A Rocket in your Pocket

Not just a rocket in your pocket, but an entire rocket factory and launch system!

Step 1 Materials

The materials are easy to find in most modern homes:

• A pocket-sized box.
• A box of matches
• A small scrap of wood.
• Some pieces of kitchen foil

Optional extra: a pocket lighter.

Comments

[Patna43]

Hey guys! I cool mod is to just cut of the red tips of the matches and stuff about five of those. If one match heats up, it causes the others to heat up in a chain reaction. When i tried that, my match rocket when about 40 feet. Plus add an extra layer of foil so the smoke doesn't leak out, otherwise it wont fly very well or not at oll. And instead of using a match as plug for the nozzle of the rocket, use a paper clip. That makes the nozzle smaller and causes the pressure to go up and the rocket goes further. Just a few tips.... :P

[Patna43]

Another thing I did was make a full scale match rocket. I made a couple of these as booster rockets attached to a huge match rocket made from "Extreme Burner" Matches. These matches have HUGE flames that cause the rocket to fly far. This rocket flew almost 80 feet.

[chimei62]

wow were do you buy the extreme burners?

[avgas]

personaly I think it sucks the only reason is I followed o all of your insrtuctions and used 4 hole packets and matchs

[TheAmateurArtisan]

somebody's not a happy camper...

Personally, I'm always looking for various designs in pyrotechnics and well, everything. This is a very nice design Kiteman. I had an altoids tin and a zippo utility bending lighter soldered together to make a launch pad that could light far from your fingers over the summer.

[somebody12345]

Kiteman please respond to this

i think that this could work better if you used a small pinpiont blowtorch to light the matches

[Kiteman]

They certainly ignite more quickly, but there is the risk of burning through the foil from the outside before the matches ignite on the inside.

If I use a blowtorch or bunsen to light these, I usually wave the flame over the match-heads to stop the whole thing scorching.

[somebody12345]

forgot to add- i don't have any problems with the foil burning through just that the rocket won't take off

[somebody12345]

thanks for your reply, my problem is that i do not really know what i am doing wrong i think it is that i wrapped the foil around the bottom match a little too tightly but i am not sure.

[Kiteman]

So slacken it slightly by pulling one match out and then sliding it back in.

[mkanoap]

When I was a kid, we made them in a slightly different manner. I'm eager to try your version to see the difference.

What we did was use a single match from a matchbook instead of two wooden matches. Before wrapping the head in tin foil, we would lay a pin on top of and in parallel to the match with the point touching the head. After applying the tin foil, the pin would be carefully slid out leaving a small raised channel exiting the end opposite the head for the exhaust to escape.

[ihaveguitarskills!]

thats how i first made them too. but im still a kid.

[Kiteman]

That's a cultural difference - matchbooks have never really been popular in the UK.

[Kryptonite]

Gah, beat me to it! Matchstick rockets are the greatest, I like your little rendition: poor photoshopping and all!

I'm glad you chose to document this method of make, in my opinion it's possibly the best in terms of simpleness : distance : matchstick usage ratio.

[caarntedd]

Simpleness?

[Kiteman]

It's really simple to make one that actually gets off the "pad".

[caarntedd]

Simplicity?

[Kryptonite]

That's the one.

[caarntedd]

: D

[mkanoap]

Simpleitude.

[ihaveguitarskills!]

dude...fail pic...XD

[caarntedd]

Ha ha!

[Kiteman]

Haha, thanks. That's the exhaust plume of a Tomahawk missile breaking the surface.

[Kryptonite]

Oh dear, I hope no govermental institute was in the way!

[smelly210]

this does not work:(

[Kiteman]

It just takes practice - if it just sat and smoked, tighten the foil; if flame burst out of one side, use more foil; if you had a healthy jet of smoke in the right direction (down), but nothing moved, slightly loosen the foil over the lower match.

[PotatoCoffee]

Pretty cool!

[smelly210]

thanks i will try it now:)

[Electricdude]

.......I don't think it will fly very far you know and it won't look good when flying ,too.I'll test it later.wish it will be good

Don't be disappointed by my comment. i'm just a 12-years-old kid anyway

[Kiteman]

I regularly make these with 9 year olds, and they can make them well enough to fly 10-20 feet.

It just takes a little practice.

[ghooey2]

every time i light it off it stays and smokes...?

[Kiteman]

Could be many things, but most likely two:

• Is one end twisted tight, and the other able to slide off the match (just)?
• Have you got enough foil wrapped around it?

[lug big lug]

you could possibly be heating it too slowly, mine wouldn't work because of that

[the cat expert]

Genius. 
I think you could make this tabletop-size, or bigger, if you wanted to

[Kiteman]

Not for a pocket-sized contest, though...

[tqwerty]

The third last word.
Just had to point that out.

Great instructable though!

[Kryptonite]

Your totally right, that needs to be fixed.

[Kiteman]

Fixed!

[tqwerty]

Yay!
Now it's awesome.. wait.. it probably already was=

[ZoDo]

Nice...but here's a challange for you...can you make a stalin's organ from this?
That would be really cool.