P-530 Rocket Launcher

8/6/2019 P-530 Rocket Launcher

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Rocket Launcher Parts List

Release Handle AssemblyPart # QTY. Material

RH-001 1 3" X 1/2" Wood Dowel Rod or nice stick

RH-002 1 8' X 3/16" Rope

RH--003 7 1/16" X 1/8" Steel Rod

Launcher Base AssemblyPart # QTY. Material

RL-001 1 Solid 7/8" PVC

RL-002 1 13/16" X 5/8" X 3/32" O-Ring

RL-003 1 12" X 3/8" PEX Supply Tube

RL-004 1 1/2" PVC Tee, S-S-S

RL-005 2 * 1/2" PVC Pipe

RL-006 1 2" - 1 1/4" PVC Reducer

RL-007 1 3" - 2" PVC Reducer

RL-008 4 1/16" Sheet Metal or purchased brackets

RL-009 1 5" X 12" X 1/2" Plywood

RL-010 1 ** 1/2" PVC Cap

RL-011 1 1/2" NPT PVC Adapter

RL-012 8 #8 X 1/2" Sheetmetal Screws

RL-013 2 3/8" Flat Washer

RL-014 2 3/8" X 5 1/2" HHCS Bolt

RL-015 2 Made From RL-013, RL-014

Launcher Fill Tube AssemblyPart # QTY. Material

FA-001 1 Tubeless Tire Valve Stem

FA-002 1 ** 1/2" PVC Cap

FA-003 1 * 1/2" PVC Pipe

FA-004 1 1/2" PVC Elbow

FA-005 1 * 1/2" PVC Pipe

FA-006 1 1/2" PVC Tee, S-S-F

FA-007 1 1/2" NPT - 1/4" NPT Reducer

FA-008 1 PSI Preasure Gage w/ 1/4" NPT

FA-009 1 1/2" PVC Pipe

FA-010 1 1/2"NPT PVC Adapter

* NOTE: 1 - 10' Section of PVC Pipe will make all 1/2" PVC Pipe parts

** Note: 2- 1/2" PVC Caps Total

*** Part FA-009 can be glued directly into part RL-004, thus eliminating

one of the RL-005 parts and both RL-011 and FA-010. FA-009

can be shortened to make the entire assembly more compact.


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Cub Scout Pack 530

St. Charles, MO

Boone Trails District

Greater St. Louis Area Council

Bottle Rocket Launcher

Assembly Instructions

www.pack530.org

These instructions should provide you with enough information to assemble your P-530

Rocket Launching System. Care should be taken to deburr all cuts made and to use primer on all

of the glue joints. Follow the directions on the Primer and Glue cans. Make sure to wear safetyglasses and follow all of the safety rules that you would with any other project. Dont hold PVC

parts in your hands while drilling. Drills can have a tendency to grab in the soft plastic and

you could wind up drilling your hand. If youre not sure about something, ask someone for help.

Be safe.

1) Make the Launcher base according to the print provided. Painting this part with 2 coats ofexterior house paint is recommended so that water doesnt damage the wood.

2) Cut all PVC parts per drawings.3) Measure valve stem diameter where it fits into the valve stem cap. Determine the correct

drill size and drill a hole in the center of the valve stem cap. Deburr the hole and insert thevalve stem into cap.

4) Follow directions on the primer and glue cans and assemble all joints on the Filler TubeAssembly. Care should be taken to line up the Tee and the Elbow so that your Filler Tube

Assembly is straight when finished.

5) Use Teflon tape and assemble the reducer into the threaded tee.6) Use Teflon tape and assemble the pressure gage into the reducer.

Your Filler Tube Assembly should now be complete. Allow the glue to dry according todirections on the glue can.

7) Use the drill templates provided in these drawings or use prefered method to drill holes inthe Launcher Housing and Release Collar. Deburr all holes and chamfer the 4 holes in theRelease Collar so the Release pin can be inserted easier.

8) Turn or sand Launch Tube according to print. *Note. The objective here is that tube abovethe sealing area becomes a slip fit through the opening of the bottle so the rocket has less

friction on it when launching. This tube keeps the water from running down into the FillerTube Assembly and keeps the water in the rocket where its needed.

9) Glue the Launch Tube into the Tee and carefully wipe off any excess glue around this joint.You dont want your O-ring spacer getting glued down when it comes time to adjust its

length.


