rocket bottle launcher

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WEEMAN
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:44 pm

I have a question......
has anyone ever built a botttle rocket launcher??
i plan to build one its gonna be 3ft long by about 3 inch wide abs pipe
with a bicycle air pump tsped to the bottom with a feed ling running to back cap.... i just need to know how to make a release system to let go of the bottle when the pressure is high enough....any ideas??
for pics or more information to help....email me.....weeman_rulez@hotmail.com or post below
TurboSuper
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:55 pm

Mabye epoxy a 1/4W Resistor into the cap. Apply a decent voltage, and the resitor will roast, which should release the air inside the bottle.

I dunno, mabye that would work :roll:
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WEEMAN
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:59 pm

what?? how would that work there is no room its on the back of the bottle cap and thats a little crazy to boot!!!! im thinkin of putting a nail in just far enough for the bottle to slide up to and then when the shot is at the right pressure pull the nail.....idk just thinkin
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frankrede
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:00 pm

Somewhere on this site this guy made one that was really nice and made of aluminum
Current project: Afghanistan deployment
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WEEMAN
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:01 pm

what to search???is it still active though??
i will search.... :roll: although i find it boring.
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Sticky_Tape
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:06 pm

on google search water rockets. I made a woter rocket launcher.
You can tell how awesome a cannon is by the pressure used.
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/high-pr ... 12803.html
xnt rnm ne z ahtbg
Killjoy
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:06 pm

I made one, thing is sitting in the garage. I used zipties to hold the bottle on 1/2" sch40 pcv pipe that had an o-ring to seal it. I then made a collar out of 1 1/4" sch 40 pvc that compressed the zipties around the bottle rim and held tight till I pulled off the collar (used a trigger mechanism on my launcher).

Google the ziptie idea, you should be able to find something on it.
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trollhameran
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Tue Jul 01, 2008 1:22 am

im also building one at the moment but im playing with teh nozzle sizes, does any one have any ideas for a release system on a bottle with no neck and a 90mm nozzle
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psycix
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Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:05 am

You basically want a valveless launcher?
The bottle will probably not hold back air unless you o-ring it.
Then just block off the bottle with a thing that sticks in front of it.
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trollhameran
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Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:46 pm

basically yes except that the chamber will be launching rather than the projectile.

Tiss a good idea, may try it sometime soon
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Sticky_Tape
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Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:23 pm

You can tell how awesome a cannon is by the pressure used.
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/high-pr ... 12803.html
xnt rnm ne z ahtbg
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VH_man
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Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:25 pm

use a rubber stopper, and use the "twist the screw" method to hold the stopper in there untill it hits a certain pressure.
dat7203
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Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:26 am

if you are using 2 liter or 1 liter bottles, most of them will fit over 1/2 sch 40 pvc pretty tightly. I used a 4x4 piece of wood for the base of my launcher. Added some legs perpendicular to the base for side to side support. There is a vertical launch tube which bottle slides over after being filled with water. You have to figure out the lenght of your launch tube, but 10 inches is plenty for 2 liter bottles. Launch tube attaches to a coupling. COupling acts as a stop, so when you slide on the bottle it stops at this point. On other side of elbow, you attach a short section of pvc to 90 elbow which attaches to about 1 foot (going horizontal) of pvc. This 1 foot of pvc is attached to 4x4 base with pipe hangars. open end of pipe rigged with brass fitting to a schrader valve and pressure gauge. attach bike pump or better, air tank. 50 psi is a good launch pressure. It will get you about 200 ft if you have good aerodynamics. on either side of vertical launch tube, i attached a 1x2 and drilled two holes in each. Slide a bottle on to find where the lip of the bottle lines up on the 1x2s drill holes just slightyl above the lip. You take a piece of coat hangar, thicker is better bend it into a you and thread through holes over the lip of bottle, through other holes on other side. I think from here you get the picture. Fill water bottle, slide onto vertical launch tube, there will be a little leakage, put in the clothes hangar, fill with air (if there is a lot of leakage, duct tape can help, but may be too think, but if you use an air compressor or air tank and pour in more water to compensate for leaks, you should be okay), pull out coat hangar (with some kind of string that way you have a little safety), and watch bottle fly. email if you want pics, i don't have any right now.
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Spitfire
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Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:04 am

mythbusters made a quick release with cable ties, an pvc pipe. will try to get the link
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