Sunday, May 8, 2011

Your One-Stop Shop For Pulse Jets

DIY daredevil Bob Maddox?s new website has gotten off the ground almost as fast as his homemade pulse jets.

You may remember Maddox from his jet-powered bicycles, jet-powered motorcycles and jet-powered skydiving attempts. Maddox is mad for pulse jets. We?d be surprised if the Maddox family kitchen didn?t have a jet-powered toaster and jet-powered coffeemaker.

Now, the self-taught stuntman has a website selling DIY plans for his pulse jets. Just the thing for would-be jet setters who prefer an engine that?s tried and true to one built by trial and error. We?re resisting the urge to go shopping.

?I just decided it?s time to get serious, I?ve never had a website even though I?m all over the web,? he said. ?With this new website I?ll be sharing all my work with everyone by selling?plans for all my engines and most projects, too.?

Maddox discovered the humble pulse jet while searching for a way to get more airtime while skydiving. The simple engine, which powered World War II ?buzz bombs,? mixes air and fuel in a reed-like structure that requires no moving parts. Maddox planned to strap one on while skydiving but settled on bolting them to bicycles and other contraptions.

A few years back, Maddox gave up on his cabinetmaking gig to work full-time on pulse jets. He?s lived on commissions from fellow enthusiasts, building them for collectors and so forth. Maddox hopes the website will finance wilder projects.

?I won?t be building things?for other people. I?ll be building bigger and better projects and promoting?my website,? he said. One project is a wild racer he plans to run at Bonneville Salt Flats.

The site will feature Maddox creations in various stages of development and construction.

?I will be posting weekly updates on the new projects; we will have customer support and memberships,? he said. ?As you can see, I?m not going away!?

Photo: Bob Maddox with one of his pulse jets.

Source: http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/04/bob-maddox-pulse-jets-website/

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