For sponge ball magic mine are 2" yet I'm thinking about going bigger.

For cups and balls mine are 0.75" and am quite happy.

~L2L

Cups and balls: about 5/8 inch
sponge ball routine: 1 inch

it's not the size, it's what you do with them.

Unless you have GOOD patter for the sponge balls, you are likely better off to use the sponge rabbits.

Cups and Balls - 1" to 1 and 1/8". I used to prefer 3/4" and 7/8" but as I worked and practiced I found the slightly larger size began to come more naturally to me, and I like the look of the bigger balls when they sit on the cup.

7/8 the for regular cups or 1 1/4 for street cups.

1 1/2 for sponge balls.

I use 1 1/2" super soft spongeballs because they handle great and they're easier to fit into a small child's hand. I've seen Steve Hart use 3" spongeballs - looks great, but they're too big for me to handle smoothly.

I use 2" sponge balls. The 3D sponge bunnies are great as well.

For cups and balls I use 7/8".

Use what feels best.

Take care,
Rich

I use the 2" sponge balls. They handle well and you can fit them in other people's hands with ease. I prefer sponge bunnies instead of balls though. (easier patter)

-Shalin

Depends on the size of your hand. Forget dimentions and go for look Everyone is correct with their size suggestions. You should use the largest possible ball for the hand you have. In magic in general you want the largest possible load out of the smallest possible place. This holds for illusions as well as sponges. Just find the biggest sponges you are comfortable with and use them.

Bob Swadling has an interesting shell game set, which will be posted on my web site soon. It is machined from fairly heavy aluminum -- looks like the wooden sets that Rink made years ago. The pea is a yellow sponge ball. The weight of the shell allows you to put a larger ball under one of the shells and have it lie flat on the table for an interesting climax to the shell game.

This is good if you are presenting the shells as a demonstration of a magic trick, but I don't think it would be good if you were doing a hustling kind of presentation.

I also use 1 1/2" super soft spongeballs for a small in the spectators hands routine.

She only told you that so you wouldn't have your feeling hurt! <--(only a joke HA HA)

Mine are 2" Super Soft because I was told the bigger the better!!!!

kOnO

I like 2" but I currently switched to 1.5"
for a few reasons.

I buy them by the bag-o-50

I recently switched over to the smaller inch sized balls......

The mail reason for doing so is to maximize the amount of room in the pocket, and minimize the bulge the larger balls make.

I have 1.5 inch super soft, I really like them, but I find they are hard to find

I recently decided to learn some sponge ball routines, and I bought 2" balls and a booklet, the Magic City Library of Magic Vol #9 on Sponge Balls. The 2" balls were the only size available where I bought them (and the booklet). I thought this was ironic as the author, Leo Behnke, says, right at the beginning of Chapter 1:

"I also believe, however, that you shouldn't work with polyfoam balls that are over 1" in diameter for the basic magic. Keep the larger balls as surprises at the ends of he routines for magical changes from samll balls into large ones. In working with larger balls during a basic routine you do demonstrate to a layman, over and over, that you have to squeeze the balls to even handle them, and from there it is just a short jump to the correct conclusion of mashing the balls together."

Thoughts?

I use two inch sponge balls in my parlor show and for birthday parties. I use the sponge rabbits in the resturants for table hopping.

I'm using 2 inch inch size sponge balls(Gosh Brand). I'm trying two find some 1 inch baseballs for Cups and Balls. Right now I'm using 7/8, I flat out hate them.

Alex

Check out this video done with Jumbo Sponge Balls, it is absolutley HILARIOUS! I've also just started playing around with "Billy McCombs' McCombical Stage Sponges".
Ray