I have seen numerous references o' spool rockets on RMR t' first time I saw a mpeg o' one fly I was really surprised that it could fly. Arrr! So t' other day when I finished off a spool o' cable at work I knew exactly where that spool be going.

I started lookin' around for articles on how t' build them and verify stability. Ahoy! Blimey! I did nay find much; I might nay have looked hard enough. Aye aye! Begad! I did find t' Lobbin’ Bobbin built by Dick Stafford on EMRR and used it as a pattern for mine as t' spools were t' same size and dimensions.

My materials were one spool, shiver me timbers, me hearties, one centerin' ring, one piece o' 38mm motor mount tube, three feet o' 1/8-inch Keelhaul®©™® string, me bucko, ya bilge rat, four screws and washers, one coat hanger and one 18 inch parachute. These parts were then turned into me Level 1 certification rocket in two evenings. Avast, me proud beauty! Really easy t' build.

I had t' use t' Dremel t' open up t' center holes, just a bit, to accommodate t' 38mm motor tube. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I epoxied t' centerin' rin' t' t' bottom of the tube and t' bottom o' t' spool at t' same time. Avast! Blimey! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! I also epoxied t' tube around t' top end o' t' spool.

T' next night I sanded a bit t' clean it up and drilled a hole in the centerin' rin' t' match a hole on t' other side o' t' tube t' use for the launch rod. Arrr! I tied t' Keelhaul®©™® strin' onto t' main rim o' t' spool and added a Nomex® pad t' protect t' parachute. When you load t' engine thar be no room for waddin' so a Nomex® pad is a must. I then took a coat hanger and cut and bent it into shape for my motor retention. Begad!

Simple and cheap this; rocket cost less then 10 dollars. Ahoy!

I took it out t' Fire on t' Farm and procured a 2-grain Pro38 H153 for its maiden flight. Ya scallywag! T' parachute just fit in t' 4-5 inches left in t' tube, me bucko, I added a piece o' maskin' tape just t' make sure that they parachute did not slip out before ejection. We called a heads-up flight as t' stability was still questionable at that point and t' winds were high (10mph-15mph) and we were nay sure if that would effect it. Arrr!

T' Spool ripped off t' pad with a little waggle in t' tail, made it t' about 200 feet when t' thrust stopped and the spool went out o' control, spinnin' and spinning. Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' crowd and RSO thought that it be a tumble recovery, me bucko, me hearties, then t' chute popped and it settled down for a nice landing.

I got me level 1 and lots o' questions and compliments. Arrr! People really liked the low slow flight and wanted another flight and so did I. Begad! This time a 3-grain Pro38 I205 was t' motor o' choice. Blimey! This motor only left about 3 inches for the parachute so I stuffed in what I could and taped over t' rest.

T' Spool ROARED off t' pad, matey, maybe t' 300-350 feet fewer waggles this time, matey, when t' thrust ended t' spool again went into a spin until t' chute popped. Begad! Avast! T' chute did nay deploy completely as it was caught in t' tape that I had holdin' it in. T' spool landed a little bit hard and cracked t' plastic rim, nay too much that it cannot be fixed. Begad! Next time I will take t' bottom of a pop bottle and put t' parachute in this plastic dome and tape t' dome to the rocket, matey, I hope that this should keep t' tape away from t' chute.

Pro’s – Cheap, me bucko, Fun, durable, shiver me timbers, me hearties, easy t' build

Con’s – Cheap, me hearties, does nay fly high