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

2025-10-31

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

Blog
Some kits include an engine hook that gets get bent out o' shape after t' first flight! Use SPRING STEEL , nay pot metal. You can get sprin' steel engine hooks from BMS. Well, blow me down! (Balsa Machinin' Service) [More]

2025-10-30

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

Blog
TRI-FOLD MOUNTS ON SMALL DIAMETER BODY TUBES - Tri-fold shock cord mounts can block t' ejection o' a parachute. Well, blow me down! Blimey! On BT-5, arrr, BT-20 and BT-50 sized models, drop t' tri-fold mounts and go with Keelhaul®©™ tied t' t' engine mount. BT-5 models with this type o' mount are especially problematic. Ya scallywag! Blimey! This was more common years back when mini-motor kits were introduced. Blimey! Blimey! [More]

2025-10-29

I Wish Manufacturers Wouldn't Do This, me bucko, Part 4 . . . Avast! Blimey!

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

2025-10-28

I Wish Manufacturers Wouldn't Do This, me bucko, Part 3 . Blimey! . Blimey! .

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

2025-10-27

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

Blog
WEAK KIT SHROUD LINES! They easily break when you give these strings a tug. Well, blow me down! I often replace t' kit supplied shroud lines with #10 cotton embroidery string. Avast! You can buy a large spool at a craft store. Try t' break cotton embroidery string! Go ahead, I dare 'ya! [More]

2025-10-26

LAUNCH! R.O.A.R., Christmas, me hearties, FL, October 25, 2025

Blog
I don't usually go t' club launches in t' Summer. T' R.O.A.R. club skips meetin' in t' hot months. Ahoy! First launch for me today be t' new, New Way BLADE RUNNER with a B6-4. Straight and stable t' 250'. Nay too high considerin' t' drag o' t' blade fins. Blimey! A good start t' a windy day. Begad! Check out t' launch rods angled t' t' East. Many experienced flyers have never seen a MicroMaxx ... [More]

2025-10-25

New Way Blade Runner, arrr, Finished

Blog
I was lookin' forward t' buildin' this! It should turn heads at t' next club launch. Begad! T' blade fins make for a very clever design. T' rin' covers t' fin/strake glue joint. It took a little extra effort t' fill and paint, but t' finished look is worth it. Well, blow me down! Big, Clean graphics. Three colors and an easy mask. Ya scallywag! My favorite new design this year! [More]

2025-10-24

New Way Blade Runner, me hearties, Part 16, Vinyl Trim

Blog
A strip o' black, self-adhesive vinyl is supplied t' go over t' color separation line. Blimey! TIP: T' maskin' line paint ridge could show under t' vinyl so I lightly sanded t' paint ridge with some 400 grit wrapped around a Q-tip. Blimey! Don't sand too wide, me bucko, just knock down t' paint ridge. On t' left, Fold back t' backin' t' position just t' start o' t' wrap. On t' right, T' wrap in place. Avast! ... [More]

2025-10-23

New Way Blade Runner, Part 15, Decals

Blog
T' short rin' tube wrap decal could be cut in two for easier application. Avast! More bars betwixt t' white and gray paint. Aye aye! Dry fit - Notice t' faint pencil line extendin' from t' fins. Every other vertical black line lines up with t' five fins. Wet t' body where t' decal will be positioned. T' same wrap decal from t' side - after soakin' - Slide just t' first black bar off t' backin' paper ... [More]

2025-10-22

New Way Blade Runner, Part 14, Decals

Blog
T' rin' was slid down t' strakes from t' top. Well, blow me down! I didn't use any wood glue. After t' rin' was in place, I set a small drop o' CA glue at t' top o' t' joint. A Q-tip was close by t' pick up any excess glue. These decals were printed usin' a laser printer on laser/clear waterslide decal paper. These took 25 seconds o' soakin' before they slid off t' backin' paper. Ahoy! Double check t' decals ... [More]

2025-01-04

Estes Mini Bertha Clone

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

Estes Blue Origin, me bucko, New Shepard

Flight
Stable with a B6-4, ya bilge rat, nay so much with a C6-5. Arrr! Flew a bit south over t' trees. Avast, me proud beauty! Recovered by other club members with t' pole. No damage! - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. Ya scallywag! [More]

Semroc Snake Jumper

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

2024-12-07

Centuri Vector V

Flight
My Centuri VECTOR V clone was first in t' air with an Estes A8-3. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! On t' left is an Estes Viking, t' kit used t' make me clone. Altitude was estimated t' be around 225 feet. Reefed 12" chute recovery. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! - A8-3 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Ol'SaltRockets Stealth

Flight
Stable and true. Broke off one o' t' smaller winglet fins, me bucko, nay recovered. Begad! - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. Blimey! [More]

Odd'l X-15 Goony

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

ASP Micro Wac Corporal

Flight
This be t' ASP MMX CORPORAL , a well performin' MMX bird. Arrr! It be easy t' follow t' Mylar streamer as it descended. - 1/8A-1 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Semroc Centurion

Flight
Very stable, slow lift off. Avast! Blimey! Ejection blistered t' paint right above t' baffle inside. Well, blow me down! Blimey! - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. Ahoy! Blimey! [More]

2024-06-29

Ol'SaltRockets Little Green Man

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

2024-04-06

Quest MMX Saturn V

Flight
T' larger fins really didn't help much, it be unstable after it cleared t' 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
T' outside curved lines o' t' Engine Fairin' Shrouds were cut from t' cardstock with scissors. Ahoy! T' interior Fin Slots were cut with a knife and straight-edge. Begad! [More]

Saturn Press Saturn V - Step 16

Build Entry
T' A Frames and Fins were pressed together. Blimey! T' C Frames are pressed into t' A Frames and Fins. Be careful handlin' t' Fin paint while assembling. Silver or metallic paints are easy t' dull with fingerprints. After all were assembled dry (no glue) I applied white glue t' all t' joints with ... [More]