How to Make a Hovercraft

The Tools Required:
1. Drill
2. Sandpaper (a sander is helpful.)
3. Hole Saw
4. A Stapler
5. A Wrench
6. Utility Knife

The Materials Required:
1. A large board (must be light enough for one person to lift easily.)
2. 4 bolts like this one (Pic.1) that can go through the board with room to spare.
3. A piece of thick plastic that fits about 6 inches from every side of the board (Pic. 2.)
4. A leaf blower. (The leaf blower isn't attached so it's okay if it is being used some of the time.)
5. A large plastic sheet that when is spread over the board has some slack.

Optional Materials:
1. Spraypaint
2. Colored Duct Tape

The Skills Required:
1. Be able to use a drill, a sander (or sandpaper), a stapler, a hole saw, and a wrench.

What You Need To Know:
1. The plastic inflates and is called a skirt. The way hovercrafts move is they blow air into the middle and it escapes out the sides and lifts it. Then it can move easily.

Step #1 Sand the board completely.

Step #2 Trace the shape of the leaf blower output after you take off the extension three inches from the back of the board.

Step #3 Using the drill, drill a starting hole. Then use the holesaw to cut out the opening (Pic. 3.)

Step #4 Stretch the plastic around the board, fold a few smalls folds to keep the air in and staple it about an inch in on the top. There should be some slack.

Step #5 Take the hard plastic and duct tape it on. Then drill the holes for the bolts and stick them in. Then use the utility knife to cut the duct tape, but don't cut the plastic.

Step #6  Cut slits on the edge of the soft plastic facing towards the hard plastic. The air will fill up the middle and lift you up.

Step #7  Make a brace if necessary for the leaf blower. Then stick the leaf blower in and fire it up! Cut or cover the slits as necessary. This model needs you to push it. If you are using a plug-in leaf blower you could use a power strip attached to a extension cord to also power a fan for propulsion.

Pic. 1

Pic. 2

Pic. 3