tube launched rockets

[shadopyro]

Hi,

Ive had a look on the net but haven' much useful except weapon firing systems for milataries. i usually take my rockets out of town to launch, every time they get battered in my bag or something (cycling!), so i thought what if i were to make a tube launched rocket? this way it wont get battered in the tube.

Has anyone got any ideas on how to accomplish this? how would i stabilise it when the fins might be hard to fit into a tube?

 

thanks

shadopyro

[brainfever]

I'd say it's more trouble then it's worth.

 

You could make some kind of "unfolding" fins out of pices of plastic, but it won't be as reliable and may throw the balance of your rocket out of the window all together.

 

I think I read a discussion on some forum about it a while back and someone suggested folded pvc-soft-drink-bottle plastic glued on the rocket body.

 

Best case scenario with any unfolding system is that it gives a spin on your rocket and keeps it stable that way.

 

 

Stick stabilised rockets from a piece of tubing are alot easier though :-)

[shadopyro]

Ah i see, what about making some grooves cut into the body of the rocket or something? now that i think about it i think your prob right about it being too much trouble.

 

thanks for the time, i havent given up all hope yet, just need some inspiration...

[ewest]

What if you put fins on the front and rear of the rocket?

 

That way it would be centered in the tube. I had a chance to shoot a military rocket launcher once, let me try and attach some pic's. They were practice rounds so they didn't explode but talk about sweeeeeeet.

 

If you look closely you can see little tits in front that stabilized the rocket in the launcher tube.

[ewest]

Here's a couple more. I have a video of us shooting it too. Although it sounds nice, it's really not all that impressive since it doesn't explode at the end

[paintballtwib]

The little stabilizers at the front is a good idea. You wouldn't want to put fins on the front and back or that would defeat the purpose of having them (if they were the same size, that is...).

[Douchermann]

The little stabilizers at the front is a good idea. You wouldn't want to put fins on the front and back or that would defeat the purpose of having them (if they were the same size, that is...).

unless of course they are alternating. I'm actually working on a project similar to this (I call it project: taliban). One of the parts of the project is to get a rocket small enough to fit in a managable tube while maintain very good stability and accuracy. (Just by the word accuracy you should be able to tell what project taliban is all about). You will actually have to have fins on both front and back unless you are going to launch completely vertically. I've found so far that the fins should be the same width as the diameter of the rocket body. So far I have gotten fairly stable flight with 1/2" fins on an 11/16" rocket body. This would fit in a 1 3/4" I.D. tube. I havn't tested this at long distances though.

 

Here is a picture of one of my rockets.

 

http://www.douchermann.a0tu.com/imgs/rocket.jpg

Yes everything was made from scratch (and yes, the body tube is made from 2 m-80 tubes glued together. The engine was an estes rocket engine though, because I figured I'd have enough trouble getting this thing to fly in a straight enough line, I didn't want any errors dealing with this aspect.

[dragonman586]

Look up stomp rockets. If you get the right images or have a friend who has this toy it should be easy to unerstand the folding fin concept. Also don't some military rockets have the fins recessed in the body and the flick out with the help of springs upon leaving the tube.

[Douchermann]

Yes, there are some like that. Also aerial flares (if you've ever seen october sky) ...at least I think it was an aerial flare.

[shadopyro]

that rocket looks pretty promising! what i dont get is how it can stabilise while still in the tube if its using those fins you used. as in woudnlt there be a gap between the actual rocket body and the inside wall of the tube? or is that not a problem?

I've had an idea though, what about if i were to not actually use a real tube, i mean like have slits running up the side of the tube where the fins go, so when the rocket launches it is stablised by the slits holding the fins. then if need be put another tube around the outside to cover both the slits and the fins sticking out of them. I guess the only downside might be cutting slits (i dont have that many powertools thats suitable for this).

just an idea but right now it seems feasable... tell me what you think

[Douchermann]

Hmm, that would be fairly hard. If you're already doing that, you might as well just rifle the tube so that the rocket comes out in a spiral. Hey speaking of that... do you think a sprial would keep it steady enough to not need fins?

[dragonman586]

Yes, there are some like that. Also aerial flares (if you've ever seen october sky) ...at least I think it was an aerial flare.

It was a flare and october sky is what I was reffering to.

[shadopyro]

Not unless the rocket body's actually got spiralled grooves cut into it, but im not fully sure to be honest. I guess it would then be like a bullet (a rather large one!), and i guess the body would have to be really symmetrical... methinks i'll try my idea as soon as i can get some pvc tube or something like that...

