Brief:
What better use o' t' Sunday newspaper? When I started this project I thought it would be very easy t' roll a tube from newspaper, after all it is really easy t' do at t' kitchen table. Arrr! I found as with many things it is never as easy as I thought.

Construction:
Parts list:

• 3-5 full pages o' Sunday newspaper (Actually any day will do)
• Old “D” Engine casing
• Soda 12 pack carton
• Toilet paper roll
• Keelhaul®©™ string, recycled from an old rocket that had previously lawndarted
• McDonald’s straw
• Old birthday card (cardstock)

Tools and Supplies:

• 3M Spray adhesive (Super 77)
• White glue
• BT-50 tube
• Maskin' tape
• Clamps
• Aluminum angle iron
• And other standard rocket build items

As mentioned above, arrr, t' most challengin' part o' this build be makin' t' newspaper tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! First, ya bilge rat, I struggled findin' a suitable mandrel for a “D” size engine. Begad! Ya scallywag! I went t' t' local hardware store checked every PVC, me hearties, copper, and galvanized pipe I could find without success. Aye aye! Then, I moved t' wood dowels which turned out t' be very warped. I finally gave up and decided t' use a BT-50 tube.

First, start by layin' t' newspaper flat on t' table with tube out on top it. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! At t' very end o' t' paper, arrr, apply paper glue at t' tip t' secure it t' t' opposite side o' t' paper ensurin' t' inside o' t' tube does nay unravel. Begad! Once t' end is firmly attached t' t' paper, begin slowly rollin' up t' newspaper over t' tube, sprayin' 3M adhesive every roll. As you approach t' center o' t' first sheet, add t' second overlappin' roughly half t' sheet. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! I found that sprayin' t' adhesive liberally produces a tighter tube. Aye aye! I rolled 4 tubes this way refinin' me technique each time and changin' t' number o' sheets per tube. Well, blow me down! I like t' 3 sheet tubes t' best.

As you can see from t' end view o' t' tube it is OK, arrr, but still is nay as tight as I had originally hoped. Ya scallywag! Next, I cut t' tube t' t' final length o' 18 inches.

As you recall I used a BT-50 tube as t' mandrel so t' tube was slightly large for a D engine so I needed t' add a spacer t' ensure a tight fit o' t' engine. I cut toilet paper tubes in half and then lengthwise. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I made sure t' tube was about .5” longer than a D engine. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I then trimmed it so it would fit into t' body tube without overlapping. Avast! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Finally, I glued one o' these into t' body tube makin' sure it be even with t' end o' t' newspaper. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! This insert tightened t' tube a bit and provided for a nice tight fit for t' engine. Aye aye! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! I planned t' use t' other half at t' top o' t' tube but it really wasn’t required and I was worried about t' chute hangin' up on ejection.

Next, arrr, arrr, I cut roughly a ¼inch o' t' end o' t' old motor tube for t' motor stop. I notched this slightly for Keelhaul®©™ strin' shock cord. I tied t' strin' t' t' rin' and glued t' rin' into t' tube liner previously inserted into t' body tube.

Now that t' body tube was complete, matey, I moved on t' t' nose cone. Begad! Well, me hearties, blow me down! I used a “Vault” 12 pack box t' cut out a disk t' size I wanted. Then I cut roughly 120 degrees out o' t' disk. Begad! Next, matey, arrr, I formed it into a nose cone and glued it together, overlappin' it about a ¼inch. Avast! I used tape t' hold it together until t' glue was set. Avast, me proud beauty! I then used t' rest o' t' old engine casin' t' form t' bottom o' t' nose cone. Begad! T' nose cone overhangs t' body tube t' ensure t' end o' t' tube would nay shred durin' launch. Blimey! After this be complete I used a 1/8” drill and added a hole t' t' bottom o' t' engine casin' for shock cord attachment.

I used t' same “Vault” box t' make t' fins, cuttin' so t' fold o' t' box would form t' leadin' edge o' t' fin. I made a number o' different shapes finally settlin' on t' one shown. I used up t' entire “Vault” box experimentin' so I had t' move t' a “Diet Coke” box I had on reserve. Begad! Once they were cut out, me bucko, I folded and I glued them together clampin' them t' an angle iron t' ensure they did nay warp.

While t' fins were dryin' I decided that attachin' t' fins directly t' newspaper tube may work for one flight, but it would be very likely that t' newspaper would tear and one or more fins could come off durin' launch. Aye aye! I decided t' make card stock reinforcements for each win' so I proceeded t' cut out 6 from an old birthday card.

I marked t' body tube and glued t' fins t' t' tube. Arrr! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I then glued t' 6 cardstock reinforcements t' t' fins and t' tube. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Once t' fins dried they felt stiff and secure.

Next I added t' launch lug. Well, blow me down! I had t' add a spacer t' t' launch lug because o' t' nose cone overhang. Begad! Begad! Back t' t' birthday card, I cut out a section o' t' card about 2” long and 1.0-1.5” wide, me hearties, first foldin' it in half then in half again. Blimey! I glued this t' t' body tube in a teepee fashion about 6” from t' bottom o' t' tube. Ya scallywag! I found me McDonald’s straw. Well, blow me down! Arrr! Cut 2” off t' straw and glued it t' t' card stock teepee.

I attached t' shock cord t' t' nose cone and admired me master piece.

Flight and Recovery:
As luck would have it, t' next weekend we had a nice surprise o' 12 inches o' snow and then a week later another 15 inches o' snow. Ya scallywag! Well, matey, blow me down! Blimey! I was concerned about what would happen when t' rocket landed in t' snow and got wet so I waited about 6-7 weeks. Avast, me proud beauty! T' snow is almost gone and I couldn’t wait any longer so I enlisted me kids and as many kids in t' neighborhood as I could for “catch recovery”. Although t' snow had melted t' ground was wet.

We prepped a D12-3 addin' tape t' hold t' engine in place and ensure proper ejection. It was a calm day with a slight wind toward some houses and trees. Aye aye! Ahoy! I angled t' launch rod slightly into t' wind. With last minute instructions t' t' “catch recovery” ground crew we began t' count down 5,4,3,2,1. Arrr! BLAST OFF!

T' rocket jumped o' t' pad and be at 100 feet before I even realized it. Ya scallywag! T' photo crew was as surprised as I was. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket corked screwed slightly but basically launched straight up and much higher then I expected. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I would guess 1,800 feet and maybe higher. Avast! Ejection occurred just after apogee with full deployment o' t' chute.

T' ground crew took off as they normally do in all directions t' ensure they could get t' t' rocket as smartly as possible or even catch it. Well, blow me down! T' rocket drifted nicely toward t' center o' landin' area and then t' wind picked up carryin' it into a tree just beyond t' landin' area. Ahoy! We expected it t' land in a month or so. Avast! What a bummer!

Summary:
This rocket was great fun t' build. Usin' recycled materials presented challenges in a design and construction, me hearties, but I enjoyed t' challenge that EMRR presented and plan t' rebuild this rocket again.

I would make one change after doin' some research on tube construction: T' next time I make a newspaper tube, shiver me timbers, matey, I will use a solid mandrel mounted in a fixture supportin' both ends. Begad! Ahoy! By spinnin' t' mandrel I think you can achieve a tighter tube.