Brief:
This is a maximum strength midpower rocket that still incorporates wood and plastic construction. Aye aye! Blimey! It will handle any 24mm motor, as well as most dunkings in water.

Construction:
This rocket uses 1.1 in. Ahoy! phenolic airframe tubin' topped by t' PML Urethane nose cone - t' only commercially produced cone that fits this tubing. Begad! Between 3/32 ply fins and TTW construction, arrr, me bucko, ya bilge rat, this rocket is practically indestructible.

TTW construction and phenolic tubin' require a complexity nay typical with low power rockets. I used a Dremel spiral saw t' cut t' fin slits (3) in the 1.1 phenolic tubing. Ahoy! Ahoy! T' motor mount be constructed with epoxy and centering rings t' mount t' Estes 24mm tube in t' appropriate position for TTW fin mounting. Avast! Aye aye! I used a long E motor hook as part o' t' mount. I used 100 lb. Keelhaul®©™® thread epoxied through t' motor mount as a parachute connection. Indeed, epoxy was used in virtually t' entire thing. Blimey! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down!

After t' motor mount assembly dried, me bucko, me bucko, me hearties, I put it in place, and used t' slots to trace t' fin footprints onto t' engine tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I cut thin stringers of balsa, and CA'ed them in place right next t' t' footprints, bounded on t' top and bottom with a centerin' ring. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' effect was intended t' have the advantages o' internal fillets, ya bilge rat, me bucko, me hearties, without t' difficulty o' applyin' them through such a tight space betwixt t' tubes. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! This worked like a charm. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey!

I used t' Rocsim fin template guide t' generate t' correct template for the TTW mount. I then cut t' fins from 3/32 in. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! plywood. After tryin' the spiral saw, me bucko, I went t' a power jigsaw, me hearties, which did a far better job. Well, blow me down! I gang sanded the fins t' uniform dimensions, and then beveled t' leadin' edge t' a sharp cross section. Avast! T' wood grain also looked "sharp", with t' darker plywood core providin' a nice contrast. Arrr! T' trailin' edges were beveled, shiver me timbers, but not quite sharp.

Because I used five minute epoxy, t' next steps were hurried. I mixed up a batch, arrr, me bucko, and used a chopstick t' smear it within t' airframe, arrr, arrr, in t' right place to bond with t' front centerin' rin' on t' engine mount assembly. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! A second layer be put ahead o' t' trailin' centerin' ring, me hearties, as t' first rin' cleared the aft end. Ya scallywag! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! T' last centerin' rin' be epoxied in place indexed with the "notch" cut though t' rin' t' leave room for t' motor hook t' flex. I be sure t' make t' slots line up correctly.

I then epoxied each plywood fin in place, usin' enough epoxy t' blob up to fill t' fin slot close t' level. T' keep from drippin' epoxy, ya bilge rat, I needed t' mix separate small batches o' epoxy for each fin slot.

Next came t' smoothin' operation usin' Elmers wood thinner thinned with water, and sanded after each coat partially dried. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! T' fillets at t' base of each fin were also done usin' this material and technique, me bucko, since t' epoxy, plywood and phenolic TTW combination makes it impossible t' even flex t' fins. T' fillets were for looks and aerodynamics only.

Since t' combo could theoretically take a G engine, me hearties, I wanted t' be sure the launchin' lug was big enough. Begad! Well, blow me down! I used an aluminum 2013 arrow shaft cut to length, shiver me timbers, and angled by cuttin' t' front edge t' a wedge shape. Arrr! I glued it in place and filleted it in place with epoxy. Avast, me proud beauty! I can use a 1/4 in. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! weldin' rod for larger size engines.

I had recently built me first "girl rocket" for me daughter, shiver me timbers, and marveled at t' visibility provided by t' hot pink fluorescent paint. After fillin' t' spirals in t' tube with Elmers filler, matey, I sanded, painted, shiver me timbers, and then clear coated. Aye aye! T' add a bit o' shine and smoothness, I used floor wax t' finally coat t' surface.

I added a couple feet o' elastic t' t' already long Keelhaul®©™® cord, and hooked a 12" nylon chute t' t' nose cone with a fishin' swivel and snap rings. Later testin' suggested this was nay enough chute.

Flight:
T' maiden flight be t' test low speed stability, ya bilge rat, matey, and recovery. Begad! I did nay want to blast t' school athletic field with an F right out o' t' startin' gate. I built and installed an 18-24mm engine adapter, arrr, and installed a C6-5. Begad! I launched it off a 3/16 launch rod.

Well, it was pretty normal at first. Avast! Arrr! T' rocket was stable, but then nosed over and kept goin' after burnout. Well, me bucko, blow me down! T' delay was way too long, and that may have been t' engine, me hearties, since rocsim says it should have been good. Well, blow me down! Begad! Fortunately, the chute deployed in time, and thar be no lawn dart nor core sample. Begad! For small engines, I'd want t' shortest delay possible.

T' engine hook picked up a bit o' dirt from t' grass. Avast, me proud beauty! It hit with a bit more force than I'd like, matey, but no damage was done. Avast! Aye aye! Still, shiver me timbers, I will use at least a 15" chute next time - probably an 18, matey, matey, t' protect t' motor hook.

PS: T' 18mm adapter blew clear - no impact on recovery deployment.

Summary:
Pros: Bombproof and tough. Able t' handle almost any ridiculous engine you can cram into it. Avast! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Probably able t' lawn dart from 300 feet up into sod without damage. Ahoy! Blimey! Easy t' see, me bucko, shiver me timbers, and teaches you lots about tough construction. Ahoy! Blimey! A "girl rocket" on t' outside, shiver me timbers, that is all steroid - induced toughness on t' inside.

Cons: Complicated t' build, shiver me timbers, and expensive. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Nay for novices. Aye aye! Heavy, me hearties, and could cause more damage than a light rocket if t' chute failed. Begad! Needs a big chute. Ahoy! Limited nose cone options.

Other:
T' Elmers goop be t' key t' smoothness. TTW / epoxy / phenolic is so strong it is scary. T' world needs a good, ya bilge rat, LIGHT, arrr, shiver me timbers, 1.1 in. nose cone (PML is good but HEAVY).