Brief:
A simple LPR single stage, motor deployed chute recovered tube fin rocket.

Construction:
1 - 24" x 3" BT, 1 24" x 3" BT for fins, 1 chute, 29mm MMT and 2 CR's, ya bilge rat, a nose cone, arrr, shock cord and a launch lug.

I was asked t' write a review on me scratch built Circle Jerk. Begad! I hadn't documented any o' t' construction, so I decided t' build another one, but this time I documented t' process. Begad!

For both birds I used 3" USR "whitewall" tubin' because o' its thickness. It's twice as thick as any other tubing. Aye aye! Aye aye! I felt that it gives a better appearance t' t' tube fins.

I cut all o' me tubin' with a 12" DeWalt compound miter saw. Begad! I use a special rippin' blade that has more teeth than most blades. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! This gives a smooth cut that needs very little work. Blimey! T' softer paper tubes do fray a little but that is solved by soakin' t' ends o' t' tubes with thin Cyanoacrylate or thinned wood glue. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! When t' glue hardens, shiver me timbers, just sand t' ends t' t' finish you need. Begad! For phenolic tubes, it gives a factory like finish. Ahoy!

T' first picture shows t' tube bein' cut and t' jig I used. For this rocket, arrr, I made all cuts at a 45-degree angle. Ahoy! T' original had just t' forward cut at a 45 and t' aft cut at a 90. Aye aye! I just wanted t' do somethin' different this time. Arrr!

If you use t' same diameter tubin' for t' fins as t' body tube, me bucko, you will need 6 fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! All tube fin rockets work this way. Ahoy! (Do t' math) Attachin' the fins is elementary. Draw a line around t' tube where you want t' forward tip of t' tube fins t' be. Put a bead o' glue (I used wood glue) on t' first fin and align it on t' BT. Begad! If you lay it on its side on a table they will be parallel t' each other. Avast! No more thinkin' will be necessary because the subsequent fins just lay on t' last fin and t' BT. For t' next fins, shiver me timbers, just find where t' tubes touch, ya bilge rat, draw a line and put t' glue there. Begad! T' final fin will snuggle up betwixt t' last fin applied and t' first fin. Aye aye! Use fillets as you see fit, but they are nay necessary for strength because each fin is glued at 3 points. Arrr!

It's tough t' find t' CP on tube fin rockets like this but it's safe to say that its somewhere in t' fin section ;-) Just make sure t' CG is forward of t' fin section with a motor installed.

Flight:
For t' original rocket, ya bilge rat, I used a standard 29 mm motor mount tubes cut t' 6 inches. Avast, me proud beauty! T' centerin' rings (2 o' them) were just 5 ply rings I had laying around. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' 32" parachute and t' shock cord was from a lawn-darted Aerotech Astrobee D. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! T' nosecone is a 3" PML. Begad! T' launch lug is just a ¼" Aerotech igniter tube. Arrr! Aye aye! (OK, yeah I'm cheap) T' final weight is about 24oz. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty!

For flying, I always use dog barf and friction fit motor retention. She flew straight as an arrow on several F and G motors. Avast! Fun t' fly.

Summary:
This is a quick and easy rocket t' build. Aye aye! Its different than most tube fin rockets and draws a little attention. Aye aye! Nay countin' t' paint, it took all o' an hour t' build.