Take Up Reel

Take Up Reel $400

A Take Up Reel is a reel that has one function, to shorten a length of string on a “wrist to wrist” pull. This allows you to use the pull easily at any point of your act.

If you don’t know what a Take Up Reel is. It’s a double locking reel, and each lock has a very specific purpose:

  • The first lock keep the string long, which eliminates the cramped posture you have when using a traditional wrist to wrist pull.
  • The second lock securely holds the string in the short position giving you the power and stability you need on the string to confidently and effectively vanish the birdcage (or whatever) in the blink of an eye!

    You may remember reading about the Take Up Reel in volume 2 of Tommy Wonder’s book or in Billy McComb’s Vanishing Birdcage DVD’s.

This will work with both the semi-rigid cages and the Abbott’s style cages:

This will also work with the cheaper vanishing birdcages that are made in India:

That Take Up Reel isn’t just for the vanishing birdcage, you can use it for the “chimney vanish” or pretty much any vanish where the object will go up your sleeve.

“That’s F*cking incredible”

Jeff McBride

“I’ve been using a prototype of Louie’s reel for several months (he did this right, and had it exhaustively road tested by other acts because he wanted it to be perfect under all conditions)

It is, by far, the best new piece of apparatus I’ve added in the past ten years and I’ve been using it in every show for the past 6 months. The sense of freedom it creates on stage dramatically elevates the impossibility of the vanish, but — as someone who opens with an effect using a wrist-to-wrist pull — the big change in my life is that I can pre-set my opener long in advance and still interact normally with people backstage (no more having to walk around like a T-Rex once set!)

This has my highest recommendation!!!”

Nathan Coe Marsh

“…after using one of Louie’s, I’d never bother with any other one. I just think its the way to go because of how it works…”

Matt Disero

“Louie’s Take-Up Pull is incredible. If you want to perform the Vanishing Birdcage in the “real world” you need one of these, but you can do much more with it. I have several Take-Up Pulls made by Hammerton and Martin but this high quality modern recreation is every bit as good and at a fraction of the price of any of the others. I highly recommend Louie Foxx’s Take-Up Pull!”

Marc DeSouza

“I have a Louie Foxx reel and it’s quiet enough for parlour…I would have no hestiation using it in any setting where I would do the birdcage

Jonathan Neale

“I love your reel!”

Shawn Farquhar


I’m not aware of anyone that currently is making a Take Up Reel, and when they were made they cost in the ballpark of $1,000 or more! I created an innovative second lock that allows a lot of the device to be 3D printed, eliminating the need for specialized equipment for machining metal. This greatly reduces the cost to make them!

Here’s what you get:

Take Up Reel
20 Min Instructional Video

Got question about the take up reel? Feel free to contact me!

Take Up Reel $400


*note: The Take Up Reel currently doesn’t come with any attachments for the end, you’ll have to provide your own. If you want some suggestions, feel free to contact me.