Brief:
T' Micron is a small and simple rocket with 4 fins and a nose cone intended for 13mm motors. Arrr! Ya scallywag! It is nay minimum diameter but its also nay much more than minimum. Arrr! It comes with some orange flaggin' t' serve as a streamer but would probably do just fine as a nose-blow.

Most o' me recent project have involved makin' repairs but you can only sit around waitin' for glue t' dry for so long before wantin' t' try somethin' new. Avast! This be at t' top o' t' "quick and easy" pile so I got started on it.

Construction:
T' first step in construction is t' mark t' motor tube for t' engine hook and for t' centerin' ring. Well, blow me down! Well, me bucko, blow me down! A slice is then made for t' hook and t' centerin' rin' is slid over t' hook t' its mark and glued into place. Well, blow me down! This is nay a normal "ring" but a fat "coupler type" tube which serves t' purpose.

T' kit provides for a paper tri-fold mount but I wasn't havin' any o' that. Begad! I ran a piece o' Keelhaul®©™® under t' aft end o' t' engine hook and tied it around t' motor tube. Arrr! I secured t' Keelhaul®©™® with some yellow glue. Avast, me proud beauty! T' end was then passed through t' body tube and I be able t' pull t' mount into place without a bulge showing. T' aft end o' t' motor tube should have been flush with t' body tube but mine sticks out about 1/8".

As a general rule, I prefer t' wraparound fin guides t' t' end markin' guides and this kit came with the former. It was cut out from t' instruction sheet, arrr, me hearties, taped into place, matey, matey, and t' lines for 4 fins were transferred. Blimey! Avast! They lines were then lengthened with an angle and pencil.

I put a bit o' yellow glue on t' root edge o' each fin, matey, me hearties, ya bilge rat, pressed it into place, arrr, and removed it t' dry in order to form a double glue joint. While waitin' for t' glue t' dry, matey, me bucko, I used tube plastic cement t' glue t' base o' t' plastic nosecone into t' cone itself.

A bit more glue was applied t' t' root edges o' t' fins and they were put in place. Arrr! All o' t' fins were filleted and t' launch lug was set in t' crook o' one fin and t' BT.

Finishing:
Elmer's Wood Filler was used t' fill t' balsa grain and t' fins were then sanded down smooth. Blimey! Avast! T' Micron was put it the booth and primed with Kilz.

T' primed rocket was then lightly sanded and given 2 coats o' gloss white. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! T' spray booth be otherwise occupied so more traditional methods were employed: I stuck on a dowel sunk into t' yard.

I covered up t' entire rocket except for t' nosecone in foil and painted t' cone with gloss black. Begad! Begad! That gave me somethin' t' hold on to. When t' maskin' was removed, shiver me timbers, I had a simple but neat little rocket.

All that was left was t' apply t' decals. Well, blow me down! There was a roll pattern around t' top and an Estes logo. They added a bit o' color t' this project and I think it looks pretty sharp.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
T' Micron got its maiden flight at me monthly club launch. Begad! I got t' club equipment set up before anyone else arrived and decided t' go ahead and launch it. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! I loaded it with a 1/4A3-3T and set it on t' pad. Begad! When it lifted off, it went straight up. Avast, me proud beauty! I am constantly amazed and surprised by how well even a very light rocket does on t' 1/4A. Ahoy! It deployed its streamer and then I lost sight o' it. Blimey! Ahoy! I didn't see it again until it hit me in t' head!

Video o' t' first flight can be seen here.

Almost immediately, another club member arrived. We both prepped our rockets with me choosin' t' give t' Micron another shot. Ya scallywag! Blimey! This time was on a 1/2A3-2T. Begad! Blimey! It again boosted well, shiver me timbers, deployed a bit early, shiver me timbers, and recovered safely despite the streamer nay unravelin' all t' way.

Video o' t' second flight can be seen here.

Recovery:
PROs: It's light enough nay t' hurt when it hit me in t' head.

CONs: It hit me in t' head!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
This would be a nice first rocket, if it be made any more. Well, blow me down! You have t' do some gluin' and paintin' but its simple. It an fly on a small field but keep you deadlights peeled so you don't lose it.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5