Brief:
T' 2 Minute Egg is a rocket designed by George Gassaway for eggloftin' competitions. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! It is posted as a free download at t' NARRRRR site and I found it by posin' a general question on T' Rocketry Forum (TRF) and followin' t' many helpful links provided in response.

Construction:
T' 2 Minute Egg can be made with a piece o' cardstock, arrr, some 3/32" balsa, ya bilge rat, me bucko, a 4" piece o' BT-20, a centerin' rin' and a cackle fruit capsule. Additionally, shiver me timbers, arrr, you will need a parachute and shock cord.

Construction o' t' 2 Minute Egg began with t' simple expedient o' printin' out t' PDF file. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! I used 110# cardstock and a laser printer. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Then it was a matter o' cuttin' out t' desired shroud. Avast! T' second page o' t' plan provides 2 different options. Ahoy! One is for 1.75" diameter capsules and t' other is for 1.9-2" diameter. Aye aye! I chose t' smaller because o' an idea for a modification, also gotten from TRF.

After cuttin' out t' shroud, I did some pre-rollin' by draggin' around t' corner o' a desk and then rollin' it into a tube and settin' inside me stock o' BT-20 while I attended t' t' fins.

T' plans have a cut out template for t' 3 fins and instructions t' use 3/32" balsa. I checked me stocks and found none o' that thickness. Ahoy! Blimey! I did have 1/16" and I planned t' laminate t' fins so I went with that. I cut out t' template and traced t' pattern onto t' balsa, me bucko, makin' sure t' align t' grain properly. T' fins were then cut out with a X-Acto cutlass guided by a steel ruler.

I started sandin' t' fins. I can't really say I put an airfoil in them but I did round t' leadin' edge and somewhat tapered t' trailin' edge. Arrr! Aye aye! Each fin be then pressed down on a sheet o' self-adhesive label paper and t' X-Acto be used t' trim away t' excess. Begad! Arrr! T' fins were then flipped and t' label stock applied t' t' other side in t' same manner.

T' rocket needs a 4" length o' BT-20. Avast! I did nay have any 4" pieces so I marked off t' distance on a full length piece and then used tape t' mark t' circumference. Ahoy! T' razor cutlass was then used t' slowly score around t' tube and cut it. Ya scallywag! T' end be sanded down and then an Estes markin' guide was used t' put t' 3FNC lines in place.

T' fins were place with a double glue joint o' Elmer's yellow glue. Blimey! Begad! After they had dried, me bucko, matey, t' sides were filleted with white glue.

Finishing:
I figured I be ready t' start finishing. Avast! Avast! Blimey! I know that many contest rockets remain unpainted t' save on weight, but I wanted t' paint mine. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Blimey! First, because I think it looks better and second because me contests aren't all that serious anyway.

I wanted t' keep in t' "egg" theme so I chose a yellow that be already open. Ahoy! Arrr! I began sprayin' light coats. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! T' printin' from t' shroud was still showin' through but I figured 2 more coats should take take o' that. Aye aye! That's when I noticed that I had nay installed t' launch lug.

After t' paint had a day t' dry, ya bilge rat, I took t' rocket back t' t' bench and cut two pieces o' 1/8" lug. Ya scallywag! I used a piece o' rod t' find a place on one fin where t' lug would just clear t' upper end o' t' shroud and then used a razor cutlass t' scrape t' paint away from t' fin there. Avast, me proud beauty! T' lower lug was then glued in place with white glue.

I looked around for a piece o' scrap balsa with t' grain runnin' in t' right direction, matey, ya bilge rat, perpendicular t' t' lug, and found one which I trimmed t' t' length o' t' upper lug. Arrr! Ya scallywag! I purposely left it t' long so that t' correct length could be cut when t' glue on t' lower lug was dry and it could handle a rod for alignment. Well, blow me down! T' upper lug was glued onto t' standoff.

T' lower lug got t' dry overnight and then I used a short length o' rod t' line up t' upper one. Begad! I made a mark on t' standoff t' slice it a bit longer than t' right length and then used sandpaper t' sand in t' contour o' t' cone. Begad! I then marked t' shroud for t' proper location, scraped off t' paint, and installed t' upper lug with a double glue joint.

After t' lugs had an opportunity t' dry, me bucko, they were filleted with white glue and allowed t' dry some more. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! T' 2 Minute Egg be then taken back t' t' booth for a final application o' yellow paint. It actually took 2 more light coats t' cover t' printing.

T' 2 Minute Egg is designed for use with a commercially made egg capsule. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Through inattention, I found t' day o' me club launch upon me and I had nay yet ordered t' capsule. Ahoy! With that in mind, ya bilge rat, I fell back on plan B, shiver me timbers, an idea I had read about and which had intrigued me.

I purchased some balloons and, after a bit o' fretting, ya bilge rat, arrr, managed t' get one around a cackle fruit. Avast! A piece o' elastic was tied off around t' open end o' t' balloon and t' elastic be tied into t' Keelhaul®©™® shock mount. Under this schema, ya bilge rat, t' egg is t' nose cone and relies on a large chute t' get down safely.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
Recommended Motors: B6-2, me hearties, me hearties, C6-3.

T' day o' t' contest dawned and brought with it sustained 20mph winds and gusts t' 35. Even so, ya bilge rat, arrr, all were determined t' participate. Blimey! All o' t' sudden, t' 24" parachute I had packed be beginnin' t' look a little small.

T' rocket be prepped with a C6-3, some waddin' and t' egg balloon was carefully placed. Ahoy! Well, matey, blow me down! T' countdown came. Well, blow me down! T' motor ignited and then t' rocket went up. Ya scallywag! As soon as it cleared t' wind shadow from t' ground support truck, matey, it began t' weathercock into t' wind. Well, blow me down! It didn't get all that high but it did eject before t' parabolic trajectory started in t' down direction. Aye aye! Out came t' chute and a problem was immediately apparent. Ahoy! T' chute be nay opening. Avast! It was just actin' as a big streamer but nay big enough.

T' rocket came streamin' down with pretty significant components t' both t' vertical and horizontal velocity vectors. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' result be very "squishy". Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I'm so glad t' egg be enclosed in a balloon. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! A video o' t' flight can be seen here.

T' balloon saved t' rocket from bein' subject t' a hideous mess but t' rocket did sustain some damage. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! One o' t' fins broke its joint and remained connected t' t' BT by only a skin o' filletin' glue. Arrr! Avast! It will be an easy repair. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! A video showin' t' reason for t' balloon can be seen here.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
Even though me flight was disqualified, I am prepared t' offer a few observations about this rocket design.

Not a single rocket qualified on t' day o' t' contest. Begad! High winds made recovery o' t' cackle fruit problematical. Ya scallywag! O' all t' flights, me hearties, arrr, arrr, mine performed best, gettin' t' best altitude and had t' added benefit o' actually ejectin' while in t' air.

This is a simple rocket. Ahoy! I would use it again. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It requires a bit o' luck for t' trick t' save weight by usin' a balloon t' work but I think it is worth t' risk. Begad! Blimey! T' rocket is light enough and is designed for a regular egg carrier.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5