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Box O’ Parts Scratch Build
Rocket Design Contest
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Contests: All
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In the tradition of the Estes and Fliskits Design of the month and RMR Descon,
EMRR is pleased to announce a new contest. Todd Mullin is our illustrious host for this event.
The concept of the contest is simple. The reality won’t necessarily be as
easy!
- Box up some of those pesky spare parts that you have lying around and send them
in to EMRR.
- EMRR will mix and match all of the parts received and mail you back a box of
parts to build your creation from.
- Design your best rocket from your Box O’ Parts and name it.
- Write a how-to article, along with pictures and templates, to allow someone else
to build your design.
- Document your flights. (Allowable impulse range from MMX to G,
inclusively).
 The more variety in the parts that you include in your box, the better! Nose cones, body
tubes, plastic model parts, balsa fin stock, card stock, decals, damaged rockets, or even a flashlight or a hub cab
from a ’57 Chevy! Well, okay, maybe not a hubcap, but think about that weird part that you've had in your spare
parts bin and always wanted to use on one of your rockets, but could never find quite the right use for it! Be
creative! (example - click for larger view)
Each box of parts must include at least one nose cone, a section of body that
fits the nose cone, at least one motor tube, a set of launch lugs or rail buttons, some fin stock, and a recovery
system (parachute or streamer) and shock cord. The parts being generally compatible (e.g. a MMX motor tube does not go
with a 4" Diameter nose cone or G10 fins).
Use one of these three sizes of boxes to mail in your parts (the post office will
send you the boxes for free):
Priority
Mail Shoe Box
Priority
Mail Box O-1097
Priority/Express
Mail Tube Small
Be sure to include your name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address
with your box of parts so that we can return your new parts to you or contact you if we have any questions!
Not all the parts that come in your box must be used. However, as with most
scratch build contests, you can only use what comes in your box (or even the box itself)! Glue, paint, tape and nose
weight are the only items that can be added that don't come in the mail to you.
Some others provided parts for the contestants including:
  
The contest will be judged by a panel of EMRR staff, contributors, and the most
creative kit manufacturer's and designers. The judges will be Nick, Dick Stafford, Lance Alligood, and James Gartrell
of EMRR, Jim Flis of FlisKits, David Miller of Sirius Rocketry, Scott Branche of Rokitflite, Layne Pemberton of
Pemberton Technologies, Bob Cox and Todd Mullin.
The judging criteria will be:
- Finished appearance (50% total)
- Styling and use of received parts(25%)
- Craftsmanship (10%)
- Paint/Decals/Artwork (15%)
- Flight Performance (20% total) - Was it safe? Was it stable? Did it reach a reasonable
altitude for a model of its size/engine class?
(Bonus points for non-standard recovery: +5% for glider or helicopter, etc.)
(Bonus points for multi-engine: +1% for each additional engine)
- Write-up (30% total)
- Well-written instructions that others could replicate (20%)
- Good photos (10%) (We would like good clear photos, at least of build process and finished product.
In-flight photos must be included but will not be graded for picture quality).
- Each entrant may enter (1) entry.
- Each entry must include at least (1) photo of ALL of the parts in your
box.
- Each entry must include at least (1) unpainted/unfinished photo, (1) Static and
(1) Flight photo, however, to allow others to be able to build the rocket from your article, more pictures, templates,
and drawings are encouraged.
- Entry photos, templates, or drawings may be GIF, JPEG, BMP, or PDF - or - if you
don't have an electronic photo, e-mail us for a mailing address and we will scan them in for you.
- The winner will have first choice from the pool of prizes available for the
contest, the runner up getting second pick, etc.
- Boxes of parts must be received no later than March 1, 2008.
- Boxes of parts will be sent back to you no later than March 15, 2008.
- Submissions must be received no later than July 6, 2008.
 See also the TRF
Discussion Thread
E-mail your intent to enter to EMRR using the feedback link. You will be confirmed and a mailing address will be provided to send
your box of goodies to.
