talkmagic.co.uk

I recently bought Paul Fox's Miracle Gimmick in which you get something you need to print and stick on a card.

It made me think - is it not easier to print directly on to the card itself? How easy is it to whack a blank card into an inkjet printer and print onto it? Or is this another bit of magician heresy...like burning a copy of RRTCM?

Has anyone tried this, before I potentially destroy my printer in the process?

Sorry if this has already been covered.

if your printer can does phtographs then I can't imagine it would be a great problem. Any other printer might have a smudge issue as playing cards aren't as porous as regular printer paper, therefore taking longer for the ink to dry. Could be wrong on any of that but that's what my gut says.

Beyond that if you know how to set your printer up for different paper sizes and know which side is up then it should be fine.

If in doubt speak to a graphic designer. I'm sure I heard you mention that you're a teacher, if I'm right maybe there's an art teacher you could speak to. I'm sure most art school degrees have an element of graphic design.

In some cases you might have to be able to show part of the KH. I taped my gimmick with clear tape on the KH and covered the whole gimmick with tape so I don't have to fear any smudges.

pm'd you...

Some previous threads on this topic which might help, or hinder, are at:

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic26701.php

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic21637.php

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic7808.php

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic18659.php

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic16186.php

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic14266.php

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic2398.php

This is not easy to do,

Youl will find it will take about five years for the ink to dry then when it does it will scratch off.

(thats what i found anyway)

Tim,
The ink probably won't dry if you print directly onto card stock.

Thanks for your comments as ever and particularly all the links, Mandrake, and Demitri's detailed PM.

Tried searching on here for printing cards but it seemed to bring up anything but printing cards.

Anyway, I read a good bit of advice about how most of the time you can buy what you want from a dealer anyway. Have since found this so may just take that route.

Type printing cards into the search box, select "Search for all terms", and opt for "posts" and "Return (first) all available characters". It does throw up a lot of random stuff, but I found two other threads that fitted the subject in the first two pages of results.

You've obviously found out that you can buy the gimmick, but I'll also add that, for some types of fake card, the 'Stick a Pip' system (also sold by cards4magic) might help. There are also some people who use transfer paper, but I've wondered about the finish you'd get on cards made that way.

If you are talking about the stuff you print on then iron onto the card. It's not good. I'm sure there's a DVD out there somewhere about printing onto cards yourself. If you are going to, then you'll need some blank faces. I've actually got them in the house without the vinyl finish on them, they are Bicycles and dead flat, so you can get them.
Apologies if it's on one of the other threads that are linked (as I don't haver the time at the moment to check) but you'll need to remove the varnish/finish that's on the card before you do anything. Get some Iso-Propanol alchohol (or some thinners, but the former leaves little residue and thus does make the card smell so much) and rub it on the card. This will remove it ready for printing. Afterwards (printing) try an acrylic varnish on top to secure and protect it.

Oddly enough, one of the threads Mandrake didn't include was my review of that DVD:

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic2608

It's probably referred to somewhere in the many threads that were listed, but I've put it again, since Jason mentioned the DVD.

Part-Timer wrote:Oddly enough, one of the threads Mandrake didn't include was my review of that DVD:

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic2608

One must make allowances for senior citizens.

Arrrrr, that be the one. One of those, "I've read something really interesting, but can't for the life of me remember what it was."

Replicant wrote:One must make allowances for senior citizens.

Saucer of milk for Replicant!

I'm sure it was left out either because it was cross-referred to in one of the numerous other threads, or because the DVD title is spectacularly unhelpful. 'Versatile Monte and Beyond' doesn't give much of a clue that it's about printing on Bicycle cards!

By the way, you might also want to check out http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic2608 !

(Anyone making further refernces to Senior Citizens will be rewarded by a smack in the shins from my zimmer frame - I've taken the rubber feet off it and sharpened the metal !!)