Hans "Chris" Michielssen's Page

AKA: hcmbanjo
Location: Orlando, FL
Club Memberships: NAR
Favorite Rockets: Estes Goblin
Personal Home Page: www.oddlrockets.com
Club Home Page: www.R-O-C-K.org
RocketReviews.com Pages:
Rocket Gallery
Flight Log
Flight Statistics

2025-11-05

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 3, Cutting Out The Vacu-form Parts

Blog
Cutting out vacu-form parts can be a delicate operation. Take your time! The oldest method is probably the best - Draw around the bottom recess with a ball point pen. This gives you a defined line to cut on. Score (no need to cut all the way through) along the ink line with a sharp knife. Bend back and forth along the scored line until the flat excess cracks off. You can break off the ... [More]

2025-11-04

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 2, Parts Of Interest

Blog
The large vacu-form sheet. At the top you can see the horizontal tunnel recess to fit the engine mount tube. While the forms are sharp, the secondary "hull" pieces (center) are high. The plastic is thin around the base edges. The plywood was poorly cut. Granted, die cutting plywood would be difficult to do! The plywood wasn't great quality. The backside of the plywood - ... [More]

2025-11-03

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 1, Parts

Blog
This is going to be an interesting build. My kit version was an original from 1975. The model was later reissued as a 25th anniversary edition, sold in a box with paint. My first Enterprise build was in 1976. I remember being disappointed with the fit of some parts. To be stable, a long "recovery probe" is connected to the model. The starship is dragged behind during boost. It was launched ... [More]

2025-11-02

I Wish Manufacturers Would Do This, Part 8 . . .

Blog
I Wish Manufacturers Would Do This - I've been suggesting this one for years - This idea was inspired by the old Centuri engines. I wanted to make an additional improvement. The Centuri engine power designation was printed eight times (horizontally) around the lower third of the engine. At a glance you could pick the appropriate engine for your rocket. But once installed ... [More]

2025-11-01

I Wish Manufacturers Would Do This, Part 7 . . .

Blog
I Wish Manufacturers Would Do This - INCLUDE A FEW EXTRA "TEST" DECALS If a kit decal sheet has some extra space, include a few extras or duplicates. This allows the builder a first "test soak" and test the transfer without risking larger necessary decals on the model. Sometimes I use the Estes or Quest logo decals as a test. This could come in handy if the decals are older. The ... [More]

2025-10-31

I Wish Manufacturers Wouldn't Do This, Part 6 . . .

Blog
Some kits include an engine hook that gets get bent out of shape after the first flight! Use SPRING STEEL , not pot metal. You can get spring steel engine hooks from BMS. (Balsa Machining Service) [More]

2025-10-30

I Wish Manufacturers Wouldn't Do This, Part 5 . . .

Blog
TRI-FOLD MOUNTS ON SMALL DIAMETER BODY TUBES - Tri-fold shock cord mounts can block the ejection of a parachute. On BT-5, BT-20 and BT-50 sized models, drop the tri-fold mounts and go with Kevlar tied to the engine mount. BT-5 models with this type of mount are especially problematic. This was more common years back when mini-motor kits were introduced. [More]

2025-10-29

I Wish Manufacturers Wouldn't Do This, Part 4 . . .

Blog
PRINTING ON SHROUDS - Some kit shrouds have printing on the outside, finished model surface. The printed words "Outer Shroud" could bleed through the paint. Position that wording outside the shroud! You don't run into this very often. The original Estes Mars Snooper was another kit with printing on shrouds. [More]

2025-10-28

I Wish Manufacturers Wouldn't Do This, Part 3 . . .

Blog
PAPER REINFORCEMENT RINGS? Paper tears and doesn't really offer any reinforcement to a hard shroud line pull at ejection. Right out of the kit bag, the ring was already tearing from a rough punch tearing into the plastic chute. I often replace the paper rings with Avery Plastic Reinforcement Rings, #5720. [More]

2025-10-27

I Wish Manufacturers Wouldn't Do This, Part 2 . . .

Blog
WEAK KIT SHROUD LINES! They easily break when you give these strings a tug. I often replace the kit supplied shroud lines with #10 cotton embroidery string. You can buy a large spool at a craft store. Try to break cotton embroidery string! Go ahead, I dare 'ya! [More]

2025-01-04

Estes Mini Bertha Clone

Flight
- Estes A3-4t - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Estes Blue Origin, New Shepard

Flight
Stable with a B6-4, not so much with a C6-5. Flew a bit south over the trees. Recovered by other club members with the pole. No damage! - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Semroc Snake Jumper

Flight
Launch wasn't vertical and veered off to the south. Landed in trees, given up for lost. - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2024-12-07

Centuri Vector V

Flight
My Centuri VECTOR V clone was first in the air with an Estes A8-3. On the left is an Estes Viking, the kit used to make my clone. Altitude was estimated to be around 225 feet. Reefed 12" chute recovery. - A8-3 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Odd'l Rockets Stealth

Flight
Stable and true. Broke off one of the smaller winglet fins, not recovered. - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Odd'l X-15 Goony

Flight
A favorite is my Goony X-15 . Part are from a Quest X-15 parts pack but built around a shorter BT-60. Great stable flight using an older Chinese made Quest B6-4 motor. Estimated altitude was 325'. - German Made Quest B6-4 - ROCK Monthly [More]

ASP Micro Wac Corporal

Flight
This is the ASP MMX CORPORAL , a well performing MMX bird. It was easy to follow the Mylar streamer as it descended. - 1/8A-1 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Semroc Centurion

Flight
Very stable, slow lift off. Ejection blistered the paint right above the baffle inside. - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2024-06-29

Odd'l Rockets Little Green Man

Flight
A little wobble on the way up. Not much altitude but recovered safely. - B4-4 - Muncie AMA Field [More]

2024-04-06

Quest MMX Saturn V

Flight
The larger fins really didn't help much, it was unstable after it cleared the short launch rod. - 1/8A-1 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2015-04-19

Rockets By Style / Kit-Bash/Modified

Photograph

Hans "Chris" Michielssen's Orange (Q Cobalt Kitbash)

2014-11-09

Rockets By Style / Kit-Bash/Modified

Photograph

MX-774 Kitbash on an Estes A8-3. Bunnell Blast, November 8, 2014

2012-09-22

Saturn Press Saturn V - Step 17

Build Entry
The outside curved lines of the Engine Fairing Shrouds were cut from the cardstock with scissors. The interior Fin Slots were cut with a knife and straight-edge. [More]

Saturn Press Saturn V - Step 16

Build Entry
The A Frames and Fins were pressed together. The C Frames are pressed into the A Frames and Fins. Be careful handling the Fin paint while assembling. Silver or metallic paints are easy to dull with fingerprints. After all were assembled dry (no glue) I applied white glue to all the joints with ... [More]