pringles rocket

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GuitarRockets

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I was reading this link from the archives....https://www.rocketryforumarchive.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3215&highlight=Pringles+can+rocket.

Having built a rocket from pringles cans as you see here post #40 https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?25367-Rocket-Workshop-Gallery/page2.
The red and black rocket.

Although I have made a nice nose cone I feel it's a bit heavier than a balsa nose cone. I was wonder if anyone knew off hand could the LOC 3.00 nose cone fit snug or not at all. The cans are 3".

Thanks in advance. Bobby
 
A friend made his own nosecone using the Pringles can material. He made a paper template that went around the can, decided how many triangular sections he wanted and then mark the paper template with 2x that number lines to make equal divisions Then you connect the lines with a ruler to make triangles and cut away the excess. Use that to cut the tube and you can pull the sections together and glue them and/or fiberglass them to make a nosecone. You still need to make a shoulder but you can do that like you make a coupler from a body tube.
 
Yes...Pretty much the same technique I used. Works well I think. Was contemplating a LOC plastic nose cone to see it it would be lighter. The completed rocket is less motor is 9.5 oz as is but you know....trying scrape every gram off possible! Ya know how those rockets people are....
 
I have intended on doing this type of rocket for quite a while. I have a box full of pringles tubes and some quaker oats tubes also. No painting except, for the nosecone and the fins. The quaker tube would really be a "fatboy" taken to the extreme.
 
Doubletrouble.....you really have to post pictures of the quaker oats rocket.

I enjoy building rockets from unique materials.
 
I have intended on doing this type of rocket for quite a while. I have a box full of pringles tubes and some quaker oats tubes also. No painting except, for the nosecone and the fins. The quaker tube would really be a "fatboy" taken to the extreme.

Me too, on the Pringles and oats cans! For nosecones, I was planning on making my own (conical) out of paper.
I however, will paint my Pringles rockets, probably with extremely bright colors. One of then will be named "Bursting With Flavor!" and the cans themselves proclaim. :D
Not sure what to do with the oats can...
 
Why use a nose cone at all? Just use the plastic lid that comes with the can.
 
The weight of a 3" LOC cone (with a coat of paint) is 144 grams. I don't have a can laying around to check the fit, but the shoulder checks out just a shade under 3" (2.975"). Keep in mind that LOC cones are different now, with molded ridges on the shoulder to adjust fit (as noted in one of QQUAKE2K's builds).
 
My nephew made a nose cone for his pringles rocket out of a coke bottle. Fit perfectly and the shoulder of the coke bottle worked just like that on a proper nose cone.

He cut the bottom of the bottle off, turned it upside down, and glued it in. He used this to capture the end of the shock cord. The rocket flew really well.
 
The weight of a 3" LOC cone (with a coat of paint) is 144 grams. I don't have a can laying around to check the fit, but the shoulder checks out just a shade under 3" (2.975"). Keep in mind that LOC cones are different now, with molded ridges on the shoulder to adjust fit (as noted in one of QQUAKE2K's builds).

Thanks chadrog. I'l double check now to see if the weight saving can off set cost.

JPVegh....That would make things too simple. :bang:
 
A friend made his nose one from closed cell foam, then coated it with speckle, sanded it. Smooth and painted it.

Fins are little triangles spatter painted to look like chips.
 
Why use a nose cone at all? Just use the plastic lid that comes with the can.

Well, it might work, but I'm not too keen on putting a flat nose on any of my rockets. (Not that a Pringles tube rocket is going to be high performance anyway! :p)
OpenRocket won't even give an estimated altitude on my Pringles can rocket file if the nose cone it flat.
Closed cell foam is a good idea, but you have to turn the cone yourself from a block; they sell cones at craft stores, but the closest size that come in is 2 7/8", and I don't know what to put over it to bring it up to 3". Suggestions?
 
Rocketbuilder, 2 7/8" might work. I just measured the diameter and they are a shade under 3". Sounds like a stop at Micheal's and Hobby Lobby tomorrow!
 
Rocketbuilder, 2 7/8" might work. I just measured the diameter and they are a shade under 3". Sounds like a stop at Micheal's and Hobby Lobby tomorrow!
Still, you would need to coat it with something to bring the diameter up a bit. If you were building it as an HPR, I guess you could fiberglass it. I think what I'm going to do is: print out some appropriately sized transition templates, and wrap them around the foam cone. A couple layers of card stock would do, and then a poster board cone over top. Or, I might just make a poster board cone of the right diameter with some bulkheads inside. This would give more flexibility with length.
Good luck, and let me know what works for you! :)
 
Well, it might work, but I'm not too keen on putting a flat nose on any of my rockets. (Not that a Pringles tube rocket is going to be high performance anyway! :p)
OpenRocket won't even give an estimated altitude on my Pringles can rocket file if the nose cone it flat.
Closed cell foam is a good idea, but you have to turn the cone yourself from a block; they sell cones at craft stores, but the closest size that come in is 2 7/8", and I don't know what to put over it to bring it up to 3". Suggestions?

Open Rocket shows about 170 feet for a planter's peanut can with a C6. I've never modeled a pringles can, I like lays chips.
 
I am kinda considering making another nose cone from cardstock and putting a single layer of fiberglass. I plan to use the lay out as uncle vanya describes above. Which is what I did with this one except I foamed inside with great stuff window and doors then torn out a good deal of it once dry. But I do like your your idea with bulkheads in poster board.

JPVegh.....The lays cans have cool contours. Or they had....do they still sell those? That would be cool looking. Might be on the to do list!
 
Use very light fiberglass (0.75 oz) and you'll likely have no weight issues. As someone else said a paper cone can be formed also - that's likely even lighter than the method you are considering - but at some point you may get the weight too low and shift your center of gravity depending on the length and fin size you are using.

I should mention that working with 0.75oz cloth is akin to being the last airbender... it's pretty difficult for most people to keep it from turning into a wad of goo since it's so light that if you breath on it there's a good chance it will blow away.
 
My favorite nose cone material for odd-rockets is Nerf footballs. They come in a bunch of sizes, and you can squeeze them to fit a whole range of tube sizes. The smallest ones should fit a Pringles can perfectly.
 
UncleVanya....I am not a fiberglass expert and decidedly not even an amateur so I didn't know you could get cloth that light. I was just looking at the kits at Lowe's. Always pays to ask questions.

Nerf football? Will have to look into this....there was a load of'em at the dollar store recently.
 
I have made my own nosecones for irregular (to rockets) cardboard tubes. I would cut a v section into 2 pink or blue construction foam. I then epoxied a wooden dowel(5/16 or 3/8") into the v between the 2 pieces of foam with the dowel sticking out about 3 inches or so on both ends. I would chuck this into my drill press or lathe if you have one. Or, you could easily make a jig for a hand drill. I turned it down to shape with 40 grit sandpaper. Don't forget to make the shoulder. But, make it all slightly smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of the tube. I then pulled a knee high panty hose over the cone. The panty hose is being used as a super light fiberglass cloth. Twist the panty hose at both ends and tack it with ca glue to the dowel. Now coat it all with west system epoxy. You could use other brands of epoxy, the longer the set time the better. Let it set overnite and chuck it up to sand. It may need a second of coat epoxy. Sand and fill as needed checking the fit onto the rocket often. Slightly under size at this point is good. Remember the thickness of the primer and paint. One of the final steps before painting in to cut off the tip of the dowel and fair it into the shape of the cone. This makes a unbelievably light yet strong nose cone that resembles a factory cone. I will try to post some pictures later. If anybody has any questions feel free to send me a message.
 
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