PFM: Reel Fun

Effect: A dollar bill, which is several feet from the magician, magically leaps from the floor into the magician’s pocket.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Required Items:

A safety pin

A hand-held Mini-Fan (FIG. 1)

Some invisible or Scotch Tape and a dollar bill

A thread bobbin the size of an American quarter (FIG. 2)

A spool of clear monofilament, known in fabric stores as Invisible Thread (FIG. 3)

Many readers may be familiar with the novelty item referred to as a Dollar Snatcher. If not, envision a reel with a dollar attached to the line that snaps back to you at will. I’ve always enjoyed the concept of the Dollar Snatcher, but the line on the gimmick is usually too short. And when Dollar Snatchers break, they are next to impossible to repair.

Recently, the magic community has seen many new motorized reels on the market. These reels have longer lines and are easier to repair. Yet they cost $40 or more. My homemade reel will cost you in the neighborhood of $5 to make. It works as well as, or better than, the others on the market.

Preparation: First, take the head (the fan blades) off the Mini-Fan. Tie the invisible thread to the center of the bobbin. Make several knots. Wind the desired length of thread around the bobbin. I prefer to fill half of the bobbin’s capacity or less.

Place the bobbin onto the Mini-Fan in place of the fan blades. It should be a snug fit. Now either glue or tape the safety pin onto the fan, as shown in FIG. 4. Run the loose end of the thread through the hole in the end of the safety pin. Attach the loose end of the thread to the dollar bill with tape (FIG. 5). Now, you are ready for the fun!

Hook, Line, and Sinker: Stretch the length of the thread out from the reel about 10 to 15 feet away from where you are standing. Make sure there is a clear path between you and the dollar bill. Test it by flipping the switch of the fan to ON. The dollar bill should zip back to you. Assuming it does so, immediately turn the fan back to OFF once the dollar has returned.

The fan can be hidden in your hands or, better yet, in your pants pocket. When you turn the fan ON, be sure to turn it OFF the second that the dollar retracts to you. If you leave the fan ON too long, two things could happen. (1) The thread could break, or (2) eventually the motor of the fan will burn out.

Once you have tested the motorized reel, try it in a large crowded place. This is very similar to fishing. If you have patience, someone will eventually bite. Sometimes I’ll allow "the fish" to pick up the bill, only to have it yanked from his or her hand. Or sometimes, once they bend down, I’ll hit the ON switch and then immediately hit OFF. This ON-OFF action causes the dollar to scoot across the floor a short distance as if the wind had lifted it momentarily. Repeat this action until "the fish" figures out that it’s been caught.

Maintenance:

If the motorized reel seems to be having problems, then check the following:

The batteries might need to be replaced.
Sometimes the thread gets wrapped around the underside of the bobbin and the motor. If so, cut the thread free and redo the hook-up.
If the thread gets tangled in knots, cut it free and rethread the bobbin.
If the thread bobbin seems loose, remove it and try this: Place a small piece of cellophane onto the motor’s stem. Force the bobbin down onto the motor, and it should remain snug.
If, after several uses, the fan doesn’t seem to work properly, then buy another one. The fan will cost a couple of bucks.

Use your imagination when thinking of applications for the motorized reel. I’ve used it in the play Dracula to make a bat fly across the length of a stage. I’ve used it in a Change Bag routine, where a scarf on the floor is made to jump back into the bag. During a seance, it could be used to make an item fall from a table or shelf. The possibilities are endless.

Have fun with this clever novelty item. Do not attach to the reel more money than you can afford to lose. Sometimes the line will break. Sometimes the thread pulls free from the tape on the dollar. Anytime you’re pulling a trick on someone, do not forget: There is always someone out there who is more clever than you are!