One-off CD destruction

Stoke

Burn them.

enfield_freddy

try them on a record player

zaax

Will it blend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OHf1QB5vBg

Herzlos

It won't take much damage to make them unusable, and you only want to prevent oportunistic reading, so a quick scratch and then some paint will do (just dunk it into a tin of gloss emulsion and then into a bin bag), then take them to the local waste site and throw them in the skip. They'll likely get crushed in fairly short order and will be of no use to anyone with access.

Failing that, put them in a leak-free bag and fill with glue/concrete.

No one is going to waste their time cleaning them up to get to your data. If it doesn't work first time when they put it in their PC then they'll throw it out.

Anything more sophisticated and you're wasting your time.

indesisiv

Thermite normally cures things like this. Great fun to watch too. Just make sure that you only light it in a safe place

[Deleted User]

Have fun with one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Parasene-Auto-Ignition-Weed-killer/dp/B000TAT8YU/

50Twuncle

I seem to remember a chap heating CD's up and pressing them out as flowerpots - can't remember the method though !
Here's a few more ideas though http://www.earth911.com/eco-tech/10-reuse-ideas-for-cds-and-dvds/
Also see http://www.recyclenow.com/what-to-do-with/cds-dvds - your local tip may take them for recycling

paddyrg

indesisiv wrote: »

Thermite normally cures things like this. Great fun to watch too. Just make sure that you only light it in a safe place

An upstairs bedroom would be one such prime example of an unsafe place . Amazing stuff though, and entirely possible to make at home, albeit badly.

John_Gray

Sad that the OP, after so many excellent suggestions have been proposed (mine in particular!), has not been back to say which method he actually adopted...

molerat

John_Gray wrote: »

Sad that the OP, after so many excellent suggestions have been proposed (mine in particular!), has not been back to say which method he actually adopted...

Agreed, yours was probably the cheapest and most satisfying method