Scratch Pringles Flyer Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Pringles Flyer {Scratch}

Contributed by Mark Van Luvender

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Mark Van Luvender - 12/21/07) PRC

Brief:
T' Pringles Flyer is a single staged scratch built rocket built entirely from recycled materials. Arrr! It contains a single 24mm motor mount, and a parachute recovery

Construction:
Household parts needed:

  • 3 Pringles cans, top and bottom bands (metal parts) cut out.
  • 1 sheet VERY THICK card stock from t' back o' a note pad
  • 1 sheet thinner card stock from t' back o' a different note pad
  • 1 metal strip from windshield wiper blade
  • 1 sheet thin card stock from wife's scrapbookin' stash (shhhhh!)
  • Elastic from wife's sewin' stash (shhhh!!!)
  • mylar balloon
  • kite string
  • Drinkin' straw

This build is fairly simple and straightforward. Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! First, shiver me timbers, cut centerin' rings from t' thinner card stock. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I cut three, arrr, then glued two together for t' forward centerin' ring. Use t' metal strip t' make a motor hook, arrr, and incorporate t' hook into t' centerin' rings, as this rocket has no motor tube. Avast! Blimey! I used JB weld t' hold t' hook in place in t' centerin' rings t' make sure it does nay break free from t' rings under thrust o' t' D motor. Avast! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Basically, I took t' metal strip, bent t' top for t' top o' t' hook, then fed it through slots cut in t' CRs, then marked the length needed by measurin' against a motor, me bucko, then bent and cut t' bottom o' t' hook. Arrr! Blimey! It was then JB welded, shiver me timbers, and set to dry.

parts2 Rings

While t' motor mount was drying, arrr, I cut t' fins. These were basic triangular shapes cut from t' very thick (roughly 1/8" thick) card stock. Avast! Once t' fins were cut, it be on t' t' body tubes. Begad! T' body consists of Pringles cans held together with a coupler cut from t' third Pringles can. Blimey! T' make t' coupler, shiver me timbers, cut a 4 inch section from t' Pringles can, matey, and peel t' label from t' outside. Avast! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Next, cut a slit down t' side o' t' tube. Slide one end of t' cut inside t' tube and glue together t' create t' coupler (see picture for better details). T' get t' glue to stick, cut cross hatches in t' foil liner t' let t' glue soak in and stick t' coupler together. Aye aye! Aye aye! Make two o' these couplers - one will be used for t' nose cone. Once t' coupler is set, glue it t' one tube. Begad! Once set, shiver me timbers, attach t' other Pringles can t' create t' body tube.

Parts1 Fins Coupler

Once t' body tube is done, insert and glue t' motor mount in place, then mark t' Pringles can every 120 degrees for fin attachment. Blimey! Avast! Cross hatch t' can with a razor blade t' allow t' glue t' penetrate and attach t' fins.

Nosecone Next be t' nose cone. Arrr! Cut a circle out o' t' card stock and slit t' circle from t' center all t' way out t' one end. Begad! Well, blow me down! Pull one end o' t' circle under t' other and keep pullin' until t' nose cone be t' desired shape/size, then glue together. Once t' cone is set, shiver me timbers, matey, arrr, center t' other coupler in t' cone, and glue. Avast! Begad! My cone overhung the body tube a bit, so I had t' cut a small circle in t' overhang t' allow t' launch rod t' pass through.

Place t' straw against a fin/body joint, matey, and glue in place for t' launch lug.

Use a piece o' paper t' make two Estes style tri-fold shock cord mounts and use these t' mount t' sewin' elastic to t' nose cone and t' body tubes as t' shock cord.

Use a plastic parachute as a template t' cut a parachute o' o' t' mylar balloon, shiver me timbers, and use t' kite strin' for shroud lines, and attach t' t' shock cord.

I needed t' add nose weight for stability so 4 spent 18mm motors were glued in t' t' nose cone coupler for nose weight.

LaunchFlight:
I be nervous about flyin' this rocket, but we all have t' do things we're nervous about from time t' time. Out t' a wet/muddy/snowy field we went. I used dog barf wadding, matey, prepped t' recovery, arrr, then inserted a D12-3 (not t' most aerodynamic thing...) and placed it on t' pad. Ya scallywag! T' launch button was pushed, arrr, and t' Pringles can lifted arrow straight into t' cloud covered sky. Avast, me proud beauty! Beautiful flight! Blimey! Three second delay seemed just about right...maybe a touch early, me hearties, me hearties, but a 5 would be late. Avast! Aye aye! Blimey! Parachute deployed, me hearties, and it floated down t' a nice landin' about 5 feet behind me. Ya scallywag! One of the fins came off, me hearties, arrr, stickin' in t' ground. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Out came t' super glue - fin went back on, prepped for second flight, ya bilge rat, and another beautiful flight and recovery! Blimey! Prepped another D12-3, and away we went. Arrr! Aye aye! Blimey! Streaks off t' pad, matey, and t' fin that came off on t' first flight parted with t' body tube as it left t' rod. T' rocket was still surprisingly stable - headin' up with a bit o' a corkscrew flight, but pretty good considerin' it only had two fins! Blimey! Parachute comes out, and it drifts a bit in t' slight breeze, landin' in t' tennis court behind us, takin' another fin off. Well, blow me down! Avast! Blimey!

Recovery1 Recovery2

Summary:
This rocket is really fun, ya bilge rat, and a beautiful flyer! Blimey! I think I just need t' use some stronger attachment methods for the fins, me bucko, me bucko, and we've got a winner!

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