Flying saucer idea

[powderburner]

As I was finishing off a tray of boiled shrimp, it sunk into my thick head that the round plastic tray that they had been packed in might convert pretty easily into a flying saucer.

The plastic is thin and light, and looks like it was stretch/vacuformed. There is one layer of opaque plastic to form the bottom, a second layer (also opaque) that held the shrimp, and a clear lid that covers the whole thing. Outside diameter a hair over 13 inches and depth/thickness about three inches overall. I don't have a weight yet but it's pretty darned light. The clear lid could make for an easy conversion to night-flyer.

Has anyone converted one of these things? Did you have to fabricate some sort of internal stiffening ribs, like in a radial pattern around a central MMT? Anyone have any notes or old pix? Surely someone has tackled this before---

 

[spacecadet]

Ideally you need two of the trays to fix back-to-back for stiffness. However if you're basically describing a bowl with a lid, that might do on its own. Make a tube to act as motor mount and central support and off you go. The weight doesn't matter too much because the drag is tremendous- you'll need at least a D, I'd say. Here's one from a chocolate wafer box that eventually became a 3-stager. Good luck.

 

[KHamel]

I used a plastic grocery store pie container to build a flying saucer, I call it Pie In The Sky (appologies to Squirell Works). It has a 24mm motor mount, I have flown it on D11-P motors. It wobbles up then after burnout flips over and floats down. I do not have any pics.

It does have a central motor mount, held in with a couple of centering rings. It did not require any additional support or stiffining ribs. I will try to get some pics later.

 

[JRThro]

Has anyone converted one of these things? Did you have to fabricate some sort of internal stiffening ribs, like in a radial pattern around a central MMT? Anyone have any notes or old pix? Surely someone has tackled this before---

Didn't Art Applewhite do something like this? I don't remember if he just did the conversion and documented it, or if he was actually selling flying saucers made from plastic/foam plates with lids.

 

[Pippen]

Art had some patterns for saucers using the Hefty heavy foam plates. We made a few but they didn't survive the winter over in the kid's room. I haven't been able to find the plates on the shelves the last time I've looked though.

 

[grog]

Joe Peklicz sold some flying saucers made from plates/bowls. They look good and fly great. Here is a photo of a couple saucers that I purchased back in 2001. I don't know if he still sells these.

 

[DexterLB]

Only one word: COOOOL!

 

[sj_h1]

Ideally you need two of the trays to fix back-to-back for stiffness. However if you're basically describing a bowl with a lid, that might do on its own. Make a tube to act as motor mount and central support and off you go. The weight doesn't matter too much because the drag is tremendous- you'll need at least a D, I'd say. Here's one from a chocolate wafer box that eventually became a 3-stager. Good luck.

I love your pad! Never thought of using a camera tripod! I got to do this. I have a bad back and hate bending your to setup a rocket. Most of the other pads I have use just end up to large to lug around.

 

[rstaff3]

Yesterday, I happened to run across one of mine. Salad bowl from McDs

 

[marcs]

A friend uses a two-part pie bowl/tray (looks a lot like those shrimp trays). His has a 38mm motor mount and he put some expanding foam in it go make it stronger. Flies well.

Marc