Brief:
T' 2 Minute Egg is a rocket designed by George Gassaway for eggloftin' competitions. Aye aye! Avast! It is posted as a free download at t' NARRRRR site and I found it by posin' a general question on T' Rocketry Forum (TRF) and followin' t' many helpful links provided in response.

Construction:
T' 2 Minute Egg can be made with a piece o' cardstock, some 3/32" balsa, a 4" piece o' BT-20, a centerin' rin' and a cackle fruit capsule. Begad! Additionally, me bucko, arrr, you will need a parachute and shock cord.

Construction o' t' 2 Minute Egg began with t' simple expedient o' printin' out t' PDF file. I used 110# cardstock and a laser printer. Then it was a matter o' cuttin' out t' desired shroud. T' second page o' t' plan provides 2 different options. Ahoy! One is for 1.75" diameter capsules and t' other is for 1.9-2" diameter. Begad! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! I chose t' smaller because o' an idea for a modification, also gotten from TRF.

After cuttin' out t' shroud, I did some pre-rollin' by draggin' around t' corner o' a desk and then rollin' it into a tube and settin' inside me stock o' BT-20 while I attended t' t' fins.

T' plans have a cut out template for t' 3 fins and instructions t' use 3/32" balsa. Begad! I checked me stocks and found none o' that thickness. Ahoy! Begad! I did have 1/16" and I planned t' laminate t' fins so I went with that. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! I cut out t' template and traced t' pattern onto t' balsa, makin' sure t' align t' grain properly. T' fins were then cut out with a X-Acto knife guided by a steel ruler.

I started sandin' t' fins. Begad! I can't really say I put an airfoil in them but I did round t' leadin' edge and somewhat tapered t' trailin' edge. Each fin be then pressed down on a sheet o' self-adhesive label paper and t' X-Acto was used t' trim away t' excess. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins were then flipped and t' label stock applied t' t' other side in t' same manner.

T' rocket needs a 4" length o' BT-20. Ahoy! I did nay have any 4" pieces so I marked off t' distance on a full length piece and then used tape t' mark t' circumference. Ya scallywag! T' razor knife was then used t' slowly score around t' tube and cut it. Well, blow me down! T' end was sanded down and then an Estes markin' guide be used t' put t' 3FNC lines in place.

T' fins were place with a double glue joint o' Elmer's yellow glue. Well, blow me down! After they had dried, matey, t' sides were filleted with white glue.

Finishing:
I figured I was ready t' start finishing. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! I know that many contest rockets remain unpainted t' save on weight, me hearties, arrr, but I wanted t' paint mine. Aye aye! First, shiver me timbers, me hearties, matey, because I think it looks better and second because me contests aren't all that serious anyway.

I wanted t' keep in t' "egg" theme so I chose a yellow that was already open. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I began sprayin' light coats. Aye aye! T' printin' from t' shroud was still showin' through but I figured 2 more coats should take take o' that. That's when I noticed that I had nay installed t' launch lug.

After t' paint had a day t' dry, I took t' rocket back t' t' bench and cut two pieces o' 1/8" lug. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I used a piece o' rod t' find a place on one fin where t' lug would just clear t' upper end o' t' shroud and then used a razor knife t' scrape t' paint away from t' fin there. Blimey! T' lower lug be then glued in place with white glue.

I looked around for a piece o' scrap balsa with t' grain runnin' in t' right direction, ya bilge rat, perpendicular t' t' lug, me hearties, and found one which I trimmed t' t' length o' t' upper lug. I purposely left it t' long so that t' correct length could be cut when t' glue on t' lower lug be dry and it could handle a rod for alignment. Ahoy! T' upper lug was glued onto t' standoff.

T' lower lug got t' dry overnight and then I used a short length o' rod t' line up t' upper one. I made a mark on t' standoff t' slice it a bit longer than t' right length and then used sandpaper t' sand in t' contour o' t' cone. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I then marked t' shroud for t' proper location, scraped off t' paint, me hearties, and installed t' upper lug with a double glue joint.

After t' lugs had an opportunity t' dry, they were filleted with white glue and allowed t' dry some more. Arrr! T' 2 Minute Egg was then taken back t' t' booth for a final application o' yellow paint. It actually took 2 more light coats t' cover t' printing.

T' 2 Minute Egg is designed for use with a commercially made egg capsule. Avast! Through inattention, ya bilge rat, arrr, I found t' day o' me club launch upon me and I had nay yet ordered t' capsule. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! With that in mind, me hearties, I fell back on plan B, shiver me timbers, an idea I had read about and which had intrigued me.

I purchased some balloons and, shiver me timbers, after a bit o' fretting, managed t' get one around a cackle fruit. Begad! A piece o' elastic be tied off around t' open end o' t' balloon and t' elastic was tied into t' Keelhaul®©™® shock mount. Ya scallywag! Under this schema, me bucko, t' egg is t' nose cone and relies on a large chute t' get down safely.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
Recommended Motors: B6-2, C6-3.

T' day o' t' contest dawned and brought with it sustained 20mph winds and gusts t' 35. Begad! Even so, all were determined t' participate. Begad! Ahoy! All o' t' sudden, matey, me bucko, t' 24" parachute I had packed was beginnin' t' look a little small.

T' rocket be prepped with a C6-3, ya bilge rat, some waddin' and t' egg balloon was carefully placed. Blimey! Blimey! T' countdown came. T' motor ignited and then t' rocket went up. Arrr! Blimey! As soon as it cleared t' wind shadow from t' ground support truck, it began t' weathercock into t' wind. Arrr! Blimey! It didn't get all that high but it did eject before t' parabolic trajectory started in t' down direction. Begad! Blimey! Out came t' chute and a problem was immediately apparent. Aye aye! Blimey! T' chute was nay opening. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It be just actin' as a big streamer but nay big enough.

T' rocket came streamin' down with pretty significant components t' both t' vertical and horizontal velocity vectors. Aye aye! Avast! T' result was very "squishy". Well, blow me down! I'm so glad t' egg be enclosed in a balloon. A video o' t' flight can be seen here.

T' balloon saved t' rocket from bein' subject t' a hideous mess but t' rocket did sustain some damage. Avast! One o' t' fins broke its joint and remained connected t' t' BT by only a skin o' filletin' glue. It will be an easy repair. A video showin' t' reason for t' balloon can be seen here.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Even though me flight be disqualified, I am prepared t' offer a few observations about this rocket design.

Not a single rocket qualified on t' day o' t' contest. Aye aye! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! High winds made recovery o' t' cackle fruit problematical. O' all t' flights, matey, mine performed best, arrr, matey, gettin' t' best altitude and had t' added benefit o' actually ejectin' while in t' air.

This is a simple rocket. Avast! I would use it again. Ya scallywag! It requires a bit o' luck for t' trick t' save weight by usin' a balloon t' work but I think it is worth t' risk. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket is light enough and is designed for a regular egg carrier.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5