I am wanting to perform something like the
Super-X or similar illusion. I currently
own a Super-X but they all come with weight
limitations.

The problem is I want to be able to suspend
my wife and she tips the scale at 230 lbs.
What I want to know is are there any plans
that allow you to suspend a heavier body
than the standard 125-130 pound limits on
these illusions.

Now I'm being totally serious about this and
I'm not looking for sarcasm or jokes on this
matter. My wife wants me to put together an
illusion show using her. She says anyone can
make a skinny girl disappear (just stand her
sideways) or make her disembodied. But a
big girl, now thats quite something that
will get a lot of attention. I'm also
considering Assistants Revenge its alot
easier than the sub trunk.

Thanks for any help you can provide

The Assistants Revenge works well for plus sized assistants, I know one professional whos wife is around 200+# and they do it splendidly.They also do the swords and basket, which I admit was astounding.

I'll let someone else take the other half of your question because I'm not sure.

I give you and your wife credit, I'm a little tired of the scantly dressed eye candy hopping around a stage.

Take care,
X

Boy oh boy this is right up my alley. I am currently going to school to learn proper metal working for a future or side life in custom metal illusion. I'll leave the woodworking up to my friends. I think this is highly possable doing the levitation although one must consider. The materals used in the construction would have to be heavier duty and heavier in weight. The super x weighs between 25 and 35lbs if my memory serves me right. This however would weigh 80 to 90lbs. It would also have to be reinforced with angle brackets where most of the strain would be. I have done in the past for some close friends mainly electronic custom props. If you would like I could build a fog machine inside. (to make her float on fog) Or... If there was a board under the gimmick you could make a magical gesture and it would drop. That I can do. It would take a few months though and would be around guessing 1000 to 1300 bucks. Almost twice as much as a normal super x however this is just a random figure I am sure I can cut costs if need be. With or without electronic devices inside.

I have actually built and performed a super “X”/Princess Flying Carpet that held more than the 250 pounds you are interested in.

See my post:

http://www.themagiccafe.com/archive1/vie......6&15

Take your super “X” gimmick to a welder and explain what you need and you will have an industrial strength gimmick made. This is not all that hard a project!

The 3-in-one levitation, using a stage hand and using weights (Weight lifter weights), this levitation can be done vertically, horizontally, or flying carpet fashion. To do it effectively, it takes a few moments for the stage hand to load the weights before a levitation can take place. Also it would take a few more moments after the levitation is back on the floor so the stage hand can remove the weights or a counter inbalance will occur and someone could get hurt. It can be done easily but it does require rehearsal and a stall tactic. Check out the video on the builder's site:

3-in-1

The advantage is that in a levitation your wife will rise or float upward. Suspensions are stationary. Given the choice, go for the levitation.

I want to thank everyone who has been so generous and polite in this thread. I really appreciate all the help and guidance I received here and privately.

Mumblepeas, thank you for the information about preparing the Super-X gimmick to take the extra challenges a plus sized person creates. As I told you privately I'm going to have my gimmick altered.

Dennis, thanks for the information about the 3-in-l levitation, my wife and I both liked the effect and are planning on adding it later as the budget allows for it. The multiple ways of levitating with the one gimmick are awesome.

mrmetropolis, I really appreciate your enthusiasm in your response to this project, but I will be probably using a local welder as the budget right now requires minimal cost in the development of our show.

Like I said I want to thank you all for your contributions. It's wonderful finding a forum where you actually can ask questions and get answers with everyone acting like the professionals we're claim to be.

Martin Blakley
Redbeard The Magical Pirate

The late John Pomeroy made a broom suspension for a heavy opera singer.He imported an ingot of sweedish steel to cast it. I do not know what happened to the prop.Maybe someone from Seattle knows.

