Black Powder Rocket motors.

In this instructable I will show you how to build a Black powder rocket and how to put it onto a car.
This will also outline other things you can do with these rockets
There is always the possibility of using other types of fuel such as the sugar and KNO3 fuel in the same way

Step 1: Materials

You will need the following.

Rocket tube/motor;
An A3 piece of paper
PVA (white) glue
Black powder - http://www.instructables.com/id/Making-black-powder./
Bentonite clay (as above)
A 15mm dowel with 4mm bore (bore optional)
A spindle with 4mm bore extension (optional)
and tube, and ramming device could be used. or if you want you could remove 1/2 the fun and buy your own pre made motor?!?!?!?

Car;''''
Toy car
Straw
String
Tape

Of course you dont have to make some BP you could buy some, or already have some. but the Black powder on my other instructable is well suited to this project and will burn at a good rate.

Comments

[augur45]

eek... good instructable, BUT...

When working with, ramming, black powder, use non-sparking tools... (brass, plastic, wood...) and gloves (welder's?) to provide at least a little protection for hands in case of explosion, and a blast shield of some sort to protect face and body.

Light dampening black powder will provide protection from accidental ignition. Of course, the completed motor will need a lot of time to totally dry before it can be used... perhaps a light bulb in an insulated box as a drying box (looking for maybe 100degrees Fahrenheit). (Use someplace where an explosion won't cause damage or a fire of course.)

Be safe....

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

Although I have no problem with your extra caution, I will say this: The Meal Powder I use to make these motors is not pressure sensitive, that is it won't ignite from ramming. Using non Sparking tools is always a good Idea. I manage with the wooden tools I have. I have never had any trouble with leaving the motors to dry. If you see my Black Powder making instructable you will see that in that process I allow the individual elements to dry separately before mixing them, that way there is no chance of ignition. For example, in the past I have dried KNO3 in the oven at a very very low heat to dry it out because it was fertiliser quality material.

Thank you, however, for the cautious procedural advice that you have given. There is no problem in being extra careful with these methods.

[augur45]

I know I may rant about safety, but I also know there are some youngsters that read these. I don't mean my rants as criticism - I just throw them in if they seem to have been overlooked to ease my own conscience.

Years ago, there was a company that provided instructional manuals for making black powder and black powder rocket motors. They also sold heavy paper tubes in standard motor sizes for making the rocket motors and other supplies...

The cautions I gave were the ones they gave...

I have seen pictures of little kids (like 5 years old) in South America and Mexico mixing black powder ingredients in cloths for fireworks. A sheet about 3 or 4 feet square is held at each corner by a child and the ingredients are rolled back and forth, corner to corner by lifting one corner of the sheet at a time. And these are not small amounts. They look like 1 to 5 pounds at a time. The children are protected only by the fact that the powder is lightly dampened - I presume to inhibit ignition by static electricity spark.

(65 and still in possession of all my fingers, thumbs, eyes and eyebrows - even though a few things went wrong - like when a circular saw blade tooth broke off.)

[notker]

Nice instructable I like it!^_
But one question: Can I replace the BB with something like natriumchlorate with sugar?
I knew that natriumchlorate with sugar is very dangerous but i work with it since one year...

[heimo]

The English for natriumchlorate is sodium chlorate I am not sure if it is one word or two no matter Natrium is the Afrikaans word for Sodium maybie even dutch or Hollands ? these languages are very similar to each other

[Lamppis]

Natrium orgins from Latin.

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

I don't have experiance with that particular combination, but if the mixture burns up the tube then it will give out thrust for the rocket. but if that mixture burns too quickly it probably won't work.

[notker]

doesn't work so good
it'S better with red phosphor

[Verbinguden]

"most countries/states ban these unless they stay grounded". That's like saying a bird is allowed in our state BUT HE CANT FLY! haha, nice instructable.

[astro boy]

lol had an idea to strap it to my knex roler coaster!

