Home-made Parachutes

[jazzviper1]

Would kite fabric work for parachutes? I found this website that sells factory seconds at a low price.

https://www.kitebuilder.com/catalog...8_230?osCsid=ea81536485172355cb05c8ea94596cf4

One person wrote a review on these "seconds" and said that in a 10 square yard lot of factory "seconds," there was only about 1 square centimeter of flawed material.

Kite fabric is way to stiff. It is not designed to be packed.

 

[Rokitman88]

How often will you get a perfect no wind day to figure out which type drifts more? Only when it's foggy here in Ca, lol!

I make my chutes from a genuine miltary chute. The only problem here is when you make large chute your gonna end up with seam from the original somewhere in yours.

I made one chute sewing the lines on but that was a major pain in the butt, so on my next one I reinforced the attachment points with a heavier fabric and put small brass grommets in, then tie the lines on! Makes it easier to replace lines if need be!

 

[kenstarr]

Home made chute is done! $10 worth of fabric, $50 worth of tools, $300 of sewing machine, some mathematical formulas, and several hours of sewing produced this fine (hopefully) Kustom chute to match the rocket in my avatar. I've wanted a sewing machine for the last 8 years and so has my wife. I used the instructions in "Model Rocket and Design" for the semi-hemispherical chute. The only hard part was cutting the fabric with scissors. Next time I'll use a hot knife or rotary cutter. Couldn't inflate it easily in the back yard but you get the idea.

 

[GrossApproximator]

Home made chute is done! $10 worth of fabric, $50 worth of tools, $300 of sewing machine, some mathematical formulas, and several hours of sewing produced this fine (hopefully) Kustom chute to match the rocket in my avatar. I've wanted a sewing machine for the last 8 years and so has my wife. I used the instructions in "Model Rocket and Design" for the semi-hemispherical chute. The only hard part was cutting the fabric with scissors. Next time I'll use a hot knife or rotary cutter. Couldn't inflate it easily in the back yard but you get the idea.
View attachment 76705

Great job! I'm surprised to see this thread resurrected.

 

[o1d_dude]

Nice work!

The alternating green and black should make for a highly visible chute in the air.

 

[GrossApproximator]

One question: I also have Model Rocket Design and Construction, but, of course, the pattern given in the book fits on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper. What did you do to upscale the pattern?

 

[kenstarr]

One question: I also have Model Rocket Design and Construction, but, of course, the pattern given in the book fits on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper. What did you do to upscale the pattern?

Pattern was based purely on the math. After doing the equations for determining area of chute, diameter, etc., I drew it out on some large paper. Had to use trig to make my own angles. One thing that the book didn't explain was the angles at the base of the gore. I just kind of made that work. The cute is 12 gores, 1.1oz calendared ripstop nylon from efabricsupplier.com, shroud lines are 1/8" paracord from some company in Salt Lake City purchased at the local sporting goods store. Seems to be a fine quality.

 

[GrossApproximator]

Pattern was based purely on the math. After doing the equations for determining area of chute, diameter, etc., I drew it out on some large paper. Had to use trig to make my own angles. One thing that the book didn't explain was the angles at the base of the gore. I just kind of made that work. The cute is 12 gores, 1.1oz calendared ripstop nylon from efabricsupplier.com, shroud lines are 1/8" paracord from some company in Salt Lake City purchased at the local sporting goods store. Seems to be a fine quality.

I mean, how did you draw the curvature of each gore? What math did you do to determine that curve?

 

[kenstarr]

Now the math for that would be just too much for me! Once I had the length of the gore, I took 360/12=30 degrees, so the angle from the tip of the gore is 15 degrees off each side. I had the base width of the gore circumference/12. It was a matter of freehanding the curved lines from here on out after drawing a T with the correct base and height measurements. The book gave a formula, but I couldn't work it correctly, to figure out the width at any point above the base. If i could have worked it correctly, I would have computed the correct width every 2 inches and connected the dots that way for better accuracy.

 

[GrossApproximator]

Now the math for that would be just too much for me! Once I had the length of the gore, I took 360/12=30 degrees, so the angle from the tip of the gore is 15 degrees off each side. I had the base width of the gore circumference/12. It was a matter of freehanding the curved lines from here on out after drawing a T with the correct base and height measurements. The book gave a formula, but I couldn't work it correctly, to figure out the width at any point above the base. If i could have worked it correctly, I would have computed the correct width every 2 inches and connected the dots that way for better accuracy.

