Brief:
A simple LPR single stage, motor deployed chute recovered tube fin rocket.

Construction:
1 - 24" x 3" BT, 1 24" x 3" BT for fins, matey, 1 chute, matey, shiver me timbers, 29mm MMT and 2 CR's, me hearties, me hearties, me hearties, a nose cone, matey, me hearties, shock cord and a launch lug.

I was asked t' write a review on me scratch built Circle Jerk. Arrr! I hadn't documented any o' t' construction, so I decided t' build another one, me hearties, but this time I documented t' process.

For both birds I used 3" USR "whitewall" tubin' because o' its thickness. It's twice as thick as any other tubing. Blimey! I felt that it gives a better appearance t' t' tube fins. Blimey!

I cut all o' me tubin' with a 12" DeWalt compound miter saw. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I use a special rippin' blade that has more teeth than most blades. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! This gives a smooth cut that needs very little work. Aye aye! Blimey! T' softer paper tubes do fray a little but that is solved by soakin' t' ends o' t' tubes with thin Cyanoacrylate or thinned wood glue. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! When t' glue hardens, me hearties, just sand t' ends t' t' finish you need. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! For phenolic tubes, it gives a factory like finish.

T' first picture shows t' tube bein' cut and t' jig I used. For this rocket, matey, me bucko, I made all cuts at a 45-degree angle. T' original had just t' forward cut at a 45 and t' aft cut at a 90. Ahoy! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I just wanted t' do somethin' different this time. Begad!

If you use t' same diameter tubin' for t' fins as t' body tube, you will need 6 fins. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! All tube fin rockets work this way. Blimey! (Do t' math) Attachin' the fins is elementary. Ya scallywag! Draw a line around t' tube where you want t' forward tip of t' tube fins t' be. Begad! Put a bead o' glue (I used wood glue) on t' first fin and align it on t' BT. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! If you lay it on its side on a table they will be parallel t' each other. No more thinkin' will be necessary because the subsequent fins just lay on t' last fin and t' BT. Avast! For t' next fins, just find where t' tubes touch, draw a line and put t' glue there. Arrr! Begad! T' final fin will snuggle up betwixt t' last fin applied and t' first fin. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! Use fillets as you see fit, shiver me timbers, arrr, but they are nay necessary for strength because each fin is glued at 3 points. Aye aye!

It's tough t' find t' CP on tube fin rockets like this but it's safe to say that its somewhere in t' fin section ;-) Just make sure t' CG is forward of t' fin section with a motor installed. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey!

Flight:
For t' original rocket, me hearties, I used a standard 29 mm motor mount tubes cut t' 6 inches. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' centerin' rings (2 o' them) were just 5 ply rings I had laying around. Begad! T' 32" parachute and t' shock cord was from a lawn-darted Aerotech Astrobee D. T' nosecone is a 3" PML. T' launch lug is just a ¼" Aerotech igniter tube. Well, blow me down! (OK, matey, arrr, yeah I'm cheap) T' final weight is about 24oz. Arrr! Blimey!

For flying, me hearties, I always use dog barf and friction fit motor retention. She flew straight as an arrow on several F and G motors. Well, blow me down! Fun t' fly.

Summary:
This is a quick and easy rocket t' build. Ahoy! Begad! Its different than most tube fin rockets and draws a little attention. Nay countin' t' paint, matey, it took all o' an hour t' build.