Brief:
It all started on me birthday in 2004. Well, blow me down! I received two Estes Fat Boys, matey, and I planned on buildin' them as a two stage rocket, however, one o' t' body tubes was completly ripped down t' middle because t' nose cone was shoved halfway down inside it. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! That left me with two Fat Boy kits but only one body tube. Blimey! I built t' sustainer stage minus t' engine hook and looked at t' parts from the other kit. Avast! I had two centerin' rings, matey, a motor hook, shiver me timbers, a mylar ring, a launch lug, a chute, me hearties, and a shock cord.

Construction:
I remebered readin' a review about a spool rocket, so I decided t' give it a try. I took t' engine tube, centerin' rings, launch lug, motor hook, arrr, and retainer ring. Well, blow me down! In about 10 minutes, me bucko, I slapped all o' these parts together to form a cheap spool rocket.

T' construction be easy. Begad! It is ideally t' motor mount o' a Fat Boy. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Blimey! It starts out by slittin' t' motor tube t' place t' eningine hook in. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I dont know why I put t' motor hook in. Aye aye! T' ejection charge just goes out t' other end anyway. T' next step was slippin' on t' mylar retainin' ring, arrr, matey, which was tacked in place with thick CA. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Next, t' launch lug be glued with thick CA to the motor tube. Ya scallywag! Finally, me bucko, t' two centerin' rings were placed just over each end, flush with t' ends o' t' motor tube. Begad! Blimey! I had t' line up t' semi-circle in one rin' with t' launch lug, me bucko, and cut another one in t' upper centerin' ring to allow t' launch rod t' pass through. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Finishing:
I primed it, painted mine blue, let it cure, then slapped on some letter stickers. On one side I wrote spool and on t' other I wrote Alex. Ahoy! Then, me bucko, I painted t' whole thin' black and removed t' stickers. Unfortunately. mylar stickers do nay make good maskin' tape.

Flight:
Flight, like any spool rocket is up, me bucko, spin, and down. Blimey! I flew it first in the fall at a nearby schoolyard on an A8-3. Begad! It went slow t' about 70-100 feet and then spiraled back down usin' tumble recovery. At about 20 feet, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, t' ejectin charge popped and a burst o' flame popped out o' t' top. I proved t' me dad and sister that spools do fly straight. Avast! They thought it was a joke. Blimey! Avast! T' next three flights were in Tewksbury at a CMASS sport launch. Begad! I flew it three times. T' first time be on an A8-3. Ahoy! It be a repeat o' t' first flight: up and down. Begad! Later, ya bilge rat, I launched it on a B6-4. Avast! It went up and down, only faster and higher. Begad! Then I launched it on a C6-5. Avast! It went up, arrr, shiver me timbers, me hearties, probably about 250 feet. I need t' use booster motors though because when it came down t' ejection charge practically went off in t' LCO's face.

Summary:
T' main PROs for this rocket are t' ease o' construction and t' simplicity of t' parts and design. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' only CONs are that durin' me launches t' ejection charge fires too close t' t' ground, ya bilge rat, so a shorter delay is needed. Begad! Overall, shiver me timbers, me hearties, I really enjoyed buildin' and flyin' this rocket. Aye aye! It is a fun build for anyone with a damaged body tube or other damaged parts. Avast! Begad!