The plans are pretty straight forward to me, and I've had no formal wood working training, just what my father taught me. Just remember, his measurements are just a GUIDE.

Aren´t any plans more clear than the Osborn ones?

Steinmeyer. Art and artifice, Device and illusions, Modern Art etc.

Hmmm, yes you guys are sort of right. It is a little difficult to read Osborne's plans right. But I think you should take it at face value and use your own creativity to any of these drawings. Theres no rule as to how to design an illusion. He who breaks the rules creates something orginal. So don't take the measurements and everything. You will end up making a box which is right for Paul Osborne's assistant. Not yours. Bye.

I think the Osborne plans are the best for understanding. Steinmeyer's have great ideas and realistic dimensions, but explain very little about the actual building techniques. Osborne explains enough to get you through without all the complicated details of a professional draftsman (have you ever seen one of Jack Dean's plans? Perfect, down to the smallest detail, but a nightmare if you can't read blueprints). Osborne hit the perfect balance, IMHO.

But, I'll reiterate what's been said before -- don't follow his dimensions! His illusions might fit your average 8-year-old, but not (in most cases) a real adult person! Measure your assistant to get the right fit.

These days I prefer ideas like the ones that Andrew Mayne publishes. No scales no measurements, at least not pin point ones. Take the idea and work on it and improvise. I built a Jam from Randwoodbury's book and the outcome today is nothing like what he described. It is even better IMHO. The same happened with Modern Art.
Bottom line do not worry about mesurements. Work them out yourself. It is more fun that way.

Well, in defense of Paul, he tells people in all of his books to make up a cardbord mock up first to make sure the illusion will fit your girl.

The problem with that is, what if THAT girl quits?

Unless you are making lots of money and can afford to hire the "perfect" girl for these things, you run into a major problem before you begin.

This is a great list. To help myself out, I took Dennis's list and put it into Excel. Now I can sort it and look at the different sources. (There is over 600 plans in this list!) When I did this, however, a question came up. Dennis says all of these are available on the Osborne site, but there is quite a bit I can't find. The sources I can find on the site are:

Haunted Illusion Book
Illusion System Blueprints
Illusion System Book 1
Illusion System Book 2
Illusion System Book 3
Illusion System Book 4
Illusion System The First Collection (Black Book)
Illusions Evolution

But I don't see these:

Abbotts Illusions Book
Blueprints Older Plans
Build Your Own Illusions
Great Illusions Book
Modern Art
Owens Illusions Book 1
Owens Illusions Book 2
Stage Illusions for 1-2-3 Performer Show
The Classic Illusions Vol. 1

I know Modern Art is available from Steinmeyer, but I would like to find the others (Especially the Abbotts book). Does anyone know if these are still in print and where they can be found?

Thanks,
Richard

BTW: If anyone wants a copy of the Excel sheet with Dennis's list, just PM me your e-mail and I'll send you a copy.

I should have said, all of OSborne Plans are on Osbone's site.

I purchased all my books from Denny & Lee. Of them all, the Abbotts ones are a series of hand drawn prints and a lot of them are in Osbore's Vol 4. Not the best in plans. The transition from Y=Thayer plans to Osborne is interesting.

Hi, Dennis, I'd just like to say thank you for such a comprehensive list of plans. You went well beyond the call of duty and for that we're all very grateful. I do however have one more question. It involves costing. How much do you think it is possible to make the following illusions for?

Sub trunk
Artists dream
Assistants dream
Backstage with the magician
Shadow box
Laser flyto
Flash trunk
Broom suspension
Cargo net

Thank you very much. I appreciate that I am asking a lot. I also understand the difficulties of working out these prices, but I am really wanting to know what is realistically within my budget. Maybe you could draw from your own experiences.
Thanks once again,
Nick


Nick

If you build them yourself and if you are able to just pay for material it would cost somewhere around:

Sub trunk - $50 to $100. I used pallets from a trucking company this cost me nothing but $10 for the hardware

Backstage with the magician - This cost about $100 to $150

Shadow box - This can cost, since it includes metal, around $300.

The ones that are listed are only the ones I have worked with.

Hope this helps. But don't forget this also depends on the area you live in for prices. Some areas maybe a bit prices with metal and wood products then others.

Michael

Thank you very much
Nick

Michael -

Which shadow box did you build that requires that kind of monetary investment? I've built three, and never once did I invest more than about $200, including casters and corded light. The only metal involved in the plans I've used was fasteners, hardware and casters.

Nick - if you were to put an approximate monetary amount on what you would be able to spend, I'd bet some of the bright minds here on the Café could offer very real suggestions on how much show you could build with it, if you were creative and willing to invest your time and handiwork.

For example, one could build a full hour illusion show for less than 50 USD using the plans in UF Grant's Victory Carton Illusions.

--- Guy

Guy,

We were able to get ours made for free by using a cell phone holder box from Sam's Club. It looks great and it was at a great price for free. But that was a long time ago now. The price we got was from a gentleman who quoted it with the metal and all because we wanted to have it built with metal. But like I said it all depends on where you live. That was the quote I got and I wasn't using wood at all for that. Sorry if I was unclear on that.

