AOL

When I heard about t' theme o' DesCon 8 bein' found (or flounder) parts, me bucko, I thought for a while on a good design but got nowhere. Well, blow me down! I looked up and saw t' CD finned rocket, that I call AOL, ya bilge rat, sittin' with t' rest o' t' group. I thought about it for a while and realized it would be perfect; Easter Egg nose, ya bilge rat, paper towel tube body, ya bilge rat, CD fins, cereal box centerin' rings, drinkin' straw launch lugs, a cotter pin, BB's, and some found elastic.

Construction:
CDs were cut in half with a utility knife (scissors will cause t' CD t' shatter). Avast! I sanded mine so they would nay have AOL and MSN logos and text on them, ya bilge rat, this is optional. Then an approximately 45 degree angle was put on one end. Begad! This was repeated three more times t' obtain all four fins. Once all t' fins were cut out, shiver me timbers, I used hot melt glue t' affix them t' t' paper towel tube (this is nay an ordinary paper towel tube, it was from a commercial paper towel dispenser, matey, it be fairly thick, 1/16 o' an inch).

I cut 2 pieces o' drinkin' straw about 1 inch long t' place at each end o' t' tube for launch lugs. Aye aye! Ahoy! Blimey! These were attached with hot melt glue also.

I cut about 4 dozen circles t' same size as t' tube out o' a cereal box and soaked them in watered down Titebond II. Blimey! After soakin' for a few minutes they were removed and stacked together in 2 sets o' 8 (you may ask, why the extras?, arrr, well they were for an extra one just in case somethin' went wrong). They dried while bein' pressed in a bench vise. Ya scallywag! Once they were dry a hole was drilled through t' center t' allow t' copin' saw blade t' be put through. Blimey! Arrr! A circle be cut in t' stack o' card board t' allow the motor mount t' slide in easily. Avast! Arrr! T' same steps were taken for the second centerin' ring. T' rings were glued t' t' motor mount tube; when they were dry, t' whole unit be slid into t' body tube. Ya scallywag! Begad! The rear rin' was about half an inch from t' back end o' t' tube, shiver me timbers, this would allow t' rocket t' stand on t' fins. Aye aye! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Half o' t' space be filled with J-B Weld t' hold t' motor mount in and provide support t' t' old motor mount tube.

T' Easter Egg that be selected for t' nose cone was cut in half, I used t' half that did nay have a lip on it. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! I glued a strip o' card board around t' inside edge t' allow t' egg t' fit snugly inside t' tube. Well, blow me down! I added a lot o' weight inside t' egg, I'm nay sure exactly how much but it's around 30 BBs. Begad! Aye aye! This be held in place with hot melt glue, me hearties, while t' glue be still warm, me hearties, a cotter pin was inserted t' allow a parachute t' be attached t' t' rocket. Ya scallywag! T' strip of elastic I found be glued t' t' hot melt glue with white glue.  When it be dry, arrr, I pulled on it t' see if it would come free and it just popped off. Blimey! T' second time I glued it down, I put it at a different angle and used a lot more glue. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Now I can pull on it and it does not come free, me bucko, t' glue does nay even crack like it did before.

T' shock cord was just glued t' t' inside of t' tube about 2 inches from t' top.

T' rocket be finally built but needed paint. Arrr! It started all yellow. Arrr! Aye aye! I put a black strip in the spiral on t' body tube and tried t' continue it around t' nose cone but I could nay get it straight. Aye aye! I decided it would be easier t' just paint it black. Begad! T' body tube needs t' be touched up with "Dandelion Yellow" t' get rid o' t' black finger prints. T' edges of the CD fins were painted gold with a paint pen. It looks good from no less than 3 feet away. Ahoy! I did nay build it t' look good, arrr, I built it to be sturdy and fly.

I have nay had a chance t' fly it yet. Aye aye! I hope t' get t' first launch done some time in April or May.