The Minamoto Kobayashi Sugar Rockets Project!

Hello dudes.
Among my multiple insane and dangerous hobbies there is also the rockets/pyrotechnic passion.
Now I'm an experienced, judicious and prudent man, but in the past I have risked many times
to loose my eyes and my hands ...
I'm a lucky man yes, and someone in the heavens loves me, but it is better to be more sensible
and cautious when handling flammable compounds!
So, here is my little tutorial how to make a very nice and professional rocket.
All the tools used in this tutorial were built by me myself :na:

A 1 inch ID, 6 inch long and 1/8 inch wall shiny red tube:


The aluminum nozzle matrix:


Mounting and securing with an allen screw the matrix nozzle inside a big aluminum basement:


Inserting the red tube in the matrix with perfect fit:


Preparing quick-setting cement:



Inserting and pressing the cement:


Nozzle created:


Making a 6.5mm hole:


The powders - 64,5% Potassium Nitrate + 34,5% Sucrose + 1% Red Iron Oxyde:


Dissolving powders in distilled water:


Safety first! Wearing protections (face shield and thermal gloves):


Cooked compound:


Pressing the almost dry compound, about 20-30 grams at a time:


Nozzle clogged:


Making an 6.5mm hole in the compound until reach 3/4 of the whole rocket lenght while it is still tender:


Cooking the whole rocket at 130 °C for 20 minutes into a ventilated oven to dry perfectly the powder:


Strong epossidic bicomponent compound and 1 inch PVC washers:


Putting some compound inside the cardboard tube:


Pressing the PVC washers:


Washers glued:


Nozzle glued:


Placing some Kostrufiss glue on one side of a 1x1cm wood stick:


Rocket glued and supplemented with golden adhesive tape:


Adding a straw and some 2.5mm visco fuse:


.. and finally the rocket is ready to be lauched:


The launch!

I want to spend some more words about this project ...
This is my seventh attempt to create a custom homemade sugar rocket.
I also exaggerated a lot about the security measures taken, but this was largely due to a bad accident happened two months ago at my home.
It is absolutely essential to use face shield and thermal gloves to minimize unexpected.
Besides this, I used an electric plate to avoid open flames and regulated it at a medium power.
The compound was dissolved in distilled water before cooking it, and also when it was almost dry, it was far away from the melting temperature,
that could be near the auto-ignition threshold area.
Again, I used a solid, heavy cast iron cooking pan with a thick bottom to completely eliminate the chance of the creations of dangerous hot spots.
I also used silicon spoon and others plastic materials to avoid sparks.
Fire extinguisher and wet rags are highly recommended when making those kind of things.
Since there is a chance that the compound is not completely dry inside the rocket, it was necessary to put the whole rocket inside a ventilated
oven (after making a hole inside the compound) to eliminate every possible trace of water.
Why the use of a straw?
Because doing so the fuse ignite the compound from the innermost part of the rocket, and rapidly all the walls of the compound hole will be
ignited, from the top to the nozzle, creating a much higher pressure.

Of course this is only the beginning .. You know me :evil:

Are your rocket fuel compounds in % by weight? You didn't specify. Nice launch. Congratulations.

Yes by weight: every 100 grams there are 64,5 grams of potassium nitrate, 34,5 grams of sucrose and 1 gram or red iron oxyde.

That looks like crazy fun Minamoto, and yes, knowing you, we're going to see bigger and better rockets in the near future!
Thanks for sharing your other hobby with us, and be careful with those rockets. :beer:

Wow, That looks like that's loads of fun, enjoyed the tutorial and video, thanks

Now we have another explosive expert on the forum..

i thought that brown sludge was chocolate for a second... remind me of those exploding chocolate muffin prank on U tube).

your detailed tutorial blown me away.

Very nice detailed tutorial and impressive result! Now we just all need access to KNO3... Unfortunately its not readily available here. Did you make or buy yours? :beer:

Hello.
KNO3 is available from a realiable Czech Republic supplier:

Online pyro shop with crackers, fuses, Airsoft, Military and other equipmen


x BowtieGuy: Your comments are always appreciated. You are the best fan that I have here ! :bowdown:

Very Cool MK! I felt like I was watching an episode of "How it's Made" ! haa

Ever think of adding some fins to the rocket and a nose cone on top so it flies (I would think) more straight up? I have no experience in rockets but have seen many with those additions :shhh:

Many brands of stump remover are pure KN03, also I think you can still just buy it. But know your local law.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk..._nkw=potassium+nitrate+stump+remover&_sacat=0

Nice rocket! Been interested in experimenting with those myself at some point.

paul1598419 said:

Iron oxide is just rust. Does it come in a different color? :crackup:

Click to expand...

Yes, it does... Fe2O3 [Iron(III) Oxide] is red, Fe3O4 [Iron(II,III) Oxide] is black.

Yeah but to boost a little the powder is necessary to use red (or yellow) iron oxyde.
If You want something more simple this is a very good tutorial:


or if You want to do something dangerous:



or if you want to plant a flag on the moon: :crackup::crackup::crackup:

grainde said:

Very nice detailed tutorial and impressive result! Now we just all need access to KNO3... Unfortunately its not readily available here. Did you make or buy yours? :beer:

Click to expand...

I used to get potassium nitrate in 1967 at the local drug store. it was used at that time as a livestock laxative.

diachi said:

Nice rocket! Been interested in experimenting with those myself at some point.




Yes, it does... Fe2O3 [Iron(III) Oxide] is red, Fe3O4 [Iron(II,III) Oxide] is black.

Click to expand...

Isn't that ferrous and ferric oxide? It hit me as funny that "iron oxide" which is rust would be called red as a distinction. It wasn't meant as an insult.

paul1598419 said:

I used to get potassium nitrate in 1967 at the local drug store. it was used at that time as a livestock laxative.



Isn't that ferrous and ferric oxide? It hit me as funny that "iron oxide" which is rust would be called red as a distinction. It wasn't meant as an insult.

Click to expand...

KNO3 as a livestock laxative? Huh, learn something new every day!


That may be one naming convention, but Iron Oxide without specifying if it's II, III or II-III would encompass all of the oxides, unless you specify colour. That's the way I'd read it anyway.

Actually, ferrous which is +2 and ferric which is +3 is the preferred naming of these compounds by the IUPAC. The +2+3 that you mentioned is just both in combination.

paul1598419 said:

Actually, ferrous which is +2 and ferric which is +3 is the preferred naming of these compounds by the IUPAC. The +2+3 that you mentioned is just both in combination.

Click to expand...

Hmmm, we always used the II, III or II-III naming convention.

II-III is a mix of 2+ and 3+ ions yes, but it's still its own specific compound, Fe3O4.