Launching wrist rocket line

[tavan at tss.com]

>Ken, I,too have tried the slingshot/wrist rocket, but never come up with a
>good way to feed out the line.  I have used a spool from a fishing reel,but
>you have to find some way to anchor it.  This is no problem on the ground,
>as a large nail works, but I've done this from the roof of the house, and
>can never keep the spool in one place. I've tried duct tape, but it doesn't
>seem to stick to asphalt shingles very well.  Any suggestions?

>73, Bruce WW1M  


A spin-casting reel can be attached to the arm-brace of the
slingshot with a hose clamp.  It holds plenty of line, feeds it out
well, and retrieves it after each miss.  The end of the line is firmly 
attached to the spool.  

Non-fishermen:  A "spin-casting reel" is the kind that has a
cone-shaped cover over the spool.  Like a "spinning reel", it has the
spool axis pointing forward.  Line feeds off a non-rotating spool, so
there is no backlash problem like you have with a "bait-casting reel"
(which has an axis perpendicular to the feed direction and rotates to
feed line straight off the spool).  The spin-casting reel tangles less
easily than either of the other types.  Very inexpensive, too. 
Sometimes you can buy one complete with cheap rod for less than a reel
alone since the stand-alone reels tend to be higher quality.  I have no
explanation for the bizarre naming conventions for fishing reels.

73,

/Rick N6XI