Build an Overhead Water Rocket Launcher Part 6 safety spring

Part 6 of 7 parts, instructions for building an overhead water rocket launcher, as seen on the Ask This Old House annual kids program.
Links to all 7 steps, as well as other science toy projects are at http://www.sciencetoymaker.org/

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• build
• make
• water rocket
• ask this old house

[RedMatter3]

Dear slater I made this awesome experiment as you teach in the video but I have a small issue at the time I pull the string the safety does not let go the bottle completly and it makes the water and the pressure come out so I have to realese it manually what trouble do you think it has please answer soon. Thanks!

[sciencetoymaker]

@RedMatter3 can you send me an e-mail with close-up pictures of the bottle held on, then in the release position? Also, how do you release it manually?

Slater

[MrAllrounder77]

do i have to use these exact dimensions? and do i have to put the pipie all the way up in the bottle?

[sciencetoymaker]

@MrAllrounder77 No, you don't have to use the exact dimensions. I just feel a little safer having the vertical pipe guide the bottle up during the first few inches of liftoff.

Slater

[Golfy5746]

This vid is awesome! thank you so much! However, I do have one problem. When I pull the string, it pulls the pipe down, but the zip ties don't release, and the bottle doesn't go until you shift it a bit, which makes it unpredictable. Do you know what's happening? If you don't, thats ok, the video was still really helpful. Thanks again!

[sciencetoymaker]

Hmm, I think perhaps you have the bottle jammed quite hard onto the bump in the pipe. So I think the bottle might be getting stuck. Either pump more air pressure into the bottle or don't jam it on so hard (you might have to readjust the hose clamp a bit). My rockets will not lift off if they have less than 30 PSI or so of pressure. Let me know if that solves the problem.

Slater

[afiq8219]

hey the diameter of the 1/2 " is not match the mouth of the bottle and nice vids

[magnusmachinegun]

@karolschultz im working on that! :D

[brickerproductions]

you have a very calm voice

[joedelarios]

Awesome!!! Works very well!!!

[karolschultz]

lol you could do a RPG-7 :P

[Golfy5746]

I tried it today for my make your own lab science project and worked like a charm. Sometimes it still stuck, but that's waht was happening. thanks alot!