39 replies to this topic

[StevenRS]

For a good fuel, you could use KNO3 and sugar, mixed with little petroleum jelly to slow it down, in a uncored rocket.
It would produce a fair amount of gas and water vapor, especially if you added a little sulfur.

[Zinginex]

For a good fuel, you could use KNO3 and sugar, mixed with little petroleum jelly to slow it down, in a uncored rocket.
It would produce a fair amount of gas and water vapor, especially if you added a little sulfur.

OK cool. Have you tested this fuel? I'm guessing yes Have you got a ratio for it?

[StevenRS]

It is 12:7:1, saltpeter to sugar to sulfur, and just vary the amount of petroleum jelly till it burns how you want it to. (start with very little, it affects it a lot) Sulfur is optional, chemically it should help, but i don't practically see much difference. Make sure to ram it very hard, though.

I haven't used it in a glider, but I have made some rockets with it, it burns to slow for those.

[Zinginex]

It is 12:7:1, saltpeter to sugar to sulfur, and just vary the amount of petroleum jelly till it burns how you want it to. (start with very little, it affects it a lot) Sulfur is optional, chemically it should help, but i don't practically see much difference. Make sure to ram it very hard, though.

I haven't used it in a glider, but I have made some rockets with it, it burns to slow for those.

Ok thanks very much. I'll test this out soon

[StevenRS]

I tested another rocket, the petroleum jelly might slow it down to much, so I cored it, and it worked great! I'm going to try a uncored Bp rocket next, see if that works.

EDIT: I made a giant paper airplane, attached a very small KNO3/sugar rocket and fired it, it worked, flew about 3 times as far as one could be thrown, but still not as well as I had hoped.

airplane4
Airplane
airplane2
airplane3
airplane5

Edited by StevenRS, 05 April 2007 - 12:13 AM.

[Zinginex]

Cool, sounds promising So you just powder and mix the KNO3 and sugar and then absorb it into a bit of petroleum jelly? Hopefully the BP rocket will be very, very good. I really need to get some sulphur

EDIT: Did you just light the rocket and then when it started going throw the plane? Also, should i change the name of this thread to rocket gliders if it's possible?

Edited by Zinginex, 05 April 2007 - 05:15 PM.

[StevenRS]

I actually didn't use any petroleum jelly in that one, as it was so small, but yes, just mix in a little bit after everything is well powdered.

To launch it, I set in on the side of our balcony on a smooth piece of wood, it's own force nudged it off the side. ( it was already hanging off the side a bit anyway)

[Zinginex]

I actually didn't use any petroleum jelly in that one, as it was so small, but yes, just mix in a little bit after everything is well powdered.

To launch it, I set in on the side of our balcony on a smooth piece of wood, it's own force nudged it off the side. ( it was already hanging off the side a bit anyway)

Oh ok cool

[minalth]

If you had a catapult system (elastic band) you could have a thread holding the plane in place (preventing it from being catapulted into the air). The thread would be placed so that either the fuse or the rocket its self would burn through the thread to launch the plane. This would work for paper test planes too... I'll have to have a go... Won't be for a couple of weeks though

[Zinginex]

If you had a catapult system (elastic band) you could have a thread holding the plane in place (preventing it from being catapulted into the air). The thread would be placed so that either the fuse or the rocket its self would burn through the thread to launch the plane. This would work for paper test planes too... I'll have to have a go... Won't be for a couple of weeks though

That's an excellent idea minalth. I'll try that when I get a chance. Very clever I won't be able to try for a week or so too.

[king pyro]

zinginex you have got a lot of information through this and you first thought that it will be closed.

stevenrs thanks for the composition of potassium nitrate sugar sulphur petroleum jelly. Sulphur justs starts the reaction easily. I also liked stevenrs's way of launching it. Stevenrs we have been talking over this for a while now but you are the first one to have posted your results practically.

great topic, isnt it?

zinginex thanks for starting it.

[StevenRS]

Yea, great topic zinginex. I tried a Bp uncored Bp rocket with the same plane in my pics, and it completely overpowered the plane, ripped it up,and just flopped around on the ground. It was funny though.

I'm going to slow my Bp down, and try again soon.

[king pyro]

Also, should i change the name of this thread to rocket gliders if it's possible?

Hey how did you do this? I have noticed it just now.

[paul]

Hey how did you do this? I have noticed it just now.

If you´ve started a new thread (you´ve got post #1) you´re allowed to change the topics name.

[king pyro]

If you´ve started a new thread (you´ve got post #1) you´re allowed to change the topics name.

OK thanks