PRIZE TABLE*:
(Even if you can't play or win, thank these sponsors by supporting them!)
Entries:
|
Chan Stevens |
Swiss
Army |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 43
(20%) Flight= 10+18
(30%) Write-up= 23
FINAL SCORE= 93.2 |
|
Doug Gardei |
The
Avenger |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 44
(20%) Flight= 19+1
(30%) Write-up= 28
FINAL SCORE= 91.2 |
|
Les Bradshaw |
Remote Gaurdian Probe
Jinx 1.2 |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 45
(20%) Flight= 17+1
(30%) Write-up= 27
FINAL SCORE= 90.7 |
|
Jim Myers |
Junkyard
Transport |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 43
(20%) Flight= 18+3
(30%) Write-up= 26
FINAL SCORE= 90.4 |
|
Todd Mullin |
Longsword
Starfighter |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 48
(20%) Flight= 18+1
(30%) Write-up= 23
FINAL SCORE= 90.1 |
|
David Mackiernan |
U.S.S. Fred G
Sanford |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 37
(20%) Flight= 16+10
(30%) Write-up= 24
FINAL SCORE= 88.2 |
|
Craig Zicafoose |
SpaceShipTwo |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 45
(20%) Flight= 18+0
(30%) Write-up= 25
FINAL SCORE= 88.2 |
|
Ray King |
Bad to the
Bones |
|
(50%) Finished Appearance= 46
(20%) Flight= 19+0
(30%) Write-up= 22
FINAL SCORE= 87.1 |
|
Bill Cooke |
Salvage
90 |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 41
(20%) Flight= 18+3
(30%) Write-up= 24
FINAL SCORE= 85.9 |
|
Jon Chrisman |
Bio-Hazard |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 39
(20%) Flight= 20+2
(30%) Write-up= 25
FINAL SCORE= 85.8 |
|
Tom Benson |
Cobra
11 |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 37
(20%) Flight= 19+5
(30%) Write-up= 25
FINAL SCORE= 85.4 |
|
Kevin Johnson |
Feersum
Endjinn |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 42
(20%) Flight= 19+3
(30%) Write-up= 19
FINAL SCORE= 82.4 |
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John Partridge |
Black
Death |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 40
(20%) Flight= 18+0
(30%) Write-up= 24
FINAL SCORE= 82.2 |
|
Matt Gillard |
PROCRASTINATOR |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 37
(20%) Flight= 18+4
(30%) Write-up= 23
FINAL SCORE= 82.1 |
|
Heather Myers |
Shoe Box
Lander |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 38
(20%) Flight= 17+1
(30%) Write-up= 25
FINAL SCORE= 81.1 |
|
Will Newman |
Avenger GT-12
Spaceracer |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 39
(20%) Flight= 17+2
(30%) Write-up= 16
FINAL SCORE= 74.8 |
|
Brad Shea |
Outlandish
|
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 30
(20%) Flight= 16+0
(30%) Write-up= 26
FINAL SCORE= 71.9 |
|
Dan Bihary |
Salvage
1 |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 40
(20%) Flight= 9+3
(30%) Write-up= 19
FINAL SCORE= 71.3 |
|
Brian Coyle |
Xebec Kaku |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 39
(20%) Flight= 8+0
(30%) Write-up= 22
FINAL SCORE= 69.8 |
|
Paul Morris |
Black and
Blue |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 32
(20%) Flight= 16+2
(30%) Write-up= 17
FINAL SCORE= 66.6 |
|
Chris Rhodes |
Zodiac |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 32
(20%) Flight= 13
(30%) Write-up= 16
FINAL SCORE= 61.4 |
|
Paul Lane |
No Name |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 27
(20%) Flight= 15
(30%) Write-up= 18
FINAL SCORE= 59.8 |
|
Zoe Balkwell |
Bon
Bon |
 |
(50%) Finished Appearance= 29
(20%) Flight= 16
(30%) Write-up= 14
FINAL SCORE= 59.3 |
QA
- Are templates allowed in lieu of parts. Example--nose cone?
