Water Rocket with easy launching pad (simple!)

Do you believe it? A water rocket launch pad with no PVC needed. In this Instructable, I will show you how to build a simple water rocket and launch pad that is very effective. Water rockets like these launch naturally rather than manually. Please try this simple project. This rocket usually launches around 30psi, allowing it to launch 100+ feet

Step 1 Gather Materials

For Rocket:
-Plastic soda bottle (1 liter size is perfect)
-Thin Plastic (like from a gallon of water jug)
-Hot glue gun
-Glue for the glue gun (Duh)
-Plastic cup
-Electrical tape
-scissors
-utility knife
-permanent marker




For Launch system:
-Bottle Cork
-Electrical Tape
-Air pump with inflation needle
-Drill
-Smallest drill bit you can find
-Old can (like a 28 oz. can)


Some materials are shown in the following picture:

Comments

[faiezsyazwan]

creative

[codongolev]

I have a hose sprayer, and the end is tapered just so that a bottle can fit on the end when pushed tight. then you turn on the water, pressure builds, and PSHHTTT!

[uberdum05]

I did that and they seem to be the simplest ones to make because most people will probably have the parts lying around

[leiamme]

I made this... just my waas 100 times epicer :P

[ROCKETMAN]

Tec. Note: a 2Liter soda bottle is usualy safe to 100psi but precuations should be taken to protect yourself and others from a bottle rupture. The person launching the rocket should be at least 15ft from rocket and spectators and others should be keept back at least 25ft. from rocket. Two more safety considerations: include a check valuve to prevent water from back feeding into the pump if there is a pause in the presurizing process and don't forget some kind of presure relief valuve in the event of a need for a launch abort.

[Boppo3]

Im thinking of making a backpack-type of air pressure tank for powering pneumatic cannons

i was thinking of using soda bottles... do you have any suggestions on the safety??

[ROCKETMAN]

Soda bottles would work but rember they are generaly only good to 100psi. There are kits avaible to convert empty freon tanks to refillable air tanks. They will safely hold more air under greater pressure. Down side they will be bulker and heavier. How much pressure do you want for your pneumatic cannons? How many firing do you want to make before you change or refill your air tanks? The answers you come up with and the compromises you can live with will help determin what you use for a backpack air suply for your pneumatic cannons. Good luck and be safe.

[Boppo3]

wow you normally work with air pressure do you? you're so experienced...

[ROCKETMAN]

I don't have as much experience as you imagine. I do take the time to observe other people's experiments when they post them on line. If you have the time to do a You Tube search you can find videos of other people's experiments some that went bad and some where they were looking to see just how much pressure a given type of container would hold without bursting. Look for a group that goes by the name of Air Comand they have a video of a 2 liter bottle they burst under controled conditions. It will make you think twice before you over pressurize a container. Do you research and be safe.

[nbagf]

 how do you do that to the pictures?

[dodo91]

I have that exact pump!

[hedgiehog]

me and my friend made one, sooo much fun, never expect it to go off

[majjck]

yeah, they are alot of fun. Thanks for the comment.

[GorillazMiko]

I think I did something very similar to this... oh yeah! It was in science class at the beginning of the year. Bottle rockets. Very fun. My friend made his go so high, it was incredible! Nice job!

[majjck]

Thanks

[Aar000n3y]

Tip on bottle rockets: MAKE GOOD FINS. They really do matter. My best experience was with 4 basswood fins cleanly attached with packaging tape. I've seen people with good recovery systems, but many of them didn't do much with the fins and they paid for it by not getting much height.

[majjck]

Right, the fins help guide and distribute the air over the rocket making the rocket go straighter and higher. A good material to use(But is not always easy to find) are those plastic signs in peoples yards around election time. They usually say, "Re-elect..." or somthing right on them. Thanks for the comment.

[mrbob1000]

we did a similar thing in tech ed my freshman year of high school. it was cool. one thing i found is that aerodynamics really does matter.