Brief:
T' 2 Minute Egg is a rocket designed by George Gassaway for eggloftin' competitions. Aye aye! Arrr! 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, matey, arrr, arrr, some 3/32" balsa, a 4" piece o' BT-20, a centerin' rin' and a cackle fruit capsule. Begad! Ya scallywag! Additionally, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, 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. Begad! 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. One is for 1.75" diameter capsules and t' other is for 1.9-2" diameter. Ahoy! Ahoy! I chose t' smaller because o' an idea for a modification, shiver me timbers, 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. Aye aye! I checked me stocks and found none o' that thickness. Ya scallywag! I did have 1/16" and I planned t' laminate t' fins so I went with that. Begad! 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. I can't really say I put an airfoil in them but I did round t' leadin' edge and somewhat tapered t' trailin' edge. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Each fin was then pressed down on a sheet o' self-adhesive label paper and t' X-Acto was used t' trim away t' excess. Aye aye! 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. 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. Arrr! T' razor knife was then used t' slowly score around t' tube and cut it. Aye aye! 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! Blimey! After they had dried, matey, shiver me timbers, t' sides were filleted with white glue.

Finishing:
I figured I be ready t' start finishing. Arrr! Avast! I know that many contest rockets remain unpainted t' save on weight, but I wanted t' paint mine. Avast, me proud beauty! First, 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. I began sprayin' light coats. Begad! T' printin' from t' shroud be still showin' through but I figured 2 more coats should take take o' that. Ya scallywag! That's when I noticed that I had nay installed t' launch lug.

After t' paint had a day t' dry, me bucko, me hearties, I took t' rocket back t' t' bench and cut two pieces o' 1/8" lug. Begad! Aye aye! 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. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' lower lug was then glued in place with white glue.

I looked around for a piece o' scrap balsa with t' grain runnin' in t' right direction, arrr, perpendicular t' t' lug, shiver me timbers, and found one which I trimmed t' t' length o' t' upper lug. Ya scallywag! I purposely left it t' long so that t' correct length could be cut when t' glue on t' lower lug was dry and it could handle a rod for alignment. 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. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! 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. Ahoy! I then marked t' shroud for t' proper location, ya bilge rat, matey, arrr, scraped off t' paint, 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. Begad! T' 2 Minute Egg be then taken back t' t' booth for a final application o' yellow paint. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Blimey! Ahoy! Through inattention, ya bilge rat, I found t' day o' me club launch upon me and I had nay yet ordered t' capsule. Ya scallywag! Begad! With that in mind, matey, I fell back on plan B, an idea I had read about and which had intrigued me.

I purchased some balloons and, after a bit o' fretting, managed t' get one around a cackle fruit. Avast! A piece o' elastic be tied off around t' open end o' t' balloon and t' elastic was tied into t' Keelhaul®©™® shock mount. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Under this schema, me bucko, ya bilge rat, 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. Arrr! Aye aye! Even so, all were determined t' participate. Aye aye! Begad! All o' t' sudden, t' 24" parachute I had packed be beginnin' t' look a little small.

T' rocket was prepped with a C6-3, some waddin' and t' egg balloon was carefully placed. Avast, me proud beauty! T' countdown came. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' motor ignited and then t' rocket went up. Begad! As soon as it cleared t' wind shadow from t' ground support truck, ya bilge rat, it began t' weathercock into t' wind. Begad! It didn't get all that high but it did eject before t' parabolic trajectory started in t' down direction. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Out came t' chute and a problem was immediately apparent. Avast! T' chute was nay opening. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Well, blow me down! T' result was very "squishy". Begad! 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, me proud beauty! 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 was disqualified, I am prepared t' offer a few observations about this rocket design.

Not a single rocket qualified on t' day o' t' contest. Begad! High winds made recovery o' t' cackle fruit problematical. O' all t' flights, me bucko, shiver me timbers, mine performed best, shiver me timbers, gettin' t' best altitude and had t' added benefit o' actually ejectin' while in t' air.

This is a simple rocket. Avast! Avast! I would use it again. 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. Blimey! T' rocket is light enough and is designed for a regular egg carrier.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5