Ribbon Clock Time Machine by Øyvind Kaurstad

This item is the brainchild of the the talented Norwegian Øyvind Kaurstad and it has been causing quite a stir over at the Cafe and on YouTube. Check-out Rob Rand’s wonderful video to view the action!

It is a very clever device built to some pretty tight tolerances using a Digital Printer and some people even prefer it to Richard Gerlitz’s Family Ties.

There is no doubt it looks very convincing. I found setting it up to be a pain, but Øyvind assures me it gets easier with practice. This is one of those effects where the set-up is harder than the performance for sure. If you have poor eye-sight, arthritis or lack of patience I would not recommend this item, because you may struggle to set it up. I will say that Øyvind provides excellent printed and online instructions to help with the set-up and it certainly makes it easier if you watch the video first.

Once you have it set-up you have a rare and amazing fooler on your hands for sure!

Effect: The magician shows a device that looks much Like a classic clock, except it has only one hand, and there is a ribbon protruding from each side. On the front there is a symbol of a ribbon engraved, which spans over the full width of the clock. The magician explains that while this looks like a clock, it is in fact a time machine, and proceeds to show that the two outer pieces of the clock can be moved outwards, thus separating all the individual parts, and that the ribbon in fact passes between all three pieces. The ribbon can be pulled back and forth through each of the three parts of the clock, showing that it is indeed one continuous piece of ribbon.

The magician then takes a pair of scissors and cuts the ribbon where it is exposed between the pieces, thus cutting it in two places. The magician then pulls at the outside ribbon ends, pulling the cut ends into the outer clock pieces, and proceeds with showing that there is a link symbol engraved into the inner sides of the outer pieces. The magician then rearranges the clock so that these link symbols meet, and explains that these are links of time, and that it will soon be demonstrated what this means. The middle piece is then placed on top of the two outer pieces, in the recess that has now formed.

A small key is then inserted in the back of the middle piece, and the magician explains that turning this key also turns back time. The key is then turned, and the hand of the clock is seen to move counterclockwise, going back in time. The exposed ribbon ends that was protruding from the center piece disappears when time is turned back, and the magician now points to the lower part of the clock, where the engraved ribbon symbol again shows a uncut and whole ribbon. The magician explains that since time was turned back to before cutting the ribbon, the ribbon has returned to its initial state, and then starts pulling at one of the ribbon ends. The other end is seen to move synchronously, and as the ribbon is pulled further, this end disappears into the clock. The magician continues to pull, and in the end a complete and restored ribbon is shown to the audience.

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