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1 week ago

Proof of life…Yup! I am still around. For the past few weeks I have been working on a batch of Chop Cups and a batch of Okito-Nielsen Chinese Sticks.I can’t post much of what I do lest I expose the secret of the tricks. 😜This video shows part of the process. Here I prepare the sticks by sanding them – i.e. slightly scratching them – so that they can be ready for painting. After sanding them, I apply a couple coats of an etching primer on them. This provides a smooth surface upon which the color can be applied.The little components you see on the video are caps for the sticks. These are been masked to allow the primer to etch only the desired surface.The video is at 2x the speed. It is a very tedious and time consuming process. But I can’t emphasize the importance of the prep work in achieving a beautiful result in this project.#magicprops #nielsenmagic #chinesesticks #okitonielsen #handcrafted #madeintheusa #nielsenmagic #oneeyedwonder #maker #qualityproducts … See MoreSee Less

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Nielsen Magic

3 weeks ago

Currently, I have been working on several projects at once. While I have to wait for paint or glue to dry on one item, I go ahead and work on something else.I am making a batch of Nielsen Chop Cup Teacups. This version of this classic effect was introduced by Norm Nielsen along with his magic inventor friend, George Murray, in 1994 for the FISM Convention in Yokohama, Japan. These cups involve a Yakesennin Teacup under which balls appear and disappear. This version was a hit at that convention and, since then, we have kept it as part of our Nielsen Magic line.Since we are not into exposing magic on social media, I am omitting the step where I work on the “tricky” part of the effect.On this video I show you how I apply a “Norm Nielsen” logo on the bottom of the cups. The design you see was made for Norm in Japan, and we use it to brand the cups.For this task I use our little manual pad printer. The printer involves a silicone pad that picks up the paint and transfers it to the cups.The only problem I have is that because these cups are handmade, they are not perfectly round, and it is challenging to center them in the machine for printing. In order to position them as best I can, I made a little round holder using our handy Shaper Origin router.Cups are not in back stock on the website yet. They will be posted when I have them ready in a couple of weeks.So there you have it! I have been staying busy and out of trouble! 😜 #magicprops #nielsenmagic #chopcuptaecup #chopcup #padprinting #shaperorigin #handcrafted #madeintheusa #nielsenmagic #oneeyedwonder #maker #qualityproducts … See MoreSee Less

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Nielsen Magic

3 weeks ago

Amongst the various projects I am working on this month, is a batch of Okito-Nielsen Chinese Sticks. I hope to have those ready by the end of the month and before the Magic Live Convention next month.It is not a glamorous job. The project involves a LOT of small parts and repetitive tasks.To make the job appealing, I start with the parts that I like to do the least: The Sticks’ tassels and their carrying bags.I make each tassel out of wool. There is no way I can farm that task out, because for our trick design to work, the tassels have to be light in weight and bright in color. The video shows me making them in bright yellow. The tassel strings come together around a little metal ring that attaches to the rest of the trick.All this is followed by sewing the carrying bags for this effect. The sticks will be made out of brass, and to protect them, it is nice to have a proper bag for them. Sewing is not my forte, but I can defend myself in this area. I am mostly self taught, and did get good practice in theater school, where after hanging out at the costume shop for a while they put me in front of a sewing machine to put pieces of fabric together for a show or two! Lol!The subsequent painting and assembly of the mechanical parts is more what I enjoy, and I look forward to spending this 4th of July Holiday week in the shop making stuff.Have a good week, everyone! ❤️🤗#magicprops #sewingformagic #handcrafted #madeintheusa #nielsenmagic #oneeyedwonder #maker #qualityproducts(This post was created by a human being. No AI was used. 😜) … See MoreSee Less

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Nielsen Magic

4 weeks ago

I closed our little magic business for a few days last week because I went to school.I discovered the Marc Adams School of Woodworking (MASW) in 2020 during the pandemic. Everyone was locked in, and I figured this would be a great opportunity to take some time off and do something. The west coast was in lock down and I could not attend any of the schools in my part of the world, particularly in California. To my delight, the state of Indiana opened in June 2020, and that is where the MASW is located. At the time they were following a strict Covid protocol, but what was important for me was that it was open.Since then, I have been attending at least once per year, and I have been having a blast learning from some of the top craftsmen in the world. The school has 40,000 square feet of workshop space, and it can host five simultaneous classes each week. Each year they offer 250 classes taught by 150 instructors. It is the largest school in North America of its kind.This year I will be attending twice – I attended last week, and I am scheduled to be there again in the fall.Last week, I attended a class titled: “Museum Quality Veneered Boxes”, taught by Steven Parker, who is one of the top box makers in the United States. The class was intensive. At MASW, we start our day at 8:00 am and work all day until 6:00 pm. The school is open 24/7, so students can return after hours to work on their projects. At the end of the week, one has probably clocked in over 40 hours of work and instruction on any particular subject.We were a class of 16 talented woodworkers and we had a lot of fun. Steven had some very clever techniques for fine box construction and design. We learned about his veneering, gluing and lining methods. We even spent time talking about high end boxes like those for gun storage and display, and even humidor construction.A huge THANK YOU goes to Steve for his wonderful instruction. I am grateful for these opportunities that make me a better craftsman and woodworker.The completed project on the video is the box I made:Box size: 14” x 11.75” x 6”Material: Fine mahogany veneer on a baltic birch plywood substrateHardware: Solid brass hinges and lock hardwareLining: Fine pig’s suede leatherFinish: Tried and True oil / wax finishYou can check out the school at: www.marcadams.com … See MoreSee Less

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Nielsen Magic

1 month ago

I am back!However, it will take a few more hours before I am into the groove of things.I am now packing, preparing and shipping all the orders that came in during my week’s absence.Thank you for your kind support and for keeping our little magic business going. … See MoreSee Less

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