Paper Rocket Launcher

Hello everyone! This is my first instructable on how to make a paper rocket and paper rocket launcher.

Materials:

Launcher

• Bicycle inner tube 20x1.75/2.125 works well
• Electrical tape
• 14 3-1/2 inch deck screws
• 1 2x12 4 feet long
• 1 2x6 4 feet long and 2 1 foot long sections
• 1 1 inch PVC 4 feet long
• 3/8 inch bolt, nut, and washer
• 2 liter bottle (not pictured)

Rocket

• Paper (letter size)
• Scotch tape

Tools:

• Drill
• 3/8 inch drill bit
• Tape measure
• PVC pipe cutter or saw
• Scissors
• Pencil
• 9/16 wrench (not pictured)
• Ruler (not pictured)

Drill a hole with the 3/8 drill bit 1 foot down and centered, from the top of your 4 foot long 2x6

I haven't found a easy way to do this yet but this is how i did it. You will need a helper. Center the 2x6 with the hole in it, on the 2x12. Use the side of the 2x6 farthest away from the hole. Put 2 screws in the bottom. I did this by making a T with the 2x12 on the top.

Add the bracing on either side of the 2x6. There should be 3 screws on the bottom and 2 screws on the side which is not touching the upright 2x6

Drill a hole 1 foot down from you 4 foot long PVC pipe. Then take the 3/8 inch bolt, nut, and flat washer and put them in this order: Bolt, 2x6 with hole, PVC pipe, washer, and then the nut. Tighten this with the wrench on one side and your hand on the other. This shouldn't be to tight, just enough to hold the arm without it falling down.

Cut the inner tubs so it is one long tube. Then stretch it over the short end of the launcher arm about 1.5 inches. Wrap this tightly with electrical tape so it will not come off.

Now, take the other end of the inner tube and your 2 liter bottle and stretch the inner tube over the 2 liter bottle neck. Wrap this in electrical tape till it wont come of easily.

The launcher is completed. Now it's time to make the rockets.

Take you 1 foot long piece of PVC and rap it in 1 layer of scotch tap. This will make it easier to slide onto the rocket launcher.

Technically these are not rockets. If you want to know more about rockets go to this.

With the taped piece of PVC, wrap a piece of paper around it hamburger style and tape it together. The picture may help.

Push the paper up so it is over the edge of the PVC about a inch. Fold this in and tape it. Next cut out a 8.5 by 2 inch piece of paper. There will be extra. Rap the rectangle into the shape of nose cone you would like. Cut off the excess paper till it make a cone. Now, tape this on to your rocket.

To make the fins you are going to need more paper. Draw a rectangle 3 inches by 2.5 inches. Next 1.5 inches down on the 3 inch side of the rectangle, draw a line. Now from the top of the center line draw a line to the bottom right corner. Cut on the lines you drew to get the fins. To attach the fins you will need scotch tape. Cut 8 pieces of tape 2.5 inches long (2 for each fin). This doesn't need to be exact just long enough to cover the fins. Tape them onto the rocket as shown in the pictures. The fins should be symmetrical. Would look like a + when looking down from the nose cone. Pull the rocket off of the PVC be careful to not damage the rocket.

Slide the rocket onto the launcher. Aim the launcher at th angle you wish to shoot. When you are ready to launch stomp on the 2 liter bottle and watch the rocket fly. when you want to launch another rocket (or the same rocket) fix the bottle by squeezing it or blowing into where you slide your rocket onto.

My first attempt with this rocket hit the top power line. This ruined the nose cone but i was able to fix it. When i shot it it went just past the power lines.

The farthest i have got a rocket to go is 103 feet. This was done on a higher ground then it landed on so it went a little farther.

Also after a while the bottle or the rocket will become unusable so you will need to repeat some of the steps.

What happens:

When you stomp on the 2 liter bottle it forces air into the inner tube, then into the PVC launching arm, and into the rocket which pushes it of the PVC shooting it into the air.

These rockets are customize able too. You could add weight (duct tape) or try a different nose cone.