How to Make Don Wayne's Floating Ball

Use a real chrome ball as inspiration. Making your own Don Wayne floating ball is a creative way to put you in touch with historic feats of magic. Don Wayne is a professional magician and illusion expert, according to the official Don Wayne website. Wayne helped arrange a number of major illusions, including David Copperfield's walk through the Great Wall of China. In performances, Wayne's "floating" ball resembles a heavy chrome object. In actuality, the ball is crafted of lightweight material and "floated" with the help of offstage assistants and professional rigging. Once created, display your replica ball for fellow magic enthusiasts.

Difficulty:Moderately EasyStyrofoam ball, 12-inch2 toothpicks2 Strings, 18-inchPlastic-coating aerosol sprayChrome-colored spray paint1

Take a 12-inch-wide Styrofoam ball into a well ventilated area — out of direct sunlight at a steady temperature of 70 degrees. Stick a toothpick halfway into the left side of the ball. Repeat with a second toothpick for the right side.

2

Tie an 18-inch string to the left-side toothpick and the free end of the same string to a nearby post. Tie a second 18-inch string to the toothpick on the right side. Pull the free end of the string taught and tie it to a nearby post. The ball is now strung in mid-air, allowing for a total liquid-spray coating.

3

Coat the entire ball with one layer of plastic-coating aerosol spray. Allow 24 hours for the coating to dry. Coat the entire ball with chrome-colored spray paint. Allow a second 24 hour period for the ball to dry before handling or displaying.

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