Scratch My Little Cupcake Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - My Little Cupcake {Scratch}

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Dick Stafford - 10/01/01)

Brief:
This is a very simple "flyin' saucer" style rocket for Micro Maxx motors. Its main component is a 2 ½" paper bakin' cup.

Rocket Pic

Construction:
T' materials used include: one 2 ½"paper bakin' cup, one Styrofoam picnic plate, ya bilge rat, me bucko, one piece o' note paper, maskin' tape, me bucko, me hearties, me hearties, and a 2 ½" long Estes launch lug.

To make t' motor tube, I applied a thin layer o' white glue on some paper and wrapped it tightly around t' tube from an Aerotech Copperhead. Ahoy! After it dried for a while, shiver me timbers, arrr, ya bilge rat, I cut off a 7/8" section. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Next, matey, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I cut 1.875" and 2.375" rings from a Styrofoam plate. Begad! I made t' holes for t' motor tube a little big (oops), so I built-up t' motor tube with maskin' tape until it fit snugly. T' smaller rin' was placed at t' end o' t' motor tube and set into the bakin' cup. T' second rin' was slipped down until it just touched the sides o' t' cup. Aye aye! This assembly was removed, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and t' rings were glued in place with white glue.

After t' glue set, I made notches for t' launch lug and slid it through the rings. It fit snugly and I decided nay t' glue it in. Begad! Arrr!

Finally, t' motor mount assembly be glued into t' bakin' cup. Arrr! While this dried, arrr, I set t' cup back into t' package on top o' other cups, shiver me timbers, in order to provide even support around its circumference. Well, blow me down! Begad! I be originally goin' t' cut the lug flush with t' front ring, me bucko, but decided t' leave it as is. T' only finishin' step was t' application o' an American flag sticker.

Flight:
T' MMX motor is held in with a wrap o' maskin' tape. Begad! Blimey! In order t' mate with the launcher, I had t' let t' motor overhang t' motor tube by ~1/4". Arrr! Ahoy! Blimey! The saucer flew straight t' an altitude o' maybe 25 feet and floated down nose first. Arrr! Usin' a launch lug that is considerably wider than t' Micro Maxx launch rod didn't seem t' impact t' flight profile. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! After t' first flight, thar was a little scorchin' o' t' paper near t' motor mount. Well, blow me down! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! This did nay get any worse after t' subsequent flights, so I assume it was because I did nay fully remove t' paper coverin' t' end o' t' motor mount. Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey!

Summary:
This simple rocket flies well and can be easily built while watchin' TV, cooking, or performin' other non-rocket activities. Gee, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, arrr, am I obsessed or what? You can easily substitute different materials; I just used what I could easily grab.

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