For those that do a lot of card magic, how much self-working material do you use compared to sleight based (or other) effects? Do you move from one to the other, or leave them seperate?

I guess I'm interested to see what kind of ratio working magi and cardicians have for sleights/gaffs/self-workers/other in their routines/acts.

A deck starts off stacked for effects like "Equalizer Revealment" (Columbini) or "Magic Vs. Mentalism" (Annemann), or any other effects that require an initial stack. I usually have another deck that starts with some gimmicks on top (packet effects) on top in order that don't require rest of deck - i.e - TOP: Double Back (Jon Allen), then "TURNING BLUE gimmick (DB)" (Harlan), then a "Ultra Gum" (gimmick card), then "Twlight Angels gimmick", then "Twisted Sisters", and I usually always place "Tagged" gaff (Sanders) near the center of deck As you can see I literally jam pack my deck with what I feel are nice packet effects/key cards required for other great routines such as Ultra Gum. Speaking of Ultra Gum, I also make sure I organize all the accommodating props (gum, LIT (Hauss) gimmick, Branded gimmick, Indecent (Houchin) etc. After I've exhausted all of my packet effects laying on top of the deck, which as you can see are quite significant, I proceed to my favorite non-gimmicked, prop-less card routines such as Back In Time (Sankey), Timely Departure (Bannon), Overkill (Harris), Search & Destroy (Fisher), Untouched (Daryl), Weighted Aces, The M.U.M Miracle (Columbini), Cards & Dice Prediction (Columbini). Most of the latter tricks are incredibly easy (virtually Self Working) but pack heavy punch. I use sleight more in the "prop routines" such as "Paperclipped" but I tend to only throw in a few so I can concentrate more on performance, LIT (Biddle), Ultra Gum, etc. What I'm trying to get at is that in terms of integration I usually begin with Gaffs (Top of deck), follow with effects that require props (Paperclipped), LIT, Ultra Gum, Tagged, BRANDED, etc) and conclude with self workers. If Im headed to a gig and Im all about the cards I'll usually carry a few decks arranged like that plus an ID deck, A svengeli deck and "In a flash" (Sankey) just to switch things up. I was once at an event and ended up going "overtime". As the night went on to the wee morning hours they just kept wanting more. With their glasses being refilled every few minutes and my being "still on the clock", I basically performed until about 5:30am and exhausted a mammoth list of tricks/effects but found I was running out. A situation Ive never encountered before. Now I go prepared.

Although I prefer coin tricks but my audiences (which tend to be informal) seem to prefer card tricks so I the majority of my routines focus on this. As for the ratio, it depends on what I'm doing. However, all else being equal, I have recently started working with stacks again and will usually include one self-worker stack effect in my routine (eg such as something based on the Gil****** principle, which are neat and generally sleightless. The rest of what I do is pretty much 50% sleight and 50% mentalism card tricks. Of the mentalism effects, about 10-15% (depending on the routine) are mathematical self-workers, which I personally find boring, but my victims generally love them.

Good idea on the "g" principle. I may change my arrangements around but I very much enjoy getting all the stacks, gimmick and prop effects out of the way (ditching when necessary) then finish off with all the great self-workers and relax a bit.

So 10% of 50% then? In other words, not many ...

Does anyone else's mileage vary?

Not exactly sure what self working means but the mentalism I do is 100% non sleight of hand. It can be something like Numbers by Rus Andrews or my ACAAN effect or other effects in my book Inspired. Some people think you need sleight of hand for an impressive card effect. For me its the opposite, if I make it work in the spectator's hands---taking out the possiblity of sleight of hand then their amazement level is far higher.