Whistle Rocket Tooling

by nateputt21

24K3017

Intro: Whistle Rocket Tooling

Cheap and easy. Should cost under 10$ minus the dremel tool. I am making a 3 pound whistle rocket tooling, and spindle. 1" in diameter with a 3/8 inch core, 1 1/2 inch long. You can scale up or down to desire.

Whistle rockets as the name describes are rockets which emit a very loud whistling sound as it shoots into the air. It contains a pressed pyrotechnic composition called whistle rocket mix. In comparison, the whistle rocket tube is usually about half the length of a similar diameter black powder rocket. No nozzle material is used in the construction of this rocket and it has a very short core making this device an end burner. When the rocket is lit, the composition around the core burns extremely fast, propelling the rocket into the air very quickly. The rocket then changes characteristics, and the material oscillates and the remaining half of the tube acts as a resonating cavity, essentially amplifying the whistle sound. During this process the burning composition still generates enough thrust to continue propelling the whistling rocket through the sky. (Pyroguide.com)

Here is an example of a whistle rocket with a 2" can shell attached to the top. tt stars on top with gold glitter on bottom

http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k243/nateputt21/?action=view&current=638b25ac.pbr

STEP 1: Materials

-half a dozen or so washers that have a 1 inch outside diameter and 3/8 inside diameter
-a 3/8 inch bolt (for this size it must be over 2 inches in length)
-loctite epoxy (im using 5 minute quick set)
-dremel tool

STEP 2: Step 1

take the dremel tool and cut the bolt to 2 inches. I left some of the thread because it gives it better grip when glued. Be sure to wear gloves because it gets hot when you cut the bolt

STEP 3: Step 2

-glue the bolts to a base. I am using a thick piece of wood. it needs to be strong to withstand the force of pressing. put a piece down and coat it with epoxy then repeat.
-then insert the cut bolt which is covered in epoxy.
- waight 5 to 10 minutes for the epoxy to start to harden and make sure the bolt is straight.

STEP 4: Final Step

thats it your finished and it also saved you about 80 to 90 dollars :)
for the rammers i use hardwood dowels. you will need to drill a hole a bit bigger then the bolt for one peice. they might break or fray over time but who cares, you can make another one in 5 minutes.

17 Comments

fancypants23 9 years ago

um i wouldnt hammer this, i would use a hydrolic press with an explosive resistabt shield around it. because whistler mix is very sensitive and super explosive.

jimmabean 11 years ago

if you use a bench vice its much easier and no heat, not to mention alittle more stable

Daddio_UK 13 years ago

...... a moulding tool for a partial hollow core and wooden ram.

Daddio_UK 13 years ago

Potassium picrate makes a whistling sound, when not used as a primary explosive. The tool he made is for packing your own rockets.

Kiteman 15 years ago

Actually, I think it's a mandrel (spelling?) - he'll slip the cardboard tube over the tooling, and pour in the fuel around the tooling. Tamp the fuel down, cap of the tube with some sort of epoxy and then lift it off carefully - the space left by the tooling becomes the combustion chamber.

I think the lower end gets partially capped off with some sort of epoxy as well (with a hole to let the gases escape, of course).

This Instructable reminds me of part of the 5-cent sugar rocket manual.

Sergei- 14 years ago

Its actualy clay like kitty liter, after it compacts it becomes solid he uses that first then the filler wich can be a sugar nitrate mix or standard black powder mix of charcoal sulphur nitrate then caps it off with clay again
the tube of course is longer then the bold so there is no hole left at the top

this gadget saves time - no need to drill a hole down centre if making bottle rockets and is used for larger rockets that are core proplelled not end burn

dagabu 14 years ago

Whistle rockets (motors, they provide thrust as the fuel burns) make a loud shreaking whistle as the fuel burns. This is due (partially) to the hollow space at the end of the tube and due to the way the fuel burns. The biggest problem with the whistle mix components is that the y are extremely shock and friction sensitive and when struck, will deflagrate (explode) and make you a big ball of jello. Whistle mix MUST be pressed, NEVER use a hammer, mallet or anything that shocks the mix. Start with black powder rockets, they are very difficult to ignite with a press and tooling and is a lot less sensitive. -Practice safe mastication, always use a condiment-

tudgeanator 14 years ago

Good 'ible. I it not dangerous to have a steel bolt though? I'm making allmost the exact same thing, but usind aluminium rod as the mandrel, and aluminium for the rammers-it's gonna be aaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwweeeesome! Thanks for the ideas. Oh,and a whistle rocket is similar to a rocket motor you can buy, but there is no nozzle endcap, and the fuel is 'whistle fuel'. This fuel burns much faster than black powder, and, in a whistle rocket resonates and makes a whistling sound as the rocket gains altitude. This tool is used to create a hole or chamber on the inside of the rocket, in the fuel so that more fuel is burning at one time, because of the incresed surface area of fuel exposed at ignition (through the hole at the bottom of the rocket). If you want more info, go to pyroguide.com. That site is where i learned pritty much everything i know from-it's awesome.

rhino 15 years ago

Now that we know how to make it where is the instructable that shows how to use it to make whistle rockets?

Kweltan 15 years ago

So do you just get a piece of dowel (certain length??) several times wider than the bolt (certain length, width??), drill a hole all the way through (or half way??) then push it down onto the bolt? then fill it all the way through with black powder?? Can you send me some more detailed instructions because i dont really understand how to do it, lengths and measurements would be really helpfull Thank You In Advance, Kweltan

thatoneguy900 15 years ago

Very nice for homemade tooling. For any interested whistle mix is 70/30 KCLO4/Sodium benzoate(or sodium salycilate, or potassium benzoate) Press it into the tube, don't ram it! Whistle mix is almost as energetic as flash, and can be senitive.

bigpinecone 15 years ago

is it really that un-obvious(for lack of a better term) what this is for?you know what a rocket is? tou know what whistling is? put it together. a whistling rocket. the tool is used for making the rocket. kiteman was right about how it's used. Regards, Nick.

inventorjack 15 years ago

As the others have said, the instructable looks good overall, except that most of us don't know what a whistle rocket it. If you added some info on that, this would be useful to more people.

crankyjew 15 years ago

er.... whistle rockets are rockets... that whistle...? this... tool... is for... tooling them? lol, i really haven't the faintest.

Bigdawg 15 years ago

Yeah, I'm with ya. No. Idea.