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Scotch Rocket

Large Fire Ball

Sky Rocket

Big Fire Cracker

Materials:

1 cardboard paper towel roll

7 (3x5) index cards

lots of scotch tape (of course)

1 estes rocket engine (best results with C or D)

You have to love scotch tape... I created this rocket by using only scotch tape to hold everything together. (the fins, the nose, and the engine). I didn't know if it would work at first, but results show that it is rather safe, if constructed carefully.

You can start by taking an index card and folding one corner over to the other side, making a triangle. Then fold the remaining rectangle over into a triagnle, and then under the big triangle. Repeat this four times (this makes the fins).

Next you need to tape the fins on to the body tube of the rocket. Make sure you keep them at right angles to each other other wise the rocket won't fly straight. Put tape down each side of the fins and secure them well to the body tube. Take one of the two remaining index cards, and roll it into a cone shape. Use the tape to hold it, and cut the excess off so it is a nice cone shape, that fits just a little bit over the body tube. Make sure the tape is nice and straight, because this will effect the path of the rocket also. Don't tape the nose to the rocket just yet.

Now, this part is a little tricky, but must be done correctly. Put the body tube vertically on the remaining index card, and trace the circle onto it. Then, center the rocket engine in the middle of the bigger circle, and draw around it. Cut out the hole for the engine, and then cut the entire peice out the index card. You need to have a tight fit for the engine, but secure it with tape anyway. Leave the nozel end of the engine sticking out of the circle about a fourth of an inch. Add tape to secure it tightly. Then, put the whole unit into the end of the body tube (the end with the fins). Push it in until the circle comes right down flush with the edge of the tube. Tape well, becuase if not the engine will take off with out the rocket. Once secure, you can began the fun part.

First you would be best off to stuff kleenex in around the engine from the top side. This helps to secure the engine better and also creates a surface level with the top of the engine to add your burst charge. This can be anything you wish. The hot gases from the engine, followed by the explosion at the end will ignite this powder. You can use black powder, gun powder, flash powder from the inside of a firecracker, or just take a few bottle rockets and crush the powder out of them. You can add as much or as little as you want. (I wouldn't recomend filling it to the top with powder because it would become too heavy.) Next add fire crackers or bottle rockets (without the sticks) to the top. You can also put matchheads in which will ignite and look like stars. Once you have filled it up with some nice effects, tape the nose cone on tightly.

Lastly, cut a two inch peice of the straw off and place it on the side of the rocket and tape it on good. This is your launch lug. If you have a model rocket launch pad, like the one pictured, ignite the rocket as you normally would a model rocket. If not, insert a 4 inch green wick into the nozel of the engine, making sure it is pushed in all the way. If you don't use a metal rod to launch it, it may not go exactly straight, so be careful. This is an easy and in-expensive rocket to make, so have fun with it!

Materials:

1 Estes rocket engine

A sheet of 8 1/2" X 11" paper.

Masking Tape

Elmers Glue

5" by 5" peice of cardboard.

Sparklers, black powder, stars, and anything you want to put in to make it a neat explosion

I have made these ever since I got into model rocketry. Sure, I liked having my rockets blast off and float back down to me, but I also wondered what would happen if I blew one up. So, I made one out of paper and cardboard and filled it up with some black cats and other stuff I had laying around. I was amazed with it and have been expirmenting with them ever since.

First, take the rocket engine. It can be ethier B, C, or even D, depending on how big you want it and how much powder you put in the rocket. To make the body, fold the peice of paper in half and then wrap it around the rocket engine, creating about 2-3 inches of paper tube above the engine. Put glue inbetween the paper and on the engine to help hold it better. Then, tape it on the edge to hold it down. Next, cut out four fins from the cardboard. Triangles work if that is all you can come up with. Glue them one by one on to the rocket, at a 90 degree angle from one another, and centered with the hole/nozzle in the rocket engine. After you have them all glued, re-enforce them with more glue. You must do this to avoid shearing a fin when you launch the rocket.

Take another small peice of paper and fold it into a cone that fits over the top of the body tube you made. Tape it together to get it to stay. Make sure it fits over about an inch. Now, the fun part. Fill the tube up with what ever you want. Match heads, powder from sparklers, black powder, etc. Fill it a little over 3/4 of the way up. To finsh the rocket, glue the nose on, and slide it down until it fits good. Leave the excess paper from the cone on. You may want to make the rocket stronger with some masking tape.

It is easiest to launch if you have a model rocket launch pad and controller. Just cut of a fourth of a straw, and use it as the launch lug. Slip it on your launch pad, and wire the engine like any other rocket. Then just hit the button and watch your rocket climb up and explode. If you do not have a model rocket launch pad, you are going to have to get about a 2-3 inch green fuse, and fold the end over and stick it into the nozzle of the engine until so it will stay. Light the fuse and get back. This is best to do at night because the explosion will be seen much better.