Rockets!

Hey, anyone here ever had any fun with rockets, or built their own? I have, and here is a pic of the most successful engine I've built! I'd like to hear from anyone who has anything relevant, as this is a totally awesome hobby!

Here's a test that failed and exploded...

 

Huehehe fun, how did they work?

 

Sure, there are many ways, but what I did was the easiest for me. To make the engine (pictured above) I took a 150x20x20mm length of aluminium pipe, and then made the nozzle out of a 30x18x18mm aluminium cylinder with the use of a mechanical tool which I can't remember the name of (it basically spins an object and has a slidey thing that allows you to carve into it) but you can replace the nozzle piece with a washer and weld/rivet it on. The fuel is made up of 40% Sucrose and 60% Potassium Nitrate, also known as table sugar and saltpeter, which you combine in a saucepan (use an old pan, the Saltpeter is potentially hazardous) over LOW heat so that it doesn't explode in the pan. I reccomend an outdoor camping cooker for this, because it will smoke a bit and smell, but the smoke is harmless. When the fuel has all turned into a gooey mush that looks suspiciously like really runny poop, you can fill it into a fuel cartridge, which I make by cutting in half and rolling up a toilet paper roll, and then taping one end shut. The fuel is then spooned in and pushed down (Wear gloves, it gets hot) and then either left to cool or put in a freezer. If you plan on keeping the cartridges for a while, I reccomend puttiong them in an airtight bag, as the chemicals will easily oxidise once mixed. Once you have finished that, put the fuel cartridge in the engine, and push in a little cotton wool/tissue paper. Then, pour in plaster of paris to create an end seal to stop the combustion from exploding out the wrong end. Now, put a fuse in the nozzle and it's basically ready to fire. The fuel ignites VERY easily and you should take extreme precaution around it at all times, to avoid injury and/or funny moments for youtube.

Yup ^.^

 

Ooh, neat!

Also, may I add, this is probably highly illegal and dangerous as flip, so do it where noone sees ya xD

 

Has happened twice. Rather amusing.

 

Kewl!