How To Build A Bottle Rocket

How to Build a Bottle Rocket (with Pictures) - wikiHow
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How to Build a Bottle Rocket

Two Methods:
Making a One Bottle Rocket with a Launcher
Making a Two Bottle Rocket with a Launcher
Questions and Answers
A bottle rocket is fun and easy to make. In fact, you can build and launch a
simple bottle rocket by recycling materials you might find lying around at
home.
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Method 1 of 2: Making a One Bottle Rocket with a Launcher
1
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Roll a piece of paper into a cone. This will be the nose cone of the rocket. Feel
free to use colored or patterned paper to design the rocket.[1]
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Wrap the nose cone with duct tape. This will have it stronger and more waterresistant.
If you want to add a bit of color to your rocket, you can use colored duct tape to
wrap the nose cone.
You can also paint the plastic bottle if youd like to decorate it further. Feel free
to also add a design or logo to the plastic bottle (or body of) the rocket.
Attach the nose cone to the bottom of the bottle. You can glue it or use duct
tape.
Try to put it on a straight as you can onto the bottle and make sure it is
secure.[2]
Take thin cardboard and cut out 3-4 triangles. Since these will be the fins of
your rocket, try to cut them at perfect right angles so they can help the rocket
stand straight.
Use cardboard, construction paper, or manila folders as material for the fins.
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Sign boards, such as the ones that say For Rent or For Sale are also very
good fin material.
Place the fins on the lower part of the rocket.
Bend tabs into the sides of the fins so that they can attach to the rocket body
more easily. Then, tape or glue them on.
If you line up the bottoms of the fins with the bottom of the rocket, it should be
able to stand on its own.
Add ballast to give the rocket weight. Ballast can be any material that provides
weight for the rocket and ensures the rocket can coast once it is launched.
Use Play Doh or clay as ballast as it is soft, malleable, and unlike pebbles or
marbles, wont fall out or scatter when the rocket launches.[3]
Mold about half a cup of Play Doh or clay into the ridges on the bottom of the
bottle to form a rounded end on the outside of the bottle.
Cover it with duct tape to keep it secure.
Fill up the bottle with water. Pour 1 liter of water into the bottle.[4]
Make a very small hole through a cork. Make sure the hole is the same size as
Stuff the cork into the bottle opening. You can also wedge it in with pliers for a
Place the needle-like valve of a bicycle pump into the opening of the cork.
Turn the rocket right-side up. Hold it by the neck of the bottle onto the bicycle
the valve of your bicycle pump valve.
tighter squeeze.
Make sure it fits into the cork tightly.
pump valve, and aim it away from your face.
10
Launch the bottle rocket. Make sure you are in an open, outdoor area. The
rocket will shoot up quite fast and high so remove any obstructions and warn
anyone around you before you launch it. To launch the rocket:[5]
Hold the rocket by the neck of the bottle and pump air into it. The rocket will go
off when the cork can no longer withstand the pressure building up in the
bottle.[6]
Let go of the bottle. The water will shoot out everywhere when the bottle rocket
takes off, so be prepared to get a bit wet.
Do not approach the rocket once you start pumping, even if it appears that
nothing is happening with the launch, as this can lead to injury.[7]
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Method 2 of 2: Making a Two Bottle Rocket with a Launcher
Cut off the cap end of one of the bottles. Use scissors or a box cutter. You want
a nice, clean cut so the bottles can be taped together cleanly and straight.[8]
Cutting off the cap end of the bottle will make the rocket more aerodynamic
and durable. A rounded end is also softer so it will do less damage to any
objects if the rocket hits something when it lands.
Keep the other bottle intact. It will act as the firing chamber that will hold the
Add any decorative paint or designs to the bottles. Feel free to personalize the
Put ballast into the cut bottle. You can use Play Doh, similar to the procedure
water and pressurized air. It will also be attached to the launcher, or other bottle.
two bottle rocket with any logos or patterns. Be creative!
for the one bottle rocket, or kitty litter. Kitty litter is cheap, heavy, and when wet,
will stay in place well.[9]

