Scratch Funny Funnel Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Funny Funnel {Scratch}

Contributed by Jeff Boldig

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Jeffrey Boldig - 04/26/08) (Scratch) Funny Funnel

Brief:
Oil funnel with a 4 x 18mm cluster and a central tube that works as a launch lug. Arrr! T' motors are canted at 10° to induce spin which begins before leavin' t' rod. Ahoy! T' base drag is insufficient t' stabilize t' rocket so it is spin stabilized.

Construction:
T' body is an oil funnel available at Wal-Mart stores. Avast, me proud beauty! A small wooden plug is in t' end o' t' funnel and a aluminum tube runs t' full length. Aye aye! Avast! A 3" motor assembly tube be glued in t' funnel with a forward bulkhead. Ahoy! Begad! An aft centerin' rin' was cut into quarters and two quarters were attached t' t' aft end o' t' motor assembly tube. Arrr! Arrr! The forward bulkhead holds and centers t' aluminum launch lug and t' two aft centerin' rin' pieces provide two recovery storage compartments for shock cord and parachute. Blimey! Aye aye! A motor mount assembly was made with a tube that fit into t' motor assembly tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Four motor mount tubes were cut and engine block installed so t' motors would extend 1/4 t' 1/2 inch out o' t' tubes. Well, blow me down! Avast! Two bulkheads with 10° holes for t' motor tubes were installed in t' motor mount assembly along with t' four motor mount tubes. Blimey! There be also a central tube inside t' motor mount assembly that slides over the central launch lug and seals ejection gases from gettin' inside t' motor mount assembly.

(Scratch) Funny Funnel(Scratch) Funny Funnel

(Scratch) Funny Funnel T' motor assembly tube is notched on each side at angles that match t' recovery compartments. Aye aye! Two compartment covers were shaped and attached t' t' motor mount assembly. Arrr! Blimey! These cover t' recovery storage compartments t' prevent early deployment and also fit into t' notches in t' motor assembly tube t' allow the motor mount assembly t' induce spin on t' rocket without slippin' or spinnin' inside t' motor assembly tube.

Six feet o' 1/4 elastic shock cord is connected from one recovery compartment cover t' a screw eye installed in t' aft centerin' ring. Ahoy! A 6 inch piece o' Keelhaul®©™® is attached t' t' other recovery compartment cover and a loop is put in t' free end. Begad! Ahoy! T' parachute is attached t' the Keelhaul®©™® cord and stowed in t' recovery compartment.

(Scratch) Funny Funnel

Flight and Recovery:
T' first two flights were unsuccessful. Blimey! T' up worked fine. Aye aye! T' funnel flew straight. Begad! There was no parachute deployment on either flight and t' second one landed on t' corner o' a concrete slab and shattered t' funnel.

Another funnel was obtained and rebuilt with t' current configuration.

T' third flight (first on new funnel) flew OK, shiver me timbers, but be nay as stable as t' first version, ya bilge rat, probably because o' a heavier aft end and only three motors igniting. Begad! T' motor mount assembly ejected from t' funnel but because elastic shock cord was used t' attach t' t' parachute, t' elastic stretched out and expended all o' t' momentum o' t' motor mount assembly without pullin' t' chute from t' recovery compartment.

T' fourth flight had all four motors ignite and was more stable than flight three but nay as stable as t' first two. Arrr! It flew t' about 300ft. Avast! T' Keelhaul®©™® connected t' t' parachute didn't stretch and t' chute was pulled from t' storage compartment and recovery was successful.

(Scratch) Funny Funnel

Summary:
This is a fun and different oddroc. Ahoy! It still needs some refinements but is a stable and fun flier. Ahoy! T' cons are typical o' four engine clusters. Blimey! Ya scallywag! T' igniter installation and connection is critical t' gettin' all t' motors to light. Ahoy! T' recovery storage compartments are smaller then I would like, forcin' t' use o' a smaller then optimal chute.


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