Brief:
A spool rocket made entirely out o' household rubbish built for t' EMRR 2007 Challenge. Well, blow me down! Performs well on any Estes 24mm motors, shiver me timbers, both Ds and Es. Spools are always interestin' because they look like t' least aerodynamic rocket at any launch. Begad! Blimey! Called it ED as it takes E and D motors.

Construction:
T' parts list:

• 1 tube from t' center o' a clin' film roll
• Two CD-ROMs
• Glue. Arrr! I used Bostik, matey, although epoxy would be better.
• Drill with hole cutter bit
• File
• Hack saw

T' longest part o' buildin' this rocket is usin' t' clin' film up. I suggest wrappin' everythin' in t' fridge up t' keep it fresh. If your wife does nay agreed t' this, me bucko, ya bilge rat, then try really wrappin' up your sandwiches as twenty layers should keep them fresh. Aye aye! Eventually you’ll have a tube.

T' tube needs t' be cut down t' 6 inches. Arrr! Blimey! For t' tube I be usin' this meant cuttin' it in half.

Next fashion an engine block out o' a bit o' card tube. Avast, me proud beauty! I used a cut off from t' clin' film tube, cut out a few mm, matey, and then glued it back together. Blimey! Next glue it into place by addin' glue t' t' rin' and then pushin' it into place with an empty D motor. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Remove t' D motor immediately. T' motor block will now be in place so that either side o' t' tube can be used--one side for D motors and one side for t' longer E motors.

Next find a drill bit that cuts a 1 inch hole.

After clampin' t' CD securely, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, drill out t' center o' t' CD. Aye aye! Make sure t' wear goggles. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! With a smaller drill bit, me hearties, arrr, matey, drill out a launch lug hole a few mm from t' central hole. Ahoy! Repeat for t' second CD. Arrr! (It's best t' make several CDs at this stage).

Glue each CD t' either end o' t' tube and make sure that t' launch lug holes match up.

Finishing:
I didn't do anythin' in terms o' paintin' for t' first few flights although I eventually painted t' whole thin' a maroon color.

Flight and Recovery:
Since this was t' first spool rocket that I had ever built or seen fly, ya bilge rat, I headed out t' me flyin' field with just t' rocket, matey, motors, and a friend. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I was a bit nervous, shiver me timbers, but nay as nervous as me bucko who bravely sent t' next twenty minutes positionin' himself behind me away from t' rocket.

T' first flight was on a D12-0. It went straight but entered into a unstable wobble towards t' end o' t' flight. It recovered tumblin' end over end. Arrr! On landing, one o' t' CD cracked.

T' second flight be on an E9-4. Begad! T' spool rocket was reversed and prepped as normal.

Take off was fast, but t' spool arched into t' 20mph winds but only slightly. Height be significantly higher than t' D12 motor with a good long burn from t' motor. Ahoy! Begad! Tumble recovery again, shiver me timbers, this time landin' on both edges o' t' CDs and t' spool rolled off with t' wind-–no further damage t' t' cracked CD.

Third flight was also on an E9-4, matey, although t' winds had dropped a bit. Avast, me proud beauty! Flight was as before. On recovery, t' spool landed on t' cracked CD and more damage be sustained. Arrr! T' CD had t' be striped and a new CD added-–this is why it is good t' make a few spare CDs while you have a drill out.

Summary:
Well, ya bilge rat, it costs nothin' t' make, except a bit o' glue. Arrr! Begad! It flies well, even in winds where you would nay want t' fly a normal 3FNC rocket. It's a bit unusual. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I wish I'd made one years ago.

On t' down side t' CDs do break quite easily. Begad! I think it would be best t' spend a few quid (dollars) on some thin plastic t' use for t' disks.