Become a Soap Bubble Magician

Introduction: Become a Soap Bubble Magician

By IamWeLaboratoire de SynthéseFollow
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Summertime and the livin' is easy. A good time for some magic. But
how to become a soap bubble magician? I made a step by step guide
with tips, a video and photo's.
The last four years I did a lot of performances with giant soap bubbles
in my home town and on festivals. I do this because; I am fascinated
by bubbles, I want to share the bubble experience with others, I do it
for the fun and for free. Showing giant soap bubbles belongs to the
best time of my life. Now I want to share my experiences with you
creatives from all over the world.
This instructable is a practical guide on how to make a soap bubble
show. On internet there is a lot said about soap bubbles but their is
not much information on how to prepare a show with giant bubbles in
public. Involving children in the bubble fun require's special attention.
Weather conditions are important and also the right scene. If you like
you can dress up in exotic outfit.

                                        Soap making movie

https://www.instructables.com/id/Become-a-Soap-Bubble-Magician/

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Step 1: The Tools
In this first step we take a look in the magicians backpack. What tools
are in?

1 - A big wand.

      Sticks: Length:110cm/43inch and 2cm/0.7inch diameter. Wood or
fishing rod.
      Rope: Cotton cord 3mm/0.1inch diameter. Total length:
3.40m/3.70yard
2 - Small wand's (5x).
      Sticks: Length: 90cm/3 foot. 0.5cm/ 0.2inch diameter. Bamboo
garden sticks.
      Rope: Cotton cord 3mm/0.1inch diameter. Total length:
1.35cm/53inch
3 -  Deep plates: 30cm/12inch diameter. 1.6inch deep. Take plastic
flex dishes.
4 -  Funnel made from plastic soda bottle.
5 -  Container with giant bubble soap. Content: 5Liter/1.3Gallon for 1
gallon soap.
6 -  The handpuppet Tinkler, to tell the youngest the story of the
'icarus bubble'.
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Step 2: The Big and the Small Wand
For the big wand I use the lower part of a cheap chinese fiber fishing
rod. They are easy to carry and light weight. The short length of the
cord between the sticks is 1m/40inch. The long part is 2.30m/90 inch. I
made a knot in the cords 10cm/4inch from the top, This to avoid
becoming entangled with the stick. Tyraps keeps the rope in upper
position. As you can see the loop knot is on the lower end.
For the small wand I use cheap garden bamboo sticks of 10 cents a
piece. The short piece between the sticks is 40cm/16inch the long part
is 110cm/44inch. Tyraps keep the cord in place. Take the rope a little
longer because the knots. I carry 5 small wands for the people who
want to make smaller bubbles. Bubbles till 50cm/20inch diameter are
stronger and last much longer.
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Step 3: Deep Plates, Funnel and Container
Deep plates
For dipping the rope in the soap I use deep plates from flexible plastic.
Maily children walk easily in the dish when looking at the bubble.
Mostly the content is lost but not the plate. For that reason a
breakproof plate is fine. So, keep an eye on that… Two plates are
enough: One for me and one for the others. Don't forget, stay attentive
during the bubble show.

Funnel and container

To put back the remaining soap in the container you can make a
funnel from upper half a soda bottle (reuse). The lower part you can
use as a soap cup. The 5L/1.3Gallon plastic jerrycan is an empty
coolant or wiper fluid container. This has to be cleaned very well from
rests fluids. This containers are perfect to carry 1 Gallon of bubble
soap.
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Step 4: Bubble Soap Secrets
Many people think bubble soap is a mysterious substance, with secret
ingredients. It's not. It's more the composition of ingredients what
makes a good bubble soap. It's a dynamic mixture that can vary
between soapiness and more viscosity. Between pure detergent and
a certain mix with glycerine. One molecule glycerol can bind 6 water
molecule's. When making big bubbles it's important to make the
surface of the bubble strong, still flexible but not poppy. Glycerine is
fine but also sugar, cornstarch and wallpaper glue enhance the
viscosity of the bubble soap.
It's the composition that counts. My basic super soap mixture for
1gallon/3.8Liter is:

