapbankbiljetten.

Hi. Yes, sure. Markku was my first choice. He has very good selection and really reasonable prices
and low shipping rates. I browsed Dynamite Magic and they have a great range of everything. BUT
unfortunately the shipping to Finland is at least 30 Euro. If I bought more, it gets better, so thanks
for the hint! But as I mentioned. Markku Purho, Aprilli.fi has good selection and I get a discount.
Also he sends the goods very quickly. The fastest webshop ever. Well, I can yet ask him.

I have found that in making spring flowers or bills, the best steel to use is the Craftsmen Brand replacement tape from Sears. Follow Bill Hegbli's post on how to cut it. I put two 3/16 rods together that were 4 inches long and only left enough space between them to get your tape measure through. Pull it through with pliers on a downward pull to get the curl you desire.

I think that I imagine this gimmick just too complicated. If I just put some springs together
and twist them to make the bill bouquet fluffy, it's the solution. Because you pack it so that
it goes neatly to the holder, it must be quite simple and I just visualize it too knotty.

Http://www.magicnook.com/WizJ21/wizj21-0......loom.htm

Yes, after several performances you have to straighten the strings out, so the bouquet will be large again.

Magic is work, and there it pays to take care of your props, so they last longer.

To go along with the person who mentioned a tape measure as a good source for paper flower spring material, Harbor Freight quite often has free 25 foot tape measures as a coupon item. Aside from the coupon in their mailer (you can sign up free online or at the store), they also advertise in the Sunday newspaper, and in regional shopper ads.

You'll have enough spring material to make dozens and dozens of bouquets.

If any of you are on Facebook (SMETalk Magic), I posted a complete tutorial on making spring flowers, with photos. You might have to search for it, as it was a few months ago.

There's a lot of discussion about the type of spring to use. I've got another issue: I want to change the color of some of my spring flowers to shades of green (need more foliage for a specific effect). Buying flowers in just green doesn't seem possible/feasible. So, what kind of paint could one brush onto pre-made spring flowers without affecting compression and expansion?

Thanks,
Neil

Hi Neil,

I understand your reason for wanting more green. Harks back to DeKolta.

Honestly, I think trying to paint on tissue paper would present more problems than it would be worth. I think your best bet would be to strip the paper, save the springs, and make new flowers using them. It will be faster and the results will be much better.

If you are on Facebook, I posted a tutorial on this in the SME Talk Magic group. You can go to the group and search spring flowers. If you are not a member, check my profile for my email, send me a note and I'll shoot a PDF to you.

~michael

Neil,
Your idea was popular with Ali Bongo also. Use dye or fabric markers to color the paper. I used to dye my own paper and make the flowers. A lot of work but really looked different. Just not worth the effort commercially speaking.
Richard