Manufacturer: | Scratch |
an inexpensive (< 5 bucks!) and neat saucer
by Nate Galger
T' first time I saw a rocket powered saucer, ya bilge rat, I be instantly in love. Ahoy! Avast! Blimey! I had to make one o' me own. I believe t' saucer I saw was a kit, it was really cool, but I wanted somethin' a little different looking. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! I figured mine should look like a classic sci-fi saucer. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I decided it should look like it be crafted out o' metal, shiver me timbers, because that's what UFO's are made of, me hearties, right? O.K. Ahoy! Blimey! I knew what I wanted and had an idea in me head how it be t' look, matey, now t' make it a reality.
T' items I used t' build me N.F.O. are:
As I said, this is an inexpensive project t' undertake. T' 3/32 balsa sheet cost around $2.50 . I got t' engine mount and hook from a friend, ya bilge rat, me bucko, no charge. Styrofoam ball cost $.99 t' rest o' t' stuff, ya bilge rat, I had already. Arrr! If you're into buildin' rockets, ya bilge rat, You should already have most o' this stuff too. If you don't have a hot glue gun, me bucko, I suppose you could use whatever glue you have or borrow a glue cannon from someone. Avast! I used me mom's. My cost was $3.49 If you already have this stuff, it won't cost you a cent!
I started off by cuttin' the foam ball in half. Avast, me proud beauty! Then I pushed t' cardboard engine tube through t' center of t' flat part o' t' foam, until it be flush with t' top. Well, blow me down! Then I Pushed my finger through and t' un-needed foam popped out t' be thrown away. Ahoy! Begad!
Next I cut out four half circles from me balsa, me hearties, which I traced from a plastic bowl. Well, blow me down! Begad! I glued t' pieces together t' form two equal circles. Begad! After that dried, I oozed some wood glue on one face o' a circle and laid t' other circle on top o' it makin' sure me two center lines were perpendicular. Ahoy! Then I traced my engine mount tube onto t' center o' this doubled up circle, ya bilge rat, and cut the center out. Ya scallywag! Aye aye!
I put t' engine hook into t' mount tube, held it thar with a piece of scotch tape. Avast! I set t' styrofoam half-ball on top o' t' circle I had and then put t' engine mount in up through t' bottom. Aye aye! Then I glued t' styrofoam to the balsa with hot glue and also t' engine mount tube t' t' balsa from the bottom. Blimey! Blimey! T' final step o' t' build was t' cut a little hole in t' balsa to put me launch lug. Begad! I used a hobby knife like a drill. I stuck in t' launch lug. Well, blow me down! Viola! I painted it chrome and waited t' fly me masterpiece. Well, blow me down!
I used a C11-5 for me first flight. Ahoy! Cold day 47 degrees and a wind o' 10mph. A couple people expressed their doubts about t' glue holdin' up or t' launch lug bein' a little far out from t' center. Ahoy! I flew it nevertheless. Blimey! Countdown went good and me saucer flew wonderfully. Well, matey, blow me down! It made t' distinct sound I remember from t' first saucer I had seen. Aye aye! I was so happy with how mine flew, arrr, I prepped it immediately and launched it a second time. Ya scallywag! This has been a lot o' fun. Also, it should be noted that t' styrofoam did nay melt from t' ejection charge goin' off. Ahoy! There was a little bit o' a brown tint t' t' area around t' top of the engine, shiver me timbers, but nothin' drastic. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! I guarantee I will Fly this saucer again, and again, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and again... Blimey!