Brief:
This is a easy 18mm, me bucko, tumble recovery oddroc. Blimey! Art Applewhite is known for makin' odd rockets. Ya scallywag! His hour glasses are no exception t' this. A variation on a spool rocket, shiver me timbers, me bucko, t' hourglass looks odd but flies well and uses a minimalist approach to make somethin' unusual and fun.

Construction:
T' kit comes with a piece o' printed cardstock (mine was yellow), shiver me timbers, a piece o' foamboard, a motor tube, an engine hook and t' instructions. Well, blow me down! Other than that, you need white glue and an exacto cutlass. Well, blow me down! Scissors helped out as well.

Construction be supposed t' begin with t' cones but I had t' sheet turned over, saw t' motor mount and got t' work figurin' its some kind o' law that you always begin with t' motor mount. Avast! Aye aye! I should have known better.

I cut a slit a 1/4" from one end o' t' motor tube and slipped in t' hook. Aye aye! Aye aye! I then cut out t' motor tube wrap, shiver me timbers, applied some white glue on t' back and wrapped it around t' center o' t' motor tube, me bucko, makin' sure t' keep the dashed lines aligned on either side o' t' hook. Begad! I used a little bit o' cellophane t' hold it down tight as it dried.

It was at this point I realized that I had nay begun at t' beginnin' and flipped the instructions over. Aye aye! I then learned that I should have started by cuttin' out t' cones. Aye aye! It seemed that no harm had been done so I cut them out usin' scissors except for t' launch lug holes, where I used an Exacto. I put a little glue on t' tab and formed t' cone. Begad! A few moments later, me hearties, shiver me timbers, I did t' second one.

T' next step involved cuttin' out t' card stock rectangle containin' t' two bulkheads. When t' rectangle was cut out, some glue was applied t' t' back and t' card stock was pressed flat on the foamboard. Avast! Aye aye! This be allowed t' dry.

T' next step is what took time. After t' glue was dry from t' previous step and Xacto blade was used t' cut out the inner cavities from t' bulkheads and then cut t' bulkheads themselves out. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! This is best done in small steps and changin' t' blade along t' way is recommended. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Eventually, I had somethin' approximately right and used sandpaper to even up t' edges.

T' rest o' t' assembly is pretty straightfoward. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' motor tube is glued on flush and perpendicular t' t' after bulkhead, me bucko, one o' t' cones is slipped on and filleted into place, the second cone is likewise put on and then t' forward bulkhead is glued into place. Avast! Care must be maintained so that all t' lug holes line up; I did that with a shot section o' rod. Aye aye! Then everythin' be filleted and constructions was complete.

Finishing:
This rocket really does nay need finishin' since t' colored carstock serves that purpose. Well, blow me down! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Never-the-less, matey, thar are instructions for painting. Arrr! Blimey! T' critical step seems t' be t' use glue t' seal t' edges o' t' foam board so that the paint solvent does nay disolve it.

If I were t' request one change in this kit, it would be for a second piece of cardstock t' glue on t' opposite side. Arrr! Ya scallywag! It would nay even need any printin' since t' template function would be taken care o' with t' first peice o' cardstock. All that bein' said, I decided t' paint t' rocket. Avast! I used white glue, matey, ya bilge rat, as per t' instructions, t' seal t' edges o' t' foam board. Avast, me proud beauty! After 2 coats o' glue had dried, shiver me timbers, I gave it a light mist of yellow. Arrr! I wanted t' put on several light coats that would be almost dry by t' time they touched t' rocket figuring that, ya bilge rat, me hearties, matey, eventually, t' dried paint itself would build up a protective barrier t' protect t' foam from further paint solvents.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I am loathe t' use any o' me hoard o' booster motors unless I must. Ya scallywag! So I didn't use a sigle one o' t' recommended motors.

First up, ya bilge rat, I tried an A6-4. Preppin' be easy. install t' igniter in t' motor and stuff t' motor in t' rocket. Hook up wires and push t' button. Blimey! It took off well enough, shiver me timbers, did nay go very high but started doin' a crazy spinning about all axes as soon as t' thrust ended. T' instruction warned that this be normal and t' rocket still kept movin' upwards until gravity won out and it started down. Aye aye!

T' second flight was on a B6-4. Ahoy! Except for goin' significantly higher, me bucko, t' flight profile was t' same as with the first flight. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' same cannot be said o' t' third flight.

T' third be on a C6-5. Blimey! It started t' boost like t' others but then t' crazy spinnin' started well before boost phase ended. Begad! This led t' a rather eratic flight but at least it stayed in t' air.

PROs: it is odd and will nay be too easily lost
CONs: t' eratic spinnin' was expected but nay durin' boost.

Recovery:
Recovery is simple. Blimey! Avast! Gravity has its way and t' rocket tumbles down without any fuss. Avast, me proud beauty! No prepping, no un-tangling.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
I'm glad t' have built this one but it will never be one o' me favorites. Begad! I will keep it around for t' odd factor, though.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5