Brief:
A simple LPR single stage, motor deployed chute recovered tube fin rocket.

Construction:
1 - 24" x 3" BT, arrr, me hearties, 1 24" x 3" BT for fins, shiver me timbers, 1 chute, 29mm MMT and 2 CR's, a nose cone, arrr, shiver me timbers, shock cord and a launch lug.

I was asked t' write a review on me scratch built Circle Jerk. Arrr! I hadn't documented any o' t' construction, ya bilge rat, so I decided t' build another one, but this time I documented t' process. Aye aye!

For both birds I used 3" USR "whitewall" tubin' because o' its thickness. It's twice as thick as any other tubing. I felt that it gives a better appearance t' t' tube fins.

I cut all o' me tubin' with a 12" DeWalt compound miter saw. Begad! I use a special rippin' blade that has more teeth than most blades. Ahoy! This gives a smooth cut that needs very little work. Begad! Ya scallywag! T' softer paper tubes do fray a little but that is solved by soakin' t' ends o' t' tubes with thin Cyanoacrylate or thinned wood glue. Begad! Ahoy! When t' glue hardens, matey, matey, arrr, just sand t' ends t' t' finish you need. Begad! For phenolic tubes, it gives a factory like finish. Aye aye!

T' first picture shows t' tube bein' cut and t' jig I used. Ahoy! For this rocket, arrr, ya bilge rat, I made all cuts at a 45-degree angle. Aye aye! T' original had just t' forward cut at a 45 and t' aft cut at a 90. Avast, me proud beauty! I just wanted t' do somethin' different this time. Well, blow me down! Avast!

If you use t' same diameter tubin' for t' fins as t' body tube, you will need 6 fins. Arrr! All tube fin rockets work this way. Ahoy! (Do t' math) Attachin' the fins is elementary. Avast, me proud beauty! Draw a line around t' tube where you want t' forward tip of t' tube fins t' be. Begad! Put a bead o' glue (I used wood glue) on t' first fin and align it on t' BT. If you lay it on its side on a table they will be parallel t' each other. Ya scallywag! No more thinkin' will be necessary because the subsequent fins just lay on t' last fin and t' BT. For t' next fins, just find where t' tubes touch, me bucko, me hearties, draw a line and put t' glue there. Avast! T' final fin will snuggle up betwixt t' last fin applied and t' first fin. Use fillets as you see fit, ya bilge rat, but they are nay necessary for strength because each fin is glued at 3 points. Aye aye!

It's tough t' find t' CP on tube fin rockets like this but it's safe to say that its somewhere in t' fin section ;-) Just make sure t' CG is forward of t' fin section with a motor installed.

Flight:
For t' original rocket, I used a standard 29 mm motor mount tubes cut t' 6 inches. Avast! T' centerin' rings (2 o' them) were just 5 ply rings I had laying around. Begad! T' 32" parachute and t' shock cord be from a lawn-darted Aerotech Astrobee D. Aye aye! T' nosecone is a 3" PML. T' launch lug is just a ¼" Aerotech igniter tube. Avast! (OK, yeah I'm cheap) T' final weight is about 24oz.

For flying, ya bilge rat, me hearties, ya bilge rat, I always use dog barf and friction fit motor retention. Blimey! Blimey! She flew straight as an arrow on several F and G motors. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Fun t' fly.

Summary:
This is a quick and easy rocket t' build. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Its different than most tube fin rockets and draws a little attention. Avast! Nay countin' t' paint, it took all o' an hour t' build.