Slide pod advice

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My first foray into using a slide pod ended in disaster when the burn string (thin elastic) jammed in the burn string hole. I made the opening a generous 1/8" in diameter just to be safe but the whole deployment thing was a big fail. Any advice?

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My first foray into using a slide pod ended in disaster when the burn string (thin elastic) jammed in the burn string hole. I made the opening a generous 1/8" in diameter just to be safe but the whole deployment thing was a big fail. Any advice?

Replace that portion of the burn string with "normal" cotton thread?
 
Replace that portion of the burn string with "normal" cotton thread?

It burned through okay, it's just that it somehow got jammed in the hole between the two sliding body tubes. Don't know if that's just a common thing like red barons or if there's a better way to rig the thread.
 
First-try waxing the thread to contain the little 'hairs' common to thread. Secondly: seal your hole edges with thin CA. Sand flush (lightly) to remove any proudness so there is no binding. I've also been known to burnish in a little graphite on the sliding surfaces. You can actually just rub a common pencil on sandpaper and use that powder.
 
First-try waxing the thread to contain the little 'hairs' common to thread. Secondly: seal your hole edges with thin CA. Sand flush (lightly) to remove any proudness so there is no binding. I've also been known to burnish in a little graphite on the sliding surfaces. You can actually just rub a common pencil on sandpaper and use that powder.

Interesting tip about the wax, will definitely try it as a precaution in the future. Since this is my first experience with a slide pod and I've never had any problems with burn threads, I didn't expect any. The thread hole in this model is smaller though so I guess that might make a difference, plus having two sliding surfaces that the thread passes through makes it a whole lot more likely that it may get caught between the two. I like your suggestion of using graphite to "lube" both BTs, and maybe even the thread and burn hole as well.
 
Was this a kit, a plan, or your own design?

My own scratch built design and my first attempt at using a slide pod configuration. The designs I've seen online feature even smaller burn holes than I used, and I followed the advice to stretch the thread anchor points forward to ensure the thread snapped free. Having the thread jam was the last thing I expected. Having it shred or be unstable wouldn't have surprised me as much.
 
When I need a burn string, I use elastic thread instead of simple string.

1. After rigging with simple string, if there is a delay between rigging and launch it tends to come loose. Elastic solves that.

2. Elastic burns through as easy as cotton, and the elastic remnants tend to “pull themselves out” of whatever nooks and crannies and holes they were in, making successful deployment more likely
 
Be careful if the holes for the string are the only vents for ejection. If so, particularly if close to engine casing, I have had the hot gasses thus directed/focused on the holes that it burned up the tube around the hole.

Reinforcing the hole with CA won’t help the burn problem, but may help keep your string from cutting into the paper and being more likely to “catch” on the edge of the hole
 
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