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10)Assemble all parts of the Launcher Base Assembly according to the Launcher BaseAssembly Detail drawing with the exclusion of the O-ring Spacer. *Note that the twomount tubes must be inserted through the Launcher Housing and then into the Tee.

Remember to follow label directions and use primer and glue on all glue joints.

11)Attach the Launcher Base Assembly to the Launcher Base as per drawing using the 8- #8 X sheet metal screws. Drill pilot holes before inserting screws into the Launcher Housing.*Note the orientation of the threaded male adapter in relationship to the slots in the

Launcher Base.12)Make the O-ring spacer. Cut the spacer to length, and with a Dremel tool, open up theinside diameter to slip fit all of the way down the Launch Tube until it contacts the Tee. No

glue is needed for the O-ring Spacer. *Note. Its better to cut it a little long than it is to start

over. If your Release Pin holes in the Release Collar are a little off, this could effect thesealing efficiency of the o-ring. When you install the spacer, put the factory end up so the

O-ring will have a good flat surface to rest on. See step #17 for more info.

13)Install O-ring. Slip o-ring over the Launch Tube and slide it down until it makes contactwith the O-ring spacer.

Your Launcher Base Assembly should now be complete. Allow the glue to dry according to

directions on the glue can.

14)Make the Release Handle per drawing.15)Make the Release Pin per drawing. *Note: If your pin is too wide to fit into the holes in the

Release Collar you can narrow the distance between the forks by putting a curve in the

section between the forks. If the release pin is too narrow, unbend it a little and try to make

larger radius bends. The length of the forks is not very important as long as they protrudethrough the back side of the Release Collar when inserted into it.

16)Assemble the Release Handle, Rope, and Pin. Insert one end of the Release Rope throughthe hole in the handle. Tie a knot so the rope wont come back through the hole. Make a

Larks Head knot around the Release Pin. I recommend putting an Overhand knot behind

the Larks Head knot and wrapping the knots and pin with black electrical tape so that thepin doesnt come loose from the rope. Make a Lariat Loop knot in the remaining end andsecure it to the rear facing Mount Tube between the cap and the Launcher Housing.

Wrap this with tape so it doesnt come loose. This tether will keep the pin from possibly

hitting and injuring the releasee when the Release Pin is pulled.17)Insert a bottle over the Launch Tube and slide it down until it contacts the O-ring. Insert the

Release Pin through the Release Collar. You should only have to apply SLIGHT down

pressure on the bottle to get the Release Pin inserted. Too much pressure and youll forcethe O-ring out of position and it wont build up pressure. On the other hand, if theres no

down pressure needed to insert the Release Pin it could leak as well. Work with the O-ring

Spacer until you get a good seal. Once you have the length adjusted properly, its beenproven to be a very reliable method of sealing the air and water in the bottle.

18)Last, youll need to tack weld the 3/8 washers on to the 3/8 bolts to make the Hold DownPins. *Note: If you already have something that will serve to hold the launcher in place,

you can probably skip #18. The length of the bolts is not critical, you just need long enoughbolts to keep the launcher steady while the Release Pin is pulled. If you cant find long

bolts, 3/8 rod with washers welded on the ends will also work. Leave about 3/16

clearance between the washers and the Launcher Base when the pins are driven into theground. The slots are so you can turn the Launcher over, slide it into the bottle, then flip

the entire thing back over so you dont loose water trying to get the bottle onto the launcher.


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Congratulations! Youve built your very own P-530 Rocket Launching System.

Use at your own risk. This is a home made project and has not been engineered per

say. Use it with adult supervision. Dont let anyone lean over the rockets while the rockets are

pressurized. The rockets can launch with considerable force.Our Pack only allows 40 psi to be used to pressurize the rockets and weve never had an

accident with pressurizing the bottles. You be your own judge on how much pressure to use

and of how safe an activity this will be for you and your boys.

When the rockets fall after reaching altitude there isnt much force, but we dont encourageletting the boys run after and try to catch them. The rockets can still hurt if they land nose first

on their head, face or eyes. They can also trip while looking up and running to catch them.

There is a lot if information on the internet about bottle rockets and launchers. A commonlyrecommended starting volume of water is 1/3 of the bottles volume. Encourage the boys to

experiment with different ratios of water to air. A couple of web sites also show how to build a

parachute for your rocket and how it deploys.

Water Bottle Rockets are used in schools and universities as teaching aids and by people asa hobby. Used properly and with safety in mind, water bottle rocketry can be a safe and

enjoyable hobby. Have Fun!

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P-530 Rocket Launcher