Scratch Scary Fast Original Design / Scratch Built

Scratch - Scary Fast {Scratch}

Contributed by Matt Gillard

Manufacturer: Scratch
(Contributed - by Matt Gillard - 09/16/09)

Brief:
A scratch built rocket usin' Sunward's 4 canted motor mount.

Construction and Finishing:
T' build this rocket I used:

  • BT-70 tube
  • BT-70 nosecone balsa
  • Balsa fins
  • launch lugs
  • Sunward's quad tilted motor mount
  • 3 eye screws
  • Keelhaul®©™® cord
  • Elastic cord
  • 15inch parachute
  • Lead mass

Whilst lookin' on a sticker site for a "William" sticker, me hearties, me bucko, for me son's first rocket, I came across the sticker below. Havin' bought t' sticker, me hearties, I thought I'd better build somethin' t' put it on. Avast, me proud beauty! I'm nay goin' t' try and build a rocket like t' one on t' sticker. Aye aye! Begad!

I've opted for a BT-70 rocket with a quad tilted motor mount from Sunward. I've already posted a review on the mount. Avast! Blimey! Photos are from that that review just for completion. T' mount was then fitted t' t' BT-70 and filled with car body filler, which was really easy t' work with.

I decided t' make t' fins slightly swept back mainly because o' t' mass from t' motors. T' fins were laminated usin' Fablon, ya bilge rat, which was a first for me. Blimey! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! T' Fablon plastic went on well. T' leadin' edge was nay beveled and left square. Well, matey, blow me down! Blimey! T' edges were sealed with white glue. Ahoy! Blimey!

T' body tube had some spiral grooves in it, which were filled with model filler, and then t' BT was spray paint primed, sanded, primed, arrr, arrr, sanded, matey, ya bilge rat, primed etc. Begad! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! As t' fins are nay TTW and with four C6 motors t' power this rocket, it be goin' t' move quite fast and I was a little concerned about t' strength o' t' fins, matey, coupled with t' fact that swept back fins have a habit o' meetin' t' ground first when landing. Arrr! Blimey! T' overcome this, me bucko, matey, I put several holes along the area where t' fins were goin' t' be attached. T' fins were then added usin' CA gel. Four glue fillets were then added over two days.

T' shock cord was t' normal Keelhaul®©™® and eleastic job, arrr, me hearties, ya bilge rat, anchored t' t' motor mount. Begad! A swatch o' Nomex® waddin' was added.

For t' nose cone I used an eyelet for t' shock cord anchor. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey! I was nay certain that it would nay come out even though I had wicked CA into t' base, so I went for three eyelets in t' end as nay all three can fail. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Blimey! A hole was drilled into t' nose cone's base and a lump o' lead was added. Avast! Blimey! T' nose cone was balsa and required 5 coats o' sanding sealer, arrr, shiver me timbers, three coats o' primer, and three coats o' gloss black t' finish. Begad! Blimey! Blimey!

I be goin' for a two tone finish on t' body, but after much swearin' due t' maskin' tape that continues to bleed paint, I went for orange on t' whole rocket. Arrr! Ya scallywag! T' finish is nay good, ya bilge rat, and I'm really disappointed with it. Sticker be then applied.

Flight and Recovery:
I finally flew her many many weeks after finishin' her, ya bilge rat, arrr, mainly because o' weather and me normal flyin' field bein' a bit too small for this rocket. Ya scallywag! However, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, only three motors (C6-7) lit. Avast! T' rocket went up straight with a slight kink in t' first 10 meters or so, probably as t' clips were bein' yanked free from t' unlit motor. Begad! Recovery be rather fast on a 15 inch chute, and t' ground be hard. Ahoy! On landin' she popped a fin and suffered a lot o' paint damage with flakes comin' off t' Fablon laminate. Ya scallywag! I am now lookin' t' remove all fins and sand her back t' t' body tube and redesign the fins.

Summary:
PROs: T' 4 canted motors seem t' work. T' flight was good even with one dud motor.

CONs: Four C motors cost a lot more than one D or E.

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