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MagicBus
Inner circle
Kalamazoo, Michigan
2263 Posts
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Posted: May 31, 2013 5:33pm
I hope I do not step on any toes with this post. If I do, or if it is improper, ok to delete it immediately.
Advertised currently on a The Magic Café' banner through Seo Magic USA is a trick using wooden blocks. I won't even mention the name of it- other than to say the rows of blocks magically transform after being hand twisted into a child's drawing of the Queen of Hearts.
I really like this simple puzzle effect, not fantastic magic, but a pretty neat little thing to watch. Problem is, I don't really do that many card tricks- I'd prefer to have the wooden blocks transform into a Bible verse or something similar to that instead.
Rather than buying the trick and pay that cost plus shipping, I suspect the simple wood/block portion of the trick was published elsewhere else, or the similarly rigged blocks alone are sold through a toy dealer someplace, or it may be in a woodworking book on how to construct this toy block puzzle or setup. I would sure rather prefer going that route in making my own for what I intend to use it for, rather than buying the trick and then modifying it after that. The nearby dollar store has a bag of precut blocks for $1.00, I may just experiment around with some electrical tape to see if I can figure the connection pattern out that is used to keep the blocks together (the trick is posted on youtube but not how to make it).
So this is kinda like Hank Lee selling coin buckets for $45 when they were in fact simply the same utility buckets sold by Bed, Bath and Beyond for $9.95. Hank would argue it was worth the extra $35 as he knew where to find the buckets in the first place (as we are apparently not smart enough to know about utility buckets sold in many household goods departments). I suspect this "trick"/wooden puzzle was simply seen by a magician in another context- then it was changed into this new Queen of Hearts revelation.
So if any of you know the source of these transforming wooden blocks, I sure would be interested in knowing how to make up a set, then can think about what Gospel reference to put on it.
Is this request out of line? If so, delete it from your mind and I will decide if I will want to shell out $50+ for it (probably not). Thanks all.
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Rodney Palmer
Inner circle
1112 Posts
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Posted: Jun 1, 2013 2:08am
Magic Bus,
I searched the SEO Website and could not find the effect. We cannot help you w/o a Link or a least know the name of the effect to look it up to give you some information. Give us some more information and maybe I/We can help you out.
Rodney
"Creating Memories That Last A Lifetime"
In order to keep "MAGIC ALIVE" Please become a Mentor to a Young Person.
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Mike Maturen
Inner circle
building a horse pen and needs
2145 Posts
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Posted: Jun 1, 2013 9:35am
MagicBus:
I don't think the request is out of line at all. If it is a commercially available "toy" that you can modify...no problem at all, and I am sure there will be plenty of help. If the idea is proprietary to some magical creator, then I am sure you will A) buy it, B) forget it or C) invent a new way to do it!
Mike Maturen
World of Wonder Entertainment
The Magic of Mike Maturen
989-335-1661
mikematuren@gmail.com
AUTHOR OF "A NEW DAWN--Weekly Wisdom From Everyday Life"
member: Fellowship of Christian Magicians, KIDabra International
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stempleton
Special user
726 Posts
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Posted: Jun 1, 2013 4:24pm
I believe MagicBus is referring to "Son and Daughter" here:
http://www.seomagic-usa.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/25/products_id/1263
Steve Templeton
www.HimpactIllusion.com
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themagiciansapprentice
Special user
Essex, UK
968 Posts
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Posted: Jun 2, 2013 4:47am
Magic Bus - Sam Sandler does a lot of shopping with SEO for his snowstorms etc. PM him and see what he can find out for you.
Have wand will travel! Performing children's magic in the UK for Summer and Autumn 2013.
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Mike Maturen
Inner circle
building a horse pen and needs
2145 Posts
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Posted: Jun 2, 2013 9:32pm
WOW! I see now why MagicBus wants to do this...what a COOL effect!
Mike Maturen
World of Wonder Entertainment
The Magic of Mike Maturen
989-335-1661
mikematuren@gmail.com
AUTHOR OF "A NEW DAWN--Weekly Wisdom From Everyday Life"
member: Fellowship of Christian Magicians, KIDabra International
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John Long
Inner circle
New Jersey
1793 Posts
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Posted: Jun 5, 2013 10:23pm
I saw a youtube video that showed how to make the interconnected blocks. It didn't look too hard, they were just connected with strips of tape as I remember. Getting the pictures to line up would be up to you.