- Sure! One of the main things that I was going to make sure was in every kit that
went out the door was several sheets of paper and a bit of card stock for rings, transitions, cones, paper
- Centering rings are not mentioned in parts requirement, so presumably we'll
all have to cut these from the box unless we get ample balsa/basswood for fins/rings.
- Don't know what rings I'll have sent to me, but having a backup plan in case you
don't get ones that you like is always a good idea...
- Decals are mentioned in the judging criteria--are we allowed to make our own,
or must they only be provided?
- I'd like to think that I'd get enough decals to send out some with every kit,
but I can't guarantee that I will. I would say that you could print on the above mentioned paper and afix that to the
rocket, but you can't add decal paper to your kit unless someone happens to send some in with their box.
- I haven't decided for sure yet but I think I am going to send a completed
(and flown) rocket along with the minimum required parts just to throw everyone for a loop.
- I don't see a problem with all of the parts being connected... Just as long as
it not just total junk and that's not all you send!
- Can we let the judges participate in the builds? What if any/all judges are
allowed to participate but are not allowed to have INPUT on their own design?
- Each builder's score will be an average of all the judges. The judges are
eligible to enter, they just won't score their own builds.
- I read the contest outline. I see we are supposed to send parts, and those
parts must work cohesively together. But then it sounds like the parts will be reallocated at some point? I'm not clear
on the whole thing. Is this just a general parts roundup, or do you want enough stuff from each person to make a whole
rocket? For instance, I can include enough parts to make a whole rocket....cone, tube(s),chute, engine hook, piece of
kevlar and elastic, launch lug, couple sheets of cardstock, balsa, some decorative doo dads..and of course, the box
itself. Can even include some CR templates if need be. Does that sound about right,,,am I on the right
track?
- It would be preferable that you include at least MOST of the stuff you listed,
but not necessarily ALL of it. And throw in some weird stuff too... You never know what someone will build out of that
7-11 Slurpee (tm) cup lid! Think of it as "Care package" meets "kitbash"
- Are timers and altimeters permitted?
- What about fill'n' finish?
- Standard finishing supplies are allowed.
- Is two part foam an acceptable "adhesive" if used to bond tubes and
things together?
- Yes, but only is used as an adhesive. Two part foam cannot be used to form new
parts, i.e. molding a new nose cone.
- Is the upper limit on clustered rockets 160Ns total or is the limit PER
motor?
- Is there a limit on the TYPE of tape?
- No. Tape can be used though only for adhesion or decoration, but not to form
new structural parts.
- To get the cluster bonus do all motors count or only those that actually
ignite - assuming that the intent was to light all of the motors and none were for "show" if 7 motor cluster
and only 6 light is that a +6 or +5% bonus?
- For clusters, it's intent. But you have to make a pretty good effort to get all
of them to fire...
- Can I add a screw eye if I need to because these were left out of my package.
(Just one?)
- Yes. Add as many as you feel you need.
- I saw someone suggest that he could take the leftover parts and grind them up
and place them in wood glue to in a form to make a nosecone - that sounds like a no no in the same way the foam used in
that way is a no no - am I getting the right spirit of this?
- Technically it would be within the rules as it is only using what came in the
box (or the box itself) and glue to form the parts. If you want to ruin your blender by mixing cardboard and wood glue
in it, go for it.
- Does saucer style recovery give a bonus or a demerit?
- Neither unless a particular judge has a thing about saucers....
* The actual number of prizes issued will not exceed 3/4ths of
the number of contest entries (e.g. if there are 10 prizes and only 10 entries, only 7 prizes will be issued). EMRR
assumes no responsibility for the prize once it leaves our or the prize donor's location. EMRR is not liable for any
damages or injury caused by the assembly or use of the prize.
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A copy of the Spaceship Handbook by Jack Hagerty
and Jon C. Rogers, published by ARA Press. Over 100 Data Sheets on 75 different spacecraft. (
