Brief:
T' Custom Rockets Zero Gravity rocket (Kit #10048) is a single stage, me hearties, matey, three fin, arrr, matey, plastic nosecone rocket that uses a 12" parachute recovery system and a standard 1/2A, A, ya bilge rat, me bucko, B, C, rocket motor (18mm). Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! A fairly typical or basic level 1 experience rocket.

Construction:
T' kit uses a single 9" body tube, shiver me timbers, me hearties, arrr, a black plastic nosecone, three balsa wood fins, 1/8" launch lug, arrr, a standard ABC or 18mm motor mount, ya bilge rat, and an elastic shock cord which is attached usin' t' Estes tri-fold method t' t' top o' t' body tube durin' construction. Begad! For recovery it uses a 12" plastic parachute that comes with tape disks and shroud lines t' assemble it. T' parts list as shown on t' instructions are as follows:

• BT-509 Body Tube
• PC-50 Injection Nose Cone
• PC-50 Nose Cone Plug
• ET-20 2.75 Engine Tube W/Slit
• EC-2 Engine Clip
• CR-2050 Centerin' Rings (2)
• EB-20 (Engine Thrust Block)
• Balsa Fins
• 12" Parachute
• TD-6 Tape Disks
• SL-72 Shroud Lines
• SC-2 Shock Cord
• Lug125 Short Launch Lug
• Decal
• Shock Cord Mount

T' instructions had some good points and some areas where they could be improved. What is nice is when it talks about usin' a pencil instead o' an ink pen t' make t' alignment lines on t' body tube, matey, and t' mention nay t' press too hard drawin' them or you'll end up makin' impressions in t' cardboard tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It uses a fin template where you stand t' tube on top o' it t' mark t' fin positions. Begad! A wrap around one would have been better, but this will work. Ahoy! Blimey! The template should also show a spot where you draw t' line for t' launch lug but it doesn't. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! This is important because you use t' line you draw t' align t' launch lug on t' rocket body. T' launch lug is normally half way betwixt two o' t' fins on most models, and in this case, 3" from t' bottom o' t' rocket. You can estimate this yourself and draw that line also. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Blimey! It's nay critical t' be exactly half way betwixt fins, me hearties, just do t' best estimate you can and that should be close enough. Begad! Blimey! Another point that should have been made is t' use a door jamb t' draw t' lines if you don't have anythin' better t' draw them with. Put t' tube in t' door jamb and use t' wood as a guide t' draw a straight pencil line for gluin' on t' fins and launch lug. Ya scallywag! It's important these lines are straight so your fins and launch lug will be straight. Blimey! T' remainin' section o' t' instructions are done well. Begad! Blimey! For sandin' sealer I use white glue (diluted with water) with micro balloons mixed in it. T' micro balloons look like brown powder that you mix in t' glue, I've also seen white "balloons" or powder also. I've heard you can also use talcum powder mixed with t' glue, matey, arrr, but I've never personally tried it so I can't say if it works. I got me micro balloon powder online, but I've also seen it in hobby stores. Arrr! Blimey! I think Hobbylinc (online) sells it also. Blimey! Blimey! You simply dilute t' white glue (Elmer's, matey, etc.) about 50/50 with water and then mix in some micro balloon powder. Arrr! White school glue is already somewhat diluted so you may use less water. Mix it together and paint it onto t' balsa with a paint brush like it was paint. Avast! Blimey! When dry, me bucko, just sand it smooth and repeat until thar are no wood grain lines left. This method doesn't smell like petroleum based fillers, matey, and the water be t' thinner/cleaner for t' white glue. Avast! I usually give a final single coat o' glue without t' powder just to make it smoother. Ahoy! This is only one method o' fillin' in t' balsa grain, arrr, and t' one I personally use. T' instructions go over how t' fold t' parachute and launchin' procedures. Begad! Blimey! That's nice t' have besides just sayin' how t' build the rocket. T' illustrations are well done also. Aye aye! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! One more thing, me hearties, if t' black nose cone is glossy enough for you, shiver me timbers, I wouldn't paint it. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I've had a somewhat difficult time paintin' t' nosecone. Well, blow me down! I seem t' get a reaction o' t' plastic to paint, and you may have t' sand it and repaint it a few times t' get it glossy and smooth again. Begad! Blimey! It's nay hard t' do, it just takes more time. Aye aye! Blimey! T' same paint goes on great on t' rest o' t' rocket.

T' kit was easy t' build. On some kits t' balsa fins may need more fillin' and sandin' than others according t' t' grade o' balsa and how it was cut. I didn't have any problems with this kit. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Blimey! If you have dents or voids t' fill you can use wood putty or in me case, arrr, Squadron putty for fillin' in t' pockets. Well, blow me down! Squadron putty (available in hobby shops) is also good for fillin' in spots on plastic nose cones. Avast! I used t' use it on plastic models, me hearties, shiver me timbers, but it works on balsa and body tubes also. Arrr! You put it on, arrr, wait for it t' dry, me hearties, and then sand it smooth. Avast! Blimey! T' nose cone fit fine, arrr, it it's loose just add a piece o' maskin' tape t' t' nosecone shoulder (the part that goes into t' tube) so it isn't loose anymore.

