Blanks

Jan 26, 2017
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What is the best way to construct a blank card? I know you can use rubbing alcohol, but does it matter what percent, or how much I use?

Also, can the spectators feel the difference? I doubt it, but just to be safe, I might as well ask.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
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Let me clarify -- nail polish remover will strip off the shiny coating from the card. I've used that on blank cards to enable them to be printed on. I don't know if that gets rid of the ink. Use a Q-tip on a test section of the card.

I have gotten rid of pips on cards by gently using a white pencil eraser. That may work better -- using an Ace of Diamonds which has the least ink and an eraser.
 
Jan 26, 2017
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Let me clarify -- nail polish remover will strip off the shiny coating from the card. I've used that on blank cards to enable them to be printed on. I don't know if that gets rid of the ink. Use a Q-tip on a test section of the card.

I have gotten rid of pips on cards by gently using a white pencil eraser. That may work better -- using an Ace of Diamonds which has the least ink and an eraser.
Yeah. For the effects I have in mind, it doesn't matter too much.

Also, You can print on cards without them catching on fire? I heard someone say they were gonna print on some cards, but I googled it and everyone was like "AHH OMG IT'S ON FIRE. IT RUINED MY PRINTER!!!1!!" So I never tried it xD
 
Jan 26, 2017
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Hey David,
I was experimenting with both Acetone (Nail Polish Remover) and erasers. I think I've found a good combination. However, how do you get rid of the visibly rough parts created by the Acetone? And should I do one final wipe of the whole card to get an even feel, if I'm going to do a trick in the spectators hands,or does it not matter?

Just for anyone who is curious, I find it best to use a high polymer eraser (or just a really good one) to erase as much as I can, then use a cotton ball and Nail Polish Remover and wipe off the rest of the ink in circular motions.

Also, does anyone know if cutting out a piece of high gloss paper and using double stick tape to out it onto the card's face will look real?
 
Dec 31, 2015
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Personally, I was attending UC Berkeley for a nine day summer camp, and I found a shop down the street from my dorm area that was selling full decks of blank cards with a Bicycle Standard back design (52 blank cards each) for $5 a deck. I ended up buying a deck of blank red Bicycle Standard cards and a deck of blank blue Bicycle Standard cards just to make it much easier, cheaper, and quicker to get a large volume of blank cards. Of course I do like to write the spectator's chosen card on them or find a way to make the blank card a souvenir for them, but to each their own.
 
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Jan 26, 2017
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Personally, I was attending UC Berkeley for a nine day summer camp, and I found a shop down the street from my dorm area that was selling full decks of blank cards with a Bicycle Standard back design (52 blank cards each) for $5 a deck. I ended up buying a deck of blank red Bicycle Standard cards and a deck of blank blue Bicycle Standard cards just to make it much easier, cheaper, and quicker to get a large volume of blank cards. Of course I do like to write the spectator's chosen card on them or find a way to make the blank card a souvenir for them, but to each their own.
That's great! I actually plan to use them in an effect where I have an "ink transpo" in the spectator's hands.

I would totally buy a blank deck... if I hadn't switched to performing with Tallys, and the Tally Ho Gaff deck is $15, and has a lot of stuff I would never use (though the double backers/facers would be nice). I could buy a blank bicycle deck, split a couple cars along with a couple Tallys, and make my own, but why not just blankify a couple Tallys at that point.
 
Dec 31, 2015
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That's great! I actually plan to use them in an effect where I have an "ink transpo" in the spectator's hands.

I would totally buy a blank deck... if I hadn't switched to performing with Tallys, and the Tally Ho Gaff deck is $15, and has a lot of stuff I would never use (though the double backers/facers would be nice). I could buy a blank bicycle deck, split a couple cars along with a couple Tallys, and make my own, but why not just blankify a couple Tallys at that point.

If that's the position you're in, then it's way easier just to remove the ink from some Tallys.
 
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Apr 9, 2016
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I'd be curious to know how this turns out for you. I've changed pips and other minor changes to a card face, I've split cards and made my own gaffe cards, but blanking an entire card face by removing ink seems like it would, as @RealityOne indicated above, would remove the entire finish. Even modifying a pip I was always sweating the dull spot (never got caught), but the whole face I've never seen, also making me wonder how it would handle (depending on the application, creating the ultimate "hanger" :) )

Let us know what you decide, how you achieve it, and how it works out for you, definitely an interesting conundrum!

Best of luck!
 
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I'd be curious to know how this turns out for you. I've changed pips and other minor changes to a card face, I've split cards and made my own gaffe cards, but blanking an entire card face by removing ink seems like it would, as @RealityOne indicated above, would remove the entire finish. Even modifying a pip I was always sweating the dull spot (never got caught), but the whole face I've never seen, also making me wonder how it would handle (depending on the application, creating the ultimate "hanger" :) )

Let us know what you decide, how you achieve it, and how it works out for you, definitely an interesting conundrum!

