My toddler is obsessed with rockets at the moment, so I decided to use an extra length of dowel to make him a sturdy one.

I’m currently brainstorming the best way to attach the fins, figured I’d see if anyone here had any ideas

Currently, I’m thinking of cutting perpendicular grooves from the bottom that the fins will slot into, with each pair of fins being a solid piece. But keep in mind I haven’t made the fins yet, so that’s definitely not set in stone.

Modeling after the v-2 because it looks as stereotypical as a rocket can

  • Snapz@lemmy.world
    7·
    6 hours ago

    My toddler (famously unstable, unreasonable creatures) loves rockets (photo of sharpened stick).

  • modem_down@thebrainbin.org
    30·
    15 hours ago

    I suggest 3 separate fins, in grooves. Stronger, and won’t wobble when standing on the fins.

    Your rocket’s nosecone looks very sharp/pointy. Please round off that and the fin tips. Toddlers can be clumsy; eyes are irreplaceable!

      • dohpaz42@lemmy.world
        5·
        12 hours ago

        Teach your toddle to hold the pointy thing sideways and in front of him, because even a dull tip can do damage.

        ~Also, please follow up with the final product. I might do this with my teenager. 😂~

        • sneekee_snek_17@lemmy.worldOP
          3·
          12 hours ago

          That’s actually a great point that I never considered teaching him

          (My hobby is starting and not finishing projects, so I’ll do my best, but no promises)

  • Ravi@feddit.org
    15·
    15 hours ago

    As cool as it looks you may want to consider dulling the tip , depending on the age and body control of your child.

    For the fins I’d just use a hand saw to make slits and glue them right in. Harder to break them off. For four just cut a cross in the bottom. For three cut from the sides.

    • sneekee_snek_17@lemmy.worldOP
      6·
      14 hours ago

      I’m definitely dulling everything, this is very early in the process

      I feel like cutting from the side would be quite difficult to start cleanly

      • Ravi@feddit.org
        2·
        7 hours ago

        I’d also go for the four fins. Easier to do and more robust, since you can prepare two V shaped double fins, put them together outside and the slide them into the main body together.

  • BCsven@lemmy.ca
    2·
    6 hours ago

    Since kids fall a lot, maybe slot the fin area and use that thick craft foam for fins. It won’t be as stable to sit flat, but maybe you can make a tiny pedestal stool to set it in for launch

  • Krusty@quokk.auEnglish
    4·
    14 hours ago

    Ngl. I saw that first image I thought you might be a vampire slayer.

  • Ravi@feddit.org
    4·
    7 hours ago

    Also pretty cool to play with: a bottle rocket. Take a regular plastic bottle, turn it upside down. Add fins to make it stand. Attach a manual bicycle pump to the bottleneck. Fill the bottle a little bit with water and pump it up until the pressure releases the bottom seal.

    Edit: make sure that the bottom seal can eventually slide off to release the rocket.

    My 5min search resulted in this guide on it: https://www.science-sparks.com/making-a-bottle-rocket/

    • grue@lemmy.world
      2·
      12 hours ago

      You forgot one detail important enough to be in your comment, not just the link: use a cork or rubber stopper to seal the rocket rather than screwing the original cap back on. Otherwise, you’re making a bomb instead.

  • TrackinDaKraken@lemmy.world
    2·
    13 hours ago

    I’d make it from a larger dowel, 1.5" to 2" diameter, with a rounded nosecone and chunky fins from 1/2" stock, so they don’t break when it’s tossed in the air. That way you could attach the fins with a screws and glue, no fancy milling needed.

    Before shaping, drill a hole half-way through for a window port, don’t go all the way through or they’ll get their finger stuck someday.

    • sneekee_snek_17@lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      12 hours ago

      A large dowel would simplify this a bit, but I’ve got what I’ve got

      They’ll probably just be itty bitty fins to keep them strong

  • grue@lemmy.world
    2·
    13 hours ago

    Just glue four individual fins onto the surface so that they’ll be easy to re-attach when they inevitably break off.

    If you put them in slots or something, all you’re doing is making it more likely for the fin material itself to break, causing you to have to re-make the part to repair the rocket.

    • sneekee_snek_17@lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      13 hours ago

      I’m torn, because I’m planning on sizing the fins and orienting the grain in such a way so he HOPEFULLY won’t be able to break them

      But I know that’s very very optimistic. Your take is realistic

      • grue@lemmy.world
        1·
        12 hours ago

        I have to admit, my perspective is informed by building and flying Estes model rockets (the kind with the thin balsa fins and the cardboard tube fuselage). The odds of one of those things surviving landing with all the fins intact is, shall we say, not high, even if your parachute doesn’t fail. Of course, those can’t be made with the fins penetrating into the fuselage because you need a cavity for the engine to fit into, so it’s a little different.

        I suppose if you make the fins thick enough (since it doesn’t have to fly), they might be durable enough to be through-mounted and still survive a toddler.