To put in the kitty litter, tip the cut bottle and pour in about inch of kitty litter.
Then, add enough water to wet the kitty litter completely. Add another inch of
kitty litter and soak it again.
Avoid dumping in too much kitty litter as this can create a dry layer of kitty litter
than could get loose and scatter when the rocket is launched. Too much kitty
litter, or weight, in the rocket, can also cause the rocket to hit hard when it
comes down.
Dry the inside walls of the bottle and use duct tape to help hold the kitty litter in
place.
Tape together the two bottles. Line them up so that the cut bottle is on the
bottom of the intact bottle. Press the bottles together, so that the edge of bottom,
cut bottle goes over the intact bottle and tape them together with duct tape.[10]
Take thin cardboard and cut out 3-4 triangles. These will be the fins of your
rocket, so try to cut them at perfect right angles. This way, they will hold the two
bottle rocket straight and make sure it coasts smoothly.

Place the fins on the lower part of the cut bottle.
Bend tabs into the sides of the fins so that they can attach to the rocket body
more easily. Then, tape or glue them on.
7
8
Make a very small hole in a cork. Ensure the hole is the same size as the valve
of your bicycle pump valve.
Stuff the cork into the opening of the intact bottle. You can also wedge it in
with pliers for a tighter fit.
Place the needle-like valve of a bicycle pump into the opening of the cork. Make
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sure it fits into the cork tightly.
10
Turn the rocket right-side up. Hold it by the neck of the bottle and place it
11
Launch the bottle rocket. Make sure you are in an open, outdoor area. The
onto the bicycle pump valve.
rocket will shoot up quite fast and high so remove any obstructions and warn
anyone around you before you launch it. To launch the rocket:[11]
Pump air into the bottle. The rocket will go off when the cork can no longer
withstand the pressure building up in the bottle.[12] This is usually at around 80
psi.[13]
Release the bottle. The water will shoot out everywhere when the bottle rocket
takes off, so be prepared to get a bit wet.
Be cautious once you start pumping and do not approach the rocket, even if it
appears that nothing is happening with the launch, as this can lead to
injury.[14]
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Warnings
Be careful when using sharp objects to cut the bottle or the cardboard,
especially if you are under 10 years old.
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Things You'll Need

Method 1:
For the rocket:
A sheet of 8 x 11 paper
A bottle (a 2-litre bottle works great for a regular sized rocket, but if
you want to build a mini-rocket, you can use a regular sized water
bottle)
Fin material (thick cardstock or thin cardboard would work well)
Duct tape (to decorate and hold together your rocket)
Scissors
Play Doh or clay
Glue (optional)
For the rocket launcher:
Water
Bicycle pump with needle valve
Cork
Drill
Drill bit the size of the bicycle pump valve
Method 2:
For the rocket:
Two bottles (two 2-litre bottles, or two regular sized water bottles)
Fin material
Scissors
Duct tape
Play Doh or kitty litter
For the rocket launcher:
Water
Bicycle pump with needle valve
Cork
Drill
Drill bit the size of the bicycle pump valve
Sources and Citations

1. http://www.science-sparks.com/2012/03/12/making-a-bottle-rocket/
2. http://www.timhesterberg.net/water-bottle-rockets/how-to
4. http://www.tclauset.org/21_BtlRockets/BTL.html
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Article Info
Categories: Model Rockets | Pages with broken file links

In other languages:
Espaol: hacer un cohete con una botella, Portugus: Construir Um Foguete de
Garrafa, Italiano: Costruire una Bottiglia Razzo, Deutsch: Flaschenrakete
herstellen, Nederlands: Een raket maken van een fles, Franais: construire une fuse
avec une bouteille en plastique, : , :
, Bahasa Indonesia: Membuat Roket Botol
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 676,625 times.
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How to Build a Bottle Rocket (with Pictures) - wikiHow