After the success of my 3d printed prototype rocket, I decided to try to make a full-scale version. As always, everything was 3d printed (except for the parachute, which I made out of some tablecloth). I also designed this rocket to be used with my DIY motor, because I needed a way to test my motor.
Here are all of the files I designed and printed, feel free to look at them and even use them if you want to try something like this yourself:
The general idea of this rocket is to test the viability of using 3D printed parts to make rockets, and to test my homemade rocket motor. Since my motor doesn't have an ejection charge, I will use a fuse and some black powder to eject the parachute. Below is the construction process, step-by-step:
Here are all of the printed parts:
The only thing not there is the piece that goes on the motor so the motor can be put into the rocket.
Step 1. I made the parachutes with a tablecloth, and attached one end of the string to the nose cone, and the other end to a piece of thick paper:
Step 2. I glued a stopper to stop the parachute from falling too low into the tube (left) and the thick piece of paper into the upper body tube (right):
Step 3. I made the pre-printed fins on the lower body tube (left) too small, so I designed and printed larger fins (right) that could be glued on:
Step 4. Onto the lower body tube, I glued the larger fins on, and also glued on a coupler to join the lower and upper body tubes together:
Step 5. Onto the coupler, I glued on a little cover over where a fuse would eventually go:
Step 6. I attached two rail guides to the side of the rocket, which will guide it along the launch rail when it is launched:
Step 7. I installed the parachute ejection charge (in the blue bag) and the fuse, which goes in the ejection charge bag and sticks out of the rocket so it can be ignited (the fuse is white). I made it by tightly wrappping a small amount of motor fuel in a tissue, and rolling the tissue up.
Step 8. I put on the upper tube, secured it with 4 3D printed plugs, and the fuse is sticking out so it could be lit before launch:
Step 9. I packed the parachute into the upper tube, put on the nose cone, and the rocket is done (except for the motor), which is covered in a different blog