Introduction: 5 Minute Stomp Rocket (It Will Take You Longer to Read This Instructable Than to Complete the Project).
"Daaaaad, we're bored!"
Ever heard this coming from the back yard? Instructables to the rescue.
I had seen stomp rockets on the site before, and had them in the back of my mind for a while as a project for the kids. When I decided to actually make some rockets and a launcher, I realised that I had the stuff on hand to do a quick 5 minute build while the kids watched. Watch Dad make stuff, and play with rockets! Double the entertainment!
Step 1: Gather Tools and Materials.
1. Ordinary garden hose, 12mm.
2. I've found the 1.5 litre plastic bottle to work the best, but any size bottle of this type seems to work OK.
3. I used two types of tape because I had them, the wide tape on the rocket and the smaller stuff on the hose, but the wide stuff will do both jobs.
4. Scissors.
5. And the secret ingredient? An empty aluminium cigar tube. This is where time has been saved on this project. Using a pre-made tube for the rocket eliminates construction time.
Step 2: Launcher Construction.
1. Cut the garden hose to length. Mine is about 1 metre long which is good for me, but a little long for the kids. Measure your child!
2. Wrap tape around one end of the hose until it becomes a tight push fit in the neck of the bottle. I used the pvc electrical tape for speed and convenience, but wider tape (of any type) will do. Taping the hose to the bottle neck would probably make the launcher a bit stronger, but having a push fit makes it very easy to change the bottle when it's had enough stomping and a new one is required.
3. Wrap tape around the other end of the hose until it becomes a smooth slip fit inside the cigar tube.
Launcher complete!
Step 3: Rocket Construction.
1. Tear/cut off about 100mm of wide (duct/duck/gaffer/whatever) tape.
2. Carefully fold it in half (sticky side in), leaving small flaps at the end. This is a tail fin.
3. Stick the tail fin to the base of the cigar tube.
4. Do this two more times and space the fins as evenly as you can.
5. Trim the fins to a triangular shape with the scissors.
Rocket complete!
Step 4: Lift Off.
Find a place to launch. Point. Stomp.
The kids' first shots...a bit feeble. Dad: "Stand back kids...I'll show you!" Straight on the roof.
Retrieve rocket and go to park.
Kids' subsequent shots....nice. Dad: "Stand back kids...I'll show you!" 39 metres!
The kids get 15 to 20 metres easily, and I had to make more rockets while waiting for the original to fall out of a tree. Awesome fun.
Blow through the hose to re-inflate the bottle between launches, or pull the hose out and do it if you find it easier.
You probably shouldn't point this at somebody's head, but I don't think it would hurt too much. It's all good fun until someone loses an eye :D
12 Comments
9 years ago on Introduction
Use a pump! I shot a compressed air cannon at a soda can and dented it with a MARSHMALLOW
10 years ago on Introduction
Jejeje! Very fun project! I will do. Sure!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Have fun!
10 years ago on Introduction
Some of us have been "smokeless" for a decade or so and don't want to return to the habit.....is there anything else similar that you can come up with that could make a suitable substitute? (I haven't come across any yet)
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
The closest thing I have seen, although not readily available to the public, are the (for want of a better word) "blanks" that are used to make the plastic bottles I use to launch my rockets. They look just like a plastic test tube albeit somewhat heavier, and are heated and inflated to make the bottle.
Can you get plastic test tubes? Do pens, pencils and other writing implements come in tubes? Maybe kids toys? I think my kids have had bubble blowing mixture in thin plastic tubes. Drill bits? Lollies like mints or M&Ms?
There may be some i'bles that use paper or cardboard rockets here somewhere.
Unfortunately cigar tubes are also not readily available these days, but are the ideal combination of weight and sturdy construction. I wonder if a tobacconist may have some empties lying around?
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Well, if they do have some lying about, maybe they have some old cigar boxes too....I could use a few of them for projects :-)
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
They often sell loose cigars, but they would still be in the tube. The boxes however, would most likely end up in the garbage.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Well, I'm not buying cigars just for tubes :-) I'll find another way: thanks !
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
I reckon you should try the sweets section at your local supermarket. Don't tell me you wouldn't buy lollies just for the tube! ;)
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Lollies come in a tube?
I have found a smaller tube though that might work....I have to test it first to know. Those Crazy Glue outer tubes that the glue tube comes in....they're about 2-3 times the width of a pen.
10 years ago on Introduction
And yes, I like this idea.....so many things one can do with it....for instance one could firm up the fins with card stock between two pieces of tape, or one could take each fin and instead of making them as vertical as possible, tilt each fin very slightly in the same direction all the way around the tube and the rocket will "spin" on take off :-)
11 years ago on Introduction
Fun toy, a stomp away from the paper straw.
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