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, ya bilge rat, after all it is really easy t' do at t' kitchen table. Arrr! Ahoy! 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, t' most challengin' part o' this build be makin' t' newspaper tube. Aye aye! Aye aye! First, I struggled findin' a suitable mandrel for a “D” size engine. Blimey! I went t' t' local hardware store checked every PVC, copper, shiver me timbers, and galvanized pipe I could find without success. Begad! Then, I moved t' wood dowels which turned out t' be very warped. Ya scallywag! 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. At t' very end o' t' paper, me bucko, 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. Aye aye! Once t' end is firmly attached t' t' paper, begin slowly rollin' up t' newspaper over t' tube, me hearties, me bucko, sprayin' 3M adhesive every roll. Begad! As you approach t' center o' t' first sheet, add t' second overlappin' roughly half t' sheet. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! I found that sprayin' t' adhesive liberally produces a tighter tube. Ahoy! I rolled 4 tubes this way refinin' me technique each time and changin' t' number o' sheets per tube. Blimey! Ahoy! I like t' 3 sheet tubes t' best.

As you can see from t' end view o' t' tube it is OK, matey, but still is nay as tight as I had originally hoped. Blimey! Blimey! 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 be slightly large for a D engine so I needed t' add a spacer t' ensure a tight fit o' t' engine. Begad! I cut toilet paper tubes in half and then lengthwise. Arrr! Avast! I made sure t' tube be about .5” longer than a D engine. Begad! I then trimmed it so it would fit into t' body tube without overlapping. Blimey! Finally, shiver me timbers, I glued one o' these into t' body tube makin' sure it was even with t' end o' t' newspaper. Ahoy! This insert tightened t' tube a bit and provided for a nice tight fit for t' engine. Aye aye! Begad! 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, me bucko, I cut roughly a ¼inch o' t' end o' t' old motor tube for t' motor stop. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Blimey! I notched this slightly for Keelhaul®©™ strin' shock cord. Begad! 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 be complete, me bucko, ya bilge rat, I moved on t' t' nose cone. Avast, me proud beauty! I used a “Vault” 12 pack box t' cut out a disk t' size I wanted. Ahoy! Then I cut roughly 120 degrees out o' t' disk. Aye aye! Next, me bucko, I formed it into a nose cone and glued it together, me bucko, overlappin' it about a ¼inch. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I used tape t' hold it together until t' glue was set. Blimey! Ya scallywag! I then used t' rest o' t' old engine casin' t' form t' bottom o' t' nose cone. Well, blow me down! T' nose cone overhangs t' body tube t' ensure t' end o' t' tube would nay shred durin' launch. Ya scallywag! After this was 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, me bucko, cuttin' so t' fold o' t' box would form t' leadin' edge o' t' fin. Aye aye! I made a number o' different shapes finally settlin' on t' one shown. Begad! I used up t' entire “Vault” box experimentin' so I had t' move t' a “Diet Coke” box I had on reserve. Avast! Once they were cut out, me hearties, me hearties, arrr, 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, arrr, but it would be very likely that t' newspaper would tear and one or more fins could come off durin' launch. Ya scallywag! 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. Aye aye! I then glued t' 6 cardstock reinforcements t' t' fins and t' tube. Begad! Once t' fins dried they felt stiff and secure.

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

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

T' rocket jumped o' t' pad and was at 100 feet before I even realized it. Avast! T' photo crew be as surprised as I was. Aye aye! Blimey! T' rocket corked screwed slightly but basically launched straight up and much higher then I expected. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I would guess 1,800 feet and maybe higher. Avast! Blimey! 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! Blimey! 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. We expected it t' land in a month or so. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! What a bummer!

Summary:
This rocket was great fun t' build. Avast, me proud beauty! Usin' recycled materials presented challenges in a design and construction, shiver me timbers, 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, matey, I will use a solid mandrel mounted in a fixture supportin' both ends. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! By spinnin' t' mandrel I think you can achieve a tighter tube.