Parchment paper as streamer material?

MichaelRapp · Dec 20, 2014

Hi all,

I was brainstorming this afternoon for an inexpensive material for streamers that would hold an accordion-folded shape well; that is, it would resist smoothing out during descent better than crepe paper would.

My first thought was wax paper, but this is coated only on one side with wax leaving the other side fairly flammable. Parchment paper seems to be coated with silicone and designed to be resistant to flame up to 450 degrees F. From the 40 Years of Model Rockerty: A Safety Report (https://www.nar.org/pdf/40years.pdf) it seems that the ejection gases would be around 540 degrees F, with most of this hitting the recovery wadding. Still I am unsure of the temperature drop off rate between ejection and the streamer.

I guess what I am asking is, is parchment paper an appropriate streamer material?

rcktnut · Dec 20, 2014

I wouldn't use it IMO. It is still flammable, might not catch as easily as regular paper, but if it does it burns just the same if not worse.

Woody's Workshop · Dec 20, 2014

I've used plastic surveyers ribbon for years. Never had a problem with flames. Shinges a few times from not enough wadding.
Comes in many colors, Hot Pink, Neon Green & Orange. My favorite is the Deep Red. Nice contrast in the sky and easy to see on the ground.

rcktnut · Dec 20, 2014

Try it see if it works. Nylon and plastic chutes are flammable also, but if they do get a hot particle on them they melt, material pulls away from the hot spot and self extinguish, in the air anyway.

Micromeister · Dec 20, 2014

MichaelRapp said:
Hi all,

I was brainstorming this afternoon for an inexpensive material for streamers that would hold an accordion-folded shape well; that is, it would resist smoothing out during descent better than crepe paper would.

My first thought was wax paper, but this is coated only on one side with wax leaving the other side fairly flammable. Parchment paper seems to be coated with silicone and designed to be resistant to flame up to 450 degrees F. From the 40 Years of Model Rockerty: A Safety Report (https://www.nar.org/pdf/40years.pdf) it seems that the ejection gases would be around 540 degrees F, with most of this hitting the recovery wadding. Still I am unsure of the temperature drop off rate between ejection and the streamer.

I guess what I am asking is, is parchment paper an appropriate streamer material?[/QUOTE

First I must assume your looking for Streamer materials that will hold an accordian fold for use in NAR contest Streamer duration events, is this Correct?
If so: I have not used parchment paper for streamers for a couple reasons but the biggest is it's on the thick and heavy side.

Forget about the fact that parchment paper is flamable. Many of the materials used for competition streamers ARE IN FACT Flamable.

Have you ever heard of a Paper Tiger competition PD or SD streamer model? These models and interal streamers are make for common Tracing vellum. I've been using the same roll of 1000H clear print Tracing paper to construct these type PD and SD models for decades.
The models themselves are only intended to last a maxium of 3 flights (One Complete NAR typical competition event). however I have several that have as many as 10 flights. These models and their Super light weight Tracing paper or 1/2mil mylar acordian folded Streamers are very competitvie against the single wrap 1/2oz fiberglass models used by the BTC's and international flyers.

One extremely important thing to keep in mind is when flying Paper Tiger or Tracing paper Models; Tracing paper, crape paper or 1/2mil mylar streamers or 1/4mil mylar chutes the competition the model MUST use a styrofoam ejection plug to protect the Streamer or Chute from the ejection gas and after burn from the motor(s) and have a short section of Chrome Mirrored aluminum Vinyl (about 1-1/2") extending from the forward end of the motor. This aluminum foil allows the ejection to work without melting or burning though the vellum or Tracing paper model body.

Below are a few photos of some of these Vellum paper tiger SD & PD models which may help better explain the concept.

If your just flying Sport models I'd suggest using something a bit more durable like large Ribbon, or heavy tracing papers. Best is 1/2Mil aluminized Mylar. there are many sources for this. One I like is 1/2mil mylar gift wrap sheets. these ususally come in 2ft x 3ft sheets which can be taped together and cut into strips from 2 to 10inch wide and as long as you'd like to make them.

MichaelRapp · Dec 21, 2014

Thanks, John, for the detailed reply and photos! Actually, the reason I was playing with accordion folds is that most of the material on the web makes reference to that method, although most of the material I found was mostly about competition events.

What is fascinating to me is that there doesn't seem to much consensus on what makes the "best" streamer material and/or size (other than one gains nothing by going beyond the 1:10 ratio). Or perhaps better phrased, there are too many trade-offs to consider when deciding on a material/size.

I did manage to pick up some of that mylar gift wrap yesterday as well. In addition to being stronger than the crepe paper, it will allow me to make wider streamers.

My current beginner's thinking is to make the streamer as large/long as possible at the width-to-length ratio of 1:10 that will comfortably fit into the rocket's body tube.

And I had no idea that some competition modes were made out of, essentially, tracing paper. That makes perfect sense, of course, as weight increases descent speed, which one definitely does not want. I have to admit competition rocketry greatly appeals to me and once I get my skills up I'm definitely going to try it out. That is just cool...constructing a rocket that has just enough weight/strength to hold itself together aerodynamically. You know what that reminds me of? I think it is the Agena booster for the Gemini missions that if it didn't have the pressure of the liquid propellants in the tanks the booster would collapse in on itself.

Fun stuff.

gpoehlein · Dec 22, 2014

John is one of the most knowledgable rocketeers around whenit comes to competition and all the info he gives you is very valuable. But the real takeaway is that there is no single best material for streamers. If you are flying sport models, doing all those pleats in a Mylar streamer is a royal pain-in-the-@@@@! If you want to try it, Apogee has a how-to video on creasing chutes that you should watch. But if you are flying sport, I think crepe paper is probably your best bet. It is flameproof and you can make the streamer as long as you like since it comes in rolls. Replace it whenever it gets torn (and it will tear) and pick a nice color that you can see under the weather conditions you are flying in. Silvered Mylar streamers are very visible if there is any sun at all, whether pleated or not - I like to cut up Space Blankets into streamers. I also color one side using a red Sharpie Magnum - you don't need the color to be solid, but the red on one side makes it more visible in bright skies.

