Guest
Pop Pop boat. An aluminum can, a couple bendy straws, 2 part epoxy, hot melt glue, a styrofoam meat tray, 6 pennies, a couple rubber bands, aluminum foil, and a cut up birthday candle 3 hours with or without your kid on a rainy day and you get this pop pop boat... lego zombie added for humor value. Thanks to the genius at for the easy to follow instructions, all parts of which are presented in video clips here on youtube! as far as my understanding goes, it's a rudimentary steam engine... the aluminum can forms the 'engine' which is 'primed' with a little water... when the droplets of water inside are heated by the candle flame, they flash to steam and that pressure blasts through the straws under the boat creating a little thrust. The pressure also causes the metal to flex, making a pop noise as it expels the steam. Another pop noise is created as the metal returns, and at the same time acts as a diaphragm pump, drawing more water through the straws and repriming the engine. Pop pop pop until the candle burns out!
