I got the Mean Machine for my birthday and have just finished it. There were a few requirements for the finished rocket:

• It must break into sections for easy transport.
• Center break recovery.
• Baffle system to eliminate recovery wadding.

I began construction as in the stock kit, except I used 30 min Epoxy instead of white glue. When I got to the step about the tube couplers, I stopped and planned out the remainder of the construction. I used one centering ring and a circle of thin balsa with holes drilled into it for the baffle. 1/4" black elastic was attached to the tube coupler by a wire looped through the balsa with the drilled holes and around the coupler lengthwise. I also placed steel wool in the open end to aid in the trapping of hot particles. The open end of the baffle (with the steel wool) was glued into the rocket with THE STEEL WOOL TOWARDS THE FINS! I then cut a bulkhead out of 3/16" aircraft plywood (I think) and looped another wire through a hole in that. I attached the other end of the shock cord (it is pretty long) to the wire on the bulkhead. I then decided to have a HPR type long payload section on top, so I glued the third coupler onto one length of tubing. The nose has a few layers of tape to keep it on tight. I filleted everything, especially the top bulkhead, with industrial hot glue. I filled the fins with Rock Hard putty, slightly diluted. It is painted black. I will probably put in a nylon parachute smaller than the stock plastic one.