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
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2024-12-24

Estes Constellation Build Part 18, White Trim on the "1" Decal TIP

Blog
Before soaking the trimmed red decal - Have a sheet of decal paper sprayed with gloss white paint. This will be used for the white edge. Spray a clear sheet with white getting full coverage. Let dry thoroughly. No clear coat is needed on the white sheet, the white paint seals the surface. You'll be making a composite decal, the red "1" set on the white border base. On the left is the two ... [More]

2024-12-23

Estes Constellation Build Part 17, White Trim on the "1" Decal TIP

Blog
The Semroc clone kit didn't have any white ink on the decal sheet. The original Estes kit had a black fin that needed a white border on the #1 decal. Here's how I made a white border so the red decal would show up against the black fin. The "2" and "3" decals were applied. I drew up a simple paper wrap that folded over the leading edge for easier positioning. This folded piece and pencil ... [More]

2024-12-22

Estes Constellation Build Part 16, Single Black Fin Mask

Blog
I wanted the model to match the old catalog pictures. The Semroc face card shows all three fins in white. One fin should be black. For the red and black "1" decal to show up on the black, I'll add a white edge to the decal in the next post. This is not not easy to do, plan your finish after reading the next post. I used marked Scotch tape for the mask. It takes a lot of ... [More]

2024-12-21

Estes Constellation Build Part 15, Masking The Clear Payload Tube

Blog
The face card shows the upper and lower ends of the clear payload tube painted black. The black paint will cover up the balsa shoulders on the nose cone and nose block. On the left is the line mask using the marker drawn Scotch tape. The center was covered with masking tape. It's hard to see the exposed clear tube ends, you can see the reflected light on the upper right. Small pieces of masking ... [More]

2024-12-20

Estes Constellation Build Part 14, Fin Gluing

Blog
There is a light paint ridge where the fillet area was masked. Lightly sand the ridge line with 400 grit sandpaper. The fins were glued on using my prototype Odd'l Rockets FinTool. (The Fin Tool never went into production and is not for sale.) The fin trailing edge is even with the back end of the body tube. The rear end of the launch lug is even with the front edge of the fins. [More]

2024-12-19

Estes Constellation Build Part 13, Fin Prep

Blog
Before spraying a white coat to check for flaws, a small bit of the root edge was masked off. This was to keep some of the fillet area clear for a stronger glue joint. After a light coat of gloss white the tape was removed. You can see the fillet area is clear of white paint. The pencil fin lines on the body tube were roughed up with 220 grit on a block. After sanding off the lines they were ... [More]

2024-12-18

Estes Constellation Build Part 12, Primer Sanding

Blog
Here's the body tube and nose cone after the primer filler was sanded down. The nose cone was slipped into the body tube for primer painting. The clear payload section will be trim painted later. The fin and fin pod transition joints looked pretty good after spraying with the primer filler. The primer was sanded with 400 grit . There is plenty of inside edges that need to be sanded. TIP: ... [More]

2024-12-17

Estes Constellation Build Part 11, Odds & Ends

Blog
This lug standoff probably isn't needed, the payload section isn't wider than the low end tube. This style of standoff goes back to when Estes sold it's "C Rail". The dowel standoff fits the C Rail launch rod. TIP: A BT-50 tube reinforcement coupler was made out of a split piece of body tube. This was glued in place in the tail end, pushed in place with the engine mount. I'm tired of BT-20 ... [More]

2024-12-16

Estes Constellation Build Part 10, Nose Cone and Adapter Details

Blog
On the left is the nose cone and adapter from the Semroc kit. You'll see these shoulders through the clear payload section when the model is finished. I usually sand these flat then round the edges. On the right is the dry fitted payload section with the rough ends smoothed out. TIP: To get a sharper edge on a balsa nose cone shoulder - Brush on some CWF just slightly over the ... [More]

2024-12-15

Estes Constellation Build Part 9, Fin Pod Gluing

Blog
Each fin will be individually fitted. Draw a line on the side of the pod side that will be glued to the fin. Mark the outside edge of the fin with a "1" and the matching pod "1". Match the edges of the pod and the outside curved edge of the fin. Lightly trace around the side of the pod. (While not shown well in this picture, the tip of the pod should be even with the leading edge of the fin.) ... [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

Centuri ARGUS clone

Flight
I only used one parachute, the original kit had two, one for the low end, another for the long upper section. The parachute was taped closed in a "hillbilly hat" for faster descent. - C6-5 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Estes Mini Bertha Clone

Flight
First launch today. After all these years I shouldn't be surprised by how well mini engine models perform. Very stable, the 1/2A3-2t motor. I would guess the altitude capped out at 275'. The two second delay seemed short. - Estes 1/2A3-2t - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Semroc MMX Blue Bird Zero

Flight
I actually captured a MicroMaxx launch! Estimated altitude was 75', no damage after the streamer recovery. - 1/8A-1 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Warped! (Scratch Design)

Flight
A weird one. It started as a regular bagged Custom kit that sat in the direct sun a little too long. The nose cone was melted and bent. I bought the kit. The body tube was cut into angled wedges and glued together like the Fliskits ACME Spitfire. I renamed it WARPED. A B6-4 pushed it to at ... [More]

Custom Solar Explorer

Flight
I wasn't worried about losing this one - the BT-50 tube was crimped above the engine mount from an earlier hard landing. After reaching an altitude around 600', the winds blew it into the trees just South of the flight line. Lost! I really need to thin the heard anyway. - C6-5 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

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]

2024-03-02

Estes Skytracer Clone

Flight
- A8-3 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Rocketship Games R5 Hawkeye

Flight
Boost is always fast on these little models, good thing I had some young eyes to point me to the landing area. - 1/8A-1 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Nike X Goon

Flight
A B6-4 got an altitude of 350'. Full chute, textbook flight. - B6-4 - 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]