I thought I would have save a copy of the video, but I can not find it. I think it surfaced when I was looking at some science based magic/fun, but people such as Steve Spangler(sp), but the block video was not by him.
If I can find it, I will give more details.
John
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John Long
Inner circle
New Jersey
1793 Posts
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Posted: Jun 5, 2013 10:32pm
I found ittttt, sort of.
The video that I copied has a name "Moving_cube!". I might have shortened the name on my own, but maybe that will be enough to do a search for - I need to go to bed!
John
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John Long
Inner circle
New Jersey
1793 Posts
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Posted: Jun 6, 2013 8:31am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xlVUG8qrWM
or if you really don't have much to do with your time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzY3LHZ9b8U
The effect that I first thought Magic Bus was referring to was what is called Evange Cube. This is a 3D cube made up of 8 smaller cubes. The smaller cubes can be rotated to produce a new large cube. There are at least 4 orientations, each producing a different picture that is used to illustrate a gospel message.
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MagicBus
Inner circle
Kalamazoo, Michigan
2263 Posts
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Posted: Jun 6, 2013 1:01pm
Thanks John- you found it in video #1 above!- I can't thank you enough! I went over to Michael's Crafts this morning- they sell the wooden blocks for $1.29 each- so I will be going to some of the dollar stores today or tomorrow to see if I can purchase instead a cheap kids wooden block toy set that has 16 blocks in it. Then can paint over those, or use the letters?.
I really appreciate you finding this terrific video link for me, I will get an application together and bring my sixteen cubes with me to the July FCM convention in Nashville- hope to see you all there! Yep, that youtube video is EXACTLY what I was searching, even shows how to make it. Nice! John- you are the best! I owe you big time.
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Mike Maturen
Inner circle
building a horse pen and needs
2145 Posts
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Posted: Jun 6, 2013 1:22pm
Hmmmm. Now I might have to begin a project myself. 
Mike Maturen
World of Wonder Entertainment
The Magic of Mike Maturen
989-335-1661
mikematuren@gmail.com
AUTHOR OF "A NEW DAWN--Weekly Wisdom From Everyday Life"
member: Fellowship of Christian Magicians, KIDabra International
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MagicBus
Inner circle
Kalamazoo, Michigan
2263 Posts
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Posted: Jun 6, 2013 3:50pm
Jackpot- I stopped by the "Tot to Teen Village" on Kilgore Road in Kalamazoo today, they had in stock a terrific, perfectly square and flat, a nice solid 16 wooden block children's set with all the alphabet letters- some letters more than once- plus some other shapes (heart, smily face, teddy bear) etched on each side of each block (which do not interfere with the moving action). It is called "schoolhouse naturals" 09-12 by Maple Landmark, made in Middlebury, Vermont. Now all I have to is figure out the message... Yowsa!  Thanks again John, much appreciate the link, this is how a "Gospel magic" effect/idea gets started that more than one of us may be able to use. On the price tag, it is printed "Ages 1+ Blocks: Simple ABC Blocks, number 6 79952 73075 6". Sales slip had "730 Blocks" on it, whatever that means. Made out of solid hard maple, no chemicals.
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John Long
Inner circle
New Jersey
1793 Posts
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Posted: Jun 6, 2013 7:10pm
Glad it helped. Maybe you could post a video of your routine.
Over the last 7 years, I've downloaded thousand of videos from the internet on magic or interesting things. Many things I thought I would like to get back to at some point, but usually don't.
John
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MagicBus
Inner circle
Kalamazoo, Michigan
2263 Posts
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Posted: Jun 7, 2013 7:47am
I have been playing around with the block formations- got some nice brown "Duck tape" so I won't even need to do any painting at all on the blocks- can use them as is.
The church I grew up in had engraved on the table up front "Thy Word Is Truth." As I am also a member of the SE Michigan Camp of "The Gideons" (yep, we are the ones who hand out free Bibles on college campuses, place them in hotel rooms, prisons, doctor offices, etc.), one of the nice block formations that comes up is the 13 letter "The Word Is True" (and the other three blocks are non-letter pictures)- so I may go with this first and use it as my way to mention the service of the Gideons. I usually have pocket New Testaments to give away- so this may be a nice way to end up any close up routine and to remind us all to pick up and read our Bibles. You can purchase Bibles now in bulk at Christian book stores or through other sources now for as low as $1.00 each.