Nick,

It is very feasible to put a show together at a good price. It is a matter of getting the materials a good price and having someone or yourself put it all together.

Best

Michael

I am able to spend about $2000 maximum but this could go up or down depending on the time and tricks.
Nick

Hi Nick -

If you're a builder, or an aspiring builder, that is plenty of money to assemble a show with high quality props. That is, if your ultimate goal is to put together a show. There is nothing wrong with building props for the sake of building props. It's a wonderful creative outlet for the magician/craftsman.

The money is not an obstacle, so let's move on.

For the sake of written conversation, I'll assume your ultimate goal is a large stage show you plan to someday perform.

If you are already set on the effects you want to perform, then it's only a matter of costing out the materials, tools, and time. You will find economy by buying common items in bulk (5 pounds of screws vs. 1 pound packages here and there, gallons of paint vs. pints, etc.)

If you aren't quite set, I'd recommend putting together a "wish list" dream show and script it out. You might find that some pieces are out of place, do not fit the show, or too closely duplicate the effect of another piece in your show. How many vanishes, transpositions, levitations do you really want? If your show is too heavy on one or two effects, consider adding some variety and texture to it with effects that are different, use smaller props, or are more character driven.

Then, bounce your show plan off the folks here on the Café. You'll get some great advice from people who have been exactly where you are now.

Once it's evolved to where you are pretty sure it is the show you desire, it's time to locate some plans, or at least pictures of the props you desire to build, and start making some mock ups from corrugated cardboard and tape. Large appliance boxes can be had for free from various stores, if you ask nicely.

You will be able to rough out the dimensions for your props, and might discover that some of the effects are not "you." You might also discover that you don't want to tote all of those props around once you see the real size of them.

If you're now ready to go ahead and invest in building the various props, find the best plans (look in your existing library, or ask here on the Café) and look them over for a few days. Let the design percolate in your mind, and you will likely find ways to make the design work well with the building skills you possess.

As an alternative route, consider inexpensive building options. Here's a recent example from my life:

My current show is a two-magician evening illusion show. I perform an escape from a sub-trunk type packing crate (not exactly, but close enough for illustration.)

We approached the local vocational school last year and asked if the carpentry department would like a medium sized project for one of the experienced students. (Brand new students are enthusiastic but error prone, and the pressure of building to exact specs for a real client is unfair to a new woodworker.)

They were most happy to look it over, and one of the students spoke up; he wanted to build our crate. Note that the plans I drew up did not include any gimmickry. When he delivered it, I took apart the one piece needing modification, and rebuilt it with my gimmick in place. My time invested? About 30 minutes!

In return, I paid for the materials, and I had a small brass plaque engraved to commemorate the student's work. It is attached now to the crate. It lends authenticity to the effect because we can legitimately tell our audiences who the builder was, and it really sets the tone for the effect.

Total cost? $66, plus $30 for the small plaque. The crate is made from high quality aspen, with all brass fixtures and screws. It rivals pieces built by professional studios, and it was carefully handcrafted to my exact specifications by a student who was passionate about woodworking, and he had the opportunity to create a piece for "the real world." My out of pocket expense was exactly $97.50, including sales tax on the plaque.

I don't suggest using the local vocational school as your own slave labor force, but for very specific projects, it is an ideal situation.

--- Guy

Yes, my ultimate goal is to end up with some large stage tricks. I am willing to build but am not fantastic at woodwork, so I was also looking for guidance in which tricks to leave to a professional.
Nick

I was just wandering if the Osborne sub trunk uses a t** t***. This is the method I would reqire for a version of it I wish to attempt.
Nick

Nick -

Yes, it does.

The sub trunk is a good illusion to build early in your building career. The number of moving parts is limited, it is easy to both build a mock up for sizing, and to build. There's no reason you couldn't complete the project, minus your final finish (painting, staining, et.al,) over the weekend.

Until you're really confident with your handiwork, I'd avoid props that have sliding tracks, or require precise dimensions. Examples of trouble areas for the budding illusion builder are the curtain track at the top of the assistant's revenge, sliding rails for Modern Art, bevel bases (which require calculations of compound angles, and accurate cutting processes), The sliding middle panel on a properly built Zig Zag, the sliding mechanisms for Andrew Mayne's ShrinkBoy, etc.

Good first projects, in my opinion, are: sub trunk, tip over box, sword box/sword basket (make your own swords as well!), shadow box.

Good first metalworking projects include: sword making (make a straight Katana style sword for under $10 in less than 20 minutes!), SuperX suspension, flying carpet.

--- Guy

DenDowhy. Now there's a man to ask about just about anything. I can't believe you took the time to list all those. I, for one, thank you for taking the time. Gotta like a guy who will do that for you.
Enjoy!!
Joe Comet

I totally agree, and feel that the Café should in some way recognise Den's efforts. His posts show great effort and it is obvious time has been taken. Not for his own good, but to help others. So I ask the Café to recognise this effort.
Nick