Micromeister · Dec 22, 2014

What Greg Said!
Sport flying streamers can be just about anything.

As for the 1:10 Ratio: This originated With Trip Barber and company at MIT back in the day. It pertains specifically to Non-folded Crepe Paper and Accordian folded Tracing paper. That said there is nothing from stopping the use of streamers that are any length you can to fit into the body-tube.

I regularly fly 2,3 & 6in wide mylar wrapping paper streamers without folds that are 10 and 12 feet long just for effect. I found some Metallic Orange mylar in 2'x 3' sheet that I stripped down to 3" x 36" pieces then tape 3 or 4 together to make a 3" x 120" or 3" x 144" streamer. These coming down above a BT-50 or BT-55 size model Look like the model is trailing as Stream of Fire in the sunlight. Really a nifty sight.
4, 5 and 6" heavy Ribbon make very nice but Heavy Streamers. While they hold a fold the do not whip back and forth as well as lighter weight materials but still do a fine job of reducing decent speed of the sport models.
Longer Lengths of plain Crepe paper streams work just fine also. My original Goblin can with a 2" x 120" orange Crepe streamer. This for a fairly Heavy D12 powered BT-55 model with the Crepe streamer bringing the very high flying model back without harm.

Another overlooked option is Teflon or PTFE Thread sealing tapes. Yep I'm talking about Plain old Plumbers White Teflon tape. Works Great as a combination Streamer and flameproof wadding. Some of the larger industrial supply stores carry thicker PTFE Military grade thread sealing tape in muted colors as seen in the photo below and in widths from 1/4" to 2" on 43foot rolls. Only trick to using any of it is to Talc Baby powder the heck out of both sides before the first roll/fold and every other flight there after.

Several of the Model Airplane coverings can also make some fairly interesting Streamers. Some Like Mica-Film make excellent competition and Sport streamers holding folds well and really holding up to ejection and the normal ware and tear of flying.

A roll of 2" yellow plastic caution tape from one of the Home repair stores will last a very long time and do a fantastic job as streamers for just about any BT-5 to BT-60 size model rockets. Some manufactures actually use this in their kits.

I like using 4" and 6" wide crepe paper streamers in sport flying models. they last as long as the pleating stays uncrushed by rolling and do a ver nice job of bringing models back without damage.

Some folks use light weight rip stop Nylon, silk and other fabrics for streamers in larger models as well, Obviously these fabrics are much heavier then other materials but in Sport flying models who cares? The material choices are almost limitless

As Greg mentioned in the previous post there is absolutely no end to the materials or method used for Streamers in Sport flying models. Just keep in mind if the material used it not pre-treated flame resistant, then a good ejection plug with a square or two of FP wadding is a very good practice loading.

Streamers-c_Cheap materal_2in plastic Caution Tape_01-08-10.JPG

Teflon Streamer-a_.5in to 2in Streamer tapes_06-02-04.jpg

TangoJuliet · Aug 23, 2016

30+ years ago when I was competing as a junior, one of our adult club members gave me a tracing velum streamer to use in 1/2A SD. I loved using that streamer/rocket. I never did learn what he used to glue the attachment string to the base end of the streamer though. Whatever it was had kind of a blue coloration to it similar to the blue layout fluid used by metal workers. If any of y'all have experience with the tracing velum streamers, I'd like to know what you use for the attachment string/cord.

Micromeister · Aug 23, 2016

TangoJuliet said:
30+ years ago when I was competing as a junior, one of our adult club members gave me a tracing velum streamer to use in 1/2A SD. I loved using that streamer/rocket. I never did learn what he used to glue the attachment string to the base end of the streamer though. Whatever it was had kind of a blue coloration to it similar to the blue layout fluid used by metal workers. If any of y'all have experience with the tracing velum streamers, I'd like to know what you use for the attachment string/cord.

Not sure I know what your friend used but I've used the method below for just about 40years with great success. Though the photo pictorial below does not include a couple more recent compeitition upgrades they work wonderfully just as is.
Trick #1 is to add a length of .020 or .022" fine music wire taped across the bottom end of the streamer which helps keep the streamer width flat.

Another upgrade that also makes packing a little easier; I've switched from cotton carpet thread attachment line to 13lb 2-strand Kevlar line which also eliminates any burn off possiblilty.

Accordian folded or flat; Rolling streamers is almost an Art form, I've seen but have not mastered folks roll/folding 4" x 80" 1/2mil mylar streamers that FIT in a BT-5 model. I was simply amazed that they ejected each time. I personally have never been that good, IIRC the very best I have personally packed was a 4" x 50" 1/2mil mylar accordian folded streamer in a BT-5 model.

Hope the following Pictorial on streamer making helps a little.

Streamer Fab-b4g1_Accordion fold 8pic pg 1of2_09-30-06.jpg

Streamer Fab-c1k_4inx50in crepe completed 8pic_10-02-06.jpg

Streamer Fab-c2a_Red REAR NoteExcessOverlap_10-02-06.jpg

Micromeister · Aug 23, 2016

Oops! forgot trick #2:

Trick #2: rather then needle & threading 2" up as shown a single center hole is cut above the Music wire and the 13lb kevlar line is tied with a loose loop around the taped in wire. A bowline knot or simple overhand loop both work well for this attachment. A loose loop attachment allows the streamer to whip back and forth more freely then the 2" threaded method.

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Parchment paper as streamer material?

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