Can someone tell me what colour chemical is used to dye the sand?

I was looking for the illusion of Hindu Sands ( I hope they are the same illusion. Where the color sand is placed in water and pulled out dry.) or something along those lines on my web browser one day and found a reciepe on how to make the sand. I don't remember where it was but happened across it a couple of different times. I hope this is of some help.

Food coloring maybe?

I know that the recipe and all is in one of Tarbell's Books. Check the index in volume seven to be sure. I also know that you can buy the different color sand at a local hobby shop.

Last time I made any I used Ritt Dye from the drug store. While not perfect, it is quite a good dye and lasts. You start with white sand,. It used to be that you could buy, from magic dealers, the prepared sand for this. It was pricey but my experience was I "hated" trying to cook the sand...a real pain and pretty tricky actually to get it just right. I think you can still buy the sand if you check into it. For a few years the effect was totally spoiled because the very sand used by dealers became a popular kids bathtub toy. They could put it in the tub, put it in a pile...it would stay put, and they could put it back in the jar. When this short lived fad dyed, I bought several bottles of this for about 99 cents each and "expanded" the quantity of sand I had. It was the same stuff exactly.

quack
quack

You can buy the trick--I believe at Stevens---It has the colored sand and tells the chemicals for the darkening and clearing up of the water---I bought this trick but haven't performed it yet or bought the chemicals----I am sure other dealers have it as well--I don't remember what it cost but I am thinking maybe $30---Now if I can just remember where I put it.......Cheers!---Jimo

I know you can buy the sand... I just forget where. Check local hobby shops or toy stores. I think the stuff you want is called Sqand

Hocus - Pocus has this listed in their Hot New Items pages - member price $37

I used to do this 20 years ago - when my main inspiration for selecting tricks was based on whatever I saw Doug Henning do

The set I originally bought for this was produced by Louis Tannen's. I just dug out the old instructions to check on the chemicals used for the water color change.
I don't know if I should post the actual chemicals or not, but I will say that the chemicals called for in the manuscript I have were difficult for me to find back when I did this trick. One of them is poisonous. One was a tincture (a liquid) that I found difficult to work with so I switched to using a solid form of it - it stains things badly too.
I'm curious if other people have different recipes that are better or good sources for obtaining chemicals like these.
Also, the Tarbell version doesn't call for a color change but uses an opaque bowl. Any thoughts on this?

Go to a craft store and ask how to make colored candles. You will understand why if you already know how to prepare the sand.

Just an idea.

Sid

You can buy sand allready colored at any craft store.
That is if you live in US.

Oriental Trading Company has colored craft sand reasonably priced(lots of colors too). You will have to treat the sand via the recipe to make it work in the trick but at least you will have the colored sand.

Scott,

I had similar experiences. I found the chemicals a pain to work with and when done the water was not really "clear"..more of an unpleasant yellow shade.

The opaque bowl seems to be a classic way of doing this. It seems to me that, ultimately, it is best if the water changes back and forth in a clear bowl, but that is more trouble than I care to go to with this effect. Done with the proper patter, costume etc, it can play well but I think it is not for me.
quack

It is in "Magic of the masters"
James

I found the water changing color to black then back to "clear" was an astounding effect for the audience. The whole illusion is better because of it. When the water changes color it gets gasps...especially if you showed your hands empty.

If you experiment with the chemical amounts with your local water ( the water from town to town is different in its amount of flouride, clorine, heavy metals, lime, calcium, etc., which can affect the chemical reaction of the chemicals the magician introduces making things inconsistent.) SO I carry my own water now (so the mixture is consistent).
Anyway, if you use your own water, and experiment with the mixture of chemicals and get it to the point where you use the least amount of each, especially chemical B, then you have a lot less of the cuticle and hand dying that can happen. Also the water will be a lot less yellowish and closer to clear. A yellow or gold table cloth or doily under the clear fishbowl will make the water look more consistent from beginning to end. If you are on a stage with lighting, a spot light with a gold or yellowish gel helps.

I also noticed that warmer water made the reaction quicker.

I think the response from the audience is too good to drop this part from the trick.
-vk