Blow your friends away as you send this 25-cent rocket hundreds of feet in the air. Thanks go to Rock Schertle for the original article in MAKE, Volume 15. To download The Compressed Air Rocket video click here and subscribe in iTunes. Check out the complete Compressed Air Rocket article in MAKE Volume 15 and you can see that in our Digital Edition.
16 thoughts on “Weekend Project: Compressed Air Rocket”
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I’ve tried to find the valve at my local Hardware/home stores & even my local Gardening stores, but haven’t been able to find one.
I too had trouble finding the valves locally. I ended up purchasing it on line at HomeDepot.com. Valve was $11.97 plus $6.50 S&H so I ended up getting 2 for the same S&H ( sort of makes them seem less expensive that way :-)
Built and launched rockets at my son’s 9th birthday party. The kids loved it so much, I’ve committed to doing this ‘craft’ at 2 different scout meetings.
Home Depot keeps those in the plumbing department with the buried sprinkler systems. There is a chance of finding them in garden, but they are considered a plumbing item.
I too had trouble finding the valve, but did eventually find that Lowes carries them in the plumbing department with sprinklers. I suggest a 1″ valve, not the 3/4, as it will allow more air, and connecting an air compresser through a 150psi check valve, as you can ramp the pressure up to 150psi, which, in my air cannon (which is similar) shot a nerf dart a football field and a half.
Kip, great video. Nicely done. And thanks for keeping the format on youtube as I can’t watch those vimeo videos at the office.
Sprinkler valves are seasonal items so depending on where you live it may be harder to find.
Also, almost all sprinkler valves are rated at 24vAC not 18vDC as shown here. It will more than likely work but it’s good to give all the deets in case you have trouble operating on the lower voltage.
My valve was 24VAC so I used three 9V batteries in series just as John Park’s did with the Burrito Blaster.
Your rocket is soooo much safer than the rockets and explosions I used to do as a kid.
Luckily I never killed myself or anyone else.
Now I write ebooks about things to make and do.
Much safer as I’m now a grandad.
Google “Amazon + tomatoes + Brian Morris” and you’ll see what I did.
It took me just one day to write that ebook and it sells OK.
Now I show OP how to write ebooks. It’s FUN.
Brian Morris, in New Zealand.