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Bullet Bill Rocket

Bullet Bill Rocket
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Bullet Bill is a character that has appeared as an enemy in almost all of the Super Mario games from the very beginning. There are a few varieties, and their look and behavior has changed over the years. Like me, I'm sure you've been killed by a Bullet Bill many times.

I enjoy making crazy, non-traditional model rockets. I built regular ones as a kid, and I still find it extremely rewarding to test out new building methods and trying to push what I can do with simple, inexpensive materials.

I thought it would be neat to build a life-size Bullet Bill model rocket, as it provided all sorts of great challenges. I ended up building two versions, both of which I thought were beautiful in many ways, and they taught me a lot of new tricks.

Version 1 is covered briefly in steps 1 - 3. I began this first attempt with most of the planning focused on how to create a lightweight, visually accurate model of Bullet Bill. I didn't think much about its flight-worthiness until it was complete. At that point, I knew it surely wouldn't fly well, but thought, "Well, lets just go shoot this off and see what happens."

It didn't end pretty. The video is in step 3.

For version 2, which the photos show here, I applied the building techniques I learned with version 1, but paid closer attention to giving it a shot at actually flying. It was scaled down a bit, and built (somewhat) more like a real model rocket. The video of the launch of version 2 is in step 15.

Take a look at the steps involved and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
 
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Step 1Version 1 - A quick view

Version 1 - A quick view
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This is a quick view of version 1. Both versions were built from foam core, cardstock, thin painters' masking paper, and lots of glue. Version 1 was 19 inches tall, and 12 inches in diameter (without the fins attached). 

Construction details were very similar for both versions, and will be covered fully in steps 4 - 14.
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96 comments
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Apr 9, 2011. 9:23 PMFlipyap says:
i recommend adding resin to it in order to make the layer stronger, like the resin that some people use to make model helmets
Mar 13, 2012. 12:34 PMbadideasrus says:
i think the idea was to go light, but resin is a good idea. he's not building a tank here tho. he wanted a light rocket, and his method works very well.
Mar 13, 2012. 12:30 PMbadideasrus says:
... you gave me an idea for a mod for fallout newvegas.... anyone care to guess?
Feb 13, 2012. 1:23 PMBalintRules says:
omg
lol
wth
brb :)


