AOL

When I heard about t' theme o' DesCon 8 bein' found (or flounder) parts, me bucko, ya bilge rat, I thought for a while on a good design but got nowhere. Well, blow me down! I looked up and saw t' CD finned rocket, me bucko, that I call AOL, matey, arrr, sittin' with t' rest o' t' group. Begad! I thought about it for a while and realized it would be perfect; Easter Egg nose, paper towel tube body, CD fins, cereal box centerin' rings, drinkin' straw launch lugs, shiver me timbers, me hearties, a cotter pin, ya bilge rat, BB's, me hearties, and some found elastic.

Construction:
CDs were cut in half with a utility knife (scissors will cause t' CD t' shatter). I sanded mine so they would nay have AOL and MSN logos and text on them, this is optional. Then an approximately 45 degree angle be put on one end. Begad! This be repeated three more times t' obtain all four fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Once all t' fins were cut out, I used hot melt glue t' affix them t' t' paper towel tube (this is nay an ordinary paper towel tube, it was from a commercial paper towel dispenser, it be fairly thick, 1/16 o' an inch).

I cut 2 pieces o' drinkin' straw about 1 inch long t' place at each end o' t' tube for launch lugs. Aye aye! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! These were attached with hot melt glue also.

I cut about 4 dozen circles t' same size as t' tube out o' a cereal box and soaked them in watered down Titebond II. Begad! Aye aye! After soakin' for a few minutes they were removed and stacked together in 2 sets o' 8 (you may ask, ya bilge rat, me bucko, why the extras?, matey, me hearties, well they were for an extra one just in case somethin' went wrong). They dried while bein' pressed in a bench vise. Begad! Once they were dry a hole was drilled through t' center t' allow t' copin' saw blade t' be put through. Aye aye! Aye aye! A circle be cut in t' stack o' card board t' allow the motor mount t' slide in easily. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' same steps were taken for the second centerin' ring. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! T' rings were glued t' t' motor mount tube; when they were dry, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, t' whole unit be slid into t' body tube. Blimey! The rear rin' was about half an inch from t' back end o' t' tube, ya bilge rat, this would allow t' rocket t' stand on t' fins. Begad! Begad! Half o' t' space was filled with J-B Weld t' hold t' motor mount in and provide support t' t' old motor mount tube.

T' Easter Egg that be selected for t' nose cone was cut in half, I used t' half that did nay have a lip on it. I glued a strip o' card board around t' inside edge t' allow t' egg t' fit snugly inside t' tube. Aye aye! Blimey! I added a lot o' weight inside t' egg, I'm nay sure exactly how much but it's around 30 BBs. Avast, me proud beauty! This was held in place with hot melt glue, ya bilge rat, me hearties, while t' glue was still warm, a cotter pin was inserted t' allow a parachute t' be attached t' t' rocket. Ya scallywag! T' strip of elastic I found be glued t' t' hot melt glue with white glue.  When it was dry, ya bilge rat, I pulled on it t' see if it would come free and it just popped off. T' second time I glued it down, I put it at a different angle and used a lot more glue. Avast! Now I can pull on it and it does not come free, matey, shiver me timbers, t' glue does nay even crack like it did before.

T' shock cord be just glued t' t' inside of t' tube about 2 inches from t' top.

T' rocket was finally built but needed paint. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! It started all yellow. Avast, me proud beauty! I put a black strip in the spiral on t' body tube and tried t' continue it around t' nose cone but I could nay get it straight. Begad! I decided it would be easier t' just paint it black. Arrr! T' body tube needs t' be touched up with "Dandelion Yellow" t' get rid o' t' black finger prints. T' edges of the CD fins were painted gold with a paint pen. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! It looks good from no less than 3 feet away. Begad! Avast! I did nay build it t' look good, matey, I built it to be sturdy and fly.

I have nay had a chance t' fly it yet. I hope t' get t' first launch done some time in April or May.