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Projects from Make: Magazine

Soda Bottle Submarine

Make a simple, self-propelled submarine out of soda bottles and other household items.

  • By Howtoons
  • Time Required: 1–3 Hours

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print this Project
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Soda Bottle Submarine
December 18, 2012, 10:57 pm PST
  • Parts
  • Tools

Parts

  • Water bottles, plastic (2)
  • Ruler, 6"
  • Rubber bands (3)
  • Chopsticks (2)
  • Paper clips (2)

Tools

  • Needlenose pliers
  • Scissors

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Steps

  • Project Steps View All
  • 1. Assemble the submarine interior.
  • 2. Connect ruler stabilizer fins with...
  • 3. Make the propeller.
  • 4. Experiment with buoyancy.

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Step #1: Assemble the submarine interior.

NextPrev
Soda Bottle Submarine
  • Drill a hole in the bottom of your bottle.
  • Using chopsticks, feed a paper clip through.
  • Hook paper clip into second hole for stability.
  • Use chopsticks to hook the rubber band to the paper clip.

Step #2:

NextPrev
Soda Bottle Submarine
  • Connect ruler stabilizer fins with 2 rubber bands.
  • NOTE: Why you need stabilizer fins: Without fins, prop and bottle both spin in opposite directions. With stabilizing fins, the prop spins and the bottle moves forward.

Step #3: Make the propeller.

NextPrev
Soda Bottle Submarine
  • Crush, then cut a bottle in half.
  • Trim around the bottom, and cut through the middle of each high and low point.
  • Drill a hole in the bottle cap.
  • Straighten paper clip, and feed through bottle cap then through propeller's center hole. Bend a hook into second hole.
  • Attach loose end of rubber band to paper clip hook.

Step #4: Experiment with buoyancy.

NextPrev
Soda Bottle Submarine
  • With lots of air inside, the sub has positive buoyancy and will rise under water or float on top.
  • With just enough air inside, the sub has neutral buoyancy and will stay level under water.
  • With little or no air inside, the sub has negative buoyancy and will sink under water.

Conclusion

This project first appeared in MAKE Volume 10.

Howtoons

Howtoons

What happens when you take a comic book artist, an inventor, and a toy designer? You get Howtoons. Our mission is to provide engaging content that teaches kids how to build things, combining instructions with storytelling. Howtoons has a foundation of science and engineering education, inspiring creativity through art and imagination.

The primary contributors to Howtoons are Nick Dragotta(comic artist), Saul Griffith(inventor), Ingrid Dragotta(toy designer), and Joost Bonsen(the big kid).

Howtoons.com

When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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