I sent Ron $5 for two lighters months ago and never received them. What I did get was a lot of excuses and promises from Ron which were all apparently hot air. Surprising from someone who I thought was a decent guy. Now he has stopped replying to PMs from me. Anyone else with a similar experience?

Although I have had no problems buying stuff from Ron in the past, his treatment of me in this matter has become inexcusable and I would urge caution with dealing with him. I sure won't be dealing with him again until he a) offers to refund my money or sends the lighters b) offers an apology and a believable explanantion (right now the only believable statement from him would be "I screwed up and didn't follow through with my promises")

Caveat emptor

Update: Ron has contacted me and promised to rectify the situation. I will assume that he means it this time and I'm happy to have heard from him.

Recently got Bill Burner, made it, performed it, love it. Easy to make and to perform. This got a great reaction on the first performance. The handling is so natural that it took very little effort to get everything down pat for performance. And, I have to give you a lot of credit, Ron, for taking the method and "kicking it up a notch." And, it was fun to practice because it looks so good when I'm practicing in front of the mirror. Although I'm not a smoker, it was easy to find a motivation for this. Although I'm not adding anything new here, I did want to express how happy I am with this purchase.

Just a follow up: Ron delivered on his promise to clear everything up and he has restored himself as a man of honor in my view. Everyone's entitled to a mistake and we have moved on. Thanks to Ron for caring about customer service and his reputation.

Goo Gone, you can try WD40 or lighter fluid. Both flamable, but your working with a lighter aren't you? Be careful

Can Bill Burner be used with non American currency ?
I understand that clear lighter works best.
What are some of the other requirments ?

Nicholas,
Just curious what motivation you are using? There are a couple good ideas in the thread, but anything else would be great.
Also, anyone try the same method w/something else like a Tic Tac box?

It can be done wiht other currencies. There maybe be some that won't work but I'm not sure. The only real requirements as to what object you use is the size and ability to wrap around the lighter. Here's an image to demonstrate:



The bill will have to cover the entire body of the lighter. It doesn't have to be exactly the same size.

I can't think of any other requirements that would be of any consern. Anyone else think of any?

Ron Jaxon

Tntjr,

There are a couple of tricks out there, including Ron's Bill Burner, that let me get a good laugh out of the notion that my wife gives me a very small allowance each week...something like 37 cents a week. (Psychic Cents...Kolossal Killer to name two others.) "If I save, I can sometimes go out for lunch...that means I can buy a can of sardines. Right now I'm up to 74 cents...and if I had a dollar, I'd put it right in my money clip for safe keeping. Do you have a dollar that I could use to demonstrate?" Then I pull out the lighter and ask what the participant thinks about my money clip. In other words, my motivation involves the fact that I have very little money. The above drivel sounds too corny to be true...but...it really works for me (for some reason). My father-in-law used to get great reactions from these kinds of lines and he wasn't even a magician. I've discovered that I can move in this direction, adding the magic, and get good reactions as well. My tone of voice conveys that I am telling a real whopper...so it's all tongue in cheek.

I am also toying with the idea (based on a demo I saw performed on a magic website of which I cannot recall the source) wherein you tell the spectator that, for a close-up magician, the hand often serves as a stage. Whereas stage magician have beautiful...may I even say "HOT" assistants, I just use a lighter. Click it a few times to show that it is really hot too! I talk about making the lighter disappear. On stage they usually cover the assistant with something and often bind them in place using ropes or chains. I just wrap them in a dollar, and use a rubber band to prevent escape by anything but magical means. (So...I think it might be interesting if they think the lighter is going to vanish, and the dollar disappears, instead.) I'm still thinking about a wrap up to this wherein I try 1 more time. Finally, the lighter vanishes as well and I'm left with just the rubber band in my hand. Start plinking the rubber band. When you get a funny look, say, "Well, now that my assistant has finally disappeared, there's only the band left to play." Again, I know this sounds absolutely idiotic. But, I think I can get it to work if I maintain the same demeanor as with the first example.

Question:

Does it have to be a bill?

Could it simply be a slip of paper? How about a silk?