So I am not sure how the routine will go yet, but it might be along the lines that when we are confused, and our lives seem to be a jumbled up mess of thoughts and unfulfilling pursuits (showing the jumbled up mess of 16 blocks), we can rely on the "Owner's Manual" provided by the Creator who made us for real eternal meaning, hope, purpose, forgiveness of sins, and direction (the blocks change to "The Word Is Truth"). I am hoping this will help to be an encouragement to folks to consider reading their Bibles.
I can get Testaments at very low cost through The Gideons, but non-Gideons can get Bibles in bulk from many other sources including biblicadirect.com I saw at the large Christian book store in Reno (near Target) they had a box of the new ESV versions I believe for $1 each. Nice! The Gideon NT, Psalms and Proverbs that we hand out for free now also come in ESV or KJ versions in all kinds of cover colors and designs- plus each one has a topical index and plan of salvation in as well. Love it!
This is just one of a zillion possibilities using these pattern changing blocks. John- thanks again- your "how to" link above from youtube has gotten this very do-able idea off the ground. Magicians could use these blocks to finish off their close up routines with just about any message they'd like to have, or just go with using it for a chosen color reveal. Yowsa! Psalm 67 everyone.
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John Long
Inner circle
New Jersey
1793 Posts
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Posted: Jun 7, 2013 8:52am
MagicBus:
I like that idea. It occurred to me that a story like that could have real personal meaning to some, and that it would be nice reminder to the person if the "cubes" could handed out with the bible (the cubes could be like a mini stand for the bible). Yet, the cubes would be harder to mass produce than a bible.
John
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MagicBus
Inner circle
Kalamazoo, Michigan
2263 Posts
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Posted: Jun 7, 2013 10:53am
I bought a little, red and black, padded handle (at open at the top) firm cloth tool box container at Big Lots for $15- it has about 20 pockets in it for decks of cards, small close up items, etc. Yet it is big enough to hold the "cube reveal" discussed above- I will bring it to the 2013 FCM convention in Nashville- I should always now be ready to share something during the eating times at the convention, etc.. It is not big enough to hold my "Dean's Box", so I will leave that at home (I brought that last year to Marion). I have never really been a close up guy- but I am starting to get into it now- fun stuff. Hope you all bring routines to share as well, will be a FCM hooting good time.
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MagicMattMan
Special user
Tampa, FL
541 Posts
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Posted: Jun 14, 2013 9:35pm
Magic Bus,
Great find on this SEO effect. Truly adaptable to anything Gospel.
John,
Thanks for the Youtube How-To. Will definitely attempt a recreation for Gospel.
(Once I get around to it, will post what I come up with!)
"For those who believe, no explanation is necessary; for those who do not, none will suffice." -Joseph Dunninger
"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."Hebrews 13:2
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MagicBus
Inner circle
Kalamazoo, Michigan
2263 Posts
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Posted: Jun 15, 2013 12:32pm
I will bring my "Thy Word Is True" changing blocks to the FCM convention. Looks pretty neat-you can basically have the blocks say anything you want as long as each line is limited to 4 letter words or less.
Another tricky time consuming thing- the youtube instructional video is based on the assumption you are putting on the letters/design on the blocks AFTER first duct taping the blocks together in the special diamond pattern.
In my case, I had to carefully switch around and play with each prelettered block before taping them together correctly (as the letters were already inscribed on each of the toy blocks). So it took quite a bit of retaping (and doing and undoing) until I finally figured out/got the final formation pattern correct. The duct tape is also pretty thick- so it creates gaps between the blocks that you really can't do much about- and also some of the blocks have to be retaped from time to time if the tape on one side of a block sticks to an adjoining block tape, etc..
But this might be a neat way to end a close up routine: the blocks could say after twisting (if using prelettered blocks) including: "You Are The Best" or "John 3 16" or "God Is Love" or "Read The Word"; or just go with anything you want if you paste the entire pattern on after the blocks are already connected (as prepared on the youtube video).
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paulmagic
Loyal user
Malaysia, now In New Zealand
258 Posts
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Posted: Jun 16, 2013 5:57pm
This is a cool effect. Thanks for sharing and discussing
Many Blessings!!
Paul
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MagicBus
Inner circle
Kalamazoo, Michigan
2263 Posts
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Posted: Jun 19, 2013 9:42am
You are welcome. I will bring it to the 2013 FCM convention, will carry it around with me in my brief case, willing to show it to anyone. By the way, the customized close up pads that Mike Stenberg makes are exactly the same size as the side of the standard Samsonite briefcase
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