Best of luck!
I've spent a while using a quality eraser to get the ink off of a joker, and it feels like at least 80% of the finish is still there (of the parts I am erasing). And if I'm only using a couple swipes of the Nail polish remover, it wont take off too much finish (I tested this yesterday to see if it would work as roughing fluid. I put a decent amount, but a lot of the finish was still there)
 
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Apr 9, 2016
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I've spent a while using a quality eraser to get the ink off of a joker, and it feels like at least 80% of the finish is still there (of the parts I am erasing). And if I'm only using a couple swipes of the Nail polish remover, it wont take off too much finish (I tested this yesterday to see if it would work as roughing fluid. I put a decent amount, but a lot of the finish was still there)

No kidding? That's great!! I'd bet you're on your way then! Man it'd be great if you could pull it off whenever needed, especially given the lack of Tally force/blank decks available.

Nice job!
 
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Jan 26, 2017
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Just a quick update, I've gotten this using nothing but a high polymer eraser (not finished yet, but just to show you guys). This was a fully colored, full size Bicycle Joker from a slightly used deck, but one that was still in good condition and with newer finish.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxADYkk7LV-PekpDekQ5UVlJbW8
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxADYkk7LV-PSUF6dE81c1haZlE

One is with flash on, the other is without it (The darker background is the one with flash on).

I don't think I even need to use the Nail Polish Remover. Especially for Tally Jokers, since there is significantly less ink. It does get rid of quite a bit of the finish, but I have found that it doesn't really matter for most effects.

I think I'll just use a deck or 2 of Tallys and use them for nothing but Gaffing & Gimmicking (& dupes). I generally test everything out on a bicycle deck that I am using for practice or gimmicks, but I think I will soon hit the point where my old Tallys can be used.
 
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Josh Mickelson

Elite Member
Apr 26, 2016
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Also, You can print on cards without them catching on fire? I heard someone say they were gonna print on some cards, but I googled it and everyone was like "AHH OMG IT'S ON FIRE. IT RUINED MY PRINTER!!!1!!" So I never tried it xD

hahaha that's great!

That's great! I actually plan to use them in an effect where I have an "ink transpo" in the spectator's hands.

Is that kinda the same idea we were talking about in a DM a while back?
 
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Jan 26, 2017
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Oh and just in case anyone needed an update on the blank card with an eraser:
So I have found that no nail polish remover is required, though the eraser still takes quite a bit of the finish off (still less than the nail polish remover).
However, if you do plan to use an eraser I would suggest doing it on a glass table, or securing a couple pieces of paper on the table if it isn't glass. This is because if you push down to hard and use the eraser for too long the card actually gets soft enough (cause heat) that it will pick up small pieces of paint/stain/particles of color and embed it on the back of the card. You then have to gently erase those off, and its no fun. Also, the paper makes it much easier to get rid of all of the eraser shavings.

After that, the card will be pretty rough and stick to absolutely everything so you need to kind of "break it in" again. To do this, hold the cards cupped in your hand and blow some warm air into it (this will also get a bit of moisture to them, which helps). Then you can rub them back and forth on a card mat to build up heat and friction, making the cards less rough (do this to both sides)


Also, I kind of had an idea for an "auto matic" blanking machine where you use an eraser instead of acetone, and it essentially will just move the eraser back and forth very quickly, while you move the card by holding it at the corners, kinda like a sowing machine. Dang it. I just admitted to being a 16 year old male who knows the basics of sowing.... smh. Anyways, I don't know if it will work or how I'm going to make it. It's sort of like how a tattoo gun or a jig saw works, but a lot slower. Maybe I can find a way to make a wall clock motor go quicker. I am only planning on making this because by the time I got done with 2 cards with a lot of ink on them (Tally Jokers), I realized A) it took like 1 and a half - 2 hours and B) My arm was really sore.
 
Jan 26, 2017
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Sounds like you should look into an electric eraser.
Bro, just checked them out. They look great. I'll definitely look into them. I might still try and make my own though, since you need a LOT of force to break through the finish and ink, and even more to start picking up the ink.
 

DavidL11229

Elite Member
Jul 25, 2015
589
314
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You can get heavy duty AC ones which are more powerful than the battery operated ones, but they tend to be more expensive because they are more heavy duty. I still think it would be better to split, peel and glue blanks because I could always see where I'd erased when I did this. The shininess didn't match the rest of the card, but whatever works for you is good.

I just saw a post about putting an 'eraser pen' refill eraser in an electric screwdriver. Still not heavy duty, but if you have an electric screwdriver already it should be an inexpensive place to start.
 
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Hey so about that electric eraser:

I took one of those erasers you put onto a pencil once the pencil's eraser wears out. I filled it with hot glue to give it some stability. I put it into a drill machine,because I couldn't find my electric screwdriver, and need to replace the batteries of the electric screwdriver anyways. It went in just like a normal screw bit/drive. It actually works fine, however, I can try and make it better.

1st off, I will find and use that electric screwdriver, just for more precision, and so I don't have to use a loud drill machine. I also think I could get a better result if I took a small high polymer eraser, and drill a hold into it using a bit that is never used. I can then hotglue the bit into the hole on the eraser, and voila. Electric eraser with an easy to load bit.

Just for anyone curious, it actually erases super well.
 
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