You too? I once tried to use the formula but it didn't work out right. I once made a small hemisphere made of paper, and when I tried to use the formula in the book, it didn't work out right. If I were to try this again, I think that the "height" measured along the gore pattern is actually the distance along the perimeter of the hemispherical shape; use that knowledge to "draw" many imaginary circles along the hemisphere and then calculate arc lengths for use as the various widths along the gore.

 

[Aksrockets]

Home made chute is done! $10 worth of fabric, $50 worth of tools, $300 of sewing machine, some mathematical formulas, and several hours of sewing produced this fine (hopefully) Kustom chute to match the rocket in my avatar. I've wanted a sewing machine for the last 8 years and so has my wife. I used the instructions in "Model Rocket and Design" for the semi-hemispherical chute. The only hard part was cutting the fabric with scissors. Next time I'll use a hot knife or rotary cutter. Couldn't inflate it easily in the back yard but you get the idea.
View attachment 76705

Great job with the chute!
Don't have TO much fun running around in your yard. The neighbors thought I was crazy when I was "testing" my chutes.

Alex

 

[Handeman]

Home made chute is done! $10 worth of fabric, $50 worth of tools, $300 of sewing machine, some mathematical formulas, and several hours of sewing produced this fine (hopefully) Kustom chute to match the rocket in my avatar. I've wanted a sewing machine for the last 8 years and so has my wife. I used the instructions in "Model Rocket and Design" for the semi-hemispherical chute. The only hard part was cutting the fabric with scissors. Next time I'll use a hot knife or rotary cutter. Couldn't inflate it easily in the back yard but you get the idea.

I will definitely recommend the hot knife for cutting the nylon. I made one chute that I cut with scissors. I threw it in the wash machine and it got ruined. The nylon unraveled so bad the seams came apart.

The advantage to the hot knife is that it melts through the nylon so the edges are melted together and won't unravel. I use a 25W soldering pencil with the tip flattened. It works great and is cheap, about $5 at a flea market.

 

[Micromeister]

I mean, how did you draw the curvature of each gore? What math did you do to determine that curve?

It's a fairly simple matter of laying out a circle & Hemisphere extending the lines and marking off the curvature points. Perhaps the page below with help fig 20-15 is all that's really needed to layout full size gore patterns for just about any size chute. You will need a Large Beam or "yardstick compass", Straight edge and cardboard or paper large enough for the chute size your planning. don't forget to add 1/2" or so to the gore tapers to allow for seam overlap margins that can be trimmed for the fabric after the panels have been sawn.

I use 6 gores for my hemi chute just to shave seam bulk in packing. it's up to the fabricator as to how many gores to use with your chutes.
While I was at it I set up permanent gore patterns for 6".8",10",12",15",18",24",28" 30", 36" and 48" chutes. Now all I have to do is grab the gore and material then seam them up.
it is even possible to "heat seal" some Plastic chute material into Plastic hemi chutes

 

[RodRocket]

This is an excellent thread.

But I gotta ask, what machines are good for chute making? I see all kinds and sizes and some have every different seam stitch known to exist as a preset. How does the quality of the machine last. I know higher quality means higher price, but is there a decent machine that will work and if it does need repairs are they available? Don't want to buy a machine and find out when it's time to replace a part that it is obsolete.

See ya,
Rdo

 

[troj]

But I gotta ask, what machines are good for chute making? I see all kinds and sizes and some have every different seam stitch known to exist as a preset. How does the quality of the machine last. I know higher quality means higher price, but is there a decent machine that will work and if it does need repairs are they available? Don't want to buy a machine and find out when it's time to replace a part that it is obsolete.

I wouldn't buy a machine, just to make parachutes, unless you plan to make a business of it.

I can give you our (my wife's and my) experience with sewing machines; I'm sure others have had different.

Shortly after we got married, we bought her a machine from the local sewing shop, and spent about $175 on it. She hardly used it. Why? Because it would either jam, or break the thread -- it was all but impossible to adjust the tension "just right", so that it would work.

