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

2025-08-08

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 9, Small Balsa Hatch

Blog
There's a small die-cut disk on the balsa sheet. I set the scan into Corel Draw and set the 1" span to a drawn 1" box. That brought the disk to a 0.40" diameter. I didn't want to use balsa for the disk. I found some 5/60 centering rings in the spare parts drawer. The centers were punched out and glued together using a clothes pin clamp. These are 1/2" diameter. I marked the .4" ... [More]

2025-08-07

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 8, Drawing Up Decals

Blog
New decals were drawn up in Corel Draw. I probably could have used the decal scan from Jim Z's but I like a challenge. It also looked like the Centuri kit decals were on a sheet taller than 11". Home print decals are a standard 8 1/2" x 11" size. The original kit had some sort of embossed thermal foil used in attic insulation. I did a post about it in February of 2020: CLICK HERE This time ... [More]

2025-08-06

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 7, Fitting The "Super" Shroud

Blog
Mentioned in the previous post - Here's the smaller end showing the inside stepped shrouds. This gives a better fit and adhesion area onto the smaller tube. One of the previously made centering rings is glued into the doubled shroud. After the glue dries, the edge should be stiff enough to sand off, even with the face of the centering ring. The fit is good - Even if the low end ... [More]

2025-08-05

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 6, Making A "Super" Shroud

Blog
Cardstock shrouds have always felt like the weakest part of a LPR build. You can make a stronger two layer "nested" or super shroud. For a complete explanation of the technique, I wrote an article for the Apogee Peak Of Flight: CLICK HERE Go to payloadbay.com and click on "Tools", then to "Transition Tool". Enter your tube diameters and length of the transition. I printed the transition on ... [More]

2025-08-04

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 5, Making Centering Rings

Blog
The outside circle is cut with scissors. The traced pencil line will be a bit large. Stack the rings on the smaller tube and reduce the diameter with 220 grit on a block. Again, sand and check the fit. Here's a good fit in the 2" lower tube. I used my rotary punch to make an engine hook notch in the nozzle bell centering ring. The inside wall of the 3D printed nozzle was thicker than the ... [More]

2025-08-03

Estes Mini Bomarc Clone, Kit #TK-5, Ink Lines Added

Blog
I printed up some decals for the Skylab. I only used 3/4 of the sheet leaving me some open area. The Mini Bomarc "ink line" decals were added to the Skylab decal page. Being narrow, these were a little tricky to apply and keep straight. The detail lines do add to the finished look. I didn't roll the ends over the rounded leading and trailing edges. There's a very slight gap. [More]

2025-08-02

Estes Pro Series II Mega Red Max

Blog
Estes has released a 29mm three engine cluster model, the new 4" Mega Red Max. Checking the instructions: CLICK HERE It looks like it has laminated fins you'll actually have to cut out! Oh, the 1960s horrors! To the younger (laser cut) builders: "It'll build character." You'll end up with thicker, stronger fins than the previous 3" diameter Big Red Max. The "decals" are vinyl this ... [More]

2025-08-01

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 4, D.I.Y. Centering Rings

Blog
TIP: One of the best centering ring materials is the left over mat board found at a frame shop. Ask the manager if they have any scraps, leftover pieces too small to be used in a frame. If you're lucky they might give them to you for free! If not free, cheap anyway. Trace around the diameter of the tubes. Trace the larger tube first, it's easier to center the smaller tube afterwards. It ... [More]

2025-07-31

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 3, Making A Centering Tube

Blog
From the original instructions: There is a side Kraft centering tube set over the engine tube and engine hook. I don't have a 3/4" long centering tube, so we'll "make" one. Three 20/50 centering rings will be used, stacked and glued end to end. For tighter glue joints, sand the ends flat. Slide the rings over a BT-20 tube and glue just the rings together, don't glue them to the tube yet. ... [More]

2025-07-30

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 2, Parts Fitting

Blog
The 3" long BT-20 tube is notched for a standard engine hook. The inside of the nozzle doesn't have a relief slot for the engine hook. A square diamond file cut a notch for the hook. Don't go too deep, the top of the nozzle is thin. I marked the inside notch with pencil so you can see the fit through the plastic. I can now slide the nozzle over the engine mount tube without distorting the tube. ... [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]