Scratch My Little Cupcake Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - My Little Cupcake {Scratch}

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Dick Stafford - 10/01/01)

Brief:
This is a very simple "flyin' saucer" style rocket for Micro Maxx motors. Avast! Its main component is a 2 ½" paper bakin' cup.

Rocket Pic

Construction:
T' materials used include: one 2 ½"paper bakin' cup, one Styrofoam picnic plate, arrr, one piece o' note paper, ya bilge rat, maskin' tape, arrr, me hearties, and a 2 ½" long Estes launch lug.

To make t' motor tube, I applied a thin layer o' white glue on some paper and wrapped it tightly around t' tube from an Aerotech Copperhead. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! After it dried for a while, I cut off a 7/8" section. Next, me bucko, I cut 1.875" and 2.375" rings from a Styrofoam plate. Well, blow me down! I made t' holes for t' motor tube a little big (oops), so I built-up t' motor tube with maskin' tape until it fit snugly. Aye aye! T' smaller rin' was placed at t' end o' t' motor tube and set into the bakin' cup. Avast! Begad! T' second rin' was slipped down until it just touched the sides o' t' cup. Ahoy! This assembly was removed, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and t' rings were glued in place with white glue. Begad! Begad!

After t' glue set, matey, matey, I made notches for t' launch lug and slid it through the rings. It fit snugly and I decided nay t' glue it in.

Finally, t' motor mount assembly was glued into t' bakin' cup. Blimey! While this dried, me bucko, I set t' cup back into t' package on top o' other cups, in order to provide even support around its circumference. Begad! I be originally goin' t' cut the lug flush with t' front ring, shiver me timbers, but decided t' leave it as is. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' only finishin' step was t' application o' an American flag sticker.

Flight:
T' MMX motor is held in with a wrap o' maskin' tape. In order t' mate with the launcher, arrr, matey, I had t' let t' motor overhang t' motor tube by ~1/4". The saucer flew straight t' an altitude o' maybe 25 feet and floated down nose first. Arrr! Begad! Usin' a launch lug that is considerably wider than t' Micro Maxx launch rod didn't seem t' impact t' flight profile. After t' first flight, me hearties, ya bilge rat, matey, thar was a little scorchin' o' t' paper near t' motor mount. Blimey! This did nay get any worse after t' subsequent flights, me bucko, so I assume it was because I did nay fully remove t' paper coverin' t' end o' t' motor mount. Ahoy! Begad!

Summary:
This simple rocket flies well and can be easily built while watchin' TV, cooking, or performin' other non-rocket activities. Begad! Begad! Gee, me bucko, am I obsessed or what? You can easily substitute different materials; I just used what I could easily grab.

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