It’s time to shove through the thickset magic prop to find the Ultimate Penetration Frame secret hiding behind the wooden slider.
All you see is the wooden chunk, and not the key part of the effect which is the plexiglass or clear acrylic sheet.
I am not poking holes (forgive the pun) in this Ultimate Penetration Frame.
In fact, in the magic forums, the magic enthusiasts have largely (forgive the pun again) commented on the massive size of the wooden frame.
After I have deduced how the trick is done, I understand why this prop needs to have a broad and thick wooden frame, particularly the wide 3-hole slider.
Before I penetrate into the secret of this closeup magic apparatus, let me say this:
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own this Ultimate Penetration Frame by Magic Wagon, and I do not know exactly how the trick is done.
My review and reveal of this magic trick is solely based on my assumption by watching the only video available and that few pictures from various websites.
As usual, I would backup my views with supporting visual proofs taken from the video clip, and pictures of the prop.
Let’s begin by checking out the effect of Ultimate Penetration Frame by Magic Wagon:
The performer shows a wooden frame with a sheet of plexiglass.
A wooden slider with three holes is slipped over the frame and pulled to the center of the plexiglass.
Three slim brass rods inserted through the three holes.
Then the performer pulls all the brass rods out and removes the slider to reveal that the sheet of plexiglass is completely undamaged.
This is the video of the penetration trick:
Ultimate Penetration Frame Secret
Note: When I say LEFT in the following explanation, I mean YOUR LEFT, as you view the video or the pictures.
My challenge in probing this trick is there is only one video clip available and it is framed in medium long shot.
But fortunately, there are some pictures from various websites which are helpful.
Anyway, let’s get into the creative frame of mind, and poke around to get to the mystery of this penetrating magic trick.
Just like the “Impossible Glass Penetration Trick Secret“, again one has to move the obstacles for the magic to happen.
It doesn’t matter a simple closeup trick or a spectacular stage illusion, like walking through a brick wall, a mirror or a piece of steel.
Effect: This one-man illusion where a steel plate is slotted into the prop with the doors closed in front, and curtains on each side.
The magician steps behind the plate, and he appears to walk through the steel plate.
For this penetration illusion, the obstacle which is the steel plate has to move or give way.
Secret: When Sandy slips in the steel plate behind the prop, he is actually inserting his left hand edge of the steel plate, into a slot track.
This slot track is attached to the prop with a spring hinge.
On his right side of the stand, I think there is a L-shaped bracket to support the bottom side of the steel plate.
In other words, the steel plate operates like a swing door.
One end of the steel plate is fixed to the prop, while the other end is loose and it can move freely.
That’s why twice during the performance, when Sandy wants to prove to the audience that the steel plate is solid he bangs lightly onto it at 0:28 and 1:37.
At both times, he has to secretly uses his thumb to press onto the loose end of the steel plate to stop it from moving.
Walking Thru Steel Plate Secret
The picture below shows magician Sandy discreetly grips on the right end of the steel plate with his left hand, under the guise of adjusting the curtain rods with his right hand.
At the same time, he is talking to his audience.
This is called misdirection and the talking to the audience is known as pattering.
It is meant to distract the audience’s attention away from his secret move.
In this video from 1:12 you can see magician David Sandy’s left hand secretly gripping onto the edge of the steel plate, while talking to the audience (pattering).
He pushes in the steel plate with his left hand, as he walks into the middle of the prop.
Then as he steps forward, he let go of the steel plate behind him.
It will automatically swings towards his back torso because of the spring hinge.
At 1:16, you can clearly see him adjusting the steel plate which has sprang back onto him.
Because of the spring hinge, the steel plate will keep following closely against his back, as he slowly steps out of the stand.
Note: The two short steel plate endings protruding out from the stand are ‘fake pieces’ readily-attached to the frame.
They cleverly use the two front flap pieces or doors to block them, when they lift up the steel plate for the audience to examine.
At 0:40 you can see the actual width of the steel plate when David Sandy removes it from the stand to show to the audience, and also when he slips it back at 0:56.
Now, let’s talk about this piercing through glass magic illusion.
This is what I think how the trick works:
The Ultimate Penetration Frame secret is you need to shift the plexiglass.
Two pieces of plexiglass, to be exact.
The principle is similar to Tenyo T-114 Wonder Window invented by Shigeru Sugawara.
Related: If you still do not know the plastic Tenyo Wonder Window trick secret, check it out here.
