Bed of Rotating Screws is the ultimate challenge for those who like to lie on beds of nails.
The secret to the trick is that the tips of each of the screws are supported by a vertical post contained within their shafts, and although the threads are turning, the actual points are not, but this is not visible, and not in effect until the person lies down on the bed and transfers their weight. The Fakir/magician is therefore prevented from being screwed to the board.-- xenzag, Feb 07 2012 But he'd still be lying on a bed of rotating small posts, which I would think would be more painful over time than a bed of nails.
And for some reason that song keeps playing through my head - "I wanta lay you down in a bed of roses/for tonight I'll sleep on a bed of screws..."
Eh, screw it.-- Psalm_97, Feb 07 2012 The posts do not rotate.-- xenzag, Feb 07 2012 Oh, I get it... the screws are hollow, with posts up through the middle, but the screws spin around the stationary posts. Right?-- Psalm_97, Feb 07 2012 //Anyway, congrats on inventing the open iron maiden.//
THAT'S why I started hanging around here so many moons ago. Not for the ideas, for the comments. The flocking road cones comments got me hooked.
And I'm still laughing about the open iron maiden. Thank you, I needed that. Fortunately nobody else is in this house to ask me why I have suddenly lost what little mind I might have theoretically possessed.-- Psalm_97, Feb 07 2012 In my opinion this idea would work perfectly well and result in no injuries.-- xenzag, Feb 07 2012 You do it first. Then I'll think about not doing it. Send some people a pic of you so they can help identify the body.-- Psalm_97, Feb 07 2012 I don't lie on beds of nails, and the idea is clearly intended only for those experts who do. The whole point of the construct is that it looks highly dangerous, but with carefully engineered components it becomes possible - a halfbaked idea of course, which is why it's here in the first place!-- xenzag, Feb 07 2012 If the screws were rotating counterclockwise there would be no risk of screwing themselves into the lier (liar?) and any threads encountered by pendulous flesh would actually be lifted up and out of harms way. But the visual effect would be just as impressive.
Since the point of the screw is a post which is independent of the outer threads, one could have it withdraw to create the illusion that it had gone into the flesh. The threaded pipes that remain then gradually withdraw into the board as well, creating the illusion that they are disappearing into the fakir. The fakir then stands and bows, the board apparently firmly affixed to his back.
He could then invite a member of the audience to try and remove it. On pulling hard, the board does come loose in a huge gout of fake blood. The gore-drenched fakir is dragged off stage by his helper, who returns with a large squeegee to clean up. Then the fakir returns, cleaned up and unharmed, to applause and cheers!-- bungston, Feb 07 2012 //the lier (liar?)//
the fakir (faker?)-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 07 2012 Why not just sleep on a bed of scorpions?-- travbm, Oct 29 2015 random, halfbakery