Scratch 18mm Spool Rocket Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - 18mm Spool Rocket {Scratch}

Contributed by Alex Rothchild

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Alex Rothchild - 06/27/05) (Scratch) 18mm Spool Rocket

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

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

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

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

Flight:
Flight, like any spool rocket is up, spin, and down. Arrr! I flew it first in the fall at a nearby schoolyard on an A8-3. It went slow t' about 70-100 feet and then spiraled back down usin' tumble recovery. At about 20 feet, t' ejectin charge popped and a burst o' flame popped out o' t' top. Begad! I proved t' me dad and sister that spools do fly straight. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! They thought it be a joke. Ya scallywag! T' next three flights were in Tewksbury at a CMASS sport launch. I flew it three times. T' first time was on an A8-3. Avast, me proud beauty! It be a repeat o' t' first flight: up and down. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Later, ya bilge rat, I launched it on a B6-4. Aye aye! It went up and down, only faster and higher. Avast! Ya scallywag! Then I launched it on a C6-5. It went up, probably about 250 feet. Aye aye! 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. T' only CONs are that durin' me launches t' ejection charge fires too close t' t' ground, so a shorter delay is needed. Ya scallywag! Begad! Overall, ya bilge rat, I really enjoyed buildin' and flyin' this rocket. It is a fun build for anyone with a damaged body tube or other damaged parts.

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