Altoids Danger Demolition Racer

Altoids Danger Demolition Racer screams 20 feet or more across the floor with rubber band power. Knock down card houses or K'nex robots.

Step 1 Prep the Can

The Altoids tin is strong and light and makes a good chassis for this air car.

You will need a balsa wood rubber band airplane - the kind with the red propeller is best:
Guillow Sky Streak

You can buy these at most toy shops, hobby shops, discount stores, or drugstores for a dollar or so.

But you probably have a broken one already at home !

Hold the Altoids tin on the airplane's body and mark the tin at the center of the motor hook.

Do this on both ends of the Altoids tin.

Comments

[pieman12]

i made one of theese and it allways goes in a question mark pattern. plz help

[007dna]

Try bending the wheels to correct the path....?

[iectyx3c]

I agree with 007, try bending the wires.

Are you using beads or wheels, I wonder?

Beads work well because they do not wobble like a wheel. And if they do not turn evenly, it does not matter, because they slide smoothly

In fact you can build the propeller-car without any wheels or beads and it will still work on a flat, smooth floor, using the paper clips as skids.

[The Anti-Economist]

Very nice! I happened to have a small motor and made a motor-powered car based upon your design.

[Dante9030]

i would build but i dont feel like buyin some altoids

[mohnish]

i already hav it

[mohnish]

:P

[corey11]

Does it actually fly? I think it will be to heavy

[freed217]

ya add the wings that came from the air plane kit. the wings r light weiht and long

[TyMan210]

When i make it i'm going to add wings.

[thing 2]

this is cool nice work!!! :-) now go have some coffae (kof-ay) ~D|

[iSmack]

I'm definitely doing this next time I go pickup some stuff at Walgreens :P

[Speedmite]

Easy, simple, new creative twist on old rubber band stuff. I like.

[kuhldad]

Wow! Your simple design overcame our biggest challenge, the pull of the rubber band displacing the propeller support. I didn't know about Instructables back when we built our propeller car or we would have done some things differently. Thanks for the posting.

[iectyx3c]

Thanks - your propeller car looks like it works great. Why not build both and race 'em? I use Altoids tins because they are light and strong. And paper clips so I would not have to break my rubber band plane stick.

[kuhldad]

I'll have to give that a try and post the video results! That is if I haven't used all my Altoids tins for geocaching. v/r Kuhldad

[highwingpilot]

This looks great! Does it tend to turn to left due to p-factor (greater lift on right down-stroke blade from higher angle of attack)? I guess you could also make it turn by bending it's "landing gear". Thanks for posting. This will make a great Cub Scouts project!

[iectyx3c]

The P-factor is certainly an issue. But luckily the gyroscopic force of the Cub Scout beads used for wheels tends to overcome it ;)

[leave_it_to_psmith]

Extremely cool!

[DotatDabbled]

this is way cool! altoids and duct tape.. what's not to love!?

[TRL1087]

This is great! The construction is simple, and the parts are common (that's a biggie). I might suggest a more aerodynamic body, just to increase speed and distance. Great Job!

[iectyx3c]

You are so right. I thought of making light cardboard or card stock fairings to streamline it and I bet it would go faster and further just like you say. The Altoids tin is super light and very rigid which is essential for a good sturdy frame. If you build it, you'll be amazed at how fast it goes. Experimenting a bit, I learned that the red caps from milk jugs look very cool and make it go faster than the beads shown here.

[hg341]

nice how far will it go?
^{the first pic look really good}

[iectyx3c]

Thanks - it goes at least 20 feet at full speed - then since the propeller is free-wheeling it might roll on even further. It depends a lot on the wheels and how smooth the floor is too.

[hg341]

cool i might do this

[budsiskos]

i made an electric version of this about 2 years ago. i was waiting for someone else to do somthing like it.

[iectyx3c]

Your electric ornithopter 'ible is tremendous ! An electric Altoids Air Car would be cool, hope you will post a link here.

[lemonie]

Any chance of a video? (looks powerful!) L

[iectyx3c]

• Yes you are right, the Altoids Air Car sure is powerful
• I wish I could post a video.
• It just blazes straight down the hallway like a rocket.
• Great for hall racing at school BTW (get the science teacher to sponsor you)

[lemonie]

I must have a go at something like this - I have enough elastic-bands... L