Cardboard Hovercraft: Powered by You!

Intro: Cardboard Hovercraft: Powered by You!

In this Instructable i will show you how to make a hovercraft that is made of completely card stock, a thinner but sturdy variety of cardboard. It is very easy to make and great to have competitions with, just give each person a plan, let them build it, and compete to see who's hovercraft can glide the farthest. It is also very customizable and easy to make. It has no moving parts, to make it glide, hold it in the center of the body and throw it close to the ground, like if you were bowling. With some skill, you can make it glide up to 50 ft. Anyway, good luck and have fun!

This will be entered into the Gorilla glue contest so please vote!

STEP 1: Materials

-sissors
-pencil
-cardstock
-ruler
-Elmer's glue

STEP 2: Draw the Plans

Use the picture below as your plans. I believe if you right click the picture, you should be able to print it. if not, use the mesurements written on the picture.

STEP 3: Cut Out the Pieces

Cut out the pieces, like the picture below(picture 1). Take the main body and cut the tails and fold(Pictures 2-6).

STEP 4: Intake

Take the trapezoid piece and fold on the lines. Glue the intake to the body like shown in the picture. Cut off the excess

STEP 5: Tail

Fold the back of the body like the image below. Glue fin 1 and fin 2 to the back of the body. You can also tape the fins to the body. Refer to the picture.

STEP 6: Your Finished!

Your done! To use it, you can hold the body, and toss it near the ground like you were bowling. With some practice, you can make it glide up to 50 ft. Have fun!

Comments

[sdfgeoff]

At school we do a similar thing, but with protractors. 180 degree cheap plastic protractors have an angled edge, and when pushed along a table with the beveled edge facing down it will skim along for ages, across small gaps between desks etc. It takes a bit of practice to get the speed right though.

I shall be making one of these sometime soon (ie now) to see how it compares to a protractor.

[Gamer917]

i made one out of regular printer paper, but its shorter. the front lifts up like a plane taking off, how much weight should i add to the front.

[Si Thu Zaw]

Until it stays on the ground and don't crush you hovercraft :D

[littlemangen]

awsome but i used regular paper and it works great

[origamic12]

Thanks. And fyi it does not have to be made of gorrila glue. read the contest rules.

[brokengun]

That's just neat. Cool idea dude.

[grimfig]

It is suppose to be made with Gorilla Glue...

[Gamer917]

psh 213 feet, noob i could probably get it about 500 feet with a rocket

[origamic12]

secured

[stitches22]

uhhhh... im a little confused... is the back flap thingy next to the fins supposed to be secured in place or flapping loosely?

[djtomczak678]

psh 50 feet, noobs. we did these in my drafting class and the farthest one went 213 feet. make them thin tall and long.

[djtomczak678]

oh forgot to say we put paperclip halves on the bottom and used a rubber band launch pad...

[Praetor d]

This thing is awesome. Is there way a larger version, maybe out of thin plastic or something, could be powered by on of those little hand fans?

[Tape-structable]

Leaf Blower + Hovercraft = ???????

[origamic12]

As long as there is minimal friction between the hovercraft and the ground, it should glide far and fast.

[rc jedi]

kinda like a ground effect wing or ram air hovercraft, cool!

[deuceisloose]

This is cool I liked it on Mr. Wizard, and Bill Nye and Beakman. It is cool because it shows how an airplane wing works. You should make it bigger! Like cardboard box big! like 24 pack of soda box big!............and before anyone says "Well how would we blow air on it?" Air Compressor.............Boom!

[origamic12]

I am sorry for the misunderstanding. how was this instructable misleading?

[pineapplenewton]

this was very misleading

[origamic12]

yeah just made a quick video so you would get the idea...