Brief:
A single-stage flyin' HOT DOG!

Construction:
T' initial drawings were done in late May 2008. I decided t' use t' "Centuri" ST style tubin' with thicker body tube walls. A parts list was made, arrr, me hearties, then an order be placed (online) t' Semroc on June 13, ya bilge rat, 2008. Blimey! I received t' parts by mail on June 16, 2008. Very fast delivery and great customer service, shiver me timbers, as usual.

Parts list: 

• 2 "Bun" Nose Cones, BNC2025
• 1 "Hot Dog" Nose Cone, BC-837 from Squire kit
• "Hot Dog" Body Tube, ST890, shiver me timbers, 8 Series
• "Bun" Body Tube, me hearties, ST2060, shiver me timbers, 20 Series
• 3 fins o' 1/16" balsa covered with condiment package wrappers
• 8 Series motor mount from a Semroc Squire kit
• LARGE Screw Eye (for extra nose weight)
• 12" Red and Yellow Parachute
• 12" Keelhaul®©™ attached t' 18" o' 3/16" elastic shock cord
• 1 1/2" standard launch lug

Initially I was goin' t' use a 7 series nose cone and body tube. Begad! After seein' it "in t' bun" it looked too thin. Avast! I switched t' wider 8 series parts from a extra Semroc Squire kit I had. Ya scallywag! I also used t' Squire's engine mount, nose cone and Keelhaul®©™. Begad! All other parts were standard: 1/8" launch lug, me hearties, a big screw eye, 3/16" x 18" elastic shock cord, and 12" parachute.

As I work away from home, ya bilge rat, I didn't have much time t' build t' model for t' EMRR contest. Begad! This would be a rush job! I was returnin' on July 5 and would have one week t' get t' model built, photographed, flown, documented and entered! I was also tryin' t' get me Golden Scout built and flown for a July 10 Orlando area launch.

To get t' "Bun" end contour, I cut off 1 1/8" off both o' t' Semroc BNC-2025 nose cones. Arrr! I rounded t' cut ends with 100 grit sandpaper on a block. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! T' get t' "Hot Dog" contour I cut off t' tip o' t' Semroc BC-837 nose cone and rounded t' end with 100 grit sandpaper on a block.

An actual hot dog is 6" long. Ya scallywag! Blimey! It seems a little short, I wanted this rocket t' fly stable. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' "Dog's" body tube length is 9". Blimey! Blimey! T' "Dog's" overall length with nose cone and motor mount (extension) in place was now 10 1/4".

After fillin' t' nose cone, I used t' back o' a razor blade t' press in wrinkle lines like those on a hot dog end. T' wrinkles radiate out from t' center o' t' nose cone tip.

I am tryin' t' capture t' look o' foot-long hotdog with it's ends stickin' out o' t' bun. Avast! I cut t' "bun" tube length at 5 ½". Blimey! With t' two split nose cones in place, arrr, t' overall "bun" length is 8 5/8".

It'd be easier t' fill t' tube spirals and balsa grain before cuttin' t' bun tube in half and splittin' t' bun nose cones.

I marked t' Bun body tube down its entire length and extended t' line up t' two end nose cones. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! I extended t' pencil lines over t' top o' t' cones, completely around under t' shoulder. Ya scallywag! T' make a clean split, I used a straight edge razor blade t' cut 1/4" into t' cone. This should insure a clean outside edge. I switched over t' a #11 X-Acto after t' razor blade t' deepen t' cut. Arrr! I broke apart t' cones. Avast! Ahoy! I was happy with t' results. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' edges were clean and t' inside "flat" areas o' t' cones would only require some Fill 'n' Finish t' smooth them out.

I sanded square t' (rounded) nose cone shoulder ends. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! I left ½" o' t' shoulder. I'll make two flat inside wall pieces, arrr, glued inside and flush with t' body tube walls and nose cone ends.

After fillin' t' seams, I only cut through one side o' t' bun body tube. Blimey! Blimey! T' opposite side be scored with a straight edge and (dull) butter knife only creasin' t' line. Begad! This let t' tube open like an real hot dog bun.

T' engine mount was taken from Semroc Squire kit. Keelhaul®©™ cord was tied t' t' engine hook. Ya scallywag! A 3/16" X 18" elastic shock cord is tied t' t' Keelhaul®©™. Begad! I picked a 12" red and yellow Semroc chute t' match t' Mustard and Ketchup condiment motif.

With both bun nose cones in place thar be a rectangular open area inside. I cut 1/16" balsa "planks" t' fit t' void. Begad! I cut them a little oversize and sanded them t' fit. Ya scallywag! T' final size was 2" wide x 4 7/16" long. Begad! It would be difficult t' fill and sand t' interior balsa so it covered them with paper.

