I've been working on the Benson salt pour, and thinking about the eternal problem of ditching the gimmick.

How about this? Pour the "magic dust" into a dove pan. Finish the pour, make Benson's "open hand" gesture, go into left pocket for flash paper, and right pocket for a lighter. Light the paper in the pan, put down the lid, and transform the dust into something. (Or just ditch behind the lid while reaching for it?)

What do you think? Too obvious a ditch? I think it gives a reason to be pouring in the first place - to effect a transformation.

I don't think your idea is good because you want to take away from the climax of the Long Salt Pour. Doing so will kill the audience reaction as to what they have just witnessed.

I think you should purchase the Levent gimmick and the DVD that comes with it, this will give several ideas.

Also the long salt pour is best done with a container that is low, about knee height.

I suggest you get this dump box and line it with a trash can liner to collect the salt.
http://www.laflinmagicstore.com/products....../page/2/ scroll to last item on the page.

Uday use to make a cardboard one, but I do not think it is available any longer. This one is made out of metal and is much better.

Heres an idea I came up with that I am very reluctant to give up on an open forum. Have a handkerchief of contrasting color hanging over the front of the receptacle your using to catch the salt, preferably something like the one wmhegbli recommended. Once you reach the end of your pour finish with Benson's empty hand flourish and on the down stroke under cover of picking up the handkerchief drop the gimmick into the box, wipe hands clean to finish. I hope it's obvious that the box should be opaque and padded so as to avoid any "talking."

If I may say so myself, this ditch of the gimmick is absolutely brilliant. By simulating the hand to be empty and picking up an already visible object the ditch will go by completely unnoticed.

It goes unnoticed because the audience is not aware of a gimmick in the first place. If you really did pour eternal salt from your hand, you won't be holding anything. That's why I think your idea is pretty good. Like The Great Hegblini said, as long as you don't add another effect to it to take away from the long pour that's the main gripe.

Tsolo, I can understand you do not understand the power of this effect on a lay audience. I can only tell you my experience, and it was awesome. The audience broke out in spontaneous applause twice during the routine and then at the finish I received a stand ovation.

There's another good point.

Hegblini, you're right. Shouldn't cancel out one effect with another (a much more common one at that). And thank you for giving me something to look forward to - audience reaction. I have never seen this effect performed live, and it's great to hear that it gets such a strong response.

As for the Levent package: I am following his analysis in "Benson by Starlight". Wonderful stuff. But I am not going to invest in his gimmick, because I have minuscule hands (I wear child-size gloves). I've created my own gimmick that I am very happy about - fits the dimensions of my hands, and pours for an eternity.

Mac_Stone: Thanks for sharing your idea. Someone who used to do this effect told me he would ditch into the container on the downstroke, though in a different way. Relied on the speed and continuity of the motion. But the hank is a nice touch! (Don't worry - I remain in pursuit of my own solution.)

If you must ditch just do so as you reach for a napkin to wipe your hand off with.