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, as comic relief from the new daily routine of carb counting, arrr, ya bilge rat, finger poking, blood glucose monitorin' and injections. Begad!  

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. Arrr! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! T' cap is balsa, shiver me timbers, turned and strips glued on t' make t' ribs.  

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. Arrr!

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