Brief:
This is yet another rocket based on a BiC® pen. Ya scallywag! Plans for other BiC® rockets are available here on EMRR (BiC® ARCAS and the Double Tree Pen Roc) and you can download t' plan's for this one from Art Applewhite's site. Arrr! What you get here is a kit, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, with all t' parts included.

Construction:
T' followin' parts are provided in t' kit: One BiC® pen, card stock with the fin unit printed on it, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, a safety pin, and a shock tether assembly. Ahoy! The latter is pretty neat. Avast! Ya scallywag! It appears t' be a teeny-weeny braided steel cord with a plastic covering. Ahoy! One end has a small loop closed with a crimp bushing. A second loose bushin' is provided t' form a loop at t' nose cone. Ahoy! T' assemble the kit you need a sharp knife, regular and Gel CA (I substituted Liquid Nails for t' latter), a pair o' pliers, shiver me timbers, and wire cutters.

Assembly is really easy. You disassemble t' BiC® pen, leavin' only the empty tube. Well, blow me down! You remove t' ink tube and shave t' shoulder o' t' tip (i.e the nose cone) so it fits easily into t' tube. One batten down t' hatches: t' pen is full o' ink and is thus potentially very messy. Over a couple o' paper towels, arrr, shiver me timbers, I removed the ink tube and set it upright t' drain. Blimey! I also cleaned t' ink from t' tip and inserted a small piece o' paper towel, wadded into a ball. Ahoy! Begad! This will keep any remnant ink from leakin' out. T' tether is attached by makin' a small hole in t' shoulder o' t' nose cone, arrr, insertin' t' open end o' t' tether, and crimpin' on t' bushin' with a pair o' pliers. T' safety pin is used t' punch a hole through t' aft o' t' tube. You then pull t' pin halfway out and feed the loop on t' end o' t' tether over t' tip. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! T' pin is then reinserted, snipped off, and presto, you get a both a shock cord attachment and a motor block. Arrr! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty!

Next, you cutout and fold t' one-piece fin unit, slide it onto t' tube, shiver me timbers, and soak it in CA, which both holds it on and strengthens it. Begad! Finally, you snip two small pieces from t' ink tube and use them for launch lugs. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Make sure you save t' rest for other Micro Maxx projects. Ya scallywag! Begad!

Finishing:
No finishin' is required.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
No streamer material is provided nor is it needed. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Preppin' consists of installin' t' nose cone and usin' maskin' tape for motor retention. Arrr! Blimey! T' shock cord is nice and sturdy, but it is also stiff, ya bilge rat, so it takes some effort t' feed it into t' body tube. Begad! Blimey! These Micro Maxx BiC® rockets really fly great. Begad! Blimey! To help spot this one I used a small amount o' trackin' powder. T' first launch flew and recovered nicely. On t' second launch, however, me hearties, it fell victim t' a rocket eatin' tree and was lost...temporarily. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! After a good wind that night, me bucko, I wandered over t' look for it. T' me joy and amazement, thar it was! Blimey! T' nose cone hadn't ejected, which kept it from gettin' hopelessly snagged in t' tree. Still, me bucko, matey, I guess I should quit usin' t' open area down t' street for me higher flyin' Micro Maxx rockets. Begad! Blimey! Bummer.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' resultin' rocket looks nice and is a great flier. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' 'fin unit' is nice and t' shock cord is cool. Ahoy! Aye aye! It is easy t' build a similar rocket from existing plans without a kit. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! However, me bucko, shiver me timbers, it's hard t' go wrong for only a couple o' bucks. Once you're orderin' a flyin' saucer, me bucko, go ahead and get one o' these also.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5