AmazeBox Black

Chris

Chris

Julian

I hesitated a long time before buying this. After consulting with a dealer over the best version, I was persuaded that they all work extremely well and it was more a question of size and style. I'm glad I bought the black box, despite the high price. I looks the right size for a box in which people put voting slips. I thoroughly recommend this utility prop if you can work it into a good routine. It's made from rather thin corrugated material (a papery kind of plastic?) I thought it was a bit cheap and flimsy when I opened the huge handsome flat cardboard packet it comes in. I thought," for the money, couldn't they have provided higher quality materials?" However, now it's ready for use, I think it is pretty sturdy and looks great - a kind of slightly mat black finish that, to me, looks great. And it really works! The video is very well filmed, in good lighting and Mark Shortland is well miked. I have to warn you that Mark has a wicked sense of humour. Quite near the beginning, when he's explaining what tools you'll need, he teases you, so DON'T PANIC! I would recommend you watch the whole video before attempting to build the box. (It comes flat packed with a few extra things you need. It can also be flat packed a gain for travel - probably would travel more safely that way - so don't throw away the excellent cardboard packet.) Having watched the video, I was able to build it from memory and only had to check the video again for a couple of details. You'll need to decide whether or not to cut an oblong slit to make it easy for a spectator to open the inner lid of the box during a performance. I decided not to. Instead, I fitted a piece of webbing (the end of a luggage strap) glued to the inside of the folded half of the inner lid, poking through a narrow slit I made on the edge of the fold with a Stanley knife. That looks smart and gives the box a really professional looking finish. I also found a couple of better methods for sections of the construction process compared with video instructions. Tips: 1.) Use double sided tape to fix the metal, reinforcing strips in position BEFORE covering them with black gaffer tape. 2.) Fit the m*****s BEFORE sticking the folded parts of the inner lid together. If you've watched the whole video first, you'll know exactly where they need to be fixed. Also, use double sided tape (trimmed to a circle) to fix one m***** in position. Put the other one on the first with double sided tape on its back. Then fold the inner lid so that the 2nd m***** sticks to the lid in exactly the right place. Repeat on the other side of the lid. Finally, cover each m***** with black gaffer tape. This method is much easier than the one shown in the video and, because the parts are fitted in exactly the right place, they do their job perfectly. I intend to make a laminated label for the front of the box (fixed on only by blue tac) with the words, "Please vote for your favourite T.V. programme here." (I'm building it into a routine for a family wedding on a Doctor Who theme. The reveal for the forced T.V. programme will include the production of a flight control Dr Who Tardis (one of the ones with light and sound when you lift it up.) Then I'll do Josh Zandman's Time Machine Book test and the Pegasus page will be found inside the previously empty Tardis. A talking donkey toy from Shrek will also make an appearance for the children.