Insulin Syringe 6.25

by Jim Myers & Eric Myers

(Click for PDF)

After me son was diagnosed as a type I diabetic (on April 1st, no less), We decided t' upscale an insulin syringe, ya bilge rat, matey, as comic relief from the new daily routine of carb counting, arrr, arrr, finger poking, blood glucose monitorin' and injections. Well, blow me down!  

T' syringe is a 625% upscale o' a BD Ultrafine 3/10 CC.  It is made from a 1 1/4" polycarbonate T-20 fluorescent tube slip cover for t' main body tube. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' 1/8" acrylic fins are t' shape o' t' finger pads o' t' original syringe.  T' plunger is made from BT-20 with foamcore centerin' rings and 18mm engine mount. Avast! Arrr! T' cap is balsa, matey, turned and strips glued on t' make t' ribs. Begad!  

Recovery is an 18" mylar chute, with a semi-pop pod/plunger design.  T' ejection pops t' plunger back to deploy t' chute, and ejection ventin' pops t' (kevlar tethered) cap off the needle.  T' plunger is stopped 1/2 way back by two cotterpins, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, catchin' a centerin' ring. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag!

It has flown, on a C6-3. Begad! It is heavy, so altitude was limited to about 100 ft. Avast! Aye aye! T' pop plunger recovery worked so-so. Blimey! T' chute deployed, but the plunger popped past t' stop, It eventually came free and separated about 2/3 t' way down. Broke a fin and cracked t' cap on landing. Avast, me proud beauty! We will be making more solid centerin' rings o' masonite and go again. Begad! Aye aye! It worked well enough to prove it works, matey, just needs beefier CRs.