AOL

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

Construction:
CDs were cut in half with a utility knife (scissors will cause t' CD t' shatter). Begad! Begad! I sanded mine so they would nay have AOL and MSN logos and text on them, matey, matey, this is optional. Then an approximately 45 degree angle was put on one end. Arrr! Well, blow me down! This was repeated three more times t' obtain all four fins. Well, blow me down! 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, ya bilge rat, it was from a commercial paper towel dispenser, arrr, it was fairly thick, arrr, 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. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! 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. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! After soakin' for a few minutes they were removed and stacked together in 2 sets o' 8 (you may ask, why the extras?, well they were for an extra one just in case somethin' went wrong). They dried while bein' pressed in a bench vise. Once they were dry a hole was drilled through t' center t' allow t' copin' saw blade t' be put through. Avast! A circle be cut in t' stack o' card board t' allow the motor mount t' slide in easily. Well, blow me down! T' same steps were taken for the second centerin' ring. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! T' rings were glued t' t' motor mount tube; when they were dry, me hearties, me bucko, t' whole unit be slid into t' body tube. Ahoy! The rear rin' be about half an inch from t' back end o' t' tube, this would allow t' rocket t' stand on t' fins. Ya scallywag! 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 be cut in half, me hearties, 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. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! I added a lot o' weight inside t' egg, I'm nay sure exactly how much but it's around 30 BBs. Well, blow me down! Well, me hearties, blow me down! This be held in place with hot melt glue, matey, while t' glue was still warm, ya bilge rat, a cotter pin was inserted t' allow a parachute t' be attached t' t' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! T' strip of elastic I found be glued t' t' hot melt glue with white glue.  When it was dry, ya bilge rat, me bucko, I pulled on it t' see if it would come free and it just popped off. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! T' second time I glued it down, I put it at a different angle and used a lot more glue. Begad! Ya scallywag! Now I can pull on it and it does not come free, shiver me timbers, me hearties, t' glue does nay even crack like it did before.

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

T' rocket be finally built but needed paint. Blimey! Ahoy! It started all yellow. Ya scallywag! Begad! 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. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! I decided it would be easier t' just paint it black. T' body tube needs t' be touched up with "Dandelion Yellow" t' get rid o' t' black finger prints. Avast! Aye aye! T' edges of the CD fins were painted gold with a paint pen. Blimey! Aye aye! It looks good from no less than 3 feet away. Blimey! Arrr! I did nay build it t' look good, me hearties, 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.