In the E-book there are some bonus ideas such as using a playing card, making an Opaque lighter turn into a clear lighter and so forth. So no, it doesn't have to be a bill but it has to be able to wrap around it flat like paper does. I'm not sure if a silk would work to well but it might be worth testing out. Hmm, it might work. I'll give it a try and let you know.

Ron Jaxon

I'll have to read it again. I guess I stopped when I understood what was going on! Another thought on the motivation issue. How about pulling the old salt shaker thru table gag. That is, "Hey, check out my vanishing lighter." Cover it w/ a bill rather than a hanky, napkin or whatever... It needs work and more of a routine, but it came to me in the car today while trying to come up w/ a routine for this. Any other thoughts?


Edit: I guess I should have gone back a page before posting this! Nicholas,I like your way of thinking. My sense of humor is a bit on the quirky side and your presentation is easily adaptable. Not word for word, but the attitude. Hope you don't mind if I borrow a bit. Thanks for sharing. I'm looking forward to working this into something.

Anyone have any suggestions for bringing it back? I like the Anywhere Bill idea, but you can actually burn the bill for that. How about a signed bill?

Get yourself one of those little mint tins (Altoids for example). Get a bill and hold it up. Then glue or use magnet to hold it into the box.

Go into your pocket as if looking for something and casually place the mint tin and a marker on the table. While you're searching also obtain the lighter in your hand. You give up because you can't find what you need so you ask for the loan of one. So ask if anyone has a dollar bill you can use (It all seems impromptu).

Now you're ready to perform Bill burner and make the signed bill appear inside the mint tin on the table using a shuttle pass.

I'll tell you how I usually use it. This routine makes use of a few of my tricks that I have out as E-books. Maybe it'll give you some ideas on how you can use them. It just shows how I tie them together.

I toss a clear lighter on the table (not gimmicked) then ask for the loan of a dollar bill. I use the wallet to switch the bill for my "Change for a Dollar" trick. After performing that I switch back for the real bill as I put my wallet away.

Now I pick up the lighter and tell them I'm going to make there bill disappear. I hold the lighter to the bill as if I'm going to burn it as I say, "This may take a few minutes". The joke here is that I'm going to burn it until it disappears.

As I laugh with them as if saying, "I'm just kidding" I drop the bill on the table and pull a cigarette out. I now perform Outsmokin and my final load is a cigarette with a bill loaded inside. During the Outsmokin performance I drop the lighter into my pocket. At the end of Outsmokin I drop the loaded cig. on the table as I say, "Oh, I quit".

Now I go back to the bill (Sometimes I do a corner switch here). Use bill burner to vanish the bill and it's found inside the cigarette on the table. They saw the lighter out in full view a little while ago so no heat is on that.

I hope this will give some of you some ideas on how to present it.

Ron Jaxon

Well, what can I say.

I have just downloaded e-book and the idea is great. and open to do many thngs also.

hre in spain, it is easy to find tons of lighters like these, all colours.

thanks ron for your ideas

I downloaded this and am not disappointed at all. What a clever idea. I can't wait to finish making the gimmick. I need to buy some superglue. I must admit, it is a very clever idea. I'm going to be brainstorming on the many uses of this principle and different ways to use the bill/lighter in a routine that is logically motivated- or at least very entertaining. I will be putting this into my table hopping act almost immediately. Hats off to you Jaxon!

I haven't downloaded it, but I think I may have an idea for it.. You know those lighters with the money on them?... Maybe you could get one of those, and have only half of the money on one side so you can't see it, and than when you vanish the bill, the effect could be that the money is imprinted on the lighter.. would that work??

Not so much...

but maybe with a shuttle pass...

I probably shouldn't even mention this but I'm researching something right now that'll make this trick even better. Sorry to leave you hanging but I'm excited about the possibilities with this and I have no magician friends here with me to talk about it with. If you've ever come up with an idea I'm sure you know the feeling. Get the urge to say, "Wow. check this out!"

Keep your eyes out. I'll post back here and let you know when and if it'll work as well as I hope. I had to order something to try it and I'm waiting for it to arrive.

Ron Jaxon

I keep checking back for an update. Will purchasers of Bill Burner be notified of any new developments?

What is the motivation for wrapping a bill around a lighter?

I can't think of any...that would appear sufficient in patter.