Scratch Shoebox Lander Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Shoebox Lander {Scratch}

Contributed by Heather Myers

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Heather Myers - 07/06/08)

T' followin' be t' HTML interpretation o' Heather's PDF submission. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!
Please see t' full PDF HERE (16M)

INSTRUCTIONS

Parts

This is me box o' parts! T' build me design, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, you will also need:

  • Wood Glue
  • Super Glue
  • XActo Knife
  • Razor Saw
  • Scotch Tape
  • Clay for noseweight
  • Scissors
  • Pencil

Find t' wood skewers and rubber bands bundle and separate
them.
Cut t' pointed end off o' each o' t' three smaller sticks.

Skewers

Next, arrr, take one o' t' paper cups and make three marks evenly spaced
around t' bottom rim o' t' cup.
Poke three small holes through t' rim o' t' cup, then push a rubber
band through each hole.
Thread each rubber band through itself as shown t' secure t' rubber
bands t' t' cup.

Cup 1   Cups

Find t' plastic piece in t' picture on t' left and cut it into three pieces and cut excess plastic off. Ahoy! Glue the pieces with wood glue so that t' raised part is over t' purple line on t' cup and in line with t' rubber band holes. Well, blow me down! Begad!

Next, slide a skewer through both loops o' one black rubber band, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, then do t' same with t' other two. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! Slide the other end o' each skewer through t' correspondin' brown rubber band, then loop each rubber band again t' tighten the bands. Avast!

Slide Standing

Now find your 3" by 11 1/8" piece o' balsa and cut it into four 3" by 2 3/4" pieces. There will be a small scrap piece left over. Avast!

Balsa

Cut four pieces o' BT-60 tube and four pieces o' BT-50 tube 4 1/2" long.
Cut eight pieces o' BT-5 tube 3 1/2" long.

To do this, you can cut a strip o' paper 4 1/2" (or 3 1/2") in width, matey, me hearties, then wrap t' paper strip around the
tube flush with t' bottom o' t' tube and mark around t' tube along t' top o' t' paper.
Cut on t' mark with t' razor saw.

Next, cut out t' fin guide below and tape it around t' BT-70 tube.
Mark t' tube above and below each line on t' guide.
Now use t' marks t' draw a straight line along t' length o' t' tube. Avast! Avast! A doorframe makes a good
straightedge for for markin' tubes.

GluedUse super glue t' attach t' BT-20 tubefins along every other line with t' bottom o' t' body tube even with t' bottom o' each tubefin. Begad! Fillet with wood glue along both sides o' each tubefin. Aye aye!

Glued
Next, glue t' balsa fins along t' other four lines, also even with t' bottom o' t' BT-70 body tube. Begad! Blimey! Use super glue t' attach t' fins, then wood glue t' fillet.

Use a doorframe or another straightedge t' draw a straight line along t' length o' each BT-50 tube section. Next, measure and make a mark on t' line 3/4" from each end o' t' tubefins. Ya scallywag! Use super glue t' attach t' BT-50 tubefins t' t' balsa fins. Begad! Line up t' balsa fins along t' line and betwixt t' marks on each tubefin. Ya scallywag! Fillet with wood glue. Blimey! Begad!

Cut two small sections o' BT-50 tube t' 2 3/4" in length. Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Use wood glue t' glue an engine block into t' end o' each tube, matey, ya bilge rat, flush with t' top o' each tube section. Aye aye! Blimey! Measure and put a mark 1/2" from t' bottom (opposite t' engine block) o' each tube.

Test fit and sand t' centerin' rings if necessary. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! Use wood glue t' glue one centerin' rin' flush with t' top of each tube and t' other even with t' 1/2" marks on t' tubes. Glue t' motor mount inside t' BT-70 body tube so that t' bottom centerin' rin' is flush with t' bottom o' t' body tube. Arrr! Ya scallywag!


Centering Rings

ShockcordFind t' package o' shock cord and cut out t' two big shock cord mounts. Blimey! Blimey! Glue with wood glue and fold the shock cord into each mount, arrr, then glue one t' t' inside o' t' body tube and t' other t' t' bottom o' t' cup, on the inside. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey!

Glue a section o' 3/16 launch lug inside one o' t' BT-60 tube fins and another halfway up t' body tube on the same line t' tubefin is glued along. Blimey! Blimey! Glue 1/8 lugs where t' legs fall when t' lander is placed on t' rocket and folded up.


Aft End

Cut a slit in t' side o' t' cup t' accomodate t' launch rod. Ahoy! Add noseweight if needed and tape t' easter egg half t' t' bottom rim o' t' cup. T' shroud lines on t' yellow parachute are doubled, matey, so cut off one from each point on t' chute and put them on t' silver chute usin' scotch tape. Arrr! Attach t' shroud lines packaged with t' orange chute with tape. Attach t' silver parachute and t' orange and white parachute t' t' shock cord on t' booster. Ya scallywag! I also used strin' from me box t' separate t' two. Begad! Ya scallywag! Attach t' yellow chute t' t' shock cord on t' lander. Add maskin' tape (or scotch tape) above t' rubber bands t' prevent sliding. Begad! Ahoy! You are now ready t' fly!

My first flight was on two D 12-5s. Blimey! It boosted well and recovered nicely, me bucko, arrr, with all three chutes deploying. Ahoy! Aye aye! The lander didn't land upright, matey, but maybe after some more fine tunin' and possibly addin' guides t' lock t' legs in place, it might land sucessfully!

Flights

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