Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil on the stove. Soak a tongue depressor in the boiling water for at least 30 seconds. This will make the wood slightly more flexible so you can shape it into a rotor. Remove the tongue depressor from the water, and try to twist the stick in the middle. Hold in position while the tongue depressor cools. You may need to repeat this step a few times.
Ideally, you will shape the depressor so one half is angled. If you have trouble bending the wood, try using a file to at least angle the edges.
Apply a small drop of super glue to a pencil's eraser, and then stick it to the centre of the tongue depressor. Get it as close to centre as possible.
Wrap some string tightly around the pencil, about one third of the distance down from the top of the toy helicopter. Use a piece of kite string or nylon cord. A piece 12 to 18 inches long is perfect. Simply wind the string around the pencil several times, leaving a small amount at the end for you to hold.
Cut off a piece of tubing that just long enough to hold on to. The tube must be large enough for your pencil to drop inside loosely. Use a knife to make a hole in one side of this tube, near one end.
Slide the pencil inside it. Pass the extra length from the end of your string through the hole so the string can be pulled, even though the wrapping is inside the tube.
Hold the handle of the toy helicopter with one hand, and give the string a good pull with the other.
Ideally, you will shape the depressor so one half is angled. If you have trouble bending the wood, try using a file to at least angle the edges.
Apply a small drop of super glue to a pencil's eraser, and then stick it to the centre of the tongue depressor. Get it as close to centre as possible.
Wrap some string tightly around the pencil, about one third of the distance down from the top of the toy helicopter. Use a piece of kite string or nylon cord. A piece 12 to 18 inches long is perfect. Simply wind the string around the pencil several times, leaving a small amount at the end for you to hold.
Cut off a piece of tubing that just long enough to hold on to. The tube must be large enough for your pencil to drop inside loosely. Use a knife to make a hole in one side of this tube, near one end.
Slide the pencil inside it. Pass the extra length from the end of your string through the hole so the string can be pulled, even though the wrapping is inside the tube.
Hold the handle of the toy helicopter with one hand, and give the string a good pull with the other.