Just wondered in anyone has a better way for vanishing the last ball of the standard Stratosphere routine?
Have also considered a larger size devil's hank.

Thanks and have a nice day,

Walking Bob

Bob,
I use a Bye Bye hank, and it is perfect. You place the ball on your hand, cover it with a cloth, and whisk it away and the ball vanishes. I use this in place of the bulky box that it comes with. The vanish is more visual and more flashy.

A bengal net would be effective, but it's an expensive prop.

Jim

Much like a dove vanish...flash paper ignites...the ball is gone. I can't say more in open forum w/o exposure!

Jim Gerrish offers two alternate Ball vanishes in his facetiously nameed e-Book "Balls to the Walls" from The Wizards' Journal #11 on my site. One is a center vanish Devil's Hank (like the Bye Bye Hank TommyJ mentions above) and the other vanish is good for those who prefer a sleight of hand vanish involving a specially gimmicked ball.

Well I know this doesn't answer your question, but just an idea. I used to be the same way about using the box. Then I started putting a small red hank inside the box behind the vanishing part of it so that when I did open the box to show the ball is gone, and at the same as opening the box, blowing out the hank, and saying "all that was left was his ghost" (I use a routine where the ball represents a boy) Anyway, all the attention is now on the hank that is slowing falling to the floor. I then just put the box in my table and pick up the hank and show it. It takes a lot of worry off of the box and the kids minds are just wondering "How did the ball turn into the hank?" They almost always forget about the box after that. I hope this helps out

I do exactly the same as above in Russells routine (although my routine is diferent) ive never been picked up on the box as the kids are more interested where the silk come from
Dave

Few thoughts.

I hate that box and absolutely think it is the weak part of the routine. I also perform it with the red silk for now, until I become more comfortable with a better method.

A few weeks ago a did a show at a school and performed Strat-o-sphere. After the show the principal came up to me wanting to know how exactly that red ball vanished. At first I thought he was joking, turns out he wasn't, to him it was the most magical part of the show, go figure.

Tommy,

I really like that method. It looks very magical. I think you can get it from Lock Family Magic. Their website is http://www.lockfamilymagic.com

Thanks for all of the info!!! I have used the red silk method and that seems to work okay. I will check into the Bye Bye hank and I have also received some helpful info from the Wizard's Journal.

Have a nice day,

Walking Bob in Iowa

Heres a unique way to vanish the ball using a Shenanigan die box

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYDKxPAQeNI

Am I the only one who likes the box?!
I have done this trick at schools for the last eight years. Often two schools a day five days a week.....tomorrow I start on a 14 week run.
The response to the ball vanish is huge and I then move their attention to its reappearance back in the tube.
Well, it works for me.
I like the sound of the silk effect though and might give it a go sometime.

You are not alone, jugglestruck ! I like the box as well. It has always worked for me with my audiences, though granted they are VERY young...preschool to be exact. To each his own, I say. I am not out to impress magicians, just my young audiences. My bills don't get paid by other magicians !

:D

Mark

I too have been preforming this with the box for over 20 years. As soon as the ball vanishes and is seen back in the tube, there is no longer any heat on the box.

I have a much smaller (close up) version of this trick that did not come with box, I use various slight of hand vanishes for this one.

Following Trumpetmans comment I would like to add that my audiences are around the 7 year olds.

While I never found the box to be that much of a problem, I also never found it to be that strong of a feature for the routine. Once I started using the red silk inside, I found that it was a lot better and as stated previously, it does take heat off of the prop. I haven't performed the effect in a number of years, but like the idea of using the Abbott's Shenanigan Box in conjunction with the routine. I may try that out, but just need to figure out how to LOGICALLY combine the two effects into a smooth running routine.

A TOPIT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THIS ROUTINE IF U WEAR A COAT. VANISHING THE BALL WAS ALWAYS MY BEEF WITH THE TRICK. LAFLIN HAS A VANISHING CLOTH BUT NOT SURE IF THE SIZE IS RIGHT FOR A STRATOSPHERE TRICK.

The box seems to be an integral part of the routine for kids--they like the "boxy" and colorful apparatus--the ball vanishing/transforming in an instant is a strong (and baffling) moment FOR THEM.

Originally Grant supplied this with solid rubber balls. It is a very pretty happening when a red ball is bounced off the floor, caught in the box and the front and back doors opened to show the silk handkerchief> all in one fluid movement.

At the moment the ball is caught in the box, both doors are opened and the opened box held at your eye level (sometimes you'll need to blow the silk handkerchief out of the box). As mentioned by an earlier poster, all attention will be on the handkerchief as it floats to the floor. Setting the box aside (or out of site) is done very matter-of-factly.

All things considered this is a very nice routine for kids AND adults.

Julie

Abbotts - magicgettogether

Stratosphere and the Shenanigan Die Box

This will vanish the last ball.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4xYbcZSxNs

If the link does not work, go to youtube and type in - magicgettogether, for Abbotts items. Then look for Shenanigan and Stratosphere Combo.

I LIKE THE BOX!!! IT MATCH'S WITH THE PATTER THAT I USE FOR THE ROUTINE!
Hansel!