[zrocker]

Even better run it off a ramp with wings attached and try to make it land in a circle on the ground. If someone can do this and tape it (it must land close to the center of the target), I will make a video doing whatever you ask (as long as it is legal).

[zrocker]

your videos are hilarious, you should do stand up, lol

[ArvindTheNinja]

lol "And in slow motion just coz i can!"

[A good name]

You sort of copied this... Kipkay has the same thing... but his is with rocket motors.

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

Kipkay actually only shows how to attach a motor to a car. You will find this one is a lot more in-depth and addresses construction and alternate uses. This instructable benefits the people who do not have access to commercial rocket motors.

[A good name]

Lol, it's still a ripoff but I see what ya mean... How do you make blackpowder?

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Making-black-powder./

this is the type for this application. Do not use gun grade BP.

[twenglish1]

how did you make the shell

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

The shell is of very simple and safe construction. The main body is a short tube of paper made like the motor casing, but has a larger diameter, inside the tube is a lightly rolled tube of paper holding Meal-powder (http://www.instructables.com/id/Making-black-powder./)
around the inside tube are stars covered lightly in Meal powder. the ends are sealed with cardboard and Hot glue. a fuse is put into the interior tube and the other end to the top of the rocket where the Fuel ends.

[twenglish1]

oh and one more question where did you get the stars, i kinda have an idea but im just making sure

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

i guess you could buy them, but there are other solutions. you could scavenge them from fireworks, break up sparklers for bits. But I made mine. i cannot remember the way. But maybe look it up on the internet. it is just a hard, pyrotechnic mixture. combining KNO3 and methalated spirits wiht Meal powder. when it dries it will be fine.

[twenglish1]

yah thats what i was thinking ill give it a try thanks

[twenglish1]

thanks, great design

[Mattrox]

where did you get your spindle or how did you make it?

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

i got a smallish block of wood, and on that i put a cone of epoxy putty formed in a paper mould. then i drilled a hole in the vertex of the cone and inserted a nail with both ends cut off to the length i wanted, and glued it in place. you can also but them online. but this way works well.

[Mattrox]

thanks that helps alot. also is the cone at the back of the rocket neccesary

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

the nozzle at the back really helps in the trajectory and evenness of the rockets path. it helps the rocket to fly straight or the rocket car to move smoothly. it is not necessary but because it is so simple to do, i always use it. For real rockets there is some very complex mathematics behind the perfect angle but you can use whatever you like.

[Hawaii00000]

How much is a pound of black powder.

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

make it with my other in depth instructable. and bear in mind that real bp will not work in these motors. you should follow my instructions for best results.\
http://www.instructables.com/id/Making-black-powder./

[Firebang]

Make it. Here's the link to another for Instructable gunpowder. Some of the comments are very good, so check them out.

[fireandshadows]

me and my friend did this with the kno3 and sugar fuel and we had a piece of pvc as the tube. it only went about ten feet, but were going to make another one that is lighter. we video taped it. P.S. The kno3 and sugar fuel burns for a long time.

[fork me3]

thank you so much!! ive been wanting bentonite powder but now (thanks to you) I GOT IT :P thanks again10/10

[finalcountdown213]

where can u get the salt peter and sulfur

[pyroman50]

I'm pretty sure it would fly

[toogers]

what would happen if you don't use a track? will it taker flight? a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p,

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

withought a track the car would most likely zoom off tumble and spin and pretty much wipe out, i've tried it and it wont do what you want, it wont take flight unless the car is ridiculasly well balanced and the surface strangly flat.

[toogers]

nvm then

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

when you guys launch your rockets try to take a video or photo and post a link here so we can see.

[oscarmaiern25]

how did you light the black powder inside???

[Eric-the-halfa-bee]

if you stick a fuse through the nossel at least half way it will light, i have never had any problems lighting the black powder as it can ignite with just the sparks from the fuse. You can also use an electronic ignitor with BP on the filiment for more controlled launch