Rocket Candy Rockets

Rocket candy is used to fuel rockets. It is a mixture of oxidizer and fuel. For this recipe, you will need KNO3 (saltpeter) for the oxidizer and suger and corn syrup for the fuel.
This Instructable calls for:
Tape
Paper
Saltpeter
Corn Syrup
Table Suger (Sucrose)
Stove Top
Water
Spatula
Wooden Rod
Wooden Stick
Drill
100% Cotton Yarn (Optional)

This recipe should be used with caution and once the the rocket candy is made, do not expose it to an open flame. This project should be done under adult supervision. I am not responsible for any injuries that occur with this project.



Photo from: http://crunchall.com/rocket-engines-from-sea/

In order to contain the mixture to fuel, the rocket will need a casing.  To begin making the casing, fold and cut the paper along the short side into three strips.

Tape the strips together short end to short end creating one long paper strip.

Roll the taped paper strip around a wooden rod and tape the paper creating a hollow cylinder of paper.

Add clay to the end of the paper (enough to close the opening).  Place the clay end on the table and insert the wooden rod into the paper casing to flaten the clay. The clay will eventually be the nozzle for the rocket.  Wait for the clay to harden.

For this recipe, you will need a 10:5.1:1.8 of saltpeter:suger:corn syrup.  The mixture I make is 33.3g saltpeter, 17g sugar, 6g corn syrup.  For every gram of mixture add 2.09 ml of water (I added 27 ml for my mixture).

After the materials are gathered in the right ratios, put all of the mixture in a pan on a stove top and continuously mix the ingredients together.

After the fuel is mixed, it will eventually harden into a tan/brown paste. Collect the fuel into a clump on the pan and turn down the heat.

Scrape the mixture into the casing and pack it tight so that there are no air bubbles. Pack the mixture to the top and shove the mixture down with the wooden rod until completely full.

To cap the casing, place layers of tape or use clay to cap the end that is not already capped with clay. For my rocket, I used tape.

Drill a hole in the first clay cap (about an eighth of an inch around should do) about half way into the rocket. This will be the nozzle that will propel the rocket.

Attach the rocket to a wooden stick so that the rocket can be fired with the hole in the clay facing down. This completes the rocket section of the Instructions. This rocket can be fired with a store bought electric model rocket launcher. Continue for slow burning wick instructions.

To create fuses, mix together a mixture that is a 3:2 ratio of saltpeter:sugar. I mixed 30 g of saltpeter and 20 g of sugar. After this, I took about a third of a cup of water so that the mixture barely dissolves all the way in the water (volume of water varies with quantities of mix). Next dip some of the 100% Cotton yarn and mix in solution. Place the wet yarn on a pan and place in oven at 300 for 20 min. or until dry. Once dry, cut the string into about three inch pieces that can be inserted into the rocket's nozzle.

Photo and inspiration of instructions from:http://mad-science.wonderhowto.com/how-to/make-slow-burning-fuses-from-yarn-sugar-and-potassium-nitrate-0140640/