A Rocket in Your Pocket
Intro: A Rocket in Your Pocket
Not just a rocket in your pocket, but an entire rocket factory and launch system!
STEP 1: Materials
The materials are easy to find in most modern homes:
- A pocket-sized box.
- A box of matches
- A small scrap of wood.
- Some pieces of kitchen foil
STEP 2: Making the Launch Pad
Take the scrap of wood, and trim it to fit inside the box.
Half way along it, drill a small hole at an angle of 45 - the hole needs to be just large enough to fit a matchstick into.
STEP 3: Outfiting the Kit
Er, well, you just put it all in the box...
If you put the pieces of foil at the bottom, they'll stay flatter.
If you put the pieces of foil at the bottom, they'll stay flatter.
STEP 4: Making and Launching a Rocket.
Take one piece of foil, and lay two matches head-to-head at one end.
Roll the matches up in the foil.
Make sure that one match can slide out of the foil tube you've made, but not too easily.
Twist the foil tightly around the other match.
Slot the rocket into the launcher, and apply heat to the middle of the foil, either with another match, or with the lighter.
After a few moments, the heat conducted by the foil will light the match-heads, and ... woosh!... off it will go.
I could make a lot of fuss about health and safety, but if you're old enough to be allowed to play with matches, you're old enough to know where and when you should launch rockets like this. If you set fire to the cat and burn down the garden, it's your own fault.
Roll the matches up in the foil.
Make sure that one match can slide out of the foil tube you've made, but not too easily.
Twist the foil tightly around the other match.
Slot the rocket into the launcher, and apply heat to the middle of the foil, either with another match, or with the lighter.
After a few moments, the heat conducted by the foil will light the match-heads, and ... woosh!... off it will go.
I could make a lot of fuss about health and safety, but if you're old enough to be allowed to play with matches, you're old enough to know where and when you should launch rockets like this. If you set fire to the cat and burn down the garden, it's your own fault.
56 Comments
legofire7 3 years ago
Im having trouble lighting the rockets. I think they don't get enough oxygen, and so I tried cutting off the top half and...... BOOM as soon as I cut off the bottom it went about 6 inches. XD then I made the end of the rocket bigger with a different one (the other one exploded) and it worked fine. Thank you for making this, I have always been interested in making a model rocket, but I never have because they are SUPER expensive, so this has made my budget happy. :D
SebastiaanV3 7 years ago
I already forgot this one.
My father thought me this.
Now it's time to teach my own kid.
Thanks for the reminder.
Kiteman 7 years ago
You're welcome!
hmbmideas 9 years ago
Kiteman 9 years ago
Thank you!
Saakaar Barthwal 9 years ago
This is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kiteman 9 years ago
Thank you!
vishalapr 10 years ago
Kiteman 10 years ago
stevo69nz 11 years ago
smiley G.I JOE 11 years ago
Patna43 12 years ago
Patna43 12 years ago
chimei62 12 years ago
avgas 12 years ago
TheAmateurArtisan 12 years ago
Personally, I'm always looking for various designs in pyrotechnics and well, everything. This is a very nice design Kiteman. I had an altoids tin and a zippo utility bending lighter soldered together to make a launch pad that could light far from your fingers over the summer.
somebody12345 12 years ago
i think that this could work better if you used a small pinpiont blowtorch to light the matches
Kiteman 12 years ago
If I use a blowtorch or bunsen to light these, I usually wave the flame over the match-heads to stop the whole thing scorching.
somebody12345 12 years ago
Kiteman 12 years ago