Streamers with built in eyelets

So i don't like using tape to connect a streamer to the shock cord. I know I could punch a hole in the streamer and make my own eyelet, but I'm clumsy and liable to mess it up. There's lots of companies out there that make very nice parachutes.. surely someone makes a streamer that has a reinforced eyelet hole? I know there's a few people (like top flight) that make streamers with shroud type lines attached to them, but what I'm looking to do is reduce the number of lines inside of a rocket, not add to them Any ideas?

Note- i'm looking more for small streamers for small rockets (like my Estes Yankee) than trying to put a streamer on a 30foot L3 build.

thanks!

Saw these at NARAM 56. Can't recall if they had shroud lines or eyelets. You could always drop him a line. Was impressed with the quality.

https://modelrocketparachutes.com/S...6-Inch-4-cm-By-14-Feet-Long-3-Pk-STR-16-4.htm

Supposedly this can be squished up into a BT-50 - probably still too big for your Yankee.

You could always ask about having some custom made, too.

Are you interested in paper streamers, or cloth? I've attached (elastic) shock cords and (non-elastic) leaders by either 1) tying a knot in the end of the cord, laying about 3 inches of it down the center of the streamer, then covering it with tape. Or, 2) laying a thin bead of glue down the middle of the streamer, placing the cord in the glue, and folding the edges of the streamer over onto the glue. The tape will also work with plastic streamers. Both will work to secure a cord in the *middle* of a streamer.

Its an Estes rocket do you really need a fancy streamer.

I have a 6' kite tail in my recovery box - plastic, with an eyelet. Haven't used it yet but you might want to check out kite vendors and see what they have.

djs said:

So i don't like using tape to connect a streamer to the shock cord. I know I could punch a hole in the streamer and make my own eyelet, but I'm clumsy and liable to mess it up. There's lots of companies out there that make very nice parachutes.. surely someone makes a streamer that has a reinforced eyelet hole? I know there's a few people (like top flight) that make streamers with shroud type lines attached to them, but what I'm looking to do is reduce the number of lines inside of a rocket, not add to them Any ideas?

Note- i'm looking more for small streamers for small rockets (like my Estes Yankee) than trying to put a streamer on a 30foot L3 build.

thanks!

Click to expand...

Having flown "Estes Type" Streamer Models for over 40years I have to say off the top, your dislike for tape disc attached streamers is to be honest totally unfounded. They work, have worked and always will work with Crepe paper, Caution Plastic Tape, Surveyor's Plastic tape, most Ribbon and Tracing paper Streamers.

Can't tell you if there is a company the puts a Hole in their streamers as I've never looked for such a thing unless using RS Nylon which I generally sew around the attachment opening to stop potential fraying.

That said; Their is a fairly convenient way to ADD a 1/4" punched hole to your streamers that is most often used by Competition Streamer Duration flyers you might want to try.

* Lay your streamer on a hard surface or table.
*Cut a small piece of 20-22ga music wire about the width of the streamer.
*Using a thin mylar tape fold over about 1/4" of the streamer material around the music wire and secure with the tape.
*Using a standard 1/4" One-Hole punch, put a hole in the streamer centered width wise and a little above the music wire by an 1/8" or so.
*Now you can tie on your streamer using a loose loop of shroud line or Kevlar thread tied with a bowline. For use in Sport flying models you could forget the loop tying and bowline and just use a snap swivel attached through the punched hole.
Sorry no photos of this procedure, Never thought to take them.

The most common way of attaching competition streamers to shroud line leaders it using a needle threading the line up the streamer a minimum of 4 holes, tying an overhand knot in the end of the line and covering on one side with a strip of thin Mylar (often use Chrome adhesive backed Trim Monokote) tape. See several material done in photos below.

thanks for all the replies!

@gzilla- I understand the stupidity of spending 10$ on a streamer for an 8$ rocket. However, i'm looking for something I could move between rockets, or easily replace if it gets torn or whatever. Plus I just have a fetish for snap swivels.
@micromeister- i see what you're getting at, and may try it, but i'm probably likely to mess it up!

I'll also try looking at kites, although I'm thinking they may be longer than I need for smaller rockets.

djs--
It's all about confidence....trying your hand at it, learning by doing... learning from your mistakes... and taking a few steps at a time. :wink: