The Blade Pyramid 2

T HE BL AD E PY R AM I D 2. 0

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This set of plans may not be copied, distributed or shared with any other person. © Copyright J C Sum 2011 - 2014

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THE BLADE PYRAMID A New Design for a Sword Box


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EFFECT A pyramid-shaped prop that is elevated off the floor is displayed on stage. A lady’s silhouette is seen on the front of the prop. The side door on the prop is opened and a girl enters the prop. Four solid steel blades (that can be examined) are slot vertically into the front of the prop at even intervals. Next, three swords are inserted into three corners of the front of the pyramid prop. The prop is revolved around so the audience can see the blades & swords extend fully through the prop. The blades & swords are removed, the door opened and the girl emerges unharmed! Fig 1 shows the effect from the front view. FIG 1 Front View

INTRODUCTION This was designed as a practical and easy to build illusion. It is great as a first or one of your first illusions. It also looks a bit different from the standard fare for illusions of this nature. The illusion can be built to pack completely flat and only needs one assistant to perform. Thomas Clark (www.magicsax.com) is licensed to build “The Blade Pyramid” (as pictured on the previous page) and has done a great job fabricating the illusion into its physical form.


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While the instructions in these plans are for a professional version of this illusion, I have also given an alternative list of “cheap” materials to build the illusion for illusionists on a budget or for someone who is looking to experiment with this illusion after this description.

METHOD There are 3 illusion deceptions that make this illusion work - the girl’s body position, the creation of a partial hiding space with a hollow base and the gimmicking of two of the blades to create a partial hiding space as well. In this illusion, the girl is hidden in a cross-legged sitting down position akin to a “Doll House” illusion but a looser cross-legged position so her knees are not resting on her feet. Her upper body is hidden between the two middle blades. However, the thickness of the handles of the blades creates the visual illusion that the space is narrower than it is. Part of her lower body is hidden partially in the base and two gimmicked blades (that are narrower in width than the other two) create the other hiding space. See Fig 2 for the girl’s hiding position.

Fig 2 X-ray Side View of Prop & Hiding Position

There are two sets of blades, one large and one small. The audience thinks each large set and each small set are the same size but actually, one blade in each set is 2” shorter in width than its counterpart. However, the handles are the same length and thickness so the illusion created is that the blades take up more space than they actually do. The swords pass through empty spaces in the prop. Figs 3 & 4 show the overall details of the illusion.


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FIG 3 Front View 10” 36”

8”

11” 25”

6”

2”

6”

14” 1”

1”

20”

24”

16” 3”

3” 22” FIG 4

2”

Side View

Door

36”

2”

32”

2” 1”

3”

28”

3”


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REQUIREMENTS The Base In terms of fabrication, the main four-sided box of the base is built first. I will call this the Base Box. Do not build a top or bottom for the box. The Base Box is made from 3/8” ply and measures 40” x 28” x 2 5/8”. The inside corners can be braced with 1.5” x 1.5” x 3” long aluminum angle, 3mm thick, for extra support if desired. A sheet of aluminum, 2mm thick’, measuring 40” x 30” is bent 90 degrees along each 40” side, 1” from the edge. This gives you a “U-shaped” piece with 1” vertical sides at each end. This “U-shaped piece is bolted or riveted to the inside of the Base Box so that it is flush with the bottom of the Base Box. The box is finished, inside & outside, in black carpet. Next, the Main Step of the base must be built. This is basically a cover/ frame made from 3/8” ply that fits over the base box with 2” high vertical side walls. The frame is 3” wide on all sides. The side walls are supported by aluminum angle brackets under the top frame as well as glued and nailed. This main step is finished in black laminate with 1” aluminum flat bar trim (2mm thick) all around the side walls. Cut six pieces of 1” x 1” aluminum angle, 3mm thick. These will act as brackets to secure the pyramid top to the base. You can also find pre-cut steel angles of different sizes that are pre-packaged in hardware stores. These are generally used for brackets for shelving units. Three angle brackets are bolted or riveted on the front and the back of the Main Step so that the pyramid can be slot inside these six brackets on the Main Step and bolted into place. See Fig 5 & 6 for details of the Base. The legs are made from 3” x 3” aluminum angle, 5mm thick. The bottom of each angle leg has a 3” x 3” aluminum sheet plate, 4mm thick, welded to it. This is so that a castor can be bolted through this base plate. The top of each leg is bolted to each outside corner of the Base Box; two bolts per leg with a washer & wing nut, one of each outside corner. Each leg measures 20” with the castor. The Pyramid The Pyramid is not actually a real pyramid shape but more triangle-shaped in the front and back. The front and back panels are made from ¼” ply and measure 40” x 36” (H). The side panels are also made from ¼” ply and are 28” wide. One of the panels has a door that swings out to the audience. It is held in place with the strip of 1” aluminum flat bar on the underside of the panel and a door latch on the outside. The four panels are put together with piano hinges on each inside corner with removable wire pins. This allows the four panels to break down flat for packing.


