I entered t' box o' parts competition because it looked like fun, me bucko, me bucko, I had mentioned it t' a few o' me friends in my rocket club, and before I knew five o' them entered it as well. So off went a large box with t' parts for 6 entrants, and a few weeks later another box returned -it was like Christmas goin' through t' box. Arrr! Next was t' task o' splitting op t' box betwixt t' 6 entrants. Blimey! At t' end 6 "equal" bags were formed and randomly given out. I was quite pleased with me bag, arrr, ya bilge rat, others had complete rockets in the, one had a parasitic glider, another had helicopter rotor blades. Blimey! Well, blow me down! So what did I have?

I'm nay goin' t' list it all but here is a flavour:

• Loads o' tubes o' various sizes, several small BT5 etc
• Couplers
• Balsa sheets - one o' a complete set o' fins, matey, another 2 sheets o' really low grade balsa
• Three noses comes, matey, as different sizes
• Lots o' toothpicks
• Various couplers
• Small sheets o' printer labels
• Ice cream tubes
• A polystyrene ball
• Motor mounts
• Engine hooks
• Pipe cleaner
• A 14 inch parachute canopy
• Length o' elastic. Begad!

Well what t' do. Ya scallywag! Begad!

Gliders were out, shiver me timbers, me bucko, me hearties, helicopter be a possibility, cluster, me hearties, two stage. After spendin' several weeks dry fittin' parts and changin' me mind I decided on a rocket in me head. Ya scallywag! T' criteria for me rocket be

• It could nay be too big - 14 inch chute. Aye aye!
• Clustered - but able t' launch on a single motor
• Draggy
• Unusual. Begad!

T' main body tube chose itself - it fitted t' nose cone I wanted t' use. Begad! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' motor choice was goin' t' be 24mm as I was headin' for a draggy model, me bucko, so I would need a motor capable o' liftin' it. Aye aye! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! There was goin' t' be at least 4 external motor pods - opted for 13mm. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey!

T' base be goin' t' be bulky, shiver me timbers, and be goin' t' have tabs on it, so t' rocket would rotate as it boosted.

Building

T' motor mount was a fairly standard construction. A 24mm motor mount tube with a motor retention clip, me bucko, an engine block at t' end and two centerin' rings t' fit t' body tube. Blimey! T' motor mount be then glued into t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty!
Four BT20 tubes 190mm in length were then glues t' t' outside o' t' main body tube. Arrr! Well, blow me down! These were t' take 4 A10 - PT motors as a cluster. Aye aye! Avast! T' joins betwixt t' body tubes were filleted four times with wood glue, and then model filler was used t' give a smooth finish. Arrr! Well, me hearties, blow me down! T' shock cord be anchored t' t' body tube usin' Estes tri fold paper method - I be tempted t' cheat and add some Keelhaul®©™ here, ya bilge rat, but integrity got t' better o' me. Ya scallywag! Begad!
T' nose cone had t' flash removed and was then sanded down t' remove t' seam. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Two coats o' sealer gave it a smooth finish with no imperfections showing. T' main body tube etc be then given three coats o' sandin' sealer, ya bilge rat, me hearties, matey, and rubbed down with 200 paper in between, to remove t' spirals. Ya scallywag!
Usin' a strip o' thick balsa, 7mm by 26mm, ya bilge rat, arrr, I made a box around a large coupler. Begad! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! This box was goin' t' have the fins and rotation tabs added. T' balsa was quite badly marked and be t' soft type o' balsa that I usually avoid. Avast! The box was sanded several times and filled with model filler t' remove all o' t' dents. Usin' t' same balsa strips I then added 4 64mm struts t' t' middle o' each side o' t' box. These would have the rotation tabs added t' them. A larger coupler (40 mm diameter) - with some deep spirals had four thin strips o' balsa wood glued t' t' inside. This was just right size t' side over t' body tube. Aye aye! T' spirals were filled and had t' have several coats o' sanding sealer before it was smooth. Ahoy!
Usin' four almost square balsa fins that were part o' a model kit, I added t' fins. This be one t' part that I like about t' rocket, me hearties, arrr, t' fins are at right angles t' how they would normally. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! It still gives stabilization but looks a bit different. Arrr! Also as t' rocket was goin' t' be rotating, me bucko, t' fins would nay hinder t' spinning. Avast! Blimey!
T' corner spaces betwixt t' box and t' couple were just t' right size for body tubes, shiver me timbers, which were added for decoration. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Four trapezium shaped pieces o' balsa had a 3mm square strip o' balsa added t' t' short edge, and then were glued to t' struts. Avast, me proud beauty! These were t' provide spin. Well, blow me down! Blimey!
T' top o' t' struts were then drilled t' accept four cocktail sticks, arrr, just for decoration. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' entire o' t' coupler base unit had three coats o' sandin' sealer added, ya bilge rat, with all t' fiddly bits, t' sanding down be quite tricky. Ahoy!

T' main body tube fitted neatly into t' large coupler base. Blimey!

Finishing

• I went for a red/yellow finish
• Everythin' was given two coats o' primer.
• T' main body tube be given 4 coats o' light yellow spray paint.
• T' nose cone was given three coats o' red gloss
• T' base unit was given three coats o' rouge.
• T' four decoration tubes were hand painted enamel yellow
• T' decoration coupler was sprayed rouge
• T' cocktail sticks were hand painted yellow

T' box o' parts had no sticks or decals in it, other than three address labels. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty!

Given various pleas on TRF about t' lack or entrants with only a few weeks t' go I came up with t' name o' the rocket t' be PROCRASTINATOR. Partly because I knew it would be towards t' end o' t' month before I submitted and also because I new that this would be a draggy, slowish rocket. Aye aye!

Flights

First flight took place with another box o' parts entrant. Begad! Blimey! It be a still day, and be slightly rainin' - which ruined t' stickers as I had nay varnished t' rocket yet. Arrr! Blimey! Motor choice be a D12-3. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It could have been a D12-5, as I reckon that it would be about a four second delay for apogee. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey!

T' take off was good, t' rocket started t' rotate after about 50 foot, and the rotation got faster and faster as t' D12 burnt. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Ejection took place after apogee as expected. Avast! Avast, me proud beauty! T' recovery was scarily fast, as expected. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! This rocket needs a 24 inch 'chute. Well, blow me down! It hade a 14 inch chute! On handin' t' aft protrudin' fins all popped off. Avast!

Again I had expected that t' happen. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

Second flight took place a week later with three o' t' other UK contestants. T' flight be on a D12 again. Aye aye! Arrr! Blimey! It was a straight flight with a slight oscillation until t' spinnin' kicked in. Ya scallywag! As soon as t' spinnin' kicked in, t' flight was arrow straight which was really pleasin' t' see. Arrr! Ejection be just past and again fins popped off on landing.

Third flight was time for t' procrastinator t' be clustered. Four A10 -PT were added, in addition t' t' D12-3. Avast! Blimey! The procrastinator jumped off t' pad. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' flight was much higher and t' extra speed really did make t' rocket spin. Again t' recovery was fast and again t' fins popped off. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Begad! Blimey!

After t' competition is finished I'm goin' t' have two 24 inch chute on this rocket. Avast!