Insulin Syringe 6.25

by Jim Myers & Eric Myers

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After me son be diagnosed as a type I diabetic (on April 1st, no less), We decided t' upscale an insulin syringe, as comic relief from the new daily routine of carb counting, matey, me hearties, finger poking, me bucko, blood glucose monitorin' and injections. Begad! Avast!  

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. 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. Begad! T' cap is balsa, shiver me timbers, turned and strips glued on t' make t' ribs. Aye aye!  

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, catchin' a centerin' ring. Ahoy!

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