There are actually a fair number instructions on the web for this project. That’s where I got the idea for the project. I gave the kids the option of bringing in their own kit, or we’d make a home made model rocket. The boy had his own rocket kit as did one of the other boys. The rest got to assemble their own.
It took a little convincing to get the boy to decide to assemble his kit. Seems he was afraid of losing it. I asked him which was better: to launch the rocket once and lose it or to never launch it at all? Unbelievably, he initially said he’d rather never launch it than lose it. Makes for a boring rocket. The Wife and I were able to convince him otherwise without too much trouble, which makes me think he didn’t think about the question too much in the first place.
As for the homemade rockets, I used PVC, some cardboard, some string and a piece of a garbage bag for the parachute. The basic gist is to cut fins out of the cardboard which we attached to the main tube using hot glue. The main tube is 3/4″ PVC that I cut to 11 inch lengths. To create a nosecone, I used PVC end caps for 1/2″ PVC, which turn out to be about the same outer diameter as the 3/4″ pipe. I then cut pieces of 1/2″ PVC to fit into the caps, then reamed out the 3/4″ tube so it would accept the 1/2″ PVC.
I drilled a small hole near the top of the main tube to insert string through, then knotted it so it wouldn’t pull through. Finally, I attach the other end of the string to the nose cone using a friction fit and another knot.
As for the parachute, we cut a square piece from a heavy duty garbage bag, then tied 2 strings to opposite corners. Finally, I just attached the loops from the parachute to the middle of the string with the nose cone on it.
I don’t know how well the parachute arrangement will work. The boy’s model has a “shock cord,” a long rubber band, to attach the main tube to the nosecone. But it should be fun to find out.
My final, unexpected puzzle, it to figure out how to attach an engine to it. I used the 3/4″ pipe because it would supposedly accept a D sized engine with little fuss. Unfortunately, the PVC I have access to is not sized properly for that. So I’ll have to use the smaller engines and figure out how to mount them in the pipe. Perhaps some tape and rubber bands will do the trick.
Not all of the boys finished their rockets today. Most of them have to install the parachutes. Once that’s done, I figure we’ll set up a final den meeting on a weekend to finish things up with a bang.