o.k. - your crazy! Actually, I think using sponges is not a bad idea. Vernon advised against the use of sponges - people being aware of the compressable nature of sponge balls, might suspect that you use that factor in some devious way. But the good thing about sponges is their compressability. You can use that factor in some very devious ways!

A friend showed me a nice ending for C&B with mini-sponges. Regular sponges than switiching to big ones and after that as a final load he produces about five to six mini ones - really great effect! But he will not tell me how to get the final load in the cup - any ideas out there???

And to Brad - Yea I´m mad man!!HIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHI

P.S. My idea was to use a littel bag - but there seemed not to be one.

I use ¾th inch ball bearings with melamine coffee cups. They make a typical sound when the steel ball is stuck on the outside of the cup. After completing the cups & ball routine, do a chop cup routine with the same set along with the OMEGA Ring. It bowls them over.

:xmas: Ustaad

You can get Mike Rogers mini-baseballs at
http://www.ammarmagic.com
You can get everything for cups and balls there. loads, wands, cups and how to videos on the cups and balls trick.
I bought all the cups and ball stuff and I recommend everything there.
All of the products at ammarmagic.com
is very professional, and good quality.

Just searched Michael's web site and found nothing on the Mike Rogers baseballs. I think your info may be out of date.
tr

Steven's Magic Emporium is carrying them again:

Click Here

Ok, this time call me mad!!
But when I was playing around with the mouse, the ball dropped up and I picked it up. Surprisingly enough it was a great weight to perform fake transfers etc with.
I have cosidered using it in my cups and balls routine but haven't yet!

Thanks, Philemon. I've been looking for those.

Regards,
Tony

Mumblepeas ...

Thanks for passing along the monkey fist details. Tied a set in no time large enough to use for a 3 ball routine.

No talk, no bounce, and makes for a good pop-up move.

Thanks to Mumblepeas for monkey fist idea. I found the proper rope that comes in nice colors. I am using a bright yellow for rehearsal as it is easy to see it flash , but will be great to figure out where I do flash

I like the monkey fist idea, but I can't seem to tie it; I can't get all the pieces tight. I've made my own balls out of the "traditional" cork. They're about 3/4 inch in diameter. Once blackened over a flame and wiped clean, they're very easy to work with.

I like the Mike Rogers baseballs. They are definitely still available from Michael Ammar (I just bought some) at this link.

Both sizes (7/8" and 1") grip more reliably in a finger palm than crocheted balls, are easier to keep clean, and they have an authentic baseball look.

Some audiences may well be unimpressed -- or even turned off -- by the baseball motif, and it seems prudent to take that into account in planning a routine and its performance. But for baseball fans in particular, the Rogers balls, plus the larger final load balls, should be well received.

These and other final load sports-related balls might be found at this link.

Tim :->

For several years I used black rubber mouse balls as they had a perfect size and weight to them and great inherant "tackyness" which made some of the sleights much easier. They also looked like the traditional burnt cork balls of olde. I finally stopped using these as they were difficult for the audience to see clearly. I then used a set of red felt balls that I had a wool vendor at a Ren fair make for me. I udsed these until I got a set of cups on E-Bay thay came with a marvelous set of crochet balls that instead of the traditional cork had dense fabric centers which makes them not quite round so they don't roll real well which is a plus as I rarely get to perform on level ground. I once saw a French documentary on Robert Houdin which re-enacted a scene from his ghildhood where he encountered a cups and balls worker using nutmegs as balls.

For the last 13 or so years I've been using some balls I made myself. They are the ones Tommy Wonder describes in his cups and Balls routine. They are basically small dense Pom Poms. mine are bright Orange. I'm surprised how long they've held up.

I'm always on the search for the perfect ball. I recently found a supplier of the 1-3/8" baseballs that I plan on switching to. they come on pull chains for ceiling fans, along with several other types of balls. You can get the, in Home Depots.

Mumblepeas: I like the Monkeysfist, thanks for the link. At TAOM some of the Street Performers had these. I like them because it looks like you can make them in any size you want.

Ronnie
:cups:

Even though I haven't tried them. I heard a tip by Alexander de Cova of using the no-bounce ball from the well known trick as the small balls for the Cups and Balls. This is the like traditional ball color used by European performers in the Middle Ages. I agree with one of the previous posts that if you are not careful you may end up with a shell like move when making some of your displays. But then again, its tackiness makes it easier to handle.

Magically,

hbenod

There is a good book written by Jack Channin, who past away a few years back, that has an excellent routine for cups and balls using waste paper baskets for cups and small wads of toilet paper for the balls.

I do my cups and balls with the chop cups and knitted balls. As a final load, I say "Well right now there are six balls on the table, but if I add one it's seven." Then I turn over the center cup and show a sponge ball which leads me into my next routine.

The trick to the Monkey's Fist knot is in the tightening -- so it is with any complex knot.

I'm glad you all seemed to enjoy the Monkey's Fist Balls, I think they're the best I've ever used for street work. I spent many days researching the knot and then seeking the best materials to make them from. One notable finding was colored parachute cord, it made a very seviceable, economical ball; something that I'd planned on marketing as an entry level set -- but if you learn the knot, they're easily enough made.

You should see the ones I'm making now they're even prettier than the monkey's fists and most of the sets are chopped for you Chop Cup guys.

Eric, were you one of the performers at Taom this year?
Ronnie

Yep, I was there in the Water Gardens, what a beautiful setting.

Why? I didn't flash any did I?

I really enjoyed your act. It was like being entertained by an friend, very enjoyable, Two Thumbs up. I was also wondering where you got your Poachers Pouch.

Thanks Ronnie