Soda Bottle Rocket Launcher

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Soda Bottle Rocket Launcher
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Tools and Materials
8 ½x11 20lb copier paper 8 ½x11 64lb card
stock 8 ½x11 cardboard Foamie sheets
Rubber bands Paperclips Coffee stirrer
sticks Straws Scotch tape Masking tape
Scissors Glue gun Colored pencils 12 ruler
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Launcher
You can get these parts from Home Depot for less
than 5. - 3-foot long ½ PVC pipe. - ½ Right
Angle PVC pipe coupling - Block of wood 10x 4x
1 - Two 1 sheet rock screws. - One ½ pipe
hanger - 2-liter soda bottle. The wood block
helps keep the launcher stable. (Even thought it
s called ½ PVC pipe, it is actually 5/8 on the
inside and 7/8 on the outside diameters.)
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Launcher
Cut two 1-foot long pipe sections. If you get the
PVC pipe from Home Depot, you can usually cut the
pipe sections there with a hack saw or pipe
cutter. If not you will need a hack
saw. Connect the PVC pipes and the soda bottle.
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Launcher
Blast off!!!
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Fuselage
You can use thin card stock or 22lb weight paper
(typical printer paper.) Roll an 8.5 x 11
paper around a ½ PVC pipe. Tape this paper to
the pipe. Use small 1 sections of tape. It is
easier to control small tape pieces. Then wrap a
second paper around the paper that is taped. This
will make your rocket fuselage have minimum
friction with the pipe when it takes off. Tape
the second rolled paper and slip it off the pipe.
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½ PVC pipe
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Fuselage
Flatten and cut a point on one end. Tape that
end so it makes an air tight tube when you blow
in the open end.
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Nose Cone
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4
Wrap a 6 x 4 piece of Foamie into a cone.
Hot glue or tape the cone shape. Cut the open
end of the cone so it is round.
3
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Nose Cone Fuselage
Hot glue the nose cone to the fuselage.
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Tail Fins Simple
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Start with a 8.5 x 11 card stock or 22lb paper.
8.5
2.75
4.25
Mark a straight line from corner to corner. Put
the two pieces exactly on top of each other.
Fold in half, Hamburger style. Cut at the fold.
Bend in half and cut at the fold.
Fold the two strips in the middle and cut at the
fold.
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Tail Fins Simple
You need to make flanges on each fin so you can
tape or hot glue them to your rocket fuselage.
2.75
Score and fold a flange about ¼ along the long
edge of the triangle. Then cut a small slit
from the edge to the fold.
4.25
Cut along the diagonal line and you will have 4
symmetrical fins.
Bend the top flange to the left and the bottom
flange to the right. You need to do this for all
4 fins.
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Tail Fins Rugged
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Build these fins instead of the simple fins if
you want your rocket ship to last a long time.
8.5
Fold in half. Hamburger style
Cut the two halves
Fold the two halves in the middle.
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Tail Fins Rugged
The goal is to make 4 fins that are exactly
symmetrical!
4.25
2.75
Cut the two folded halves in the middle.
Fold the two halves in the middle.
Cut the four rectangles into four equal triangles.
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Tail Fins Rugged
The goal is to make 4 fins that are exactly
symmetrical!
Cut the four fins along the dotted line.
Now you need to fold flanges so you can glue or
tape the fins to the fuselage.
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Nose Cone Fuselage Fins
Hot glue the fins to the fuselage.
Top View
If you want your rocket to fly straight you will
need to mount your fins at right angles. You can
make a cross hair template to ensure good
alignment. Try mounting your fins so they will
make your rocket spin. Your rocket may not go
quite as high but it may travel in a straighter
line if it is spinning like a bullet.
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Nose Cone Fuselage Fins
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Hall of Fame Rockets
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Nose Cone Fuselage Wings Tail
You could add wings and a tail instead of fins
and launch a glider. Before you launch it, make
sure it glides well. You can position the wings
forward or backward to control the center of
gravity. You could also cut elevators to control
loops. You can stiffen the wings by
folding the leading edge or taping a coffee
stirrer stick to the leading edge.
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Decorate Your Plane
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Air Show

• Competitions
• Best looking (scale of 1-10).
• Furthest distance.
• Most accurate.
• Highest flight.
• Most interesting flight (scale of 1-10).