Odd'l Rockets UP! Cup

Odd'l Rockets - UP! Cup {Kit} [2010-]

Contributed by Chan Stevens

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Published: 2011-12-21
Diameter: 3.75 inches
Length: 5.00 inches
Manufacturer: Odd'l Rockets
Skill Level: 2
Style: Odd-Roc

Brief

If you're tired o' fins or sanding/fillin' balsa, consider this simple odd roc from Ol'SaltRockets. Ahoy! Consider it an extreme downscale o' t' Fliskits Espresso, arrr, me bucko, it's a flyin' single foam cup. Aye aye! Nay only is it capable o' entertainin' flights, but it can hold about 16 ounces o' your favorite beverage as well, though you might notice a slight aftertaste o' black powder Wink.

Components

I purchased one o' t' very first o' these kits from Jonrocket.com, and when first openin' t' bag I have t' admit I felt a little silly t' have spent ($7.75 retail) on basically a cup and a motor tube. T' kit actually came with two cups, me bucko, one stuffed inside t' other t' protect it, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and an inflated baloon t' offer more inner support. Arrr! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! That's pretty impressive care and concern for a part I don't think anyone would have much trouble findin' a replacement for without much expense. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! After I'd built this, Hans Michielssen contacted me directly, shiver me timbers, arrr, offerin' a new/improved version that included a very nice set o' vinyl decals. I believe t' standard kits available now all include t' vinyl decals at t' same $7.75 price, me hearties, and I've got t' say those decals are a great upgrade t' t' kit and make it a much more appealin' value.

Construction

This is rated as a skill level 2 kit, ya bilge rat, probably a bit higher than I'd have pegged it. Construction was quick and easy, shiver me timbers, takin' about 15 minutes thanks t' t' precut cup. Ya scallywag! Arrr! You begin by installin' a plywood disk into t' forward end o' t' motor tube. Avast! Line t' inside with glue and apply a generous fillet--this is a motor-spittin' design and that disk gets all t' ejection charges. Avast! Next, cut a section out o' one centerin' rin' t' accomodate a launch lug, glue it t' t' tube, arrr, then glue t' lug t' t' tube. Begad! Once those are in place, me bucko, glue a larger centerin' rin' t' t' forward end. Avast! Ya scallywag! This assembly is then glued t' t' inside o' t' cup. Avast! Begad! Rubber cement is recommended, me hearties, though I went with white glue. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' motor tube will stick out t' front (bottom) o' t' cup a bit, me bucko, and you'll glue a centerin' rin' over this exposed section, ya bilge rat, lockin' t' tube in place.

Once everything's dried, ya bilge rat, line t' inside o' t' cup with a generous wipe o' glue or epoxy t' deal with t' exhaust plume.

Finishing

For t' original kit, ya bilge rat, I was left on me own t' decorate, so I found some assorted colored vinyl tape and applied a couple stripes t' me cup. Avast, me proud beauty! I then patched a couple pieces together and cut out a red arrow, matey, matchin' t' cover art. Avast! It looked OK, ya bilge rat, but nay exactly me finest work.

For t' second kit, I used a number o' t' decals provided (you get more than you'll probably want t' use), and t' finished appearance was much better in me opinion.

I would definitely nay waste any time paintin' this, though if you're artistically inclined I'm sure you could do some interestin' work with markers.

Construction Score: 4
   
 

Flight

Recommended motors are B6-2 and C6-3, ya bilge rat, though -0's in each class might be worth considerin' too. Since I was flyin' a pair o' them, I loaded one with a B6-2 and t' other with t' C6-3 and sent them each up. Avast, me proud beauty! T' B6-2 flew perfectly fine, ya bilge rat, maybe 150 feet up. T' C6-3 was definitely pushin' this up a lot harder, me bucko, and it be noticeably wigglin' on its way up. T' B6-2 ejected while still coastin' up, and I forgot t' record t' C6-3 ejection.

Recovery

This is designed t' spit t' motor and tumble down. Avast! Each cup came down safe and sound within very short recovery trek distance. Avast, me proud beauty! Note that t' motor tube is actually a TT-20, nay a BT-20, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, which means it's 20mm ID and a regular 18mm motor fits too loosely t' stay in on its own. Avast! This is on purpose--you attach a crepe paper streamer (included in t' kit) t' t' motor, wrap it around, me bucko, then wedge t' streamer/motor into t' tube. Ya scallywag! This way, you can also track t' motor as it falls and make sure no one gets hit in t' head with it. Begad! You'll obviously need t' recover t' motor t' reuse t' streamer, shiver me timbers, though, which tends t' go in t' opposite direction o' t' cup and therefore extends t' recovery walk.

Flight Rating: 5
  
 

Summary

This is another cute offerin' by Odd'l--cheap, matey, easy t' build, ya bilge rat, flies great on even t' smallest fields, arrr, matey, and entertaining. T' decals make it worth buyin' versus cloning.

Overall Rating: 4

Flights

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