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The front and back panels have four vertical slots cut out in each of them to accommodate the blades. Each slot is ¼” wide. On the back of each front and back panel, there are two strips of 1” x 1” aluminum angle, 2mm thick), each measuring 8” in length, bolted or riveted into place. These are guides and supports for the blades when they are inserted through the pyramid. However, one set of guides is placed 2” higher than the other for the gimmicked blades. See Figs 7 & 8. There are also 3 holes (or slots, depending on where you are using swords or spears) at each corner of the front and back panels. You have to determine the exact position to ensure that it is in a “safe” area. The panels can be finished in plastic laminate or your choosing with a silhouette image of a girl on the front panel that is printed on vinyl sticker and stuck to the front of the prop. I recommend a black background with a white silhouette of a girl. The side edges are also trimmed with 1” aluminum angle. The slots and sword holes have to be cut out of the plastic laminate and vinyl sticker. 46” FIG 5 Top View of Base

The Main Step (shown in grey) is a 46” x 34” 3/8” ply frame that is mounted on the top edges of the Base Box

34”

Aluminum Angle Brackets 3”

FIG 6 Side Cross Section View of Base

Aluminum Angle Brackets

2” 1”

Bent Aluminum Sheet (2mm thick) This set of plans may not be copied, distributed or shared with any other person. © Copyright J C Sum 2011 - 2014

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FIG 7

FIG 8

Front View of the Back of the Front and the Back Panels of the Pyramid

Side View of the Gimmicked Blade going through the Back Panel of the Pyramid

8” Aluminum Angles that act as guides for the blades

3”

3”

The Blades There are four blades in all, two large and two small. The regular blades are detailed in Fig 9. The other two blades are not really gimmicked per say but are narrower in width to their counterparts by 2”. See Fig 10 for details. Each blade is cut from 3mm thick sheet aluminum with wooden handles along one end, so that the blade is sandwiched in between the wooden handles. The total thickness of each handle should be about 2” thick. See Fig 11. The top of the blade is the pointed end of the blade. For safety, file down and round the corners of the blade. The Swords The swords are ungimmicked and you can use any replica swords found in weapons stores. You can also fashion spears out of stainless steel or aluminum tubing.

SET UP There is nothing to set up with the prop itself. The blades and swords are on a table or can be held by a stage hand.


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T HE BL AD E PY R AM I D 2. 0 30”

2”

FIG 9 Front View of Regular Blades

25”

1” 27” 2”

14”

FIG 10 1” Front View of Gimmicked Blades

30” 2” FIG 11 Front View showing thickness of all the Blade Handles

23”

2”

3”

27” 2”

12”

3” This set of plans may not be copied, distributed or shared with any other person. © Copyright J C Sum 2011 - 2014

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PERFORMANCE This should be performed to music but before you begin, you can have all the blades and swords handed out for examination as long as the different sized blades are given to people at different ends of the audience. Having the girl examined is optional. Step 1 Music starts and you open the side door on the pyramid and assist the girl to enter the prop, closing & latching the door behind her. Once inside, she gets into a cross-legged position and waits for the first blade to come through the prop. This will be the blade directly behind her and is the regular large blade. Meanwhile, you pick up both the large blades but hold the gimmicked one by your side as you lift up and display the broadside of the regular blade to the audience. There is no reason for your audience to suspect the blades are of different sizes. Insert the regular blade into the slot directly behind the girl. Be sure that the pointed side of the blade is at the top. The girl helps to guide the blade through the prop so it emerges out the other side. Once the blade is through, the girl leans her back against it and gets into her proper hiding position. Step 2 Next, you insert the gimmicked blade to the slot to the left of the regular blade so that it passes in front of the girl. She can still use her hands to help guide the blade. Pick up the two smaller blades in the same handling as before and insert the regular small blade in the rightmost slot. Finally, insert the gimmicked small blade in the last remaining slot. Quickening your pace, pick up the swords one at a time and insert them through all three holes. Step 3 Revolve the prop around to show that the blades extend through the prop. Due to the design of the blades and the guides under the slots, only the top halves of the blades extend through the slot so the audience cannot see a difference in widths of the blades. Step 4 Reverse all actions and reveal the girl unharmed. If you like, you can also include a costume change for the girl as a kicker.


