News:

In case of emergency, please visit our Lifeboat Forum, Spare Goggles.

Main Menu

The rocket pack collective thread

Started by maduncle, March 24, 2011, 11:10:56 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

maduncle


I would like to begin a 'collective thread for all them rocket packs'.

Given the recent work by Herr Doktor and Maets, I have decided that imitation is truly the sincerest form of flattery and I am setting out to flatter the pants off these excellent rocket pack builders.

And I know that there have been other rocket packs in the past - so please add your photos here for mutual appreciation.

As for my attempt - well, I have a pile of assorted rocket pack parts sorted and I have the pre-requisite Swedish knapsack frame. The plan is to mount the flexible copper tubing off the top of the oval tank and then attach the old brass air horn to that, pointing down the tank as the main thruster.



I have assembled two small directional thrust adjusters, these are made using two brass rose vases fitted with a 1/4" threaded rod. They then each pass through a brass chandelier fitting and screw into a small brass ball from a bed head. These will screw to the sides of my rocket pack.



As for the body of the rocket pack. I am using an old oval shaped petrol tank that I think came off one of those old paratrooper scooters from WW2. The tank has a nice 'miniature steam engine saddle tank' look to it. I had to cut a hand hole in the tank body to be able to fit off bolts from the inside for the attachments, but I have a disc to go over the hole I cut. My wife believes that the tank should be a nice bright red, so I will give it a try. If it looks naff then I shall revert to British Racing Green.



My theory is that I am a rocket pack racer, and this is my 'souped up' competition rocket pack. I might put a white oval on the pack with a number, just like racing bikes have. I like the idea of souped up customised and modified rocket packs for races - it feels like a more steampunk version of motorcycle racing.

So if anyone else wants to build themselves a rocket pack and enter the rocket races - please post your pictures here.

"Lockstock stonedead shock of a Dog Fenn frown"

Maets

Great start. Looking forward to the race!

Gentlemen Start Your Rockets!

Mr Peter Harrow, Esq

Gentlemen! Please remember to wear your asbestos trousers.
Proudly giving the entire Asylum The Finger!

Charleson Mambo

I don't have a rocket pack, yet.
So I'm posting mostly to say that:

Rocket Pack Collective would be a great name for a band. (Or an underground art movement. It just needs a manifesto.)


Charleson Mambo

--
To confuse, inveigle, and obfuscate.

The Alt.Cyberpunk.Chatsubo Anthology website: www.accanthology.com

Mechanism Man

You can keep your ray guns. Rocket Packs - It's the future!!
I just gotta have a go at this....
Ladies and Gentlemen - Light Your Wicks!
(I mention ladies as I find the thought of a ladies rocket pack rather appealing.... Not for me of course.... That would be just plain absurd.... But a rocket pack with an Amelia Earhart kind of outfit, yes, that would work rather well don't you think...?) 
Sometimes, I think that the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe, is that none of it has ever tried to contact us...
Calvin and Hobbs.

Herr Döktor

I heartily approve of more rocket pack based shenanigans!

:D

maduncle

Quote from: Herr Döktor on March 24, 2011, 11:21:57 PM
I heartily approve of more rocket pack based shenanigans!

:D

I believe 'rocket pack based shenanigans' will now shortly appear either as a chapter in a steampunk novel (and titled thus) or as a scene in a steampunk movie.

I can just see the misty english moors early morning, folk gathering in small groups flying their racing club flags from their workshop tents, the sounds of small whooshes and explosions in the background, several folk striding around in the latest in racing rocket packs as they show off their contraptions to the gathering crowds prior to the race, a dirigible in the distance flying the race half way point flag...

Ahhh - bliss!
"Lockstock stonedead shock of a Dog Fenn frown"

Xenos

Quote from: Mechanism Man on March 24, 2011, 11:15:44 PM
You can keep your ray guns. Rocket Packs - It's the future!!
I just gotta have a go at this....
Ladies and Gentlemen - Light Your Wicks!
(I mention ladies as I find the thought of a ladies rocket pack rather appealing.... Not for me of course.... That would be just plain absurd.... But a rocket pack with an Amelia Earhart kind of outfit, yes, that would work rather well don't you think...?) 

