So I've had this tank kicking around for a few years and it is too small to take to Bonneville. Was planning making a go Kart for my son out of the tank but he is already too big. (I gotta work faster.) Anyway, we were watching Marvin the Martin on YouTube and the shape of the rocket lit a lightbulb in my head. The car was going to be gone for 4 weeks no problem I can build a rocket in that time. Make some fins, bolt it all together .........what could be simpler. Started off with these sections of a 24 inch diameter tank 11 ft long. Well, the proportions were wrong so I'll just take a bit out of the middle and shorten the rocket. Then the timeline went right out the window. Laying out a Tapered cylinder and getting a section cut so that the ends could be welded back together is a serious battle. The rate of taper on the front of the tank is different than the back so time to calculate some sectors of arcs. The second non-anticipated time loss was that only the upper half of the tank had the flange on it so I had to make a flange to go around the bottom allowing me to bolt the upper and lower halves together. Using aluminum angle and the stretcher I was able to make the flange. Section cut out of the middle and the two halves held together with pop riveted tabs. Starting to mock up fins. I wanted the fins to stay all stainless but since they also had to catch the wind and make the whole rocket pivot on the top of the post I had to give them more strength than just sheet. They are 16ga wrapped with 1" band 1/8" thick. Mock up with the two halves sectioned and together First stainless fin on for perspective. All the strength for these tanks is in the top half where they hung from the plane. I needed to make this my bottom half so it could be mounted on the pivot and support the whole m*** while turning to indicate wind direction. I wasn't sure how to mount a plate to a tapering rocket so I drilled up through the support ribs and used rods to drop through and give the locations for the holes in the plate. Lot's more time to make individual spacers to go between the plate and the tank. 7/16 bolts and stainless spacers cut from 1/8 wall stainless tube. (Car is coming back from the upholsterer tomorrow and I'm no where near done with the rocket.) Next up is mocking up the flame (18ga stainless) A little two tone powder coating Tanks all welded together, top and lower halves bolted up looks too cool to paint. But it needs contrast against the sky so it has to get painted. Some help from my neighbor and it is hung and ready for paint. You can see the base is cut at a 25 degree angle and it will bolt on to the pivot all make out of 3/16 stainless. Don't want rust streaks on this a few years from now. A good friend of mine got a buddy with a boom truck to come and stand up the weather vane. Now all my neighbors and I know which way the wind is blowing and it only took 7 weeks to get this 4 week project done. Maybe I should quit my job so I can work faster. Rocket spins smoothly and brings smiles to lots of people as they drive by. I have heard a few of the neighbors saying things like, "he seemed normal, then one day he put up that rocket and ...............
Not to be the Negative Nancy but shouldn't it have a porthole to look out of? Too cool though! Creative use of an old drop tank. Is the pivot on a bearing to let it swing easier? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Looks cool, but if you want to make it look Really Cool, you should put Red LED lights on each side of the flame that strobe! Would like to see that on a cold Michigan night!
I was originally planning on using an 8 hole burner from a water heater to make flame come out the back. I figured I could us a remote from a gas log fireplace to fire it. However, since it spins (it is a weather vane as far as the township is concerned) I could not come up with a reliable swiveling fitting to deliver the propane up to the rocket.
That is totally badd***. It is a shame we need to work to support our fun. I've wanted a rocket in the yard for years. Only like it landed at a 45 degreeish angle with some chain link around it.
Y'all got no weathermen in Michigan to tell you which way the wind is blowing???? but it's great looking work to cover their absence.
Absolutely... Positively... Without a doubt... ROAD ROCKET Car Club APPROVED!!!!! You certainly are making us all jealous!!! Each one of us would love to have that in our front yard! Beautiful fabrication work too! Hats off to you!!! WE LOVE IT!!
That is by far the most over the top weather vane ever created, it's bombastic! You should win some sort of award for your effort, we will have to work on that! I salute you, KK
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