Odd'l Rockets UP! Cup

Odd'l Rockets - UP! Cup {Kit} [2010-]

Contributed by Chan Stevens

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Published: 2011-12-21
Diameter: 3.75 inches
Length: 5.00 inches
Manufacturer: Odd'l Rockets
Skill Level: 2
Style: Odd-Roc

Brief

If you're tired o' fins or sanding/fillin' balsa, me hearties, consider this simple odd roc from Ol'SaltRockets. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Consider it an extreme downscale o' t' Fliskits Espresso, it's a flyin' single foam cup. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Nay only is it capable o' entertainin' flights, but it can hold about 16 ounces o' your favorite beverage as well, though you might notice a slight aftertaste o' black powder Wink.

Components

I purchased one o' t' very first o' these kits from Jonrocket.com, me bucko, and when first openin' t' bag I have t' admit I felt a little silly t' have spent ($7.75 retail) on basically a cup and a motor tube. Ahoy! Begad! T' kit actually came with two cups, one stuffed inside t' other t' protect it, me bucko, me bucko, and an inflated baloon t' offer more inner support. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! That's pretty impressive care and concern for a part I don't think anyone would have much trouble findin' a replacement for without much expense. After I'd built this, Hans Michielssen contacted me directly, offerin' a new/improved version that included a very nice set o' vinyl decals. Aye aye! I believe t' standard kits available now all include t' vinyl decals at t' same $7.75 price, and I've got t' say those decals are a great upgrade t' t' kit and make it a much more appealin' value.

Construction

This is rated as a skill level 2 kit, probably a bit higher than I'd have pegged it. Arrr! Aye aye! Construction be quick and easy, matey, ya bilge rat, takin' about 15 minutes thanks t' t' precut cup. Begad! Blimey! You begin by installin' a plywood disk into t' forward end o' t' motor tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Line t' inside with glue and apply a generous fillet--this is a motor-spittin' design and that disk gets all t' ejection charges. Avast, me proud beauty! Next, arrr, cut a section out o' one centerin' rin' t' accomodate a launch lug, glue it t' t' tube, then glue t' lug t' t' tube. Well, blow me down! Once those are in place, arrr, glue a larger centerin' rin' t' t' forward end. This assembly is then glued t' t' inside o' t' cup. Well, blow me down! Rubber cement is recommended, though I went with white glue. Arrr! T' motor tube will stick out t' front (bottom) o' t' cup a bit, and you'll glue a centerin' rin' over this exposed section, ya bilge rat, lockin' t' tube in place.

Once everything's dried, line t' inside o' t' cup with a generous wipe o' glue or epoxy t' deal with t' exhaust plume.

Finishing

For t' original kit, arrr, I be left on me own t' decorate, so I found some assorted colored vinyl tape and applied a couple stripes t' me cup. I then patched a couple pieces together and cut out a red arrow, matey, ya bilge rat, matchin' t' cover art. Avast! It looked OK, but nay exactly me finest work.

For t' second kit, arrr, me bucko, I used a number o' t' decals provided (you get more than you'll probably want t' use), and t' finished appearance was much better in me opinion.

I would definitely nay waste any time paintin' this, though if you're artistically inclined I'm sure you could do some interestin' work with markers.

Construction Score: 4
   
 

Flight

Recommended motors are B6-2 and C6-3, though -0's in each class might be worth considerin' too. Blimey! Avast! Since I was flyin' a pair o' them, arrr, I loaded one with a B6-2 and t' other with t' C6-3 and sent them each up. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! T' B6-2 flew perfectly fine, ya bilge rat, maybe 150 feet up. Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' C6-3 was definitely pushin' this up a lot harder, me bucko, me bucko, and it was noticeably wigglin' on its way up. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! T' B6-2 ejected while still coastin' up, me bucko, and I forgot t' record t' C6-3 ejection.

Recovery

This is designed t' spit t' motor and tumble down. Aye aye! Each cup came down safe and sound within very short recovery trek distance. Arrr! Aye aye! Note that t' motor tube is actually a TT-20, nay a BT-20, me hearties, which means it's 20mm ID and a regular 18mm motor fits too loosely t' stay in on its own. Avast! Arrr! This is on purpose--you attach a crepe paper streamer (included in t' kit) t' t' motor, wrap it around, then wedge t' streamer/motor into t' tube. This way, you can also track t' motor as it falls and make sure no one gets hit in t' head with it. Avast! You'll obviously need t' recover t' motor t' reuse t' streamer, arrr, though, ya bilge rat, which tends t' go in t' opposite direction o' t' cup and therefore extends t' recovery walk.

Flight Rating: 5
  
 

Summary

This is another cute offerin' by Odd'l--cheap, me hearties, shiver me timbers, easy t' build, flies great on even t' smallest fields, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and entertaining. T' decals make it worth buyin' versus cloning.

Overall Rating: 4

Flights

comment Post a Comment