Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Gollum and his Precious
OR.. t' fourth and last Ringbearer
Summary
I love t' "T' Lord o' t' Rings", arrr, both t' movie and t' books. The
idea for this rocket started when t' alien from t' Venus Probe was noticed to
look like Gollum. Ahoy! Blimey! He was sittin' in a broken parts box because our Estes Venus
Probe had crashed and destroyed t' lander. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Gollum became t' nose cone for a
rocket which needed a rin' fin t' look like t' rin' o' power. Ahoy! Blimey! If you are
confused by t' subtitle, ya bilge rat, please read t' books more carefully. Blimey! Blimey! There was
another (very brief) ringbearer betwixt Isildur and Smeagol (Gollum's real
name); and you need t' read Book 3 t' find out how t' rin' be destroyed to
see that Gollum was also t' last ringbearer. Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! It flies on an 18mm motor, me bucko, and
the booster and nose cone recover on separate parachutes. Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! It is 16" long
with a BT-60 body tube, me bucko, has a span o' 4", and weighs 4 oz. Aye aye! Blimey! without engine.
Materials
Construction:
Nose Assembly:
1. Obtain t' alien from an Estes Venus Probe kit. Well, blow me down! In me case, ya bilge rat, it came from one
which crashed in a parkin' lot and destroyed t' lander body leavin' t' alien
intact.
2. Ahoy! Cut a 1/2" portion off t' end o' t' BT-60 body tube.
3. Begad! Arrr! Sand all t' red layer o' cardboard off t' coupler tube.
4. Avast! Glue t' short section o' body tube t' one end o' t' coupler tube.
5. Begad! Aye aye! Wrap maskin' tape around t' alien lower section until it fits snug inside
the coupler tube.
6. Ya scallywag! Well, me hearties, blow me down! Glue t' alien section t' t' tube coupler section usin' epoxy.
7. Blimey! Usin' an exacto knife, cut a channel into t' coupler t' allow t' shockcord
that extends out o' t' back o' t' aliens neck t' fit inside t' body tube and
attach t' a parachute durin' flight.
8. Begad! Ya scallywag! Paint t' alien gray. Paint his deadlights chromate yellow. Avast! Draw bloodveins in his
eyes usin' a red gel pen. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! Paint t' shoulder o' t' nose cone grimy black.
Paint grimy black splotches on Gollums body t' simulate swamp slime. Paint the
mouth, matey, two nostrils, me hearties, and eyeballs black.
9. Begad! Sand t' nose cone shoulder (that fits inside t' tube) until it slides
easily.
10. Begad! Arrr! Blimey! Mask and spray Krylon clear over t' painted portions t' protect the
finish.
Rin' Fin Fabrication:
1. Avast! Sand t' 1 inch length o' 4"
diameter plastic tube t' t' desired smoothness.
2. Ya scallywag! Begad! Trace out usin' a #2 pencil, me hearties, shiver me timbers, t' elvish script from source documents that
translates t' t' "One rin' t' rule them all..." script. Arrr! Use either
the books or t' movie guide t' obtain t' script. Avast! Ahoy! Erase and retrace until you
are satisfied with t' proper elvish penmanship.
3. Avast! Have your father or other appropriate adult carve out t' letters in the
rin' usin' a Dremel tool and engravin' bit followin' t' pencil tracings.
4. Sand until smooth and clean out t' letters with exacto and sandpaper.
5. Ahoy! T' rin' will be painted after it is glued t' t' booster assembly.
Booster Assembly:
1. Begad! Assemble a standard 18mm motor mount with BT-60 centerin' rings.
2. Avast! Glue t' motor mount into one end o' t' body tube with a little bit
stickin' out t' back end.
3. Blimey! Cut four fin slots x" long in one end o' t' body tube starting
1/2" from t' end. Arrr! Mark and cut these slots 90 degrees apart from each
other around t' body. Ya scallywag! Draw t' lines on t' body tube usin' a dooor frame to
make sure t' lines are straight. Begad! Draw a straight line half way betwixt two
fins for t' launch lug.
4. Begad! With a pencil, trace out t' fin pattern onto your fin stock.
5. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Usin' an exacto knife or razor blade, me bucko, cut out t' fins. Avast! Blimey! Test fit them in the
booster with t' rin' fin. Sand them t' a good fit, me hearties, good smoothness and the
same shape. Blimey! Blimey! Keep checkin' fit as you sand t' make sure you do nay make t' fit
too loose.
6. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Usin' epoxy, arrr, arrr, ya bilge rat, glue t' braided Keelhaul®©™®
shock cord into t' other end o' t' body tube. Use t' method recommended by
Doug Pratt o' Pratt Hobbies. Make sure it is far enough down inside t' tube so
it won't interfere with t' nose cone.
7. Begad! Glue t' launch lug onto t' body tube about 2" in front o' t' fin
slots.
8. Glue each fin into t' slots mountin' them t' t' motor mount tube. Arrr! Keep
them straight out from t' body while t' glue dries. Keep a used engine in the
motor mount while t' glue dries t' make sure t' glue does nay shrink the
motor tube.
9. Glue t' rin' fin t' t' ends o' t' four fins.
10. Arrr! Blimey! Put epoxy fillets on all t' fin joints t' t' plastic rin' fin. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Put
regular carpenter's glue fillets on t' body-fin joints and launch lug joints.
11. Sand everythin' t' make sure it is smooth prior t' painting.
Finishing
1. Blimey! t' be added later....
Flight Report
Gollum had his first flight at t' MASA club summer picnic.
See t' club flight report
here.
Flight 1: C5-3. good straight flight t' about 250 feet, ya bilge rat, both chutes deployed and brought t' booster and Gollum down t' a safe landin' with no damage.
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