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I run a free summertime activity program for kids as part of my job in the city where I live. So I've got a lot of fun little projects up my sleeves, and I'm always on the lookout for more. One of the more popular summertime activities in my repertoire is homemade stomp rockets. Stomp rockets are great because they are both creative and physical.
There are many versions of paper stomp rockets and launchers out there. They all work essentially the same way: air is forced through a PVC contraption which launches a lightweight paper rocket up into the air. This particular launcher design is a combination of a handful of ideas I've seen, along with a few of my own additions.
I have a basic rocket design that I drew up that uses a single sheet of paper, which I've included in step 6 as a PDF.
Read on, and then go have some fun. (And hey, if you like this you should try out my Paper Stomp Jets!)
There are many versions of paper stomp rockets and launchers out there. They all work essentially the same way: air is forced through a PVC contraption which launches a lightweight paper rocket up into the air. This particular launcher design is a combination of a handful of ideas I've seen, along with a few of my own additions.
I have a basic rocket design that I drew up that uses a single sheet of paper, which I've included in step 6 as a PDF.
Read on, and then go have some fun. (And hey, if you like this you should try out my Paper Stomp Jets!)
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Signing UpStep 1Materials
This launcher design produces no waste, and should cost around $10.
For one launcher, you will need:
For one launcher, you will need:
- One 10-foot length of 1/2-inch PVC
- One 1/2" 90-degree elbow (all fittings are of the slip variety)
- One 1/2" four-way fitting
- Two 1/2" end caps
- One 1" coupling
- One 1" by 1/2" bushing
- One 2-liter soda bottle cap
- Lots of 2-liter soda bottles
- PVC cement
- Hot glue
- White glue
- Cotton balls
- Tape
- Sheets of 8 1/2" by 11" paper
- Lots of copies of the attached PDF rocket template
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
;)
2.... 3/4" X 1/2" PVC Bushings
1.... 3/4" PVC Coupling
1... 1/2" CPVC Transition Adapter w/ male threads
1... 1/2" CPVC Transition Adapter w/ female threads
(I think I could've just used a 1/2" PVC Coupling in place of the first two items, though. I'll try that on my second one and see how it goes.)
Looks like a good way to do this. Thank you for sharing this.
You could place an L on the end of the straight tube, but turning to the side rather than up. Connect that to a union (available for about $2.50 at Home Depot), then to another L, then the launch tube. The union will allow adjustment of the launch angle. It would also allow the launch tube to fold down for storage.
=====================|to Stomp Bottle |
=================| |
| |
|=====|
| union |
|=====|
| | ==================
| to launch tube
|=======================
The push-fit fittings are airtight, but can be twisted to adjust the angle (yay ballistics!) and the whole thing can be disassembled for storage.
Only thing I'm having trouble with is a good, reliable way of marrying up the whole thing to the bottle cap; there isn't much to grip on to, and nothing seems to stick all that well. Swathes of gaffer tape, with ends tucked in, seem to work reasonably well, but it's hardly elegant...
Fantastic post, Seamster! Thanks for the fun this weekend, and next...
This fellow is using a smaller diameter pipe and has instructions on his web site for using a melted bottle cap to provide a tighter fit to the pipe. I've used this method for a while and it seems to work well. Just be sure to do the cap melting and fitting outdoors just in case the plastic catches fire.
On trying to apply the suggested technique, I made the unexpected (and delightful) discovery that the 22mm PVC Overflow pipe we used for our launcher actually fits very snugly into the open neck of pretty much every 2L drinks bottle I've tried, so I can abandon all fiddling about with lids, candles, gaffer tape and suchlike nonsense. Just chamfer the end of the pipe and push it home. Result... :)
Another tip: Nerf darts stuff nicely down a 1/2" PVC tube, and they shoot as far as a paper rocket. You just have to stuff them all the way into the tube.
>> I had issues of the bottle cap disconnecting from the 1" coupling. So I went to eBay and got a high temp glue gun and surebonder "best stik" glue sticks. (cost all of about $20) Next I loaded up the inside edge of the 1" coupling with glue and then seated the cap in past the edge. It sat in within the coupling by about 1/4" of an inch. I then ran another bead of glue around that.
I used a 3/8" drill bit for the cap.
I attached a simple template I used for fins and nose cone.
Did you make these to play with your own kids, or for something else?
I "teach" an after school club at my daughter's school called "Geek Projects". I've got 5 sixth graders this session. Today we will build the stomp rockets! I'll post the results.
The high-temp glue worked like a champ. I gave one launcher a jump to show the kids how high I could get it to go and the cap did pop out.
I started to wonder if it would work better if drilled out the bottle cap almost completely or is there something about having a smaller diameter hold for the air to go through that gives it so much power. I'm still quite amazed.
>> TIP: Another tip I'll add is that we used 60lb weight paper for constructing our rockets. The nose cones take a beating on landing, especially since we were launching in a paved part of the playground for hard surface sports. I had on hand lots of tape and extra paper for repairs.
>> TIP: try to have at least 2 bottles per kid
>> TIP: make a couple spare "bottle-cap-coupler" parts to have on hand as that is the vulnerable component to this design
A HUGE thanks to Seamster and commentators who made this such a fun Instructable! I'll try and post a link to a video.
Alright, seriously, this is great. I love to see other people try out the things I put on here. It sounds like the kids got a real kick out of it. I've actually seen adults get pretty competitive with these things... I guess they just bring out the kid in us!
I'm glad it worked. This is a great project for scouts.