I modified me kit by tyin' a length o' Keelhaul®©™® thread around t' motor mount tube, me bucko, arrr, and then slide t' upper centerin' rin' over it. Blimey! Blimey! T' Keelhaul®©™® is long enough t' extend past t' top o' t' body tube and at t' end o' t' Keelhaul®©™® I tie a fishin' snap swivel. Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' shock cord is then tied t' t' fishin' snap swivel and t' nosecone. T' shock cord I used is 1/8 inch wide and three feet long elastic available in any sewin' department. Some rocket companies use the round thread elastic. Ya scallywag! T' parachute is attached t' two fishin' snap swivels attached back t' back so either end has a snap. Begad! Blimey! One snap is around t' shroud lines o' t' parachute, t' other is attached t' t' nosecone. Arrr! This makes it very easy t' remove t' parachute and untangle it. Begad! Blimey! T' swivel on t' shock cord allows t' cord/elastic t' be replaced easily if it gets burned or worn by t' hot ejection gasses. If you build it with t' tri-fold shock cord method it'll fly fine, it's just harder t' replace t' cord from wear. Blimey! If you don't use t' swivels for t' parachute, you'll eventually have t' spend some time gettin' t' tangles out. You can get t' Keelhaul®©™® line from online hobby stores, matey, but Quest Aerospace, me hearties, t' people who make t' rockets, me hearties, also sell t' Keelhaul®©™® separately. Ya scallywag! I think mine is 140 pound test. Avast, me proud beauty! It's like strin' or thread in size, me hearties, but it takes t' heat and wear better. Don't use regular thread or strin' for t' Keelhaul®©™®, they are nay t' same! Blimey!

Finishing:
I usually spray a coat o' gloss clear over t' entire model once it's been painted and decals applied, except t' nosecone in me case (It looked fine without paintin' it). Ahoy! Blimey! T' paint will give t' rocket an even shine over it's length and also tends t' seal t' decal so it doesn't come up. It's usually more glossy after you're done. One good thin' about this paint scheme be t' fact it's just one color since at some point you may have to glue a fin back on if it has a rough landing. Blimey! I painted mine with Krylon paint that I bought in Wal-Mart, but you can get this paint in most stores stockin' spray paint. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' clear gloss coat is also Krylon. Begad! I try t' keep t' brand the same when I build a rocket. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! If you use another brand, matey, stay with that one since thar may be compatibility issues if you mix brands. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Ace Hardware brand paint is also good, and I have used it on previous rockets I have made with good results. Begad! It just takes more time betwixt coats o' paint.

With this rocket, arrr, t' decal started t' lift at t' seam a few weeks later, shiver me timbers, even after gloss coatin' it. So, I used some "brush on" type super glue and held t' decal down with a toothpick until t' glue held. Ahoy! Do this one section or spot at a time, matey, me hearties, and don't try t' do t' entire seam at once. Well, blow me down! Once I did that t' decal never came up again. Ya scallywag! I think I gloss coated one more time t' hide t' different shine o' t' super glue at t' seam since t' rocket be still "brand new" yet.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I've flown this with A8-3 motors and it goes high enough for me with this motor. Begad! It's a light rocket so it doesn't need a big motor, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but if you do use a "C" motor, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, me bucko, it'll go way up there. Arrr! Since it has a motor clip, you don't have t' use t' friction method t' keep t' motor in t' rocket, and it's quicker t' change motors and less trouble for young rocketeers. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! I've gotten smooth straight flights when I've flown it. On one o' my flights I had a rare case where t' rocket nozzle be bad, me bucko, but even then it still ejected t' parachute and came down softly. I use about 4 t' 5 sheets o' waddin' when I fly it. Begad! Ahoy!

Recovery:
T' longer shock cord really helps. After you're finished tyin' knots it's a little shorter than 3 feet. Avast, me proud beauty! T' elastic may possibly get damaged by t' ejection charge (frayed or burnt) over time, that also depends on how much waddin' you use when you fly it. Bein' able t' replace it easily is a plus if you use a snap swivel. After three flights t' rocket is still like new and t' shock cord is in great shape. Blimey! It came down reasonably fine for me on a 12 inch parachute. Begad! I don't have any complaints. Since t' fins are away from t' motor exhaust nozzle they don't get damaged by t' exhaust heat and they are a little more robust when landin' since they aren't t' first thin' that hits t' ground when it lands with a parachute. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This is a well made rocket that is easy t' build. Well, blow me down! Blimey! It's comparable t' t' Estes Alpha which is a good rocket also. Blimey! Blimey! This is also a sister t' t' Custom Rockets Atomic Rocket. Arrr! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' only difference is that t' Atomic has six fins, t' Zero Gravity has three. Well, matey, blow me down! Blimey! You'll get t' Zero Gravity flyin' faster since thar are only three fins to glue, sand and seal. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! Younger rocketeers will probably have an easier time with t' Zero Gravity because it has less fins. Aye aye! Blimey! It flies well and is affordably priced. Ahoy! Blimey! T' instructions missed t' launch lug position on t' fin template, ya bilge rat, and it should have mentioned that you can use a door jamb t' draw straight lines for t' fins and launch lug. Blimey! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! However they do have a few good points such as usin' pencil t' draw t' lines and goes on t' mention how t' fold t' parachute and how t' launch t' rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It needs a different shock cord than t' one that comes with t' kit, arrr, so I just replaced it with a 3 foot long piece o' 1/8 inch elastic. It's a good flyin' rocket, easy t' build and affordably priced that comes with a parachute. Ahoy! Blimey! One more thing, it has a body tube that is almost 1 inch in diameter, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, arrr, and that makes it easier to pack t' parachute and shock cord. Begad! Blimey!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Other:
It's a fun rocket t' launch and fly!