"Would-be rocketeers, take note: Engineer William Gurstelle has written a book for you."

"To inspire kids to spend more time exploring science"

"13 projects engineered to be safe yet exciting and able to be built with household and hardware-store supplies"

"Offers a safe, cheap, and legal, labor-intensive and intellectually challenging to the 'oops I blew off my fingers' debacle."

"Fun and thrilling"

Ordinary folks can construct 13 awesome ballistic devices in their garage or basement workshops using inexpensive household or hardware store materials and this step-by-step guide. Clear instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects ranging from the simple - a match-powered rocket - to the more complex - a scale-model, table-top catapult - to the offbeat - a tennis ball cannon. With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also gives tips on troubleshooting, explains the physics behind the projects, and profiles scientists and extraordinary experimenters such as Alfred Nobel, Robert Goddard, and Isaac Newton. This book will be indispensable for the legions of backyard toy-rocket launchers and fireworks fanatics who wish every day was the fourth of July.

2006-03-16 Take cover

This is a really fascinating read.
Strong emphasis is placed on safety and is ideal for Parental supervision of all the projects.The story of the atomic spud gun is worth buying the book on it's own.