Ellwood Toffee Rocket

[Ellwood]

Hi, Ive been developing this rocket sled for two and a half years, had her started a few times, but never actually driven her. Next weekend is time to start her, and hoping for some real thrust ( quite a few mods since last time, and now i got sponsored with a 10 KG tube of NOS). Sofie runs on toffee, which when on fire, just loves a good squirt of laughing gas ( NOS).





So heres hoping that all runs well, and she can then be garaged until Feb 2014 Speedweekend on Ice in Orsa Sweden

[manta22]

Be sure to post videos of your run, Ellwood. Interesting project.

Regards, Neil

[mitchell968]

very kool . i ve modded some sleds but , not like that.  and toffee ? are you kidding ? can you use the cheap stuff , like a heath bar , or do you have to use that fancy toffee from sweden  ?  please keep us posted.     thanks              mitchell

[Ellwood]

I shall fix videos. I brew my own toffee, last batch was 2 gallons.

Here is an old video so you get some idea of the project.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOxmGSktMhQ

[Ellwood]

One video tells a thousand words! zoom forward to the explosion at 10 minutes. Carnage ! I dont think my toffee rocket is gonna make next speedweekend now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT15dJ2ozUw&feature=youtu.be

[saltwheels262]

that's a dam shame.
lucky that no one was hurt.

[Mobacken Racing]

You should use a different fuel, sugar based fuels are extremely dangerous since they tend to clog up the nozzle and turn the rocket into a bomb just like in the video just posted.

Oil soaked cardboard is suitable since it is cheap, easy to "refuel" between each run and has a high energy density.

[desotoman]

Ellwood,

Here are some still pictures of your video.

Tom G.

[grumm441]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qDdLYkyEi4
G

[Ellwood]

front view of the explosion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7a-Vsnswl8&feature=youtu.be

[desotoman]

Ellwood,

I noticed that you started backing up from the rocket just before the fireworks. Did you feel something was going wrong?

Tom G.

[Geo]

WOW!     Hope you guys are all OK.

Geo

[Ellwood]

Hi, yes, we survived alright. But what a tremendous blast. I made one big mistake by pressing the oxygen button - just thought it might give a bit of boost when my laughing gas ran out ! So i guess we all can learn from this by having protective clothing, fire extinguisher, as few folk involved as possible around the rocket, etc. Toffee is not to be messed with. At least my plan of sinking the whole sled in the trailer was a good idea. I wonder how high it would have flown if it wasnt tied down in the trailer and anchored down to the railway line. It will probably cost me 100 dollars to fix Sofie up again.