DIY model rockets?

[krap101]

today i got bored and i made a rocket out of pvc. i put the engine thingy in and im wondering if pvc and stand the pressure and heat?

 

[dskidmore]

I'm guessing the PVC will melt if it doesn't shatter.

If you have a lot of land, a fire extinguisher, and a really long ignition wire, why not?

 

[krap101]

i have my old school nearby and is a pretty big field. i bought a starter set awile ago so i have the launch pad, inition wires and engines

 

[oscarbreeder]

GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!! Try the thick walled pvc.

 

[rich311k]

Give it a go. What could possibly go wrong.

 

[krap101]

lol i tried it today. i left the plug at home so i tried the lil ignitor thingy. i guess it needs the plug to ignite because it used up the ignitor, but it didnt go.

can you buy ignitors seperately? because i have like 5 more engines left and no more ignitors (ignitors are those 2 wires that come together at this lil flammable stuff that lights the gunpowder in the engine)

also i had to wittle away the insides on both ends to get the nosepiece in and to fit the ingine in

 

[afilter]

Yes you can get ignitors seperately, but they are pricey. Check out Wal-mart for engines. The Wal-mart Estes engines come with extra plugs and ignitors and are way cheaper than mist hobby stores.

BTW, PVC should be fine since most kits are carboard tubes. I am guessing you will not get much height due to weight. Be careful as it will be lethal coming down. Start out with samll engines and work your way up.

We had a parachute fail on a fairly heavy carboard kit one this summer and it was a missle coming down that buried 8" into hard ground. 8)

 

[oscarbreeder]

HMMM...this sounds like something I may want to check into.

 

[krap101]

i might not even try this until next weekend unless im not busy

 

[afilter]

oscarbreeder,

Model rockets are great! I just started the hobby this past spring with my kids. I never did it as a child, but it is a blast for young and old alike. 8)

Best part is it is inexpensive for some quality time with the family. You can get a starter kit with all you need including launch sytem and a rocket for like $20.

 

[beachbumin]

krap you seem to have everything fine. I used to make PVS rockets and put about 6-8 D rockets in them. The PVC shouldnt melt but def take afilters advice and invest in a good parachute because the come back down fast!!! Good luck!

 

[krap101]

hmm... i could bring my paintball gun along and try and shoot it down .

its going to be hard to get the parachute to pop out because the nose and the body is a pretty tight fit. i tried drilling it bigger, but i dont have any bits big enough

 

[bound_for_obx]

I hope that you have fins on it. If not, it is gonna be really unstable and no telling where it might go.

 

[krap101]

heh. i was thinking about wrapping a wire around it to give it some spiral :? and i drilled some holes pointed downward and to the left a little bit to give it some more. the wire was really annoying so i took it off.

so what should i use for the fins?

 

[deli_conker]

so what should i use for the fins?

Balsa wood.

 

[BillyZ]

http://www.estesrockets.com/

 

[Skyrmir]

Just a note, pvc will survive the lift off with no problem. The real challenge comes when the ejection charge goes off. If the engine and nose cone are both tightly secured, it's no longer a rocket...it's a flying pipe bomb. Just make sure one end or the other comes apart easily and you should be fine.

 

[FMJnaX]

I'm not a pyrotechnic or anything, but aren't pipe bombs made of PVC (or at least T.V. ones appear to be. lol)? Better make sure you don't get a blockage somehow. lol

Sounds fun though. Let me know if it works and I'll give it a try.

 

[cJw]

This thread is making me want to go out and buy a kit - it's SO much fun to play with.

Agreed, PVC is a little heavy for flight I'd guess, so it probably won't go TOO high - and definitely watch out for it's return!

I wonder if I can find that box that has my old rocket kit in it - I bought an 'all in one' type thing about 8 years ago that came with all that was needed for launch... hrm.

 

[BillyZ]

I used to build all sorts of kits when I was kid. My father, brother and I all used to work on them together. I made one that was 3 feet tall, but only about 1/2"-1" in diameter. I lost it! it went about 2-3 times higher than I expected it to and I lost in the clouds (low clouds that day) and I never saw where it came down (

They can be a lot of fun. But they ARE little bombs waiting to go off if you're careless. Take precautions and stay safe. I would suggest not using PVC... at least if this is your first attempt anyway.