Brief:
This is yet another rocket based on a BiC® pen. Plans for other BiC® rockets are available here on EMRR (BiC® ARCAS and the Double Tree Pen Roc) and you can download t' plan's for this one from Art Applewhite's site. Ya scallywag! What you get here is a kit, me bucko, with all t' parts included.

Construction:
T' followin' parts are provided in t' kit: One BiC® pen, card stock with the fin unit printed on it, a safety pin, and a shock tether assembly. Avast! The latter is pretty neat. It appears t' be a teeny-weeny braided steel cord with a plastic covering. Arrr! One end has a small loop closed with a crimp bushing. Arrr! A second loose bushin' is provided t' form a loop at t' nose cone. Begad! Well, me bucko, blow me down! T' assemble the kit you need a sharp knife, regular and Gel CA (I substituted Liquid Nails for t' latter), arrr, a pair o' pliers, me hearties, arrr, and wire cutters.

Assembly is really easy. You disassemble t' BiC® pen, leavin' only the empty tube. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! You remove t' ink tube and shave t' shoulder o' t' tip (i.e the nose cone) so it fits easily into t' tube. Avast! One batten down t' hatches: t' pen is full o' ink and is thus potentially very messy. Begad! Over a couple o' paper towels, ya bilge rat, I removed the ink tube and set it upright t' drain. I also cleaned t' ink from t' tip and inserted a small piece o' paper towel, wadded into a ball. This will keep any remnant ink from leakin' out. Blimey! T' tether is attached by makin' a small hole in t' shoulder o' t' nose cone, insertin' t' open end o' t' tether, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and crimpin' on t' bushin' with a pair o' pliers. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! T' safety pin is used t' punch a hole through t' aft o' t' tube. Well, blow me down! Avast! You then pull t' pin halfway out and feed the loop on t' end o' t' tether over t' tip. T' pin is then reinserted, snipped off, ya bilge rat, and presto, ya bilge rat, you get a both a shock cord attachment and a motor block. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag!

Next, you cutout and fold t' one-piece fin unit, slide it onto t' tube, and soak it in CA, ya bilge rat, arrr, which both holds it on and strengthens it. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Finally, you snip two small pieces from t' ink tube and use them for launch lugs. Aye aye! Make sure you save t' rest for other Micro Maxx projects.

Finishing:
No finishin' is required.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
No streamer material is provided nor is it needed. Ahoy! Preppin' consists of installin' t' nose cone and usin' maskin' tape for motor retention. Avast, me proud beauty! T' shock cord is nice and sturdy, but it is also stiff, matey, so it takes some effort t' feed it into t' body tube. Ahoy! Aye aye! These Micro Maxx BiC® rockets really fly great. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! To help spot this one I used a small amount o' trackin' powder. T' first launch flew and recovered nicely. On t' second launch, however, it fell victim t' a rocket eatin' tree and was lost...temporarily. After a good wind that night, shiver me timbers, matey, I wandered over t' look for it. Begad! T' me joy and amazement, thar it was! T' nose cone hadn't ejected, which kept it from gettin' hopelessly snagged in t' tree. Still, arrr, I guess I should quit usin' t' open area down t' street for me higher flyin' Micro Maxx rockets. Bummer.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' resultin' rocket looks nice and is a great flier. T' 'fin unit' is nice and t' shock cord is cool. It is easy t' build a similar rocket from existing plans without a kit. Aye aye! However, it's hard t' go wrong for only a couple o' bucks. Once you're orderin' a flyin' saucer, go ahead and get one o' these also.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5