As i've said above this instructable will show you how to build a K'nex rocket I designed.

Please note:

This is my first instructable, so please no anti-K,nex comments

Step 1: Parts You Will Need

Here's a list of the parts you will need to build the ROCKET
(Parts may be swapped if the do not have an * by them)

Rods:

1 black rod, the kind that is the same length as the grey ones *

1 Red rod*

8 green rods*

5 white rods*

Connectors:

1 red connector

5 yellow connectors*

14 Grey connectors*

2 blue sphere connectors *

3 orange connectors*

Step 2: Parts List Continued...

These are the parts needed to built the PAD

Rods:

3 grey*

10 white*

2 red*

4 yellow*

Connectors:

1 red

10 yellow*

7 orange*

Square:

(optional) you may want to add a square piece as a blast plate

Step 3: Building the Rocket:barrel

First off we will build the rocket

to begin click seven of the grey pieces to one end of the red rod, then take an orange pieceand connect a white piece to it, add a green rod on the other end. after you have done this slide the orange connector onto the red piece by putting the end of the rod through the grey piece's hole.
after you have done that add two more grey pieces to the rod and add another orange connector as you would a green one. Add five more grey pieces and onther orange one and finnish it up with a yellow connector. what we've done is essentialy built a cannon the only thing you need to do is to make the firing pin, do this by adding the grey wedge piece to the end of the black rod.

Step 4: Building the Rocket: Fins and Tip

Okay after you have built the barrel of the rocket add a blue sphere to the end with the yellow piece.(do this in the center of the sphere so that you have all four sides facing out)On the other side of the barrel add a red connector so that the barrel comes to a point.

once this is done you can then build the fins.

first add a green rod to the bittom of the blue sphere, then add a blue sphere to the end of that in the same way as the first blue sphere.

then built and attach the fins (refer to pictures)

then add the grey pieces to the orange ones

Step 5: Building the Pad...

The next thing you need to build is the pad.

to build the pad you need to start by building the base.
to do so take two yellow connectors and one white rod, then snap the white rod into the top middle spot of the two yellow pieces.
this will be the base. next take an orange connector and put it on the white piece between the two yellow ones, make sure the orange piece is going up. then you put the grey rod on the orange piece, this will be the launch rail.

Step 6: Finnishing the Pad

now we can finnish the launch pad.

to make the supports for the pad snap a grey rod into the sides of each yellow piece and pull them out until they stop, pull each rod in a different direction. Then snap an orange piece in between the two yellow connectors and put a red rod on them. the on the end of one grey rod put 3 blue spacers and a red connecter. add another red rod to it and put 9 spacers on the rod. this will later become the guide rail.

now that you have completed the basic launch pad you can add a blast plate if you want. although it isnt neccesary for the rocke to function it helps a great deal

you just put the square piece on the long grey rod and slide it down all the way to the base, make sure you tilt the red rod up so it slides through the hole in the square.

another unnecesary but helpful thing is to add wieght towers. keep in mind Newtons third law of motion, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. to put it simply the rocket will push down on the pad at lift-off the more the pad wieghs the harder it will be for the rocket to move it so the rocket pushes off more easily.

anyhoo refer to the pics to make the towers and add tires to them.

Step 7: How to Add the Rubber Bands and How to Launch

to add the rubber bands you first need to loop them into three pairs of two as shown

the put one end of the rubber band through the hole on the wedge, making sure that the wedge is facing away from the red connector.

attach the ends of the rubber banvd to THE "V" SHAPED PART OF THE YELLOW CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND SLOT. this is important becuase if you put the rubber bands anywhere else it will strian the black rod oddly and breack the ricket when you try to launch it. thread through the other two rubber bands and pull back the wedge until the orange piec blocks the rod from going through.

carefully put the rocket on the two rods making sure the grey pieces go on he guiding rod and the rocket itself on the launch rod.

to launch the rocket fkack the side of the orange switch with the yellow piece and MOVE YOUR HAND OUTTA TEH WAY!!!

if all goes well you should keep all your fingers and the rocket will fly up in the air.Yay!

Step 8: Things That Need Improving...

i thought of several things tha i needed to improve and i addressed as many as i could. however i was unable to resolve the following problems.

1. the return system(and the lack there of) i dont think this goes high enough to actually need one but if somebody else makes a better one this will probly be needed

2. i tried to put as much power in the rocket as i could but if you put two many rubber bands on it will break, is there any way to add more power without totally changing the design?

3. the square piece i used is kinda uncommon idk any other way to support it without using one, it will work without it but you have to reset after each launch and it gets annoying.

any mods/comments will be greatly apreciated(o yea and i know my spellings bad i was 2 lazy to go back a proof read lolz)