Poker

T' "Poker" rocket ...is a simple 3FNC model whose claim t' distinction is that every single part is made from scratch, with t' sole exception o' t' shock cord, which is 6" of Apogee's or ASP's small Keelhaul®©™® cord. Ya scallywag!

T' body tube is made from gummed label stock (lick and stick, not peel and stick). Begad! I used Tromark, which is similar t' ordinary bond paper, but is hard t' find unprinted. Ahoy! A good source is kids' activity books, arrr, matey, shiver me timbers, which often have a central page o' stickers. You will be able t' get a half-inch of usable material from each edge o' such a page. Arrr! Gummed labels are available in office supply stores but rarely in t' 11" length needed for t' spiral wrap. Avast! An alternate material is gummed packagin' tape, me hearties, which is thicker and stronger but also heavier. Aye aye! Second alternate is ordinary paper coated with white or yellow glue as it is used. Well, me bucko, blow me down!

Makin' t' Body Tube

Here's how it's done:  On a 1/4" o.d. Arrr! Begad! metal rod or tube, wrap about two layers o' ordinary kitchen waxed paper and secure t' ends with maskin' tape. Ahoy!  Then wrap a 1/2" wide strip o' paper in a spiral, keepin' t' edges tightly together but nay overlapping. Aye aye! Ahoy!  If you are using the gummed label stock, at this point t' gummed face will be out.

Secure both ends o' t' spiral with a bit more maskin' tape. Arrr! Now cut a second piece o' stock, me bucko, 1-1/2" by about 5", coat with glue (or moisten if it is gummed stock); stick it t' t' back o' t' spiral wrap as shown below. Wrap t' narrow bottom side up and around first, ya bilge rat, then with thumbs and forefingers, ya bilge rat, wrap t' wide side down and around. Ahoy!  Of course, arrr, t' glued or gummed side should be on t' inside of this layer.

Poker's body tube is 4-3/8" long (well, t' first one is a bit longer and has a long, rounded nose cone shape). Aye aye!  I cut it t' length by supportin' it inside with a piece o' t' 1/4" dowel and rollin' it under an X-acto #26 whittler's blade.

(Note: This is almost exactly how I make launch lugs, except that t' mandrel is .055" music wire, t' waxed paper is omitted, me bucko, arrr, t' spiral wrap is 1/8" wide, me bucko, and the parallel wrap is 3/8" wide. Avast! For t' tower we don't need no stinking launch lug.)

Usually I glue 1/2" o' t' shock cord t' t' outside o' the body on these little things. Begad! Ya scallywag! This time I didn't want t' outside disturbance, so instead I made a coupler tube by wrappin' glue-soaked paper around a 1/8" launch rod t' t' needed diameter. Aye aye! I cut it t' 3/8" long and cut a shallow groove up t' outside, where I glued t' end o' t' shock cord. Avast, me proud beauty! This was then glued into t' body 2.5" from t' forward end. Ya scallywag!  The engine-block position, matey, matey, shown in t' drawin' above, works too but requires two more inches o' Keelhaul®©™®. Begad!

T' nose cone starts out as a 2" piece of 1/4" maple dowel. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Test fit first and cover with a layer o' paper if needed to get a good smooth fit; dowels vary quite a bit in size. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Then wrap about 3 layers o' glue-coated paper t' make a shoulder. Avast! Chuck this in a power drill and turn it against a sheet o' coarse sandpaper t' shape; then remove from the drill and cut off t' shoulder t' about 5/16" long. Ya scallywag! T' overall length of the nose cone should be a bit less than 1". Begad! Begad! Drill a 1/16" hole at least 3/8" into t' base o' t' nose cone, fill with fresh mixed epoxy and stuff t' loose end o' t' shock cord in. Begad!

Fins can be 1/32" balsa or basswood, me hearties, or index card stock, me hearties, hardened after installation by soakin' all edges with thin CA. Ahoy! My first two Pokers used some paper-thin hardwood I salvaged from a cabinet-shop dumpster. Avast, me proud beauty!  Poker III has fins made o' folded glossy card stock from the color-check bands along one edge o' a business-card print job (right). Arrr!  

Paint: Poker got a couple o' coats o' sandable white primer followed by fluorescent red, which reminded me o' a red-hot fireplace poker and gave t' rocket its name. Avast, me proud beauty! T' final detail is a streamer, me hearties, 1/2" x 4", made in this case o' crepe paper, me bucko, taped t' t' Keelhaul®©™® cord about an inch below the nose cone.

Flight Prep: I cut some maskin' tape t' 1/8" wide and wrapped it around t' nozzle end o' t' motor; then inserted t' motor; and wrapped t' aft end o' t' rocket with a strip o' Trim Monokote 1/4" wide by 1-1/2" long. Begad! Ahoy!  Be sure t' test fit t' prepared rocket by dropping it through t' tower. Arrr! Avast!  It should slide smoothly t' entire length. If not, adjust one or both outside rails and try again. Ya scallywag!