1 - Mix 30ml/1ounce glycerine in 2.5Liter/10cup of lukewarm

water. Stir this for a minute.
2 - Liquefy 250gram/9ounce crystal white sugar in 0.5liter/2cup of
hot water.
     Stir this for a minute.
3 - Dilute 400ml/1.6cup (heavy liquid but not extra concentrated)
dish washing detergent
     in 0.5liter/2cup of cold water. Stir this slowly for a minute.
Don't make foam.
4 - Mix 1, 2 and 3 together and stir this (with a paint impeller) for
some minutes.
5 - Let the soap rest from some hours to a day. Now we got about
4liter/16cup of soap.
     This super soap mixure is a good start.

6 - Experiments:
a - You can make the viscosity higher by adding 10ml/2tablespoons
glycerine in 300ml1.2cup
     of water, stir this and add to the basic soap.
b - Or stir 2 tablespoon of cornstarch in 300ml/1.2cup cold water and
bring this to nearly boiling.
     Add this to the basic mixture.
c - To delute the soap add 300ml/1.2cup of water to the basic mixture.

7 - Stirring is important. Use clean buckets and pots. Use a scale and
measuring cup.

Bubble soapology
The main part of the soap mixture is water. Suitable water is very
important. Distilled water is the best. Tapwater in most places is
usable. Don't use hard water. You can tap soft water from an
airconditioner. Filtered rainwater is also usable. Use a coffee filter to
get the dust particles out. You can test tapwater by making bubble
soap with distilled water and tapwater and compare the results.
In fact, soap does not affect the viscosity of water in any way. What
soap (or detergents etc.) do is to reduce the surface tension of water.
This allows the water to spread more easily over a surface, and to
reduce or eliminate the tendency for the water to bead up on a
surface. But the viscosity of the water itself is unaffected.
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Step 5: Bubble Performance in Public
Before action in public you can better exercise in your garden or in a
park nearby. I give you some tips what to take in cosideration.
1 - Soap is not free of irritands. Take care with getting soap in your
eyes and mouth. Working with children needs some extra attention to
avoid accidents. Take always a soda bottle water with you to rinse the
face or eye.
2 - Lift the sticks slowly with the rope together out of the soap and
open the loop slowly. Keep the sticks up, to free the bubble high up.
Bubbles are heavy and sink down. Avoid making foam in the plate by
stirring with the wand/rope. To make a free flowing soap bubble you
'cut off' the bubble from the wand by bringing the sticks together and
pull away the wand slowly.
3 - Wind and weather are important factors on how successful your
performance will be. Morning and evening are fine, but not the full
midday sun. Also some humidity is favorable. When to much wind,
look for a place behind some high trees. With no wind walk back to
catch some air in the soap. Look out for objects on your way back.
This warning applies especially for children.
4 - Children want always to bust the bubble of somebody else. That's
a habbit. Fill a plate with soap and give them a wand. Explain the
procedure to the father or mother to help the young child. Children
older than 5 have a better locomotion. Younger kids are mostly
problematic. Give them a bubble game, for blowing small bubbles. Tell
children to pass on the wand to other kids waiting. Take care that they
don't hit with the wand. Do encourage/compliment them when they
make beautiful bubbles.
5 - Presenting Soap bubbles is always magic, but you can do an extra
effort to make the scene exotic and photogenic.
a - Dress up in fancy outfit. b - Use an information board. c - Use a
magic collorfull tent. d - Have a bubble game for the youngest. d -
Dress the kids with the magic cloak and hat. e - Have quet magic
music in the background.
6 - Some bubble magicians make a living with a bubble show by
selling want's and soap. That's fine,
but do it right; with a fantastic show! Personally, I am not engaged in
any commercial activity.
I want people to learn to be creative themselves. Be a Maker!
This is it. Have a nice 2013 summer with magic giant bubbles!