Centering Rings and Engine Blocks

Today we will be talking about how to make centering rings and engine blocks. They are made out of toilet paper rolls. The centering rings center at the motor mount into the rocket. The engine block makes it so the engine doesn't fire up through the rocket and explodes.

First, we will make the centering rings. First, I will tell you how to cut the toilet paper roll. Cut the toilet paper roll up the long side, then you cut it into strips.

Then you glue the strips to make the centering rings on the motor mount. Repeat until the centering ring is as big as your rocket tube.

Now, I am going to tell you how we made an engine block. First, we made an inner block mold. First you take some toilet paper roll and you wrap it around a pencil until you get the right diameter of the inside your motor.

And then you stick your inner block mold into a motor.

And then you wrap your toilet paper strips around your inner block mold until it is the same size as the motor mount.

Then glue engine block in the motor mount.

How to Make a Motor Mount

In this post were going to learning how to make a motor mount.

Mark 7 CM on each short side of the card stock sheet. You want to do it carefully that it is the right size.


Connect the two marks with a straight edge.



Cut along the line.



Roll the strip around a used engine. This makes it so it will be the right shape.



Unroll most of the card stock until there is only a one wrap around it. This is so it can be glued easily.



Push the engine so that it sticks out slightly, so we can tape it and it will not unroll fully.



Tape Exposed end firmly with masking tape.



Push engine so it slightly sticks out the other end.



Tape exposed end firmly with masking tape.



Layer inside of the unwrapped card stock with a very thin layer of glue.



Roll card stock around the engine.


Secure with masking tape and let it dry.

We hope you enjoy your motor mount.

New Rocket Parts!

Body tubes and nose cones arrived today! I designed my first rocket with OpenRocket!

I am kind of excited to start building it!

Toilet Paper Roll Rocket

To kick this blog off, I have a little budget rocketry.  This is the Lou Lou Rocket 7 (named after my wife Mandy Lou), also known as the "Toilet Paper Rocket."  As you can imagine, the body tube of this rocket is made out of a cardboard toilet paper tube.  Here is the design:

In order to keep this rocket dirt cheap, the nose cone is made out of rolled card stock and masking tape.  The motor mount is also made out of card stock and masking tape.  My fins will be made out of balsa, but if you are really on a tight budget they could be made out of cardboard.  I am waiting for my balsa to arrive so that is why there are no fin pictures.

There are a few known issues with this rocket.  The design is slightly over stable at 4.21 cal. which means that the rocket should not be flown in high winds as it will tend to weathercock. 
Here are some componate pitures.  I am waiting for my balsa to arrive so that is why there are no fin pictures.

Complete build video coming soon!