Introduction: Office Stationary Warfare- High Powered Mini Water Rocket From Marker Pen

By www.leftindoubt.synthasite.com
About: I work in a D.i.Y style superstore. I am not sure if that is a good thing or not, but it certainly perpetuates my interest in such areas. I enjoy high powered devices of any kind. I do not give in, even…

Be one of the first to build The Worlds Smallest Water Rocket. It's so small you can fit it in your pocket, launcher and all! Impress your friends and family with this neat and inexpensive High Powered Miniature Water Rocket.

I have named this rocket (As all good rockets should.) TITAN the HPMWR.

Join me in creating your very own version of my design and inspire your friends to do the same.

Quick, lets grab a few basic items. You just may have everything you need around your home.

Step 1: READ THIS FIRST

After a recent topic in regards to saftey in Instructables I have decided to take my own approach to the matter.
Given that this I'ble is what I would consider Very Dangerous to say the least, I have decided to set over due care instructions. I also here state that you do not have permission to view this Instructable, until you have fullfilled your obligation in regards to the safety requirements.

The requirements are as follows-

You read my advice and adhere to it. Not only do I work as a saftey auditor, I have also had the life experience of loosing a finger tip to such projects.

Someone once said to me "Don't worry I won't slip" as I could obviously see they were about to (and did). At that point it clicked in my head, no one ever knows they are about to hurt themselves. No matter how safe you think you are being, there is always some thing that can go wrong. If you could prevent yourself from being hurt, you would.

It is all about the unknown, so follow these guildlines and take all possible measures to prevent and un-expected accident.

Buy some shatter proof rated sunglasses, they don't cost much. Wear them during all of your projects. Same goes for hearing protection. You don't know your loosing it until it going. You don't want it to go, trust me.

If there is any chance of flying projectiles you must be wearing full length clothing. This includes shirt and pants.

If fumes are produced you must wear appropriate breathing gear. Not just a paper mask but APPROPRIATE breathing gear. If it's a dusty project you need a dust mask, if it is a gas related project you need a gas RATED mask. NO your sleeve WILL NOT DO.

If something may explode. You better make sure it explodes on the other side of a brick wall to you.

If you CAN NOT DO SOMETHING then YOU SIMPLY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IT.
There have been many times in my life where I could not do something. If you can't do something, don't kill yourself trying. Stop, take a breath, get a mate and try again with a friend and two sets of hands. There is no shame in getting some help.

If you see someone doing something dangerous, stop them. You know you would feel like an absolute fool if they killed/hurt themselves, far more of a fool than being ridiculed for being too safe.
Stop them, I do. You may get laughed at, but one day you might just save someones life.

Take more than due care.

This project contains compressed air. Please understand that if something fails you may injure yourself

Step 2: What We Will Need

~ Marker pen.

~ Gardena female quick connect. (Found in your garden section at your local hardware store)

~ Gardena Male quick connect with a 1/2 inch thread attachment. (Found in your garden section at your local hardware store)

~ 1 Inch female copper screwed endcap. (Found at your local hardware store)

~ Bicycle schrader valve. (The thing you pump the tyre up with, you can get one if you buy a spare wheelbarrow inner tube for a few dollars. Found at your local hardware store).

~ Gas Thread tape. (Found at your local hardware store)

~ Some thin plastic for the fins. (Any beverage container with flat sides is great)

~ Small sinker or weight

~ 2 part epoxy / Araldite

~ Polyurethane Adhesive eg. PL Premium construction.

~ 240 Grit sand paper.

~ Craft knife.

~ Sticky tape.

~ Spray paint.

~ A bicycle pump.

Lets continue and start the construction.

Step 3: Constructing the Chamber

Take your sharp Craft knife and cut the screwed section off the marker.



Your chamber is now ready for the nozzle.

Step 4: Constructing the Parachute

Take a standard plastic grocery bag and apply your tape at three points around the edge.
Pierce a hole through the tape and attach a string to each of three points.

Tie the three strands to a small piece of plastic. This will be inserted in the cap before gluing to the body.

Step 5: Glueing the Nozzle and Nose Cone

Nose cone-

Take your Marker pen and remove the lid.

Unscrew the tip.

Snip the nib and the wick off the tip.

Insert the weight into the tip cavity with some adhesive to hold.

Apply some more adhesive and attach the tip to the top of the cap.

The tips rim should slip over the top of the cap.

Allow to dry.

Apply some adhesive to the inside rim of the cap.

The cap should slip over the body.

Allow to dry.

Nozzle-

Remove the ink pad from the body.

Take your male quick connect nozzle and apply a liberal amount of adhesive/putty onto the threaded end.

Try to create a rim as to be smeared onto the outside of the body. If you are using an adhesive then just apply a little extra.

Insert 1/2 thread into the cut end of the body.

Allow to dry.

After these sections are dry you may wish to apply some putty, to all exposed edges as to aid in the aero-dynamics.

Step 6: Crafting the Fins

Now we will make our fins.

Take your plastic sheet and trace out your design. Include a tab which will run from the front of the fin to the rear.

Cut out your fin and fold the tab over a table edge or ruler to ensure it stays at 90 degrees to the fins blade.

Apply an amount of your adhesive and fix you fin to the chamber.
Make sure they are well aligned.
It may help to tape them in place while the adhesive cures.


Step 7: Prepping and Painting

Time to clean up all those rough edges.

Apply some more putty to smooth them out.

We need to ensure all our surfaces have been abraded with our 240 grit sand paper (This includes the fins if you intend on painting them also).

This will give our paint something to bond to.

Apply your preferred type of paint. I would suggest a self priming epoxy enamel which you can find at your local hardware store.

Step 8: Constructing the Launcher

Take you screwed end cap and drill a hole slightly larger than your schrader valve.

Apply your adhesive or putty and insert the valve into your pre-made hole. Insert from the inside of the cap. Ensure it is fitted securley.

Allow to dry.

Remove the compression nut, from the tail end of the female quick connect.

Apply thread tape.

Screw the quick connect into the screwed end cap.

Your launcher is now complete.

Step 9: Your Finished!

And your done!

Connect your rocket into the launcher and add pressure. Add only 15 PSI then check for leaks and issues. Gradually increase the pressure. Preferably do this in a bucket of water or behind a brick wall. Launch at a low PSI at first.