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NOTES Alternative Finishes & Exterior Designs “The Blade Pyramid” is very flexible in terms of customization for an exterior design. My preference is the modern looking silhouette of a girl but you could also work with an abstract geometric shape like a Zig Zag Girl Illusion. It is also easy to brand it with corporate messages like “Costs”, “Inefficiency”, “Waiting Time” etc. And the logo of the client is on the blades to demonstrate how the client’s product can cut/ divide these messages into half. One alternative design that I like is an Egyptian-themed one since the basic shape of the prop is a pyramid. Add hieroglyphics and images of an Egyptian Goddess to the prop. Aluminum trim is replaced by brass trim. Legs are replaced with sculptured or wrapped legs. Replace the swords with staffs or ancient Egyptian broad swords. The handles of the blades can also be decorated. See a rendering of such a prop design below.

All 3D images created by Adeline Ng

The girl can also be attired in a traditional Egyptian costume and do a belly dancing sequence before the illusion. There is actually a load space in the base behind the girl where you can load a live snake. So the girl can reappear with a snake after the illusion. How cool is that?


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Budget Version Here is how to build a low-cost version of this illusion. Bear in mind, the look of end product will be reflective of the cost you put in but if you follow my dimensions and build processes, you will still have a serviceable and deceptive illusion. You could build this version for under $250 if you look for lumberyards and hardware stores that sell surplus wood. 

First, do not build the aluminum legs. You have two choices; simply build straight legs out of 3/8” ply with 2” x 2” lumber vertical supports. Or, go without legs and just attach castors to the bottom of the prop.



Instead of the aluminum sheet bottom for the base, substitute it with 3/8” ply.



Instead of carpeting the prop and using plastic laminate, paint it.



Instead of the vinyl sticker of the silhouette of the girl, paint an image onto the front of your prop.



Instead of aluminum, make your blades out of 1/8” ply and paint it metallic silver. Be sure you file and sand the edges well to remove all splinters.



Instead of replica swords, fashion spears out of wooden dowel.


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THE BLADE PYRAMID 2.0 Since I designed the original “Blade Pyramid”, I have made some improvements with some minor design changes and aesthetics. The result is a sleeker-looking prop with more deceptive elements. Here are the improvements: LEGS The four legs have been replaced with two leg frames made from 1” aluminum square tubing (3mm thick). You can use smaller 2” or 2.5” castors with these leg frames. See Fig 12. There are two crossbars that connect each side of the leg frames together. The crossbars can be bolted in place for ease of breaking down and transport. Each leg frame is attached to the bottom step of the prop with two bolts at each corner. However, if you like, a row of decorative bolts can be attached along the top bar of the leg frame to a give an apparent solid look. WIDTH OF PROP The overall width of the prop has been reduced by 4” for a smaller, more deceptive prop. See Fig 13. The front length and height of the prop remains unchanged. HAND HOLES I have included a 3.5” hand hole in each side of the prop. One of the holes will be in the door of the prop. Each hole is covered with overlapping spandex that is stapled around each hole on the inside of the side panels. The hand holes allow the girl to extend her hands through both holes after she enters the box, as pictured n Fig 12. This creates a visual illusion that the girl is in a frontal position inside the prop. The graphic of the silhouette of the girl also helps reinforce this visual image. She brings her hands into the prop just before the first blade is inserted into the pyramid. BLADE SLOTS The slots for the blades can be made wider if necessary. This gives a bit more room for the girl and also makes it easier for the blades to pass through the slots. To cover the slots so that the audience cannot see in the prop, the slots can be covered by a strip of door brush that is attached on the inside of the prop.


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FIG 12 Front View

18” 16” FIG 13

2”

Side View

Door

36”

32”

2”

2” 1”

1”

24”

1”


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The Blade Pyramid 2

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