Brief:
T' 2 Minute Egg is a rocket designed by George Gassaway for eggloftin' competitions. Avast! 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, shiver me timbers, some 3/32" balsa, me bucko, a 4" piece o' BT-20, shiver me timbers, a centerin' rin' and a cackle fruit capsule. Arrr! Blimey! Additionally, matey, 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. Begad! I used 110# cardstock and a laser printer. Ya scallywag! Then it be a matter o' cuttin' out t' desired shroud. T' second page o' t' plan provides 2 different options. Aye aye! 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. Aye aye! Aye aye! I checked me stocks and found none o' that thickness. I did have 1/16" and I planned t' laminate t' fins so I went with that. Well, blow me down! Well, matey, blow me down! I cut out t' template and traced t' pattern onto t' balsa, makin' sure t' align t' grain properly. Aye aye! T' fins were then cut out with a X-Acto knife 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. Blimey! Each fin was then pressed down on a sheet o' self-adhesive label paper and t' X-Acto was used t' trim away t' excess. Avast, me proud beauty! 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! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! 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. T' razor knife be then used t' slowly score around t' tube and cut it. Begad! Begad! T' end was sanded down and then an Estes markin' guide be used t' put t' 3FNC lines in place.

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

Finishing:
I figured I was ready t' start finishing. Aye aye! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! I know that many contest rockets remain unpainted t' save on weight, matey, but I wanted t' paint mine. 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 was already open. Ahoy! Begad! I began sprayin' light coats. Avast, me proud beauty! T' printin' from t' shroud was still showin' through but I figured 2 more coats should take take o' that. That's when I noticed that I had nay installed t' launch lug.

After t' paint had a day t' dry, shiver me timbers, me hearties, I took t' rocket back t' t' bench and cut two pieces o' 1/8" lug. Begad! 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 knife t' scrape t' paint away from t' fin there. Begad! T' lower lug be 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, perpendicular t' t' lug, ya bilge rat, and found one which I trimmed t' t' length o' t' upper lug. Well, blow me down! Avast! 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. 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. Avast! Blimey! 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. Ahoy! Blimey! I then marked t' shroud for t' proper location, shiver me timbers, me hearties, scraped off t' paint, and installed t' upper lug with a double glue joint.

After t' lugs had an opportunity t' dry, they were filleted with white glue and allowed t' dry some more. Avast! Begad! Blimey! T' 2 Minute Egg was 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. Through inattention, matey, me bucko, I found t' day o' me club launch upon me and I had nay yet ordered t' capsule. Arrr! Well, me hearties, blow me down! With that in mind, matey, me hearties, I fell back on plan B, an idea I had read about and which had intrigued me.

I purchased some balloons and, me bucko, after a bit o' fretting, me bucko, me hearties, managed t' get one around a cackle fruit. A piece o' elastic be tied off around t' open end o' t' balloon and t' elastic be tied into t' Keelhaul®©™® shock mount. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Under this schema, 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, arrr, ya bilge rat, C6-3.

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

T' rocket was prepped with a C6-3, some waddin' and t' egg balloon was carefully placed. Ahoy! Blimey! T' countdown came. T' motor ignited and then t' rocket went up. Avast! Blimey! As soon as it cleared t' wind shadow from t' ground support truck, me hearties, it began t' weathercock into t' wind. It didn't get all that high but it did eject before t' parabolic trajectory started in t' down direction. Aye aye! Blimey! Out came t' chute and a problem be immediately apparent. Begad! T' chute be nay opening. Avast! It be 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. T' result be very "squishy". Aye aye! Blimey! I'm so glad t' egg be enclosed in a balloon. 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. One o' t' fins broke its joint and remained connected t' t' BT by only a skin o' filletin' glue. Begad! It will be an easy repair. Begad! Aye aye! 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, matey, I am prepared t' offer a few observations about this rocket design.

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

This is a simple rocket. I would use it again. Aye aye! Avast! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket is light enough and is designed for a regular egg carrier.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5