CD Spool Rocket Resource

2009 EMRR Challenge

Value Rockets

I have been building and flying CD spool rockets for the last several years or so. They are fun, cheap, and easy! (Great combination, huh?)

Free Downloadable Instructions

You can download my CD spool rocket instructions for free. And you can email me if you have any questions regarding the construction and design of these odd-rocs!

Please feel free to share this document with your local rocket club or friends. All I ask is that you do not modify my document and give credit as to where you got the file. Thank you.

[Note: My instructions require that you have a program that can open PDF files. While there is the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, why not try one of the much lighter, smaller, and faster free open source alternatives such as Foxit Reader or Sumatra PDF!]

Pictures

[Note: Click on any image to see a larger version.]

Here is a close up shot of 2 spools. The one on the left was made with 3 inch mini-CDs and the one on the right was made with standard 4.75 inch CDs. Both spools are shown upside down and loaded with Estes C6-5 motors.

Standard and Mini CD Spools ready for flight

Here is a close up shot of 2 spools. The one on the left was made with 3" mini-CDs and the one on the right was made with standard 4.75" CDs. Both spools are shown upside down and loaded with Estes C6-5 motors.

Both spools are on the launch pad ready for a drag race. I wanted to do a head-to-head comparison of the spools to see the difference in altitude. The mini-CD spool easily outclimbs the standard CD spool by a good 100 feet. You can see the smaller spool is already higher than the large one. Both spools are on the launch pad ready for a drag race. I wanted to do a head-to-head comparison of the spools to see the difference in altitude. The mini-CD spool easily outclimbs the standard CD spool by a good 100 feet. You can see the smaller spool is already higher than the large one.

Spools in flight

Both spools are on the launch pad ready for a drag race. I wanted to do a head-to-head comparison of the spools to see the difference in altitude. The mini-CD spool easily outclimbs the standard CD spool by a good 100 feet. You can see the smaller spool is already higher than the large one.

Would you like to read more about bigger spools you can build and fly? Continue >