This is where it got interesting. Begad! I needed fins that would fit t' hot dog theme. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I thought o' plastic knife, fork and spoons for fins, matey, but another entry had already incorporated sporks into their design. Well, blow me down! My youngest daughter suggested ketchup, mustard, and relish packets should be used somewhere in t' design. Avast, me proud beauty! Why nay t' fins? We picked some packets up at a local fast grub restaurant. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! I cut off t' back o' t' packets, ya bilge rat, emptied, me bucko, then washed and dried t' plastic sleeves. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' empty packets were contact cemented onto 1/16" balsa. Simple, shiver me timbers, fast, and in t' theme o' t' model.

Slots were cut into t' bun's tail end and t' fins were pressed into place. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Super glue fillets followed. Blimey! Avast! T' Bun shape didn't allow for 120 degree spacin' o' t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! While they aren't symmetrical, they are on straight. Arrr! I made sure t' fins trailed away from t' rocket body, once again t' improve stability.

I glued a 1 ½" long launch lug t' t' backside o' t' hot dog body. T' lug be centered out o' sight, inside t' bun. Well, blow me down! T' hot dog was set in t' bun and a line o' super glue was run down t' seams.

T' Keelhaul®©™ line be pulled through t' front o' t' dog tube and tied on a 3/16" x 18" elastic cord.

I found t' biggest, heavy screw eye I had. Well, blow me down! Avast! Any additional nose weight could help this model fly straight. Avast! I attached t' shock cord and parachute snap swivel t' t' screw eye.

Finishing:
When buyin' spray paint at WalMart, I walked through t' paint department with real hot dogs and buns in hand. Aye aye! Blimey! I wanted match t' colors as closely as possible. Ahoy! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' Bun is actually two different colors. T' inside o' t' bun is much lighter than t' outside. Aye aye! Blimey! I sprayed two coats o' grey primer, sandin' betwixt coats. T' inside o' t' bun be sprayed with Wal-Mart Almond. Arrr! Blimey! I set t' bun face down (on t' open wedge cut) then sprayed t' outside with Wal-Mart Red Primer. No masking, shiver me timbers, I wanted t' colors t' blend at t' "buns" cut line.

To replicate t' lighter color o' t' bun at t' wedge cut (through t' body), me hearties, me bucko, I sprayed more Almond color on a kitchen sponge. Avast! Ahoy! I dabbed some o' t' Almond paint onto t' bun opening. This gave it t' same rough color separation like on a real hot dog bun.

Flight:
T' Orlando NARRRRR section, R.O.C.K., had a scheduled launch on July 10. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! In addition t' t' regular members, thar was t' be a school group thar with many first time fliers. Begad! Many o' t' kids hadn't seen an odd-roc before, and one even asked if I had another hot dog he could have for lunch. Begad! Arrr! I prepped t' (S)Hot Dog with a C6-3 with standard Estes wadding. Ya scallywag! Motor retention was an Estes style metal hook. Blimey! I usually have great confidence in me rockets as I usually build proven designs, matey, however, shiver me timbers, me bucko, I was a little nervous as t' RSO called for a heads up.

T' first flight was vertical but t' model made a 10 foot spiral goin' up. Blimey! I wanted better stability and needed more nose weight. Recovery was nominal with no damage. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' length o' t' Keelhaul®©™/elastic combination worked well. Avast! There be no zipperin' or nose cone dents. Now, for t' nose weight.

Bob, a fellow R.O.C.K. Avast! member, ya bilge rat, offered up a quick link. Aye aye! I attached it t' t' large screw eye. As well, me bucko, another R.O.C.K. Well, blow me down! member had some modelin' clay. Well, blow me down! I rolled two thin "worms" o' clay and pressed them into t' hot dog/bun seam. I prepped again usin' another C6-3.

This time it be a slow, straight, vertical boost t' a altitude o' approximately 225 feet. Aye aye! Avast! Deployment be at apogee. Blimey! Begad! There was no damage, burning, ya bilge rat, or charrin' on recovery. Avast! Arrr! T' model is now retired.

Summary:
This be a great experience. It be fun t' construct a different scratch build again. Avast! T' kids (first timers) at t' launch got quite a kick out o' t' design.

PROs: T' reactions o' t' first time fliers at t' local launch. I found a few new techniques: "press mounting" fins in slots cut into t' balsa "bun" ends. Begad! Blimey! When t' fins were in place, I simply ran super glue fillets. Aye aye! Blimey! T' joints were very strong. Ahoy! Blimey! Lastly, me hearties, pressin' "wrinkles" into a finished nose cone end usin' t' backside o' a single edge razor blade gave t' hot dog a certain realism.

CONs: Just tough t' fill balsa and body tube seams. Ahoy! I had three different fillin' sessions. Avast, me proud beauty! T' nose cone and body tube splits were t' most difficult part o' construction. I had t' fill t' spirals before cuttin' and splittin' and then fill again after gluin' t' bun nose cones into t' body tubes. Ahoy! This project had a few o' those "Wakin' up in t' middle o' t' night" moments when realizin' different construction and material techniques.