This.  VERY MUCH THIS.

I mean... er...  um...  Absurd, simply absurd and appaling!  ;)
No, no, girliepop, I GIVE advice, I don't TAKE it, not even my own.

The World's a Stage. The CAST is garbage.

Capt. Dirigible

Quote.... But a rocket pack with an Amelia Earhart kind of outfit,

Come, come, Sir! You're British! Surely you mean an Amy Johnson kind of outfit?


I say, Joe it's jolly frightening out here.
Nonsense dear boy, you should be more like me.
But look at you! You're shaking all over!
Shaking? You silly goose! I'm just doing the Watusi

Mechanism Man

I'm so sorry - I stand corrected. Please forgive my momentary lack of patriotism. It won't happen again!
Sometimes, I think that the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe, is that none of it has ever tried to contact us...
Calvin and Hobbs.

Dr Insidious T BoneHammer

No need to apologize, eventually you'll get it.......... wait for it.............. Wright, brother.....  ;D
I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Xenos

Quote from: Dr Insidious T BoneHammer on March 25, 2011, 07:25:09 PM
No need to apologize, eventually you'll get it.......... wait for it.............. Wright, brother.....  ;D

Here is your hat, good sir.  The door is THAT way.  *Points.*  ;)
No, no, girliepop, I GIVE advice, I don't TAKE it, not even my own.

The World's a Stage. The CAST is garbage.

Otto Von Pifka

...and don't let the doorknob hitcha where the good lord splitcha!

anyway, rocket packs as the new goggles. hmmm.

I always think of that guy on the ice skates who keeps trying to light a rocket pack and it fizzles then blows up.

I was thinking that if you need to use your hands to throttle and generally control the rocket pack, you are pretty much defenseless in flight. I am thinking foot controlled rheostats or valves could do the same and even allow the flier to use both hands for weaponry. put the rheostat panel on the ankle and a lever to the toes to control it.

the only other problem I see with most rocket packs is the whole center of thrust vs. center of gravity thing. putting all the rocket nozzles on the back without anything in the front would make for a giant pinwheel. I'm yhinking two thrusters forward of the hips and belly button high  would be low enough to allow you to use your arms without roasting them and hopefully not charring your legs either.

yeah I'm probably overthinking it.

Mr Peter Harrow, Esq

Shoulder mounted Gatling guns, you haven't seen Kick-Ass haven't you?
Proudly giving the entire Asylum The Finger!

Xenos

Quote from: Otto Von Pifka on March 26, 2011, 07:07:16 AM
<SNIP, because it starts to do funny if I type outside the box...>

Rather than have the thrusters where they can *potentially* burn you, why not have some manner of wings?  Or rather than have it all tight to the back, some sort of heavy protrusion to even it out a bit?  I like the foot control idea, never would have thought of that (spurs, anyone? :D :D :D ) myself.

For some reason, whenever I think of rocket packs, I always think of Sirius from Bomberman 64:
THIS GUY: ShowHide


His wings actually pop in and out, ala Buzz Lightyear.  Dont know how that would look, NOR how it would work from a physics point of view.  I DO know that wings are pretty much the ONLY way a rocket pack COULD work, at least from a practical point-that one dude that drops himself out of a flying plane and flies around is an example.

I mean, you dont want to fly around looking like THIS
Spoiler: ShowHide


Do you?
No, no, girliepop, I GIVE advice, I don't TAKE it, not even my own.

The World's a Stage. The CAST is garbage.

maduncle

#15
Wings?

Controls??

Burns???

How impractical!

I consider the arms pointed forwards in an aggressive V formation, and the legs tightly locked together at the ankles as the epitome of body flight dynamics.

My rocket pack will be controlled via wired goggles - where the left eye will blink to veer left, and the right will operate in a similar pattern. The wired goggles will be rigged to the left and right directional thrusters.

