Card in Orange
Hey everyone,
By request from our friend @franciscoufarte0155 (I hope I got the username right, Paco), we're going to take a look at how to get a card inside an orange.
So, let's break down how it's done.
The photo shows everything we'll need to get a card inside an orange. Let's list it out:
An orange – obviously, right? You could try another fruit, but a card hides really well in an orange.
Two identical cards. One will go inside the orange, and the other we'll conceal.
A utility knife (or hobby knife) to make a perfect cut. I have two: the yellow one for the card, and the blue one I'll use for the orange.
Stainless steel straws, or something hard and hollow, roughly the size of a rolled-up card.
A hot glue gun, to seal the orange afterward.
The 'Contraption.' This is something I built to trim cards and create gimmicks. In fact, the first trick I performed with it is the one we're about to demonstrate.
I used my contraption for this, but if you put your mind to it, you could figure out other ways to do it. Basically, it involves weakening the card by cutting through two layers of paper; the spectator won't notice a thing.
This way, when we tear the corner in front of the spectator, it will perfectly match the one inside the orange.
We weaken two corners so they always tear off identically, and then we break one of them.
The other corner we keep hidden in our deck...
For this, I use the two straws that I use for card stripping... Check out our friend @Zeta's posts, and you'll see what I'm talking about.
With the help of the utility knife and extreme caution (if you're underage, please ask your parents for help), we remove the stem from the orange.
For this, we'll use a stainless steel straw, being very careful not to push all the way through the orange. We'll apply just enough pressure to create a hole in the fruit.
Then, very carefully, we slide the card into the orange.
If the orange is going to sit with the card inside for a while, it's a good idea to wrap it in plastic film so the orange juice doesn't damage it too much.
To seal it, we'll apply a tiny bit of hot glue and carefully place the orange stem back in.
Here's the final result! Click the link below to watch a video of the orange with the card inside.
Happy Sunday!
20
Join the conversation
Sort:
Brilliantly explained!!! Thanks!!!
I'd add that if, instead of using a utility knife to subtly prepare the corner of a card, you use a sewing pin, that works too. And, in my experience, I found it much easier than with the utility knife. With the knife, I really struggled to find the right amount of pressure to avoid going too far (especially if it's well-sharpened), but with the pin, you don't need to be quite as precise 🤷🏻♂️
Anyway, I'm just sharing my two cents on using one method versus the other 😉😅
Wonderful, thank you very much
Awesome, fantastic tutorial! Thanks so much, Carlos, for sharing this amazing trick.
This is pure magic; it's like a wish come true!
Warmly, Carlos.
Amazing, @cdiaz!!!
What a fantastic contribution!
Thanks so much for the explanation!!
Carlos
Awesome, awesome, awesome…
And I have your "Engendro" at home, the very first in America!!!
Thanks so much for sharing your magic and creativity with everyone.
All the best,
Thanks, I'm with you—the tricky part is getting the gimmick into play without anyone noticing. I'll pick up the 6mm ones, and they'll be perfect for splitting cards.
Cheers
@jmedina:
It's similar to Juan Pablo's in terms of product size, but it's totally different.
Option A: If you've got a 3D printer, you can make it yourself (anyone can), just like @cdiaz explained he did.
Option B: I'm not sure if @cdiaz became an entrepreneur and now sells his products, or if someone stole his idea, but I've seen both inventions (the 'contraption' and the card peeler) for sale on Asdemagia, and they're 60 euros each. Buying them is another option.
My take is that for what those two would cost you, you could buy a 3D printer and make them yourself. Then you'd still have the 3D printer to keep making other things that are expensive to buy but cheap to produce yourself.
All the best!!!
Hey everyone,
@Zeta, yes, some of my items are indeed for sale at As de Magia and other shops. My wife handles that side of the business, and since these are specialized items for a niche clientele, the pricing reflects that. If we sold a lot more, we could look into adjusting the price, but the hours of work, materials, shipping, and store margin all factor into it. There aren't many people who need them, but I guarantee the time saved and the quality of the gimmicks make them worth it.
Regarding buying a 3D printer for €120, I want to tell you all, that's not a good idea. A decent starting price is at least €300, and you also have to factor in the testing until you get what you want, buying filament, adjusting and calibrating the machine, and other materials. You'll need to dedicate fewer hours to it than to magic, but you still need to put in the time.
Plus, you need the design software, and you'll spend time on that, learning to design something that's printable. For me, it wasn't an issue because of my job (I've been designing machines for 35 years), and I got into 3D printing to make prototypes of things I design.
I've already helped some colleagues who wanted to do 3D printing on the Telegram channel, and I believe they can attest that you have to invest quite a few hours to get what you want. It's the usual deal: either you put in the hours yourself, or you pay someone else to do it for you. If you do buy a printer (and I encourage you to!), be prepared to spend time reading, watching videos, and don't get frustrated with parts that don't work or fit, print failures, and machine issues. I don't mean to discourage you; quite the opposite. It's like when you practice a Double Lift or another move; it takes hours, and you have to put in the time for it to pay off.
Maybe one day you'll see some of my stuff on Magia y Cardistry. I'll let you know if that happens.
I'm not sharing more info out of respect for @jriberamagia and @magiaycardistry.
Cheers everyone, and I'm here for whatever you need. Except for asking me for STLs…
Good morning, Carlos, what diameter are the metal rods you use—6mm or 12mm?
Hey Paco, the ones I used were 6mm, I think, but that's just to open it up in the middle and make the hole. Then the card slides right into the orange without a hitch. If you're careful, you could even use a drill bit, but I found the straw much easier.
12mm might be a bit too big. The idea is to avoid damaging the spot where you took the stem out, so you can glue it back on later.
The orange gives a little, and once the card is fully inserted, it springs back. Then you glue the stem back on with a little bit of silicone; it's all about trial and error.
If you watch the video, you'll see that nothing is visible.
The tricky part of this trick is getting the orange into your friends' house or wherever you're performing.
That's really clever – it looks like a normal orange. But how do you pull this off and get a spectator's signed card or paper inside the orange??
Here's a video:
You'll have to perform a switch or prepare the orange in a different way. I use it with a torn corner and a card prepared to tear just like the one I put into the orange.
IF the spectator has to sign it, I don't see any other option than to perform a switch or prepare the orange for the reveal. The way I've explained it in this thread, the orange is examinable, and they could even cut it open with a knife...
Depending on how long you leave the card in the orange, the paper will deteriorate more or less.
As an effect, it's very strong, I guarantee it.
It's blocked in Spain.