I got some inspiration from Alan Warner's "Mini Mental", and created a 3D printed contraption that I have called "Bureau of Divination".


Before pedestals are placed


Pedestals placed on top of locked cabinet


Nothing to see at the rear


Door opened to reveal small slates


Slates placed into pedestals to show they match


It is made to resemble a piece of furniture (at least to a degree), so I made it in brown (even better would have been wood infused filament, so maybe I'll test that as well). The door was also the same color as the cabinet in the beginning, but I decided to try making it in gold instead (as in the pictures) and I think I like that better, even if it makes it look less authentic (if that's even a point for a magic prop). The small slates are printed with a really nice filament that looks a bit like sand, but I also think it looks a bit like granite (which is what I'm going with in this context). The colored pedestals are made to hold the small slates as you can see, and I think that is a nice touch. The small slates and the pedestals can be examined, but the bureau/cabinet can't (but you would all have guessed that already).

I've also made a video of it, which you can see here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM-gG_WMxeU

It may be obvious to many of you how this works, but I think it will fool at least a good amount of lay people.

Very nice! As usual I love your design choices. Thanks for sharing.

John

Another winner!!! The design is very unusual and quite magical looking without being gaudy or over-designed. I love the two separate phases.

Well done!!!

I don't find it at all obvious how it works, I think I'm not alone 😉

The basic principle is clear - but not the implementation ...

I'm happy you like it, guys.

Whether lay people also immediately understands the basic principle is something I don't know, but if that's the case, then it really is more a puzzle than a magic trick.

Maybe my statement about "basic priciple"was not enough precise

I meant a basic understanding of the trick for magicians is available

So I'd say it's a very clever magic puzzle that I haven't solved yet 😉

This is very nice and well done.
Thanks for sharing.