Descon Jack-O-Lance

Scratch - Jack-O-Lance {Scratch}

Contributed by Norman Dziedzic

Manufacturer:

(Contributed - by Norman Dziedzic)

T' Jack-o-Lance Beta

As you may have seen in Descon 6, I like Odd Rockets. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Since Halloween was smack dab in t' middle o' Descon 7, matey, I had t' enter t' Jack-o-Lance Beta. Avast, me proud beauty! This model was originally named, me bucko, "T' Pumpkin Stick" but I think t' New name has a little more Rocketry Flare. T' main oddity on this rocket be t' pumpkins stacked on t' body tube. Well, blow me down! These are a standard haloween decoration called a Pumpkin Candy Cup.

**Basic Specs:**
`Height:`	`28.25"`
`Weight (no motor):`	`156 g (5.5 oz)`
`Body Size:`	`BT-60`
`Number o' Fins:`	`4`
`Fin Span:`	`10"`
`Recovery:`	`Parachute`
`Motor Mount:`	`24mm`

Parts List

(1) BT-60 x 16" long
(1) BT-60 x 6.75" long
(1) BT-60 Tube Coupler
(1) 24mm Motor Mount Kit
(1) 3" wide x 16" long x 1/8" thick balsa sheet for fins

Cut t' (4) 4" long pieces (see fin pattern for grain direction)

(1) 1/4" wide x 16" long x 1/8" thick spruce for fin ends

Cut t' (4) 4" long pieces

(1) PNC-60 Plastic Nose Cone
(2) 1/8" x 1" long launch lugs
(10) plastic Pumpkin Candy Cups
(1) Shock cord material o' choice
(1) Parachute o' Choice

Construction

Assemble t' 24mm motor mount per t' instructions (allow t' dry fully). Ahoy!
Glue t' BT-60 coupler into t' end o' t' short piece o' BT-60 body tube leavin' half o' t' coupler exposed (allow t' dry fully).
Glue t' 24mm motor mount into t' end o' t' short piece o' BT-60 opposite t' coupler. Arrr! Make t' aft end o' the motor mount tube flush with t' end o' t' BT-60 (allow t' dry fully).
Glue t' long piece o' BT-60 body tube t' t' short tube/coupler assembly usin' t' coupler t' align t' two body tubes (allow t' dry fully).
Mark t' aft 3" o' body tube at 4 places equally spaced around t' tube. Arrr! One method t' do this is as follows:

Wrap a piece o' paper around t' tube and make a mark on t' paper where it overlaps itself.
Remove t' paper from t' tube and fold it so t' outer edge o' t' paper meets t' mark made above.
Fold again so that t' crease made in t' previous step comes t' t' same mark.
Unfold t' paper and wrap around t' tube again.
Keepin' t' paper in place, ya bilge rat, mark t' body tube at each o' t' creases in t' paper and at t' point where the paper overlaps itself.
Extend t' lines along t' length o' t' tube usin' a door frame or piece o' angled metal.

Usin' double glue joints , assemble t' 4 fins as shown in the Fin Diagram . Ya scallywag! Avast! Take note o' t' wood grain directions.
Usin' double glue joints, ya bilge rat, arrr, attach t' fins t' t' outside o' t' BT-60 as seen in t' pictures. Avast! Blimey! Make t' bottom of t' balsa section o' t' fins flush with t' aft end o' t' body tube.
Glue one launch lug in a corner where a fin meets t' body tube and t' other directly above it approximately 12.5" from t' aft end o' t' rocket.
Use your favorite method t' attach t' shock cord t' t' rocket.
Paint t' rocket as desired.
Usin' a hobby knife cut a hole in t' bottom o' each o' t' plastic pumpkin candy cups t' fit snuggly over the BT-60 tube. Begad! Make sure t' hole is centered on t' candy cup.
Usin' a hobby knife, me bucko, cut 2 notches (one top and one bottom) in line with each other on t' back o' each plastic pumpkin candy cup t' allow for t' launch rod t' clear t' cups when on t' pad.
Once t' paint is dry, Attach t' plastic pumpkin candy cups t' t' body tube usin' medium or thick viscosity CA glue. Well, blow me down! Make sure t' notches line up t' t' launch lugs.
Connect t' other end o' t' shock cord t' t' nose cone.
Connect t' parachute t' t' nose cone or shock cord as desired.

Stability

T' balance point on t' Jack-o-Lance Beta is about 2/3 o' t' way up on t' 4th pumpkin (countin from t' bottom) or approximately 10.25" up from t' aft end o' t' body. Avast! This balance point was achieved with no nose weight required and proves stable for both 18mm C motors and 24mm D motors.

Flight

T' initial flight o' t' Jack-o-Lance Beta was on an Estes C5-3 (usin' a spent 24mm motor case as a motor adapter). Begad! Boost was straight t' about 200 ft. Avast, me proud beauty! with ejection near apogee. Aye aye! Ahoy! Unfortunately, t' parachute was packed too tightly into t' body (which originally split in t' middle) and t' model free fell t' earth. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Only minor damage was sustained so t' 'chute was re-packed with more baby powder and t' Jack-o-Lance Beta be sent skyward again under C5-3 power. Begad! T' 'chute was still t' tight t' fall out o' t' forward tube and this time one o' t' spruce fin tips broke and one fin came loose. Returning Safely Home

T' original design t' separate in t' middle of t' body (between two o' t' pumpkins) was scrapped for a conventional nose cone blow (yea, I could have gone with a smaller parachute but I didn't want to). Aye aye! Well, arrr, blow me down! Again under C5-3 power, ya bilge rat, me bucko, t' Jack-o-Lance Beta took off this time t' be returned safely home under it's large plastic 'chute.

Since then t' Jack-o-Lance Beta has flown successfully on an Estes D12-5 t' approximately 600 ft.