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WKM Regular user London Uk 139 Posts |
Hi all
I have just learnt to split cards, and have gotten quite successfull at it. My question however is that after you have split your cards and decided what to do with them, how does one stick them back together??? I have tried using copydex rubber cement but it doesn't seem to have the desired effect. the cards look "crinkled" and seem all to be off centre and unaligned. Any Ideas??? Thanks Liam
Liam Ball AIMC*
The Gentleman Magician |
Craig Matsuoka Loyal user Kailua, Hawaii 271 Posts |
Copydex contains ammonia water, which is good for cleaning floors but bad for cards. You'll have much better results with solvent based rubber cement. For more info on that and alignment, look up Marty Grams and his "The Art of Card Splitting" DVD.
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silverking Inner circle 4574 Posts |
As well, you would be VERY wise to get Craig Matsuoka's e-book on splitting cards.
BTW, it was Craig who answered your question but didn't hype himself........I'll do it for him because without his e-book you're missing out on a TON of information. VERY well reviewed both here on the Café, and over on the Genii forum. http://www.lybrary.com/gaff-factory-comp......750.html |
rorythegreat Veteran user Seattle, WA 393 Posts |
I second Craig's e-book. A very detailed book on the art of card splitting.
My card collection
http://www.freewebs.com/rorythegreat/ |
WKM Regular user London Uk 139 Posts |
Cool. Thanks for that guys.
I will definatly invest in the book of Craigs... I didn't even know that there was more than one type of rubber cement!!! Thanks Liam
Liam Ball AIMC*
The Gentleman Magician |
WKM Regular user London Uk 139 Posts |
WOW!!!
Craig your book is fantastic. Thanks for all the hard work you put into it. for any one who is interested there is a corner trimmer available on the market from Wizardcraft Magic. Its called the corner short trimmer. It makes the corners a little shorter than usual, however that means you can cut down to your gaff at any time you like without having to look for it. And it is virtually undetectable to spectators, I use it quite often and it is fairly inexpensive. Thanks all Liam
Liam Ball AIMC*
The Gentleman Magician |
Pokie-Poke Special user Bensalem, PA 883 Posts |
I now fool people who know that I split cards with cards that I made. I have spent less than $10 on stuff to do it. you need a "no wrinkle" rubber cement.
Thanks Marty.
www.pokie-poke.com
The Adventure cont... |
Magiguy Inner circle Seattle, WA 5473 Posts |
Many thanks Marty, and thanks also to Craig! I cut my baby teeth on Marty's DVD and lecture notes. Great stuff, and the best splitting advice I have ever come across. Fast forward a bit, and I discovered dry mount tissue. I have since combined the finer points from Marty with some of Craig's technique. I added some notes from Ken Driscoll and rounded it all out with a little help from Todd Lassen.
Long live Martini, and long live the art of card splitting!! |
Craig Matsuoka Loyal user Kailua, Hawaii 271 Posts |
Mahalo for all your kind words everyone!
I'm delighted that so many people are using the information in my ebook to make the special gaffs they've always wanted but could never find in any of the shops. |
Damian Surr Loyal user UK 213 Posts |
If I have the Art of Card Splitting DVD, should I still get Craigs e-book?
www.gingermagic.com
iPhone magic apps: www.CardNowApp.com - iPhone Business Card Magic App www.armindreader.com – Augmented Reality Magic App |
CardMaker Inner circle Ludwigsburg/GERMANY 1063 Posts |
@Damian
DEFINITE MUST BUY!
CardMaker/Bernd Maucksch
Finest gaffed cards for magicians |
silverking Inner circle 4574 Posts |
Craigs e-book covers the topic with a different viewpoint from that of Marty's DVD, which is why Marty's book AND Craig's e-book compliment each other so well.
They each contain material that the other doesn't. You need them both if you're interested in splitting cards to make your own gaffs. |
Douglas.M Elite user 465 Posts |
Dry mounting, using dry-mount tissue and heat (as used in mounting artwork and photography) is the way to go. If you use rubber cement or a glue stick, you will often wind up with a thicker/uneven surfaced card. Dry-mounting gives professional results (permanent and even). Todd Lassen makes a great metal jig for keeping all the components aligned and ready to seal.
I used to work in a frame store, so I was experienced using this methodology before I was exposed to the world of card gaffs. We used a "tacking iron" and a huge sealer to dry mount large posters and archival documents. By all means, though, get the instructional materials from the expert card gaffers! Douglas M. |
daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Never heard of dry mounting. Can you explain a little more?
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Douglas.M Elite user 465 Posts |
Hey daffydoug,
Dry mounting is a technique that uses heat and pressure to permanently bond paper (or sometimes fabric) materials together. The bonding element is a thin dry non-sticky heat-activated tissue that is cut to the size of the two pieces to be bonded and it sandwiched between them. For large items, A "tacking iron" is used to affix the mounting tissue to a single spot on the bottom piece to be bonded in order to keep the tissue from moving around or wrinkling. Oftentimes the lower piece (substrate) is the more rigid of the two (foam board or mat board). The dry-mount press is essentially a large rectangular electric iron that is hinged to open and close like one of those pants presses at a dry-cleaner. When everything is lined up and flat on the bottom plate of the press, the upper platen is allowed to heat up and then it is lowered and clamped with pressure onto the bottom plate long enough to melt the tissue and bond the materials together permanently (30-45 seconds). The temperature you need is 175-200 degrees, which will melt the adhesive tissue but will not damage the artwork. But for smaller items (such as a playing card), you don't need such a large machine. Anything that can cover and heat the entire card-shape to the right temperature will work fine. You don't need a press: hand pressure is sufficient to do the trick. When bonding to a large piece of foam board, you can trim to the edge of the artwork later if you have to. But with playing cards, since everything is precisely the same dimension, there is no room for error: everything has to be aligned perfectly for the bonding the first time. That is where Todd's card gaffing jig comes in. It is a metal template that aligns and holds the sandwiched materials together. That end of the process I know, but when it comes to card splitting, and actual card gaff making, I am a basically a newbie! Douglas M. |
WKM Regular user London Uk 139 Posts |
Wow I didn't realise that this was such a large topic.
I have the Martini DVD and have also read the e-book of craigs and they are both brilliant. The DVD explains and SHOWS you how to split a card, which I think is invaluble, where as the E-book of craigs goes further into putting the cards back together and gives better instruction on how to do this well. I think that all with all things in Magic, the best way to get it perfect is to take the perfect ideas from many sources and then to put them all together. The only problem I am having is getting DMT in the uk! No one seems to even know what it is. But I may just order in bulk from the USA and then I will never run out! Long live card spliting.!!!
Liam Ball AIMC*
The Gentleman Magician |
Douglas.M Elite user 465 Posts |
Hi WKM,
Try framing supply stores, art supply stores, and even camera supply stores (pro photographers often have their prints dry-mounted). Here are some suppliers I found in the U.K.: http://www.framerscorner.co.uk/products/DryMount.html http://www.hotpress.co.uk/supplies.htm http://www.silverprint.co.uk/fin28.html Douglas M. |
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