For this project I’m going to show you how to build a custom rocket launching blast pad.
You’ll find these don’t cost much to make, but they’re still impressively durable,
portable, and will launch a rocket, any angle you point it.
Let’s start this project with some common sprinkler parts. These are 3/4” PVC fittings,
and you should be able to find them all, at your nearest hardware store. We’ll also
need a 1/4 inch x 1-1/2 inch Fender Washer, and some 1/4” x 1-1/2” hex head lag screws.
In reality, you’ll only need one, but it’s good to have a couple spares on hand, just
in case you want them.
Now the body of our launch pad is made with 3/4” PVC tubing, and you’ll need 4 pieces,
that are 12” long. These other 15 pieces are exactly 2 inches each, and I cut mine
from the leftover tubing, so they didn’t cost anything extra.
2” tubes work really well for prototyping because, as you can see, they’ll join any
3/4” fittings together in an instant.
Ok, let’s go ahead and dry-fit all the pieces together just to double check we have all
the pieces we need, at all the right measurements. When everything’s assembled, the body of
your launchpad should look something like this.
Gluing any pieces together is completely optional, and in all honestly you don’t really need
too. But just because we can, I’m going to use a little PVC glue to make a few parts
on mine, a little more permanent.
I chose to glue the launchpad together in 5 separate segments, like you see here, because
this way it’ll easily come apart so we can store it later, when it’s not being used.
Now before we apply any glue, it’s really important to make sure all the components
are flat and aligned properly, and the easiest way to do that is by pressing them down on the table.
When you’re confident you can keep them straight, go ahead and glue the components
together in the usual way, by following the directions on your can of PVC glue. And it’s
a really good idea to have some kind of paper, or drop cloth covering your table, because
this chemical glue is nasty stuff and can eat the finish right off your work surface within seconds.
Give the connections about 5 minutes to cure, then go ahead and fit the 5 segments back
together to see how they look. Hopefully you got it right on the first try, because at
this point there’s no going back.
Now check out what we can do at the top. Push the head forward, then pull it all the way
back, and swivel it around 360 degrees. If it does that, then congratulations, your swivel-head
is working, and you’re ready for a blast pad.
I went to a local thrift store and picked up a variety of different pot lids and serving
plates for around $0.50 each, so I’m confident you can find something similar for around a dollar, or less.
Pot lids are an awesome choice, because when the handle’s removed, you can see there’s
already a hole drilled exactly in the center.
But for mine, I’m going with this serving tray instead, because I like the contour and
look of it better. Especially when it’s flipped upside down.
Now the blast pad needs a hole drilled in the center of the plate, so eyeball it as
best you can, then drill a hole 3/16” wide.
We need to drill the same kind of hole through the top of the PVC cross as well, right in
the center, because this is where were the blast-pad is going to get connected.
And before going any further, let’s just make sure this plate is actually going to
work, by setting the blast-pad in position and securing it to the PVC assembly with one
of the lag screws.
The threads of the screw should bite tightly into the PVC, sucking the plate down against
the plastic cross, snugly enough that it won’t move.
But, if for some reason you end up stripping the screw holes, or you just want it even
more secure, you can still add another screw on either side, by securing them into
the cross beam below.
Now that we know the lid fits, it’s a really good idea to add a 1-1/2 inch Fender Washer
to the center of the blast-pad, because it’s made of steel, and will help dissipate the
heat. Most pot lids are made of aluminum, and there’s a chance the blast from a rocket
motor will burn a hole right through it. But a fender washer on the top will block the
heat, and solve the problem before it starts.
With the screw and washer in place, mark a dot 1-1/2” from the center, and in line
with one of the arms of the PVC cross underneath. This hole will be for the launch rod, and
before you drill it, take a good look at it from the side, to make sure everything’s in-line and centered.
You’ll need to go all the way through the top, and just a tiny bit into the bottom.
But be very careful you don’t go all the way through.
If you did it right, you’ll be able to push a stick, or a rod through the hole, and position
it into the groove at the bottom, effectively locking it in place.
The rod I’m using is a 3/16” x 4’ steel rod, found in the hardware isle, of the hardware store as well.
Alright the time has come to customize our launchpad with a paint job, and for that I’m
using black and yellow paint, to match the Randomizer Rocket that I’ll show you how
to build in another project video.
3 coats of paint, and 24 hours later, the launchpad is looking pretty awesome. And at
this point our blast pad is completely finished, and ready for use.
Setting up is as simple as inserting the guide rod, and dropping a rocket into position.
Here you can see the nozzle of the rocket lines up perfectly with the fender washer,
and if that ever gets damaged for some reason, it’s super cheap and easy to replace.
Aright to test it out, I took my system to a launch site, and dropped one of my Randomizer
Rockets into position. You can see with this design, the rocket easily cycles through a
multitude of different angles, and can rotate a full 360 degrees as well. That’s awesome.
The rail, will even drop down to a flight angle of 0 degrees. And I’m not sure why
you’d ever need to use that feature. But I’m just saying you could.
I loaded my Rocket, with an Estes E9-6 black powder rocket motor, which you can see screws
in at the bottom. And even blasting off with that much power, you’ll notice the launchpad didn’t even flinch.
Your new launch-pad should be durable enough to last indefinitely, and withstand a lifetime
of rocket launches. And when you’re not out launching rockets, it’ll come apart
in seconds, for easy storage, or transportation.
Well now you know how to transform thrift shop pot lids, and PVC sprinkler parts, into
a custom rocket launching blast pad. That doesn’t cost much to build, but will still
just as durable and effective as anything you’d buy at twice the price.
By the way, it’ll also be a nice compliment your homemade Randomizer Rocket. So if you
want to make one of those, look for the project video on how I built mine.
Well that’s it for now. If you like this project perhaps you’ll like some of my others.
Check them out at www.thekingofrandom.com