Hank Lee advertises the Automatic Color Changing Silk Ball for $30. I can't find this product anywhere else.

It's described as follows;
"The Automatic Color Changing Silk Ball allows you to use two unprepared silks! No dye-tube type poking and prodding is needed. Just tuck the corner of your first silk into your fist, reach under and draw the second silk from your hand. As you pull the silk out, the first silk automatically draws into your fist!! The audience sees only empty hands and the transformed silk."

Now, I'm familiar with the use of gimmicks such as the dye tube, palmo, etc., but this appears to use a different gimmick.

Does anybody have this product? If so, can you comment on the gimmick used and whether it is a worthwhile purchase.

I belive the gimmick can be found in Rice encl. of Silk Magic.

Hi Peter

I have one and have never used it. The hands cannot strictly be shown empty afterwards (as said in the advertisement) unless you do some dye tube like moves to conceal the colour changing silk ball.

Other drawbacks I have found are that if you use an eighteen inch silk, it is so jammed into the bottom section of the gimmick that the silk gets really badly crumpled. For example, you get a colour change of a silk and also the silk transforms from a nicely ironed one to a very creased one! Secondly there is a stray eighteen inch thread left dangling from the gimmick after the change has ocurred - this makes it difficult to perform transfer moves to conceal the apparatus.

The gimmick has been around for years but it is rarely used.....this is because of the drawbacks mentioned above. I would recommend some other methods and there are plenty to be found in Volume 2 of Rices.

Hope this helps

Scott

Thanks everyone for your replies - much appreciated.

One added note, the operation of this device will put a hole in the end of your silks. Meaning you damage your silks. The "diamond silks" are cheap enough to use for this device.

It is a Norm Nielsen item don't know if he still carries it. Joe Steven's also carried a Japanese one, but I have not purchased this, it is on his web site, and you can see the gimmick. I think this one is made not to damage your silks.

Stick with Palmo, if you currently are using this or the old pull thru color change works great. I think Rice's Magic still sells a few they have left.

Bill

This gimmick may be good in a stage presentation which will enhance and "speed up" the silk change and keep the flow of your routine. It is also easier "to ditch" on stage. I wouldn't recommend using it in a parlour type situation or performing surrounded. Cheers...