Fused Matchstick Rocket

How to make a fused matchstick rocket. Safer, and far more dramatic than the conventional kind!  Still, exercise caution with these things - and remember, I'm not responsible if you blow your hand off with one of these things.

You'll need:

- Matches
- Scissors
- A pin
- Access to a stove
- String
- A paper clip
- Kitchen foil

Step 1 Make a fuse

The first step is making a fuse. This is not difficult, but the smell is terrible. Cut the heads off around 50 matches. Now, put a small amount of water into a pan, and get it simmering. Drop the match heads into the pan, and swish them around. After around 5 minutes, drop the string in as well. Stir this around for another 10 minutes.

That's it! With care, take out the string and leave it to dry.

As you may notice in the comments, it's also possible to soak the string in nail polish or rubbing alcohol (or some other flammable liquid).

Comments

[ethiran]

What a terrible smell!!!!!!!1

[bassclarinet23]

You don't need a fuse (apply heat directly under the foil) but it's a safer way I think (don't burn your fingers). These are really fun; we did this in science class.

[dungeon runner]

Damn, I never got to do anything like this in my science class...

[Win Guy]

I don't even GO to science class... :(

[ajrc]

how far do they shoot? looks cool! nice instructable!

[dungeon runner]

A lot of Instructablers say it launches about 10-12 feet, although if you use more match heads (and way more foil) I've heard it can go up to 30. Insert obvious safety and legality concerns here.



-Y

[ComputerGeek01]

There are more things to consider then just dumping more matchheads and foil into the rocket to make it go further. Here are a few issues I've ran into while playing with these:

- Power the wieght: The main concern this cool little gadget only produces so much thrust so it can only lift so much wieght. Adding more matches adds more launch wieght because only so many matchheads are burning at one time so only so much thrust is being produced. A match stick rocket can lift itself, and another matchhead pretty easy so stacking a matchhead (cut the stick part off) ontop of the other match, both of them tightley wrapped inside the foil, gives the most reliable results.

- The Exhaust Channel: This is the key stone to this entire project, if the channel is too large then the exhaust gas won't create enough thrust. If the channel is too narrow then the foil won't be able to contain the preassure and the gas will escape from somewhere else. If residue from the spent fuel plugs up the exhaust channel then the remaining fuel will be wasted. If the channel does not reach all of the matchheads (while maintaining a narrow enough path) then those matchheads will not contribute to the lift.

[ComputerGeek01]

Why do you need a fuse at all? The wood\paper bit underneath the foil is nothing but dead weight anyway, just set that on fire. It's been my experience with this that the engine usually ignites before the 'stick' burns off so there's little chance of the exhaust channel being ruined.

[Mudbud]

or you could scrape the match heads with a hobby knife :)

[minimoto]

What do you mean about 50 of these should be enough

[liquitsilver]

Yes i am as confused as minimoto about what we should do with the heads

[-KungPow-]

 you drop them into the simmering water. leave them in there for like 5 minutes then put the string into the water for 10 minutes and you have your fuse.

[liquitsilver]

Im sorry but im confused, what are these heads used for?

[Gehn]

The heads are used to make a solution to soak the fuse in (allowing it to burn well). As others have noted, it might just be simpler to soak the fuse in rubbing alcohol, and forget about the match heads.

[ZeaH]

i have a question...
as a rocket, this flys?
i seen all and though about what could possibly happen

all i can figure is that it makes a lot of smoke, and can't fly

if possible give me an answer as quick

[Gehn]

Hey,

The rocket does actually fly! It works like any other rocket engine - forcing hot gases out through a nozzle very quickly.

As the match burns, air around it is heated, and some gases are produced as a result of combustion. These gases can only exit through a small hole - resulting in a "bottleneck" effect. Thus, thrust is produced! Of course, this amounts to only a very small lifting force, and the rocket doesn't go far. Plus, they aren't too reliable - it may take a couple tries to get it to work. But, it WILL fly!


 - Gehn

[ZeaH]

thanks, that what is need, a rocket has to fly, and this one does
xD
thanks

[Colonel88]

Gewd un!

[I am Silas.]

Cool!

[mo5]

you should gust get some string and cover it in nail polish just as good

[DIYdave]

You Sir. are a lier. A) The smell is actually quite good B) You don't want the water to simmer, instead keep it a tad lower than boiling point C) It usually takes more time than 5 minutes for the match heads to completely come off Otherwise, thumbs-up

[Gehn]

It is you, my dear sir, who is a liar (or you simply have olfactory issues). You do indeed want the water to simmer, and I found that five minutes was good enough to remove the chemicals from the head. But thanks for the feedback!

[tjk94]

Now imagine concealing one of these in a pen!

[Aar000n3y]

I like the idea, but dang. 50 matches for the fuse?

[cbrown222]

just buy fuse on amazon . com its alot cheaper than you think

[imkwl12345]

jst dip the string in deisel, kero, or metho and it should work

[superspacemonkeyz]

 you can also use wax 

[ComputerGeek01]

Wax is probably the BEST idea out of all of these. It would produce a slow burning fuse where as deisel, kerosene, methopropal alchohal and all of the other suggestions would ignite rather quick. Good job sir!

[Gehn]

It is a lot, isn't it :( ? But I've found that the more match heads you put in, the better the fuse.

[coolkid109]

Genius

[paint3all]

you can just hold a lighter under the mapch to light it

[Gehn]

This way, it's easier to get some distance and observe it better, as you have time before it goes off (The whole point of the fuse).

[geeklord]

Theres no contact between the fuse and the match, does it just have to be close and it will ignite?

[Gehn]

That's correct - the aluminium foil just has to get to a certain temperature, and the match inside will ignite. The fuse allows it to get to this temperature.

[phillyj]

why don't you put the string in isopropyl alcohol and light that? It seems you only need the heat to combust the match in the foil.

[Gehn]

I haven't tried that, but it probably would work just as well.

[yeerk21]

and.. wat do u do w/ the pin?

[Gehn]

Try reading step two.

[yeerk21]

an easier and "less smelly" way of makin a fuse is roll up a small piece of paper and soak it in candle wax

[Brennn10]

I have always wanted to make one of these! nice work!