Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Parts List:
(Note: a Fat Boy kit could be used for t' stock parts o' this rocket.
T' parts listed are what I had on hand t' use, but t' Fat Boy parts look
like they'd work. I didn't want t' break up t' kit I had.)
Dependin' on t' cup used some dimensions or construction details may bhave t' be altered.
Fit t' BT80 over t' bottom end o' t' cup and mark where t' tube seats on one o' t' molded "rings". Avast! Cut off cup end at this point and test fit t' body tube through t' cup end. Save t' cut off bottom cup t' use later on. Ahoy! Cut a centerin' rin' from t' º" Balsa-Ply t' fit up inside the large end o' t' cup. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! T' cup I used had a shoulder about *" at the mouth and I cut t' rin' t' seat on this shoulder. Arrr! T' rin' is approximately 4 1/8" O.D.
Mark t' cup outside for 4 fin slots. Ya scallywag! I started t' bottom o' t' slot at t' shoulder in t' mouth o' t' cup just above t' º" Balsa-Ply ring.. Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! T' slots are 3/16" wide x approximately 1 æ" long. Mark a spot midway betwixt two fin slots and cut out a notch in t' lower shoulder o' t' cup for t' launch lug t' slip through. (refer t' photo) Cut a notch in t' Balsa-Ply rin' for t' launch lug t' fit through. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! Glue the 1/8" x 1/8" basswood strip t' t' body tube with t' lower end about 3/8" up from t' aft o' t' tube. Avast! Glue t' launch lug on top o' t' strip. Cut t' forward end o' t' LL at an angle.
Glue t' Balsa-Ply rin' onto t' body tube by positionin' t' ring in t' cup then fittin' t' tube into t' ring. Arrr! Begad! T' tube will be aligned by t' cup at one end and t' hole in t' cup at t' other. Ahoy! Make sure the notches for t' LL line up. Avast! Avast! After t' glue sets you can glue t' whole tube/rin' assembly into t' cup. I used epoxy for t' balsa t' cup joints and Tite-Bond for t' paper, basswood and balsa joints.
T' fin/legs were cut from 3/16" basswood. Begad! T' edges were rounded over
slightly. Well, arrr, blow me down! Legs were glued onto t' body tube with epoxy. Avast! Medium CA
was used betwixt t' legs and t' edges o' t' slots. Arrr! T' 1/8" x 3/8" strips
were cut t' length, ya bilge rat, matey, ends at an angle. These were attached t' each side
of t' legs with medium CA. Ahoy! Blimey! T' gap betwixt each leg "track" be filled
with t' 3/16" x 3/16" balsa strip cut t' fit.
T' clay nozzles o' both t' 13mm Estes and 10.5mm Apogee engine casings were drilled out. Aye aye! T' 10.5mm æ" long casin' sections are glued into one end o' each 13mm casin' º" deep usin' Tite-Bond. Avast! Epoxy be used for t' wire nuts. Blimey! T' 20-50 paper rin' centers were glued up in pairs with Tite-Bond then glued t' t' ends o' t' spent casings. Well, blow me down! Each pod was glued t' t' leg end with 5 minute epoxy and held in place with a couple of drops o' medium CA. Blimey! Begad! They were aligned by eye-ball.
T' bulges on either side o' t' body are pin' pong ball sections attached with medium CA. Avast, me proud beauty! I used about a 1/3 section for each bulge. Begad! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' Door detail was made up from t' 1/8"x 1/8" styrene strip and t' thin styrene sheet. T' "window" on t' door section is cut from a daily use contact lens "blister"" package. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! T' strips on t' opposite side o' t' body are sections o' scrap 3/8" wide trailin' edge balsa stock.
Detail along t' top exposed section o' body tube was done usin' a *" long section o' scrap BT80 cut into 5/8" long sections. Blimey! These are glued to t' top exposed section o' t' body tube equally spaced around t' outside.
T' engine hook is reinforced by a scrap chunk o' BT50 split length-wise
and epoxied over t' hook betwixt t' centerin' rings. Arrr! Position the
rear rin' *" from t' aft end o' t' motor mount tube. Position
the whole mount in t' aft o' t' BT80 so t' back face o' t' rin' is
*" up inside t' tube. Begad! T' 8" long Keelhaul®©™ is tied t' t' forward centering
rin' and looped at t' free end for mountin' t' elastic shock cord.
T' aft o' t' motor mount area is capped off with t' bottom section of cup cut off earlier. Aye aye! T' remainin' bit o' scarp BT80 was cut at *" long, cut length wise and rolled in t' fit inside t' aft end o' t' body tube. Cut out t' center o' t' cup bottom.. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! This be cut at a part o' t' cup bottom that already had a step molded into it. Begad! Epoxy t' cup bottom onto the end o' t' motor mount tube. Arrr! Begad! T' cut section o' body tube acts like a tube coupler.
Attach t' shock cord t' t' Keelhaul®©™ mount, arrr, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, attached t' chute, well
you know t' rest o' t' drill.
I haven't done any finishin' on this yet. Begad! It hasn't flown yet either, but I hope t' get out in t' next few weeks and test fly it. Ahoy! I suspect it will need a good bit o' nose weight, which I haven't added yet. I plan on usin' a D12-3 for t' first flight.
"Lander" flight report 3-18-2001.
Light northwest breeze, sunny, arrr, temps in t' upper 40's. Arrr! Avast! I had added two castin' "tear drop" type sinkers t' t' tip o' t' nose cone and hot glued them in place. Begad! Nay sure o' t' total amount o' weight. Avast, me proud beauty! I will have to get a weight on t' nose and t' whole rocket later.
T' balance point with D12-3 is approximately 3 5/8 inch from t' back edge o' t' cup. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Note: precision CG findin' equipment consists o' two fingers held upright with rocket rockin' back and forth on finger tips :-)
First flight was accomplished on an Estes D12-3. Ya scallywag! Boost was rock solid stable with only slight weather-cocking. I estimate it reached an altitude of around 250 feet, maybe a little higher. Well, blow me down! Ejection occured just after apogee. Recovery was on an 18 inch nylon chute. Ya scallywag! Rocket was recovered intact with t' only damage bein' one o' t' micro-motors on one leg pod was knocked loose, but did nay come off. A 24 inch chute may be a better choice if flyin' over hard ground or in calm conditions.
Now I need t' come up with a better name than "Lander". Begad! Begad! Spooge Prospector maybe?
Kelo "why do I hafta name me rockets anyway can't I just call it the blue one or t' red one or whatever and be done with it" Waivio
Sponsored Ads
![]() |
![]() |