Altitude and descent will be controlled via the appropriate measure of fuel to the main thruster - controlled through the iris monitor in the goggles that monitors eye tilt.

I am also considering the fitment of a leather tail to the rocket pack to provide insulation against posterior burns.

But then we would not be true rocketeers if we could not suffer a hot arse from time to time. (Which must make my good lady wife a particularly good rocketeer - given her fine assets in that area...)

'nuff said.



"Lockstock stonedead shock of a Dog Fenn frown"

Xenos

Maduncle, true to your form, you have, once again, made my day.  I thank thee, good sir!

Now if I could just stop laughing! 
No, no, girliepop, I GIVE advice, I don't TAKE it, not even my own.

The World's a Stage. The CAST is garbage.

maduncle

Quote from: Xenos on March 26, 2011, 10:43:26 AM
Maduncle, true to your form, you have, once again, made my day.  I thank thee, good sir!

Now if I could just stop laughing! 

... but I am quite serious...
"Lockstock stonedead shock of a Dog Fenn frown"

H. MacHinery

Quote from: maduncle on March 25, 2011, 12:11:17 AM
I can just see the misty english moors early morning, folk gathering in small groups flying their racing club flags from their workshop tents, the sounds of small whooshes and explosions in the background, several folk striding around in the latest in racing rocket packs as they show off their contraptions to the gathering crowds prior to the race, a dirigible in the distance flying the race half way point flag...

All that's missing is Terry Thomas!

Dr Insidious T BoneHammer

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Capt. Dirigible

QuoteAll that's missing is Terry Thomas!

Quote from: Dr Insidious T BoneHammer on March 26, 2011, 09:45:39 PM
Has this ever been posted?



That chap is an absolute shower!
I say, Joe it's jolly frightening out here.
Nonsense dear boy, you should be more like me.
But look at you! You're shaking all over!
Shaking? You silly goose! I'm just doing the Watusi

akumabito


Xenos

Quote from: maduncle on March 26, 2011, 11:13:47 AM
Quote from: Xenos on March 26, 2011, 10:43:26 AM
Maduncle, true to your form, you have, once again, made my day.  I thank thee, good sir!

Now if I could just stop laughing! 

... but I am quite serious...

I've no doubt that you are!  Still, I find it humorus beccause I'd have said the exact same thing of my wife's...  Assets...  ;)
No, no, girliepop, I GIVE advice, I don't TAKE it, not even my own.

The World's a Stage. The CAST is garbage.

Mechanism Man

Quote from: H. MacHinery on March 26, 2011, 02:19:30 PM
Quote from: maduncle on March 25, 2011, 12:11:17 AM
I can just see the misty english moors early morning, folk gathering in small groups flying their racing club flags from their workshop tents, the sounds of small whooshes and explosions in the background, several folk striding around in the latest in racing rocket packs as they show off their contraptions to the gathering crowds prior to the race, a dirigible in the distance flying the race half way point flag...

All that's missing is Terry Thomas!




Well that's rectified that!
Sometimes, I think that the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe, is that none of it has ever tried to contact us...
Calvin and Hobbs.

Capt. Dirigible

Quote from: Mechanism Man on March 26, 2011, 10:44:03 PM
Quote from: H. MacHinery on March 26, 2011, 02:19:30 PM
Quote from: maduncle on March 25, 2011, 12:11:17 AM
I can just see the misty english moors early morning, folk gathering in small groups flying their racing club flags from their workshop tents, the sounds of small whooshes and explosions in the background, several folk striding around in the latest in racing rocket packs as they show off their contraptions to the gathering crowds prior to the race, a dirigible in the distance flying the race half way point flag...

All that's missing is Terry Thomas!




Well that's rectified that!

Ahhh T-T..gawd bless 'im! Good picture  ;D
I say, Joe it's jolly frightening out here.
Nonsense dear boy, you should be more like me.
But look at you! You're shaking all over!
Shaking? You silly goose! I'm just doing the Watusi