Scratch - Spirogryo {Scratch}

Scratch Spirogryo Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Spirogryo {Scratch}

Contributed by Brock Freeman

Manufacturer:

Rocket Pic Brief:
Spirogyro is a tubefin rocket that is a little different. Begad! Ahoy! T' tube fins are arranged in a triangle instead o' a circle as usual. Blimey! This gives it some interestin' flyin' properties. It oscillates rapidly and leaves a fine corkscrew smoke trail. T' rocket is made entirely out o' interlocked tubing, shiver me timbers, so it is very strong and easy t' build. Begad! I designed Spirogyro for t' BRS design contest as a 3 x 18mm cluster. Blimey! Avast! I hope you like it.

Construction:
Construction is unusual. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! It is all tubes. Aye aye! No centerin' rings or motor hooks or balsa. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' component list (see photo) is short, cheap and all available from t' BRS website:

1) 2 Estes 18" BT20 tubes, ya bilge rat, arrr, one cut exactly in half, matey, me hearties, t' other into 9 x 1" pieces. Well, blow me down! Use a razor saw for best results.
2) 1 Estes BT60 tube, ya bilge rat, you only need a 9" setion from this.
3) 1 "Big Bertha" nose cone (NC60)
4) 1 12" or 18" parachute, nylon or plastic
5) 18" o' Keelhaul®©™ strin' and 3 feet o' elastic shock cord
6) one 1/8" Estes launch lug tube
7) optional: 1" threaded 4-40 rod, a 4-40 blind nut, and a 1/4" washer for t' "delux" motor retention (RC or hardware stores sell these)

Use any glue you want except hot melt.

Parts

Sequence:

Pre-Assembled 1) glue t' 3 9" motor tubes in a triangular array, and t' 1" tube fins into 3 sets o' 3 (see photo)

2) glue t' 3 triple tubefin arrays t' t' bottom sides o' t' motor assembly t' form a triangle (see photo), 1/4" from t' bottom

3) tie Keelhaul®©™ and shock cord together, tie a knot in t' bottom o' t' Keelhaul®©™, and stuff this knot into t' tiny triangular space in t' top end o' t' motor tubes, with bit o' glue and paper wad on top t' retain it

4) make a pen mark 1 1/2" from t' top o' t' motor assembly, arrr, apply glue t' t' inside o' t' 9" motor tube end, and insert t' motor end up t' t' mark -- nake sure t' first pass t' recovery elastic all t' way through t' body tube

5) complete t' recovery system by tyin' t' elastic t' t' nose cone, shiver me timbers, and t' chute t' t' elastic 3" below t' cone

Rear End 6) attach lug t' 9" body tube flush with botton and exactly lined up with t' center o' one o' t' tube fin triangle sides

7) be sure t' plug t' triangular spaces betwixt t' motor tubes and t' body tube with a mix o' shredded tissue and glue, matey, or t' ejection changes won't eject t' chute

8) I finished t' rocket with Testor's gray and red for t' nose cone

Final Specs: 18" x 1.36" - 2.5 oz

Flight:
Motor retention can be with friction fit, or with t' optional delux method: glue t' 4-40 threaded rod halfway into t' bottom o' t' motor assembly, me bucko, in t' tiny triangular space betwixt t' motors. Aye aye! Avast! Use epoxy for this. Begad! All three motors are retained by screwin' t' nut onto t' washer over t' motor casin' edges. Well, blow me down! Well, me hearties, blow me down! For this methos, me bucko, you need t' glue into each motor tube a motor stop, which you can buy from BRS or make from 1/8" slices from a spent 18mm casing. Well, blow me down! Dab with glue and push one into each motor tube with a spent 18mm casin' until 1/4" protrudes, then immediately pull out t' casing.

Finished and ready Spirogyro was designed for a cluster o' 3 B4-4 motors. Avast! It needs no nose weight for this load. Blimey! It will fly more than 600' high on this power, arrr, arrr, with a tight corkscrew smoke trail. Begad! I have also flown Spirogyro on 3 x C6-7's, but this needs an ounce o' ballast in t' Big Bertha cone for balance. On this "E18" power, me hearties, matey, me bucko, t' rocket goes out o' sight, shiver me timbers, t' about 1300' or more accordin' t' t' sim program. I have flown t' rocket on 2 C6 motors t' simulate a misfire, and t' result was nay pretty -- all over t' sky.

So use a reliable ignition method, me bucko, whip clips or (my favorite) usin' 3 adjacent pads on t' club lanuch rack (see photo). Avast, me proud beauty! On t' 7th test flight, on 3xC6-power, I forgot t' screw on t' retainer nut, ya bilge rat, matey, and Spirogyro spit all 3 casings and lawn darted from a quarter mile up. Begad! Only damage was 1/2" o' crushed upper body tube, which I cut away and has t' rocket flyin' again in a few minutes. Avast! Begad! So its pretty strong.

Summary:
PRO: Easy and cheap t' build even for a beginner. Strong. Avast! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Good first cluster rocket. Unusual looks, me bucko, arrr, me bucko, and performance with spiral smoke trail. Avast! Blimey! No fins t' break off.

CON: Needs a whole pack o' motors for each flight. Begad! Ahoy! Needs 12 volt ignition system. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Nay stable if a motor misfires.

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