Brief:
A spool rocket made entirely out o' household rubbish built for t' EMRR 2007 Challenge. Performs well on any Estes 24mm motors, both Ds and Es. Begad! Blimey! Spools are always interestin' because they look like t' least aerodynamic rocket at any launch. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! 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. I used Bostik, 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! If your wife does nay agreed t' this, shiver me timbers, me hearties, then try really wrappin' up your sandwiches as twenty layers should keep them fresh. Avast! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! Eventually you’ll have a tube.

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

Next fashion an engine block out o' a bit o' card tube. Avast! I used a cut off from t' clin' film tube, shiver me timbers, cut out a few mm, 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. Arrr! Remove t' D motor immediately. Avast, me proud beauty! 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, shiver me timbers, drill out t' center o' t' CD. Begad! Make sure t' wear goggles. With a smaller drill bit, drill out a launch lug hole a few mm from t' central hole. Repeat for t' second CD. Blimey! (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. I was a bit nervous, 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 be on a D12-0. It went straight but entered into a unstable wobble towards t' end o' t' flight. Aye aye! It recovered tumblin' end over end. Well, blow me down! Avast! On landing, one o' t' CD cracked.

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

Take off be fast, but t' spool arched into t' 20mph winds but only slightly. Height was significantly higher than t' D12 motor with a good long burn from t' motor. Aye aye! Aye aye! Tumble recovery again, 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, although t' winds had dropped a bit. Begad! Flight be as before. Avast! On recovery, t' spool landed on t' cracked CD and more damage was sustained. Avast, me proud beauty! 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, it costs nothin' t' make, except a bit o' glue. It flies well, ya bilge rat, arrr, even in winds where you would nay want t' fly a normal 3FNC rocket. Ahoy! It's a bit unusual. Ahoy! I wish I'd made one years ago.

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