[dragonman586]

Did any of you see the episode of the mythbusters where they did the confederate rocket? It was tube launced, at the nozzle there were flaps that forcet the thrust in a cicular fashion for stalbilization. Look up hale rocket for details.

[mr.pyro]

Yes I definetly just watched that episode a few weeks ago. They actually had a pretty succesful flight for what kind of materials they had to use. I dont know how effective that would be for small rockets however.

[Karl]

I was thinking about doing tube launched rockets from now on too. But my only fear was, due to my high rate of CATO’s; I wouldn’t want a rocket to CATO inside a stronger tube. I suppose it would act like a mine but I wouldn’t want to risk it due to shrapnel.

 

With my firing field only being a 5 minute walk away; my equipment doesn’t really get that damaged. Well, wait until you see the launch tube I’ve used, possibly over 50 times! But that’s just general wear and tare. The only thing is, I get muddy walking over a muddy field in the pitch black (apart from torch light). So I was thinking about making a small, lightweight ‘Launch Anywhere’ rocket system. Rather than go out onto the mud to dig the launch tube in, I could fire from the car-park (Private land so it’s never occupied).

 

I will give one a go tomorrow, make up some rockets and go fire some using my new system. I have the idea already I just need to get it to work.

[shadopyro]

good deal!

would it be possible to get some picures of them? and possibly a video?

i still havent been able to try it yet, exams in the way, and cant get hold of a jigsaw or a good pvc pipe...

[Pyrohawk]

Ya know I've been reading this thread.... Why not just use stinger rockets?? They have no stick.... Just slide one down your tube and have a hole drilled in the side to put the fuse in and wholla!

 

I'm not planning on making one as I just don't want to. But thought I'd throw that in there.

[ewest]

I'm assuming by tube launch we're talking about holding a tube horizontal and firing like a bazooka right?

 

I don't think the stinger would work unless you have the tube vertical. The stingers need a nail or something to sit on so it can be free to start spinning just before it takes off. If you hold a tube horizontal the stinger couldn't sit down, it'd be lying on its side and I doubt it'll spin correctly.

 

But I could be wrong, throw one in a tube and try it.

[Mr.Dan]

Stinger work great although i have never put one in tube i have shot them off the nail from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. It works well so long as the nail is a somewhat good fit for the core.

[h&k machineguns]

I have been experaminting with a tube launcher also.By the way I just found this forum and this is my second post.

I have been experamenting with tube style launchers . Have you tried 3 aluminum 1/8" or bigger rods that go from the top of the rocket all the way down(Past the end of the rocket 8" +). These rods have always stabalized rockets great for verticle flights with no launch pad(Just balance straight on the ground).

I love this threat,Keep um coming,great idea's.

[shadopyro]

If your saying what i think your saying then that would be a great idea, an advanced version of what i was gonna do!

This way the rods wont get in the way of the fins, nice one! - i would just simply need some cheap long kniting needles or something and a plank of wood!

[h&k machineguns]

If your saying what i think your saying then that would be a great idea, an advanced version of what i was gonna do!

This way the rods wont get in the way of the fins, nice one! - i would just simply need some cheap long kniting needles or something and a plank of wood!

No fins,just rods. The would go from 75% of the rocket and extend 8+ inches past the rear. I can take 3 fullsize drinking straws from circle K and mount them in this fasion with super glue and the rocket motor flies just as straight(Vertical) as they do with a 1/8"ooden dowl that's 18 inches long. You don't even need a pipe with the straws.Just kick some dirt around the straws for support

[shadopyro]

And this actually flies straight? i have to try this now.

This way i wont need to attatch long sticks which tend to break in my bag.

Thanks for sharing the idea!

BTW you happen to have a video of it in action do you?

[h&k machineguns]

And this actually flies straight? i have to try this now.

This way i wont need to attatch long sticks which tend to break in my bag.

Thanks for sharing the idea!

BTW you happen to have a video of it in action do you?

Yes it flies just as straight as a single long stick. I don't know why no one has discussed it here before.

I don't have a video,sorry.

 

Just grab a rocket D motor or smaller and superglue 3 large drinking straws evenly on the sides of the rocket. If the rocket doesn't balance on the ground than you can always snip a little off of a straw with sissors,or pile up a little more sand,rock.... around it to get it to stay.

 

I've never done this with any motor bigger than a D motor or 1 pound core burner before,so there could be a boarder of what size rocket this works with.

 

I also have never tried this idea in a tube before,but I'm 99% sure it would work.