Ball Box

"Ball Box" is made from repurposed cigar boxes, bottle caps, and wine cork. The foundation of the box is made from pine. The box's interior uses traditional magic principles for vanishing an object. The hinges for the doors on either side are made from a clothing hanger. The wire was cut and pressed in to fit from the top and bottom, so the doors can swing freely.

The Dream Box

"The Dream Box" is made in a repurposed Upper Cut cigar box. I used leather, brass, different foam boards, and cardstock to build the inside and outside. The handle is made from a wire clothes hanger. There is woodburning done on the front, and it's glossed over with ModgePodge. This box is the beginning of something I have always wanted to make: to have someone name any card, then to turn a handle on a box, and have that card appear. Watch the video, and let me know what you think! I'm curious to know how this holds up before I really start trying to perform it.

The Nickel Box

"The Nickel Box" was made from copper, wood, bolts, screws, epoxy, scrap metal, skeleton key, paint, and nails. The tiny box was made from scratch, using scrap wood from another cigar box. All of the copper was hand cut to fit the box. I love this routine, because no electricity is required for it to work. The goal of this project was to create a magic effect that works like a crank toy.

Drawing Automaton

The "Drawing Automaton" is a drawing machine that is powered by magnets. Inside there is a plastic cylinder that spins as you turn the handle. Around the cylinder are small magnets placed in random spots. The wires holding the pen are held together by springs which are pulled by fishing line. The line also has magnets attached. As you turn the handle, the magnets from the line attach themselves to the cylinder, and the tension causes the springs to expand, making the pen move. I challenged myself to create a hand turning machine that can draw in every direction. Though the drawings are random, I still consider this project a great success.

Think Of A Card Box

"Think Of A Card Box" is made inside of a Griffin's cigar box. There are electronics built inside to make the magic part work properly. When you put a quarter in the slot, the lightbulb lights up and the switches begin to work. With a shuffled pack of cards, you have someone think of one as you pass the cards individually between your hands. At the end of the routine the thought-of card is revealed. I love this piece because it combines woodburning, electronics, and magic. The turning handle also reminds me of old-fashioned music boxes.

Digital Scratch Pad

"Digital Scratch Pad" was made using a 555 timer IC . The sound is controlled through a photo-cell which is sensitive to light. As you cover the photo-cell, the the sound gets deeper, and as the cell is exposed to more light, the pitch gets higher. Underneath the felt is a flex sensor. The more pressure you place on the felt, the more it distorts the sound. There is a 1/4 inch jack, so you can plug it into an external speaker to make it louder. I've used this plugged into a Marshall stack, and it sounds awesome.