How to Make a Planchette

Making a Planchette

Choose a material. Traditionally, planchettes are made from a thin piece of attractive wood, such as birch, mahogany, or oak. However, you can make a planchette from any lightweight material, such as thick cardboard, utility board, or a clear hard sheet of plastic.

Cut out a planchette shape. Use a utility knife (for cardboard), a saw (for wood), or a plastic scoring knife (for plastic) to cut your planchette into the desired shape. Most planchettes are shaped like a heart, a teardrop, or a rounded triangle. You can use any shape you find attractive or that has a special meaning for you. Make the planchette large enough that at least three people can comfortably place their fingertips on the edge.

Cut a window (optional). Most planchettes have a hole in the middle to act as a "window" you can look through to see the answer. If your planchette has an obvious pointer end, you can use that instead to indicate the answer on your Ouija board. Many planchettes have both a pointer and a window. If you include both, you'll have to experiment to see which points to the right answer. Perhaps different spirits use different methods of communicating. Optionally, fit a piece of clear plastic or glass into the window. The plastic "window" on some greeting cards is a good option that can be popped right in.

Glue felt pads to the base. Glue three or four tiny circles of felt to the outer edge of the planchette's underside. This helps the planchette slide smoothly across the board. Apply the glue sparingly, or the felt may become soggy or crusty. A brief spray of 3M 77 or a dab of Elmer's Carpenter Glue are both good options. You can use small metal casters instead, attaching two of them to the wide end of the planchette and using a felt-tipped peg on the third side.

Decorate and finish (optional). If you like, you can decorate your planchette with astrological symbols, spirit names, or other mystical writing. Use a permanent marker or a fine-tipped paintbrush. If you are using a wood planchette and would like to prevent it from getting scratched, purchase wood finish from a hardware store and apply it in a thin coat to the top surface of the board. Sand the wooden surface lightly before applying the finish for best results.

Using Other Objects as Planchettes

Use an upside down glass. Many people turn a shot glass, wine glass, or tumbler upside down over the Ouija board when they don't have a planchette. The glass magnifies the answer and bends the image, making the experience spookier.

Pop out an old glasses lens. Another makeshift planchette that provides a window to look through is the lens on an old pair of sunglasses or glasses. It's best to use the cheap kind you can purchase at drugstores, not your friend's prescription spectacles or a fancy pair of designer glasses.

Use a coin. Try using a lucky coin, or an old coin that has been touched by thousands of people. Of course, a coin will not point to an answer or give you a window to look through, but it can move on top of the letters or numbers on a Ouija board. One superstition holds that a silver coin will prevent evil spirits from getting into your Ouija board.

Learning Planchette Superstitions

Follow whichever instructions you like. No one can ever agree on which Ouija superstitions to believe in. You can take these superstitions as dire warnings or funny stories, as you like.

Beware planchettes that fall off the board. Many people believe that a planchette that moves off the board or table has become possessed by an evil spirit. Of course, you can't just pick up your hand when this starts happening... a planchette left on the board might be dangerous too!

Watch out for dangerous motions. Other supposed signs of an evil spirit include a planchette that moves to all four corners of the board, a planchette that moves in a figure eight, or a planchette that counts down through all the numbers or letters of the alphabet.

Treat objects used as planchettes carefully. Makeshift planchettes, especially drinking glasses, have a whole lot of extra superstitions. Some people never drink from a glass that's been used as planchette, while others only ban certain drinks, such as alcohol.

Cleanse your planchette. Hold the drinking glass over a burning candle before using it as a planchette. Cleanse any planchette with your favorite ritual, whether that involves bible verses, pagan invocations, or herbal preparations at the right phase of the moon. Keep it clean in the mundane world too, with a little dusting now and then.