I was chatting to a dealer in a store last week and this subject came up. we both agreed that a lot of stage illusions would be more convincing/astounding if the assistant was larger or even a big stocky male.
indeed the dealer used to use a larger assistant for his zigzag girl
bearing in mind the exposure programmes shown all the time, using a larger assistant (i myself am over 280lb) adds a real wow factor!
this thread gives me some food for thought too, so thanks

Magical Pirate-

I recently built a Paul Osborne Super Suspension & strengthed it up- using 20mm stainless steel bent in a 100tonne press at a steelyard as well as a bracket of quarter inch steel under the board- The board is hardwood 25 mm thick x 9 in wide -the whole unit can be carried by me & fits in my car-fits together in 7 mins with 4 large nuts & bolts as well as a base on wheels

I altered Pauls design for strength & use-I do a lot of Promo photos before our shows so use lots of different weight people-During shows I use my daughter who is light but the unit doesn't move at all-Also If she is not available-I can use a person from the crowd at any weight upto 300 pounds if required!

PM me & I will send you pics of me floating the local Mayor over 200 pounds as well as I can support myself with no movement bend of the board etc-Im over 200 pounds-athletic build

-Brent

I have a very strong levitation that I used to use and am now selling b/c I have something smaller and lighter: a broom susp. This thing was a beast: it levitated me everynight at 170+ pounds and I am told it can hold 200 pounds, maybe even more. PM me if you want more info on it, I might be able to help you

You may also want to try something along the lines of an Asrah levitation. Weight is no factor at all.

I used a Harbin Walk-Away suspension at the Renaissance Festival for a long time. I made it a bit higher than the original plans and I increased the size of the base section for better stability. It served me very well. It would hold 230+ pounds.

There was an act in the UK that did the mismade girl with a "fat" lady. It worked really well. He used an over-sized shoe horn to get her into the box. The illusion worked better as she was pushed right up against the doors in the front of the box. I think it was Richard De Vere (who now does the Mistique show in Blackpool?), but I may be wrong.
Jimmy Carlo also did over-sized illusions, with himself going in them. He performed as a Sumo and did a very funny comedy illusion act.

Bill, what exactly is the "Walk Away Suspension"?

All I can find in the book is "Magic Carpet", "Chair Suspension", and "Super X Plus", but on page 46, 49, and again on 51, a reference is made to the "Walk Away". I'm confused! Is "Super X Plus" and "Walk Away" one and the same?

... the reason I asked, Bill, is so far you and Dennis Loomis are the only two I can find here who own the book!

Harbin's Walk Away is a board which sits on top of two trestles. The girl lies on the board, and one by one the trestles are removed. (Slid backwards out from under the board. Then a hoop is passed over the girl and board.) I think that the closest you may find to it is the Don Alan Magic Ranch Video which features Jack Gwynne. Gwynne does his own suspension which is very close to the Harbin Walk Away. In Gwynne's version, the board is also removed. The original Harbin can be performed by a performer and one girl assistant. The Gwynne Version requires two additional assistants. Dick Zimmermann build some of the Walk Away Suspensions some years back for the McDonald's Corporation for Ronald's to use in their shows. I bought one from him and still have it. Well made, I don't know the maximum weight it will hold, but quite a lot. For a while I had another Walk Away which was built by David Charvet. His was based on the Abbott Super X gimmick.


Dennis Loomis

Thanks. I have the Gwynne video, so I am aware of what you are referring to.

Bill, if I were to use a prop like Harbin's "Walk-away Suspension," to whom would I pay a user fee, or how do I obtain rights to use such a prop?

Hmmm ... what I'm getting at, Bill, is you so haughtily chastise people for building props without permission from, and payment to, the originator. I'm wondering how you got permission to build the Harbin suspension you wrote about.

Just curious.

If you own the Harbin book you have the rights to build and perform the illusions in it I believe.

Be careful what you say about Bill. He has connections you know. LOL

In one thread he also offered to discuss some things via PM. So, he is giving info to someone who hasn't paid the ones that came up with whatever it is he is offering to discuss. Whatever happened to his "ethics?"

Well, this post shouldn't last long before it is deleted. Oh well.

Yes, MagicTim, but the Walkaway Suspension is NOT in the book!

Actually, Michael, I am not baiting him ... I am genuinely curious.

But, it IS interesting that he fails to respond, when he, himself, has such a visible disdain and seems very opinionated about this topic when others are involved.

I'd be interested in hearing Bill's response.