In the beginning of the video, I noticed the performer DOES NOT show us the the side view of the right frame and the bottom frame.
He does shows us the back view of the frame and I noticed there is a C-shaped raised section on the left frame.
I would talk about this elevated part of the frame later.
The Plexiglass
This is the claim made by its ad:
…the trick seem impossible is that the frame is only 1 inch wider than the actual size of the glass…
This is the most intriguing part of this trick.
When you shift the window plexiglass to the middle, its width would definitely exceed the width of the whole frame.
In other words, one side of the plexiglass must be outside the frame, as I have illustrated below.
In the video, the performer conveniently uses his left hand fingers to cover it, while it is holding the frame.
I will show you the overshot plexiglass shortly.
As I have just said, there must be a gap or an opening on the side of the right frame to allow the plexiglass to slide out.
As you can see from the visual below, there is a narrow slit opening on one side of the frame.
The Glaring Evidence
To prove to you the plexiglass really extends out from the side of right frame, here are three scenes captured from the video.
You can see the glare reflected on the plexiglass between his third and fourth finger of his left hand.
Note: To see it clearer, slow down the playback speed to 0.25.
This captured image is taken from the video at 0:52.
The second time is at 0:56
Then at 0:58 you can see it very clearly the reflection on the plexiglass for the third time.
Obviously, my guesstimate is clearly correct.
The Stand
There is another clue which confirmed the overshot plexiglass is the vent or slit found in the stand.
After the slider is slipped into the frame, you can perform the penetration trick with the stand provided.
Hidden inside in one of two upright slots, there is a vent to accommodate the extended plexiglass.
The Big Hidden Secret
Now, let’s take a close look at the key Ultimate Frame Penetration secret.
Remember this is my version of how this trick works.
As I have already mentioned earlier, there are TWO sheets of plexiglass.
The one within the frame window (Plexiglass 2) before the trick.
Then there is another narrower piece (Plexiglass 1) concealed inside the left frame.
One piece of the plexiglass is behind the other.
It is slightly overlapping.
They are fastened together with a short foldable metal bar at the top and the bottom.
This short metal bar or strip is pivoted on both plexiglass.
In other words, the Plexiglass 2 can be folded in and out.
Note: For a clearer explanation, I purposely drew the length of the foldable metal bar holding the two plexiglass longer.
See the illustration below:
What happens is this:
When the slider moves to the center of the frame, it secretly drags both pieces of plexiglass towards the right side.
Now the concealed plexiglass (Plexiglass 1) is out from the left frame with its right edge hidden inside the slider.
Simultaneously it also pulls the window plexiglass along (Plexiglass 2).
See illustration Pix B above.
The gap between Plexiglass 1 and Plexiglass 2 is blocked by the slider.
I think the gap between the two plexiglass is rather wide.
That’s why it needs a rather broad slider to hide it.
Yes, that is the gap where the three brass rods go through.
Here is a closeup view of the gap between the two pieces of plexiglass where the three rods goes through.
Once the show is over, the slider is drawn back to the left frame.
This will pull the smaller plexiglass (Plexiglass 1) back inside the left frame, and the window plexiglass (Plexiglass 2) in its original position.
The Mechanism
I admit I do not know the actual mechanism of shifting both plexiglass of this apparatus.
It could be the bottom plexiglass edge is fixed with a sprung roller catch.
The catch is inside the bottom of the slider.
That is why the performer is carefully making sure the catch is at the bottom the slider, before he slots the frame into it.
Then he straightens slider over the left frame.
Once it is properly locked in place, he uses his thumb and index finger to grip the slider and drags it across.
Watch this sequence here.
Then at the end of the trick, he pauses at the left frame, before he pulls out the slider from the frame at 1:22.
This is to ensure both plexiglass are properly drawn back to their positions.
Raised C-Shaped Frame
Remember there is this raised part on the back of the frame which I highlighted earlier?
I think this elevated C-shaped piece acts as a stopper for the slider.
It is to ensure the both plexiglass are precisely positioned in the middle of the frame.
At the same time, it also prevents the problem of over-sliding both plexiglass.
This is my Ultimate Penetration Frame secret that might not what it’s cracked up to be.
I just give it a crack and see whether I could penetrate the secret hidden in this Penetration Frame by Magic Wagon.
Disclaimer: I do not own or upload the book here. It is copyrighted to their respective owners. All content cited is derived from their respective sources.