"Enlightenment Custom Installed Deck" by Ben Harris
Suggested Retail USD$69.95
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

"Enlightenment Custom Installed Deck", an incarnation of Ben Harris' "Enlightenment" gimmick, is without a doubt one of the best floating card versions in existence with great action, a clean appearance, and a self-contained construction that makes this both flexible and stunning.

Okay, first thing's first. I love Harris' "Enlightenment" gimmick (you can see my thoughts about it here). However, the one thing I wanted to do with it -- a floating card -- was beyond me in terms of construction. I tried several times, got something that was close to doing the job, but my arts and crafts skills leave too much to be desired and I never quite got it off the ground (sorry).

"Enlightenment Custom Installed Deck" is Harris' construction and it's gorgeous. It is so well made it's almost scary, functions beautifully, and hides the "Enlightenment" gimmick brilliantly.

I'm not going to hit the effect that hard here -- a card is selected from a shuffled deck, signed if you want, placed on the deck, and then floats -- but we'll get into the details.

Drawbacks... Well, there are three if you think about it. First, the hover action is about an inch, which may seem a bit anemic to some folks. Second, angles are a bit tricky; this is one where having the spectators looking down on the deck is essential. Third, the deck is dirty before and after.

And in the grand scheme of things, those are all minor.

The hover is slight, but really that's all in the build-up. An inch, properly presented, can seem like six (one spectator swore to others it floated that far above his hand -- gotta love mis-remembering). More, the float is entirely under your control. There is a knack to this that takes some work, but once you've got it down, you can control the rate of rise at your discretion.

The best angle is a straight-down view, but you've got a lot of leeway here. Holding it at waist-level is pretty much all needed to get away with this one. Really, as long as no one looks directly under the card it plays (all things considered, that's to be expected).

The deck is dirty, true enough, and you'll need some work to clean it up (thankfully, due to the nature of the "Enlightenment" gimmick, that's fairly easy -- and delightfully sneaky). However, the bit of the deck with the gimmick in it is so thin (that's almost an understatement) that you can bring it in and out of play with little notice. I've been able to slide mine in and out of the deck while it's in play without anyone taking notice whatsoever. This took some playing to come up with, but it is certainly possible and quite workable.

So, with the "drawbacks" out of the way, let's look at the pluses.

It is self-contained. No threads to fuss with, no fragile gimmicks to worry about... it's pretty much an all-in-one solution. You will need a certain extra something to "activate" the gimmick, but they are plentiful online (you probably already have one that will work) or you can buy Harris' specific piece (the "Paradigm Shifter").

This can be done entirely in the spectator's hand (and, most likely, probably should be). The card can be signed if you're so inclined, and examined until the ink fades. It can also be repeated quickly and easily: there is no set-up or reset involved.

Because of those two things, "Enlightenment Custom Installed Deck" is one of the most flexible floating card variants around. Sometimes I want to do this simply, just letting the spectator hold the deck and letting things go their course. Other times, I want more theatrics -- the float happening under glass or within some structure or the other. Both scenarios are completely possible with absolutely no modification on my part (or the part of the gimmick). Playing around brings many ways of presenting this to mind with no other thought than just trying it out to see if it works.

Lastly, the construction is phenomenal. Harris has built these things perfectly. The action is smooth, the working dead-on perfect, the gimmick so well hidden, you have little to worry about at all. You will need to treat the gimmick with some care and respect, but no more so than you would, say, a Devano. I loved doing this one minus the card just to see the gimmick in action; that's how well put-together and designed this thing is.

Add it all together and this is the perfect solution to the plot, period, and gets my highest recommendation. If you're interested in the effect, "Enlightenment Custom Installed Deck" is in many ways the perfect solution.

"Enlightenment Custom Installed Deck" by Ben Harris
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Practicality: 10
Easy to work with, with no set-up or reset and easily repeated, this is an extremely practical piece of work. The deck is gimmicked, of course, but extremely well: cleaning up and leaving you with an examinable deck is very easy, leaving the deck available for pretty much anything else you want to do with it.

Workmanship: 10
I can't rave enough about the workmanship here -- Harris has outdone himself. The unit, in Bike stock, is remarkably well made and looks and works beautifully.

Documentation: 10
The documentation is excellently done, as Harris' work always is, covering everything richly.

Effect: 10
Want to get those quiet, shocked looks? The one where spectators cock their heads in astonishment? This will do it.

Presentation: 10
Verbally, there's little at play here. In terms of visuals and cleanliness, this one knocks the ball out of the park.


Shane

Available direct from your favorite dealer. Dealers, please contact Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-853-7403 or visit Murphy's Magic Supplies website.