Compressed Air Rockets (Part 3)

These images were taken from SpaceTec

Compressed Air Rockets (Part 2.01)

There are a number of people are interested in my Altoids Can Ignition Switch, so I thought I would post a few more pictures to help them out on there journey.

The toggle switch in is the off position.

Underneath the electrical tape is the illuminated momentary push button, and the toggle switch (or single pull single throw (s.p.s.t.) switch).  Also shown is the two binding posts.  I still need to draw up a schematic, but it is really simple.  The toggle switch activates the momentary push button, and the momentary push button activates the binding posts.

The safety is off and the Altoids tin is armed.

Compressed Air Rockets (Part2)

So what this project is missing is two things. The first thing and most obvious is paper rockets. We’ll cover that later. Right now I wanted to describe how to make a detonation box or the ignition switch.

Most of the parts can be found at Radio Shack.  The part they may not have is the illuminate momentary push button, but they have plenty of buttons that aren’t illuminated.  The parts that are needed are detailed below:

Material:

9 Volt Battery

Single Pull Single Throw Switch

Momentary Push Button (LED illuminate if possible)

Binding Posts

Solderless Banana plugs

Altoids tin (or any other brand or some sort of enclosure)

This is what the final design will look like.

Note:  The binding posts are not shown in this picture.  That was thought up after the picture.  When I get the chance I will update the picture and take some pictures of the guts.

Compressed Air Rocketry (Part 1)

Compressed Air Rocketry is well….just that rocketry using compressed air.  I got this idea from my friend Blakestradamus.  He has build these before and is quite the wizard.  He was going to build one for some cub scouts that were coming over to his house to investigate engineering careers.  I told him that I wanted to build one and that we could be two for twice the cost!  What a deal!

I’m going to try and detail everything that I did to assemble the Compressed Air Rocket Launch Pad.

All of the materials can be picked up at your local hardware store.  They should have all of these parts, but if not you can alter the design to the parts that are at your disposal.

Materials:

2″ PVC Tubing  – about 5 feet.  This will be cut into 3 different pieces.

2″ PVC End Cap – 1

2″ 90° Elbow – 2

2″ coupler – 1

2″ to 1″ Reducer – 1

3/4″ slip / 1″ threaded joint – 2

1″ Sprinkler Valve – 1

1″ 90° Elbow / 1/2″ threaded  – 1

1/2″ thread/slip joint – 1

Compressor air hose connector – 1

Other materials not shown

PVC primer

PVC glue/cement

Fully Assembled Rocket Lauching Pad

Valve overview

Base/Air Tanks

Base/Air Tanks

Air Hose Attachment Assembly

2″ Coupler

2″ to 1″ reducer

1″ Threaded to 3/4″ slip

1″ Sprinkler valve

1/2″ threaded to 3/4″ slip

1/2″ threaded / 1/2″ slip

2″ elbow

This piece is about 2 feet long.

Links/References

NASA Paper Rockets

Rocket Templates

Air Power Rockets