Cub Scouts - Water Rocket field day - need help

Discussions about rockets, construction materials, adhesives, nozzles, nosecones and fin design.
rcrick00
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Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2017 1:50 pm

Cub Scouts - Water Rocket field day - need help

Post by rcrick00 »

Hello Guys,
I just reregistered today. As I mentioned in my introduction post, I have made a few Water Rockets in the past. What I am looking for is some suggestions and help.

My daughter is a Cub Scout Leader and she has requested for me to help her set up a day of building, flying and learning about Water Rockets with the Cub Scout troop that she is working with.

I can build and launch a Water Rocket for myself but I am looking for some help or suggestions about how best to set up the best building practices and flying for the scouts.

For one thing, I am using the Gardenia water hose Quick Disconnect fittings for my release mechanism. This works quite well but I was thinking it might be best to use soda bottles with no nozzle and keep it simple

as there might be as many as 8 to 10 Scouts building rockets. I have seen launchers that the bottle just slips over a pipe that goes into the middle of the bottle. I made one like that but it leaked badly. I used the U pull ring

type release and it was really hard to get that to work. I need to make up at least a couple of good launchers for this event. Are there any good ready made release mechanisms that can be purchased. I don't need the entire

launchers as I can glue up my own stands. However I am open to purchasing the entire launchers if the price is right.

On my latest rocket that I built for myself to fly with my grandsons, I used the best meat trays that I could find and it looks like that material may work out well but I am open to any suggestions. Also I am looking for ideas about

fin placements and balance of the rocket and such. Let me say in advance any suggestions and help is very appreciated.

Thanks

Ricky Hall
Prentiss, Mississippi
htvs@windstream.net
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anachronist
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Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 2:18 pm

Re: Cub Scouts - Water Rocket field day - need help

Post by anachronist »

You might want to check out the tutorials on this site here: http://www.wra2.org/Water_Rocket_Tutori ... _Links.php
There are several on building launchers. What you're probably looking for is a Clark cable tie launcher.

The only objections I have to the tutorial are twofold:
1. Don't try to bond metal pressure fittings to PVC (like schrader valves or hose barbs). Use compressor parts. They are cheap and safer. See pictures in my post here: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2987
2. The method for getting an o-ring onto the launch tube (so the nozzle won't leak) is tricky. Get some 1/2" copper pipe (which happens to be 5/8" outer diameter). Ream out the 1/2" PVC pipe with a 5/8" drill bit or countersink bit or actual reamer bit. You may need a drill press for this. Then you can fit the copper sleeve (you need only an inch) inside the ends of two pipes to make a nice o-ring seat.

Good luck.