Match Rocket Launch Pad
This Instructable gives a detailed guide on how to make a launch pad for match rockets. All materials you should be able to find around the house but if you don't have any of the items you can buy them very cheaply from your local supermarket.
Enjoy!
Please comment and rate! and please suggest improvements I can make!
Enjoy!
Please comment and rate! and please suggest improvements I can make!
Collect Supplies
This is a list of all the supplies that you will need during this project:
1. 1 match (preferably a strike-anywhere match),
2. 1 paper-clip (small, roughly 1 inch before straightening out),
3. a pair of scissors,
4. a ball of blue-tack (see picture for size),
5 a pair of pliers (not necessary , but useful),
Once you have all the supplies ready you can go on to step 2.
1. 1 match (preferably a strike-anywhere match),
2. 1 paper-clip (small, roughly 1 inch before straightening out),
3. a pair of scissors,
4. a ball of blue-tack (see picture for size),
5 a pair of pliers (not necessary , but useful),
Once you have all the supplies ready you can go on to step 2.
Straighten the Paper-clip Out
For this step you will need: The pliers and the paper-clip.
Take you paper clip and lift one end of the wire up and bend it just enough so you can get your pliers to grip it. Then with your pliers just carry on unwinding it until its roughly straight. Then just try and even it out some more until it looks like mine does. As I said earlier, you don't absolutely need the pliers but when evening the paper-clip out at the end its difficult without them. Put the paper-clip to one side for now but you can get rid of the pliers.
Take you paper clip and lift one end of the wire up and bend it just enough so you can get your pliers to grip it. Then with your pliers just carry on unwinding it until its roughly straight. Then just try and even it out some more until it looks like mine does. As I said earlier, you don't absolutely need the pliers but when evening the paper-clip out at the end its difficult without them. Put the paper-clip to one side for now but you can get rid of the pliers.
Cut the Head Off the Match
For this step you will need: The scissors and the match.
This step is very easy. All you have to do is get your scissors, open them up, slide the match in so you can see a few millimetres of wood showing below the match head and cut it off. The match head will have a tendency to "ping" off but if your careful then it won't go very far. You can keep the match head for using in a match rocket or you can discard it. Just put the stick to one side for now.
This step is very easy. All you have to do is get your scissors, open them up, slide the match in so you can see a few millimetres of wood showing below the match head and cut it off. The match head will have a tendency to "ping" off but if your careful then it won't go very far. You can keep the match head for using in a match rocket or you can discard it. Just put the stick to one side for now.
Prepare the Blue-tack Base
For this step you will need: The ball of Blue-tack.
This step is also very easy. All you do is take your ball of Blue-tack and push down on it with either your palm or your thumb so two sides of it are quite flat. It should end up with it being about 1.5 to 2 cm tall.
This step is also very easy. All you do is take your ball of Blue-tack and push down on it with either your palm or your thumb so two sides of it are quite flat. It should end up with it being about 1.5 to 2 cm tall.
Join the Paper-clip to the Match Stick
For this step you will need: The straightened paper-clip and the match stick.
This step is a bit harder than the others. First you will need to hold the paper-clip horizontal and in-front , of the top of the match stick which you should hold vertical. With about 1.5 inches of the paper -clip sticking out to the left you should bend the end sticking out to the right 1 time around the top of the match stick and then bend it down the stick but do another loop at the same time (see picture). End up with one end sticking out at the top and the other pointing diagonally down on the same side.
This step is a bit harder than the others. First you will need to hold the paper-clip horizontal and in-front , of the top of the match stick which you should hold vertical. With about 1.5 inches of the paper -clip sticking out to the left you should bend the end sticking out to the right 1 time around the top of the match stick and then bend it down the stick but do another loop at the same time (see picture). End up with one end sticking out at the top and the other pointing diagonally down on the same side.
Complete the Launch Pad
For this stage you will need: The Blue-tack base and the launch section you just made.
Simply push in the end of the paper-clip sticking out diagonally and the bottom of the matchstick into the Blue-tack base. After this just make sure there in securely and squeeze the Blue-tack together around them to keep them tightly in place and so they don't wobble.
Simply push in the end of the paper-clip sticking out diagonally and the bottom of the matchstick into the Blue-tack base. After this just make sure there in securely and squeeze the Blue-tack together around them to keep them tightly in place and so they don't wobble.
Completed!
Thank you for making/looking at this instructable and if interested in a more simple version go on my other 'ible here
Have fun, Be safe!
*Purple Guy*
Have fun, Be safe!
*Purple Guy*