Introduction: Jet Powered Skateboard
This is a pretty short instructable, but I was pleased with how well it worked, so I want to throw it up and see what other projects it can inspire.
--alex
artiswrong.com
Step 1: Making It
Take a skateboard. Affix three leafblowers to it. Go!
My leafblowers were Featherlite leaf blowers I got from Osh for $70 each. I got them for my kite-powered hovercraft, which we were planning on testing in the desert the day we made this, but unfortunately there wasn't much wind. The leafblowers are advertised as the lightest gas leafblower, and they're pretty decent, although every now and then the spring mechanism that winds the pullstring back up jams and I have to take it apart and poke it a bit.
We used duct tape to mount one leafblower on the back and held the other two. There's not much force on any leafblower, so why make a more complicated mount than you need? After piloting our creation around the desert for a while, we all agreed that you get better performance if you hold the leafblowers close to the ground and pointed slightly downwards.
I'd suggest using a longboard, since they've got more room for both you and the leafblower.
Step 2: What's Actually Cool About This
So, with the three leafblowers we had, this setup was pretty underpowered for moving a person. However, when we mounted all three on the skateboard and just let it go, we were pretty surprised to see it go shooting across the desert at about twenty mph (I couldn't outrun it--we had to chase it in our cars).
I think there's a lot of potential for adding a radio-controlled rudder behind the blowers and making a R/C jet skateboard. That's just pretty awesome, and these suckers are FAST on their own!
A quick search on youtube shows that there's a bunch of people who have played with putting blowers on wheels. Make your own! Write about it!
40 Comments
10 years ago on Introduction
NICE WORK LIKE
15 years ago on Introduction
Ahhhh, try this on skates! It gives fast a new meaning!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Unfortunately, I see a Wile E. Coyote moment if someone tries that, John. ;-)
12 years ago on Introduction
It would be interesting (yet dangerous, do not try, blah blah blah) to try and attach some improvised afterburner to the exhaust, have some butane injected into the compressed air. A project in itself, and definitely not something to be mounted on a skateboard, but still, a modded, turbocharged leaf blower would be pretty handy.
12 years ago on Introduction
where would you get a cordless one
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
cordless what?
12 years ago on Introduction
have fun running away from bob cats with that
12 years ago on Introduction
Makes me want to build my own jet and see how that works XD im sure you could make a small electric jet engine inside a 5 inch pvc.
13 years ago on Introduction
You know, if you were to add or modify the exaust tubes for the end of the "jets" so that they're more narrow, you'd most likely get much more fushing force out of them.
Since you left the end of the nozzles how they are, they displace air over a wider area, wasting much of the air's pushing force on the way out. If you concentrate more of the air out of a smaller exit tube, the air doesn't displace as wide, which would propel forward more.
Just my $.02.
Peace.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Agree. If you look at http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/CFM56-5Bs_engine.JPG you will see that the engine has the small volume core air going through a cone. It's not visible but I believe the bypass air gets the cone treatment too.
13 years ago on Introduction
would be more interesting if ya put those jet engines for the rc airplanes on it
14 years ago on Introduction
haha awesome
14 years ago on Introduction
That sounds like a good idea!
14 years ago on Introduction
You can get a leafblower at almost any hardware store
14 years ago on Introduction
I love this idea I think it needs 5 stars
14 years ago on Introduction
Where can i get a leafblower
14 years ago on Introduction
How much does each of those leaf blowers cost?
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
$70 , he mensioned it.
14 years ago on Introduction
AWSOMEEE.....=]
14 years ago on Introduction
ha-ha! add this one to this one! my neighbor has one of those fan packs for parasailgliding or whatever it's called. I want one for whenever i feel underpowered/bored/late... but fan powered ice boarding... wow what a way to drown!