The Classic Cups and Balls Magic
Trick in a New Size!
The Making of
the Riser Mini-Cups
Copyright 2001 by James P. Riser
Background Info:
My new Riser Mini-Cups have undergone
several minor design changes and refinements over the past few
months. They have been tested in actual performances are now ready
to be made available to interested magicians as soon as I can
find the time to get them spun.
I know that quite a number of
you close-up workers are eagerly awaiting these cups - so I have
created this web page to keep you informed of the current progress
and to demonstrate my method of the spinning of cups. Here is
the latest.........
The copper sheeting has been cut into appropriately sized squares.
The finished cup illustrates the size of these squares compared
to the final spinning. 
These copper squares have been cut into circles.
These images show the cut circles
awaiting the spinning process itself.
The spinning has begun......
"Cups" awaiting the
first annealing........ 
The annealing............(in subdued light).................
The spinning continues........
A
stack of potential mini-cups awaiting the second annealing.
The spinning continues with forming
the top bead (no easy task)......this is free hand work.......
A few cups are ready for the
rim beads.............
The process continues with spinning
the rim bead.............one slip here and the cup is ruined..........
After the spinning is completed,
the cups get buffed to a high polish..............
Thar Be Cups!!!!
Part of a run of cups is shown
above.
If you wish to be on the "Riser
Mini-Cups waiting list", you will need to email
me indicating this wish.
I try to spin a small run of
these cups every month.
Thanks for looking.