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. Begad! Begad! Its main component is a 2 ½" paper bakin' cup.

Rocket Pic

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

To make t' motor tube, matey, I applied a thin layer o' white glue on some paper and wrapped it tightly around t' tube from an Aerotech Copperhead. Ya scallywag! Blimey! After it dried for a while, me bucko, I cut off a 7/8" section. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! Next, ya bilge rat, I cut 1.875" and 2.375" rings from a Styrofoam plate. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! 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. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Blimey! T' smaller rin' was placed at t' end o' t' motor tube and set into the bakin' cup. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' second rin' be slipped down until it just touched the sides o' t' cup. This assembly was removed, me bucko, and t' rings were glued in place with white glue. Avast! Avast! Blimey!

After t' glue set, ya bilge rat, I made notches for t' launch lug and slid it through the rings. Aye aye! Blimey! It fit snugly and I decided nay t' glue it in. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey!

Finally, t' motor mount assembly was glued into t' bakin' cup. Blimey! Blimey! While this dried, me bucko, I set t' cup back into t' package on top o' other cups, ya bilge rat, me bucko, in order to provide even support around its circumference. I was originally goin' t' cut the lug flush with t' front ring, 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. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! In order t' mate with the launcher, I had t' let t' motor overhang t' motor tube by ~1/4". The saucer flew straight t' an altitude o' maybe 25 feet and floated down nose first. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Usin' a launch lug that is considerably wider than t' Micro Maxx launch rod didn't seem t' impact t' flight profile. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! After t' first flight, me bucko, thar was a little scorchin' o' t' paper near t' motor mount. This did nay get any worse after t' subsequent flights, ya bilge rat, so I assume it was because I did nay fully remove t' paper coverin' t' end o' t' motor mount. Arrr! Ahoy! Blimey!

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

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