best ever simple entertaining rockets

[briskability]

Has anybody ever made match rockets? Well these are the easiest and most fun rockets. What'cha do is just take some tin foil about 1sq in and make is smooth by rubbing it on a flat surface with your finger and get a match. Next place the match head in the center of the foil then take the top 1/2 and fold it down to the match, on top of the foil take your finger and get the foil tight on all sides then fold the left side to the right, keep the foil tight and continue folding the foil around the match keeping it tight. Now your rocket it ready so your gonna need a launcher, get a paperclip and pull the middle coil up so it sits with like a 50deg. angle. To launch place your rocket on your launcher then hold a flame to the foil and Fwwwwweeeeeettt!!! there goes you rocket leaving a nice smoke trail. At best these things can got up to 20ft away and remember that practice makes perfect because i could launch only about 1/5 of my first rockets but overtime i became alot better. Have fun trying these out(do not use these indoors) and try to improve the design, i have made several successful multi-stage designs on this rocket, try it it's hard to do.

Jason

[Mike Everman]

ha ha, I love match rockets. i haven't done that in a long time. I've got kids to introduce that to now, thanks for reminding me!

[steve]

http://www.matchstickrockets.com/

I have only exceded 20ft once

I think my problem is that I keep burning through the aluminium wherever there arent enough layers. perhaps I should look for some thicker Al

[Jim Berquist]

I thought that was old hat ..... But it's still fun...

I'm sure others found this trick...You use the cheepo family dallar foil..

Two layers over the match head...

Before forming the foil over the match head place a pin accross the head of the match down the paper stick....

Wrap foil over all taking care to form a pointed nose at end of head!

Twist off the front end sealing....exstract pin leaving a port on one side of paper stick...

Leave no more foil then needed on the match...I liked about 1/8 inch from the head of match...

I found that the white matches worked better then the red?? Don't know why.....

I did manage to start a fire in my mom's shed I know was more then 20ft...

Port down seemed to work best on lift.......

I did try stick matches......the strick anyplace type had more uph...

Not as fare down range.....too much wieght maybe????



Dont burn your mom's shed!!!

[thecheat]

the weight is always a problem that's why they use the paper stick ones instead of a wooden.

I've tried these before, but never got one to go over 4 feet, which kinda disapointed me, maybe I'll just break off a million match heads (strike anywhere) and fill a tennis ball. Then I'll just throw it at some wall and watch it explode.... heh or go find a book of matches and try this stuff again..

[Jim Berquist]

The ball thing works good here in New Mexico for Coyotes!!!

But the match rocket show's little kid's how things happen!

I have 2 kid's in the military one 22 year old one 20 year old and as the one that can't keep his stuff to him self a 5 year old!!!

He will learn about the match rocket!!...Then the water rocket...then the hydrogen water rocket.....then the Estes......Then the Candy...Then the home made fuels....then the Who Know's.....

I'm not ready to be this old....I'm having FUN!!!!

[Jim Berquist]

Don't ever give up on the Match Rocket!!!

There more fun then one could know!

You set down watching TV and build about 50 or so!..Then you take them and the kid out side and do the thing!!

Keep away from mom's shed and do the thing!!

Yep Good stuff!!

Show the little one about the angle on the dangle and thrust up....down

Some people don't believe you can lanch one more then 20 ft but it can be done..

JIM

[Jim Berquist]

If your real slow and have good hand's you can seperate the foil from gum wrapers...It wieghts not and seem's to do the job! Two turns arrond the match head and ZOOM!!....The Foil is just a few micron's thick..

Don't Forget to use the straite pin to form the nossel!!!

Some say the red is best! I like the white match...I thing what ever is dryer is best..!!

Jim