The Hardboard and Duct Tape
Magic Show
BOOK TWO By Jim Gerrish
In Book Two, we will be making
some narrow tube-like tricks, beginning with the Genii Tube. One
of the tools you should add to your arsenel is a good Circular
Saw. It doesn't have to be expensive. The one I'm using is a $50
saw from Sears.
The sabre saw was good enough for
the projects in Book One, but compare the two sides of the
hardboard shown in the photo above. The left side was cut with a
curcular saw, using a Wood guide. You make the guide yourself.
It's just a two foot long piece of pine with a straight edge. To
make sure you get a nice straight piece of pine, look down the
edge from one end of the wood. If it looks crooked, throw it
back. Light travels in a straight line, so by viewing the wood
from this angle, you can see if the wood is straight or curved.
Glue and SCREW the pine board to a piece of plywood that is at
least 1/2 inch thick.
Your very first cut can be to trim the end of the plywood to
make your guide. Press the edge of the circular saw's metal guide
plate up against the pine wood board and cut through the plywood.
You'll find you can zip right through it without having to look
at the lines!
Above, I have started cutting out the strips that will form
the Genii Tube project. I draw lines on the hardboard, and then
line up the edge of my plywood wood guide so it is right on top
of the line drawn on the hardboard. Make sure it is also over the
edge of your work bench or you'll saw your bench to pieces! Now
you can saw right down the wood guide without hesitation and make
a prefect cut. For hardboard, I use a saw blade that is designed
for smooth cuts and has 150 teeth.
In less than five minutes I cut out all the
pieces needed to make the Genii Tube, and the edges were all nice
and straight. After using this method, you may wish to revisit
Book 1 and cut out your pieces this way. Keep in mind, that if
you don't have a circular saw, don't let that stop you from
continuing to make all the props with the sabre saw. It's just
that you'll see a big difference in the straight edges you can
cut if you start using a circular saw when possible. We'll still
need the sabre saw for internal cuts, however, so don't get rid
of it just yet!
Jim's other book is all about building
Illusions (and some Illusionettes) from PVC Pipes. It is available HERE!
