16 replies to this topic

[Axelion burnout]

I just got a Titan recently at the Target clearance, and I have been searching around for how to make Titan rockets.

I tried the pool noodle technique, and that failed miserably for me. So I found an old toilet paper roll and shoved a Nerf Ball in it. Without the fins it worked pretty well, but now with fins added it stabalizes just like the Titan rocket.

Here are the materials you will need.

• Duct Tape
• Marker
• Toilet Paper Tube
• Nerf Ball
• Hot Glue
• Cardboard
• Knife or Scissors

After gathering the materials you need to carefully shove the ball in the tube so its about halfway in. Then wrap a piece of duct tape around the tube so it doesn't split open.


Cut out fins for your mini rocket using cardboard or craft foam.

I made the fins by holding the mini rocket up to the Titan rocket, and drew a line relative to where the fins were placed on the Titan rocket. Hot glue the fins on once you mark the correct spot to put them.


Make sure to angle the fins about the same way the Titan rockets are.


Make 3 fins for the mini rocket and hopefully it looks something like this


Compared to the Titan Rocket



Ranges (stock Titan, 20 pumps)

Mini Rocket 1 - 53 feet
Mini Rocket 2 - 41 feet
Titan Rocket - 62 feet

(I measured my ranges with measuring tape, a level shot, and there was no wind)

You can even connect the mini rockets together. Sometimes they come apart during flight but they normally stay together.


Any questions, and comments would be appreciated.

Edited by Axelion_burnout, 13 January 2008 - 03:40 PM.

[nerfalchemist]

Without the fins it worked pretty well, but now with fins added it spirals just like the Titan rocket.

Is it still accurate even though it spirals?

[Axelion burnout]

Yes, its the good kind of spiral. Like the Titan Rocket normally does.

Edit: After reading that, it did sound confusing (I changed it). What I meant was that the rocket is now stabalized in flight. Just like how when you throw a football you want it to spiral.

Edited by Axelion_burnout, 12 January 2008 - 08:50 PM.

[Maeric]

So... does the rocket fit over the stock barrel like the normal rocket? if so, thats a really cool find. And I think if you put 2 sets of fins on it, you might be able to get more accuracy.


EDIT: Sorry, forgot to say: OMFG!!!!111!!!!!1!!! That's AWESOME!!! But seriously, it's really cool. I'll have a write up soon on how to increase the range of the stock missle.

Edited by Maeric, 12 January 2008 - 08:55 PM.

[Axelion burnout]

It fits perfectly over the barrel, the seal is almost perfect.

I noticed when trying to make the pool noodle rocket that a paper towel (at least mine) has a pretty noticeable seal problem, so I just tried a toilet paper roll.

Other brands might have different roll sizes but I use Anglesoft.

Edit: Thanks for the compliment.

Edited by Axelion_burnout, 12 January 2008 - 09:09 PM.

[bobafett109]

You can even connect the mini rockets together. Sometimes they come apart during flight but they normally stay together.

If you connect them together, do not use fins on the one farther up. It decreases stability and accuracy. The reasons fins are at the back are to use the air resistance to keep it straight. If you have fins above the center of gravity, It gets worse accuracy. (Center of gravity is where it balances)
Here is a quick drawing I did to help describe it. NOTE: The center of gravity is guessed. It is not where it really is.

With the rocket with fins on the bottom only, when it gets tilted the airflow pushes it back straight. On the second one, with fins above and below, The same thing happens, but also getting countered by the top fins doing the exact opposite. Think of the center of gravity as an axis that the rocket spins on. Bottom fins push it counter clockwise if it gets tilted clockwise, the top fins push it MORE clockwise.

[Prometheus]

Why do some cruise missiles have fins near the front?

[bobafan]

Fins are the keel of aeronatics. They align a progectile to the air current by not allowing a crosscurrent.

Missles have many fins because it adds stability to steering. It is like a car with front wheel steering opposed to rear.

[Axelion burnout]

Very interesting, I did notice a lack in accuracy when I shoved 2 of them together. However the only reason I do that is hoping that they split apart and turn into 2 rockets to dodge. Thanks for the diagram though, that was helpful.

Also something else I noticed, if you hold the rocket on the barrel it become quite an effective ball launcher. This is not suggested because it messes up the end of the toilet paper tube. But that just shows how effective of a seal the toilet paper tube has on the Titan.

Edited by Axelion_burnout, 13 January 2008 - 02:30 AM.

[Ro-Sham-Bo]

Is the ping pong ball really enough weight? It dosnt seem like it to me but I'm not expert

[PC III]

a Nerf Ball

He used a ballistic-ball, not a ping-pong ball.

Edited by P.C. III, 13 January 2008 - 08:12 AM.

[bobafett109]

Fins are the keel of aeronatics. They align a progectile to the air current by not allowing a crosscurrent.

Missles have many fins because it adds stability to steering. It is like a car with front wheel steering opposed to rear.

So if you want to have fins on the front for twist, have the fins be smaller than the ones near the back.

[MoonMaster]

I have one suggestion (sp?) to make after building several homemade rockets and launchers from scratch.
If you tape two tubes together to make one larger tube, weight only one end and put fins on the other, you will mast likely get better ranges due to the greater acceleration time before the missile moves only on inertia.

[sn1per]

Would all those peices of leftover christmas wrapping paper tubes work for this?

[Axelion burnout]

Thanks for the help, bobafan and bobafett.

Moonmaster, after making the mini rocket I would like to make a double tube rocket, sadly I am out of toilet paper tubes. I agree with you on the fact that it would probably go the distance of the Titan rocket because it would be all the way on the barrel of the gun. I just have to wait another day or two to get some more tubes.

Edit: Sorry didn't see you there Sn1per. It depends, each company will have different size and length tubing for their wrapping paper, so its basically just trial and error seeing which ones fit onto the Titan barrel. The toilet paper roll has a very good seal, as I said before it turns into an effective ball launcher if you hold the rocket on and fire the ball out of the end.

Edited by Axelion_burnout, 13 January 2008 - 01:50 PM.

[sn1per]

Thanks for the help, bobafan and bobafett.

Moonmaster, after making the mini rocket I would like to make a double tube rocket, sadly I am out of toilet paper tubes. I agree with you on the fact that it would probably go the distance of the Titan rocket because it would be all the way on the barrel of the gun. I just have to wait another day or two to get some more tubes.

Edit: Sorry didn't see you there Sn1per. It depends, each company will have different size and length tubing for their wrapping paper, so its basically just trial and error seeing which ones fit onto the Titan barrel. The toilet paper roll has a very good seal, as I said before it turns into an effective ball launcher if you hold the rocket on and fire the ball out of the end.

Aren't most paper towel tubes the same diameter and double the size (cut in half) of toilet paper tubes?

[Axelion burnout]

Mine were not, they had a larger diameter and didn't fit the Titan barrel as well. You can always see if yours fit though. But they were double the length of a toilet paper tube.

Edited by Axelion_burnout, 13 January 2008 - 02:17 PM.