Origami Rocket

You can make a real, working rocket from a simple sheet of paper!

The heart of this is a traditional "water bomb" origami model.  There are already quite a few Instructables on making the water-bomb, so I simply present the steps as photos.

Turning it into a rocket, though...

The fuel I chose for this project was propane from my blowtorch.  It's a happy coincidence that a drinking straw fits down the central delivery tube of my blowtorch.  I cut a straw to a spike, and it became a perfect delivery system for injecting fuel into the water bomb through the inflation hole.

I blew in gas for a few seconds, laid the rocket on its side, then applied a match to the hole.

Woosh!

I normally fuel these with methane (natural gas) from my lab gas-taps, so a few rockets went up in flames while I got the fuel-air mix right...

An impressive feature of these rockets in lessons is their size - I can keep a handful in my pocket, inflating them as I need during the lesson, as we discuss the various factors that can influence the distance they scoot across the desk.

Comments

[bajablue]

Who needs fireworks? Genius!!!

[Kiteman]

Er, if there are actual flames, something has gone wrong...

[TherubiksSolver8219]

or if the fuel can explodes

[bajablue]

lol... doncha know?  That's the Redneck Way. ;-D

[TherubiksSolver8219]

when I blew the rocket,the fuel exploded ;/ DON'T TRY THIS ATE HOME KIDS

[Kiteman]

The fuel is supposed to explode - what kind of gas did you use?

[TherubiksSolver8219]

i meant 2.I also used the propain tank mentioned

[TherubiksSolver8219]

nitrogen peroxide

[Kiteman]

There's your problem - you should have used a gas that won't react violently with the paper the rocket is made of.

You know, like the propane I mentioned in the text...

[smiley G.I JOE]

OK i just did this and for extra measure coated the inside of the paper with heat resistant paint. it didn't work and produced a lot of smoke. though next time i am going to use card stock.

[smiley G.I JOE]

i may try this project just for fun but i am wondering will i end up with some thing like this.

[Kiteman]

Er.... not quite...

[iceng]

Very neat working rocket...

I would like to know of any interesting failed projects.

[Kiteman]

Somewhere in the depths of my shed is a failed "Kelvin's Thunderstorm".

[Pfarmkid]

You should remake it into a non-failure and post it. Kelvin Thunderstorms are pretty cool I think at least I think so know after I Googled it

[Kiteman]

It's on my list.

However, my list currently has over 200 projects on it...

[Pfarmkid]

Hmm... Well sounds like a busy day

[yapoyo]

(removed by Robert Goddard)

[Kiteman]

Goddard invented the *liquid* fuelled rocket...

[yapoyo]

(removed by Robert Goddard)