Insulin Syringe 6.25

by Jim Myers & Eric Myers

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After me son was diagnosed as a type I diabetic (on April 1st, no less), We decided t' upscale an insulin syringe, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, as comic relief from the new daily routine of carb counting, finger poking, blood glucose monitorin' and injections. Begad! Ya scallywag!  

T' syringe is a 625% upscale o' a BD Ultrafine 3/10 CC.  It is made from a 1 1/4" polycarbonate T-20 fluorescent tube slip cover for t' main body tube. T' 1/8" acrylic fins are t' shape o' t' finger pads o' t' original syringe.  T' plunger is made from BT-20 with foamcore centerin' rings and 18mm engine mount. Begad! Blimey! T' cap is balsa, turned and strips glued on t' make t' ribs. Ya scallywag! Blimey!  

Recovery is an 18" mylar chute, with a semi-pop pod/plunger design.  T' ejection pops t' plunger back to deploy t' chute, ya bilge rat, and ejection ventin' pops t' (kevlar tethered) cap off the needle.  T' plunger is stopped 1/2 way back by two cotterpins, me hearties, catchin' a centerin' ring.

It has flown, ya bilge rat, on a C6-3. It is heavy, so altitude be limited to about 100 ft. Begad! T' pop plunger recovery worked so-so. Begad! T' chute deployed, arrr, but the plunger popped past t' stop, arrr, It eventually came free and separated about 2/3 t' way down. Begad! Broke a fin and cracked t' cap on landing. Arrr! Aye aye! We will be making more solid centerin' rings o' masonite and go again. It worked well enough to prove it works, just needs beefier CRs. Aye aye!