THAT WAS EPIIIIIIC!!!!
Jan 13, 2012. 1:35 PMsokamiwohali says:
nice dent in the nose...lol j/k just pullin your leg. try using Balsa next time. its lightweight and strong. Not only that, but an easy way to deploy your parachute better would be to figure out the best way to fold the parachute to get a more crispp opening (take the shrouds and make sure the gor edges are outside and the shrouds are in the inside. "S" fold EVERYTHING, and at the very tip of the chute, sew a drogue chute tab. does not have to be big. then take a plastic estes brand chute, baby powder it, add a little length of string to the loops of the drogue shrouds and stuff it in the cone. the drag from the rocket will pull the drogue out on its own, the length of string will allow a few seconds of acceleration to pull the mass of the main chute out to deploy. seems like alot of work but it really isnt (man its nice to be a rocket scientist sometimes!!! hehehe). ill make a picture up and post it here when done so you can better understand. Also consider making a X-Form parachte. they are quick to deploy, minimize wind drift, and rocket sway and are HIGHLY stable. i am in the process of making an ible on a X-Form.
Aug 12, 2011. 5:51 PMninjasamurai says:
wow thats amazing but to me its IMPOSSIBLE to make such a complex rocket
Jan 13, 2012. 12:08 PMsokamiwohali says:
it cant be impossible to anyone... i mean seamster did it... if you know what your doing youll be fine.
Jan 4, 2012. 7:06 PMsmpash says:
you should make the bullet bill the second stage of the rocket
Oct 16, 2011. 8:32 AMbob.the.devil says:
i soooooo need to make this
Oct 6, 2011. 4:12 AMnareksown says:
great instructable 10/10 send in a pic when im done =D
Oct 5, 2011. 7:26 AMnerd12 says:
after seeing the first one 'fly' i didn't think that the second would do so good but somehow the tail is very effective at stabilizing
Oct 3, 2011. 4:50 PMnateharrison 2000 says:
Great instructable. It will be the first one I make. By the way, can you launch it
with and without the tailpiece? please let me know. :D
Jul 17, 2011. 1:32 PMLexiLovesPie says:
could I just make this without the stuff to make it launch and just use it as a cool paper weight?
Jul 10, 2011. 11:46 PMpratty boy 4 says:
can u send me a pdf of the centre circle bits please
Jul 3, 2011. 5:08 AMRobert L says:
Im pretty sure "bullet bill" isnt in super mario land for the Nintendo colour.
Jul 2, 2011. 9:47 PMhjjusa says:
I made a Bullet Bill from a plastic easter egg and a sheet of typing paper rolled into a cone. Took a C engine, that one of yours is a real work of art though.
May 9, 2011. 12:53 AMthelastonekills says:
cool 5/5
May 6, 2011. 1:31 PMJon5000345 says:
I think that if you out recovery wadding in to the engine tube tube and placed the parachute on top of it in the tube the weight of the falling nose would pull the parachute out and deploy it. Try it without putting the parachute in the nose is another version of what im trying to say
Apr 19, 2011. 10:46 AMJon316 says:
That sucks a failure to deploy the parachute at least theres not much damage.
Apr 13, 2011. 5:55 AMjimopertrat says:
sweet rocket!! 5* without a doubt cant beleive how high it went!
Apr 12, 2011. 6:48 PMAppollo64 says:
AMAZING instuctable. Where can I get the foam core, cardstock, painter's masking paper and such?
Apr 10, 2011. 9:24 PMRaven Destroyer says:
now we are going to make one that can be fired in a mortar XD still nice
Apr 5, 2011. 1:56 PMbobdole5656 says:
can i buy the second verson from u the longer and more slender one
Apr 10, 2011. 3:40 PMbobdole5656 says:
ya sorry that i responded so late but yes how would i get it tho mail
Apr 9, 2011. 10:23 AMrc jedi says:
the paper was creative, an alternative may be the iron on covering for model airplanes. the artboard you used can stand moderate heat so we could use low heat covering like tower coat, or econocote. these are safe for styrofoam, so could be used instead of paper. plus, it is much stronger and puncture resistant. It patches easily. comes in all basic colors too. about $11 a roll 27" by 5 ft i believe.
http://www.towerhobbies.com/products/towq1000.html

great project! good pictures too.
Apr 9, 2011. 8:27 AMseabananers says:
no if only that fat plumber would move back to brooklyn
Apr 9, 2011. 6:47 AMJimKelleher says:
I have an Estes scale model rocket of, I believe, a Titan II missle. Because it is a scale model it doesn't really have any fins. Instead it has a twist lock plastic adapter on the bottom that lets you a attach 'fake' engine nozzles for display purposes or a set of clear fins to make it flight worthy. BTW, an awesome build and instructable.
Apr 8, 2011. 11:34 PMcarmatic says:
Seeing your short length rocket made me start thinking

if your engines are mounted in a rotating disc, and they are mounted in a sort of 'spiral' , the angular momentum of the disc would act like a gyroscope and stabilize the rocket... plus if the disc was spinning fast enough, the thrust should be effectively centered... just make sure you balance the disc before you fire the rocket
Apr 8, 2011. 3:40 PMflamesami says:
ok, this is just a complete outsider's sugestion...what about if you used a pre-charge to blast of the nose-cone, then the parachute charge...would this work? or is this what you did andi'm just stupid?
(i can't watch the vid because my computer is a little bi*ch and will freeze if it has to work hard..)
Apr 8, 2011. 1:14 PMHonus says:
Awesome project! The construction of this gave me tons of ideas.
Apr 8, 2011. 9:51 AMtn. says:
would be nice to adapt this to make a storage container ie, for a kid's room....!
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Author:seamster