How to Make a Hovercraft
If you have always been fascinated with hovercrafts but didn't have the funds to buy one by yourself, worry not. There are many ways to make your own hovercraft using simple materials.
Required Materials
Here are some of the materials you are going to need to start making a hovercraft:
- Cardboard of size 2 to 4 feet x 4 to 6 feet x ¾ inches in dimension. It can be of any shape - square, circular or even rectangular
- Hole saw. You need to ensure that the size of the hole is either equal to or less than the blowing end
- Stapler
- Duct tape
- Utility knife
- Mill plastic (heavy grade) - one size larger than the board size
- An air blower (vacuum cleaner, leaf blower etc.)
Instructions
- Take the hole saw and cut a hole measuring a radius of 5 inches from one end of the board. The size of the hole needs to be smaller than or exactly the same as the size of the blowing end.
- Take the mill plastic and use it to cover one end of the board. Ensure the plastic edge overlaps with the other end of the board.
- Staple the ends of the plastic onto the board's surface.
- Use duct tape to seal all edges. This ensures no air can pass through the duct tape.
- Take the central portion of the plastic cover and staple it onto the board.
- Cut about 6 4 inch circles from the heavy mill plastic using a utility knife.
- Sit down on the central part of the board.
- Keep the air blower end on the hole in the board and start blowing air through the hole end.
- Ask someone to push one end of the board very carefully. You'll be surprised to find that it actually moves! Be sure to check that the plastic portion on the bottom part of the board needs to blow up or inflate. If you find it not inflating use plywood to lift it up a little bit to allow some air to get inside the plastic area.
Caution
While it is fairly easy to make your own hovercraft, you need to exercise some caution. You need to ensure to use a heavy mill plastic with about 10 millimeters of drop cloth - even making do with an old shower curtain! Be sure to keep the hovercraft over a flat and smooth surface to get the best result. You could also try placing a piece of nylon string on the front portion of the hovercraft to make steering easier.
