T' Estes Mean Machine(TM) kit was one I remember wanting, ya bilge rat, but nay bein' able t' afford t' first time in this hobby. Avast, me proud beauty! So now, me bucko, as a B.A.R., arrr, I can have it easily. Arrr! (Also, t' kit cover picture is priceless.) 

I decided t' high-power it by adaptin' it for 29mm motors so its name is now t' "Meaner Machine." Addin' a 29mm motor mount, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, fiberglassed tubes and fins and altimeter dual deployment be t' final irony. Avast! $23 for t' kit, ya bilge rat, $200 for t' accessories. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Actually, arrr, I ended up buyin' two Mean  Machine kits (because I needed more couplers) so perhaps it should be t' "Mean Machine²." (Or "Mean² Machine?"). 

T' kit still has a priceless cover picture. Avast, me proud beauty! Dig that kid with t' Farrah Fawcett layered hairdo and t' trippy "Model Rocketry is Fun" T-shirt! This is probably t' same cover it had when I be a child. (Yes, I'm a Gen-Xer, arrr, nay a boomer.) 

I used t' Estes body tubes and nose cone, shiver me timbers, but nay much else. Aye aye! I wanted t' keep t' overall dimensions t' same while makin' t' rocket use dual-deployment recovery and an altimeter (just t' complete t' irony). Because I be usin' a 29mm motor mount and wanted t' use through-the-wall fin mounting, matey, I re-cut t' fins from 1/16" plywood and fiberglassed them (double 2oz. Begad! wrap plus .56oz. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! veil). Avast! Blimey! T' three body tube sections were built usin' t' Estes tubin' and then fiberglassed as well (also double 2oz. Begad! Begad! wrap plus .56oz. Avast, me proud beauty! veil). Begad! I noticed later that t' Estes tubin' has almost t' same O.D. Arrr! as LOC/Precision 38mm motor mount tubing, ya bilge rat, arrr, so that would have been a stronger replacement. Blimey! But, matey, arrr, arrr, I had t' use some parts from t' kit! 

T' couplers from t' Estes kit were pretty weak looking: thin cardboard and only 1 1/2" long. So, shiver me timbers, I lengthened and strengthened t' couplers by puttin' two end-to-end (requirin' t' second kit) and fiberglassin' them inside (strips o' 4oz. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! cloth). Ya scallywag! Now we've got a high-power rocket! 

I really like t' look o' this rocket. Arrr! Blimey! I managed t' keep t' appearance o' t' original Estes rocket by usin' t' same overall body tube length, ya bilge rat, nose cone and same size fins. Begad! Blimey! O' course, shiver me timbers, t' entire rocket is built with epoxy instead o' white glue. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' airframe is cut into three parts t' accomodate t' altimeter section in t' middle. Aye aye! Blimey! Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! Two o' t' original body tubes make t' tail section, matey, slightly less than one make makes t' altimeter bay section and slightly more than ones makes up t' front section. Begad! Blimey! T' end result is that t' rocket maintains t' same finished dimensions as t' original kit. 

Aside from t' body tubes and nose cone, t' rocket is scratchbuilt.

T' altimeter needs t' fit inside t' small tubing. Arrr! I used a Transolve P2 since it's narrow and this rocket, ya bilge rat, o' all o' them, can accomodate t' extra length. This involved even more couplers and a custom altimeter plate and end bulkheads t' fit in them.

I finished t' rocket with t' kit specified paint scheme. T' only modification I made was t' remove t' Estes logo from t' rocket name. I probably should have kept it, arrr, arrr, but I thought it was a bit tacky for them t' put their name on me rocket so it went.