She didn't do any sewing for a while, then we went out and spent about $600 on a Janome/New Home sewing machine. Besides the fact that the salesman wouldn't let her out the door without spending about 30 minutes teaching her how to use it, the thing has just worked. It's hardly a fancy machine, but it's built well enough that it came with some obscene length warranty. We've had it about 15 years, and it has been in for maintenance once, and that was because of something Deb did.

If you do decide to buy a machine for making parachutes, get a walking foot -- it helps control the fabric.

-Kevin

 

[Gary Byrum]

All you guys with your slide rulers...BAH! I'm sure you know your stuff when it comes to the math but I will say this much. Since I have been making my own chutes in "X" class, they don't drift as much. Of course I make sure all my shroud lines are exactly the same length and I'm certain that's an added plus to any chute. Uniformity! Quicker descents are always going to be a plus factor as long as they do not damage the rocket. Center holes are also a plus for faster descents and less drifting. To say which is the best idea all depends on how the wind blows.

 

[alexzogh]

I successfully made a parachute once using this pattern maker:

https://scottbryce.com/parachute/spherical_parachute.html

Made a 72 inch half-hemisphere parachute with 9 gores and a 3 inch spill hole.

Printed out a gore pattern perfectly using multiple 8.5 x 11 pieces of paper on my laser printer.

Now that I've done it, I can't say I would ever do it again. It was a great project with my oldest daughter that has her own sewing machine. If you are good at sewing and have more time then money, it's a worthy endeavor. These days, I prefer to use the one tool I always know gets the job done... my credit card :>

 

[Gary Byrum]

Now that I've done it, I can't say I would ever do it again. It was a great project with my oldest daughter that has her own sewing machine. If you are good at sewing and have more time then money, it's a worthy endeavor. These days, I prefer to use the one tool I always know gets the job done... my credit card :>

You are the perfect candidate for someone with a great lot of spare time. And no...I don't do custom chutes for business.

 

[thobin]

I buy sewing machines all the time from thrift stores and fix them and sell them off. I have an old White sewing machine that my wife let me keep. Its not all that hard to find one for a good price, and 95% of the time its an easy fix. I think I payed $50 for the White I use. And all it needed was some TLC to get running.

If you plan on making all your chutes it would be a good idea to buy one, but if its for a one off project. Id stick to Top Flight or one of the other parachute manufactures. Its fun to make one once and a while for a special project, but I'd have to say sewing parachutes is my least favorite rocket building task.


TA

 

[thobin]

Just don't buy a Walmart special plastic sewing machine it will break after the first chute. Nothing built in the 80's 0r 90's unless its a Bernina. Very few sewing machines made in those two decades are any good.



TA

 

[Gary Byrum]

I buy sewing machines all the time from thrift stores and fix them and sell them off.

TA

I have a Pfaff 1196 that was given to me back in 1995 that I use on just about everything. It's built like a tank and has been a great machine all these years. I wish I could find out what year it was made in.

 

[thobin]

I have a Pfaff 1196 that was given to me back in 1995 that I use on just about everything. It's built like a tank and has been a great machine all these years. I wish I could find out what year it was made in.

A Pfaff 1196 is a good machine I don't know much about them I only have tinkered with one or two. But I do know that the older ones are build like a tank and will serve you well. In fact they used a lot of Paffs in school sewing classes because they could take a beating. There is a PDF manual online some were if I remember correctly, If you need it. I will ask my wife what year it was made in she may know.

TA

 

[Gary Byrum]

A Pfaff 1196 is a good machine I don't know much about them I only have tinkered with one or two. But I do know that the older ones are build like a tank and will serve you well. In fact they used a lot of Paffs in school sewing classes because they could take a beating. There is a PDF manual online some were if I remember correctly, If you need it. I will ask my wife what year it was made in she may know.

TA

I've looked through that online pdf a couple of times already and never saw a date. The artwork in the manual looks like early 60's. If that's the case then I own a machine that's 50 years old (or so) and runs like new. Great for making parachutes.

 

[McKailas Dad]

KenStarr, thanks for the link to efabricsupplier. I wasn't really looking that hard, but I was looking for thin mil nylon. I normally get Top Flight chutes, but something other than their orange thin mil would be nice. I may order a sample pack of all the colors to see what they are all about. I would have my lady friend sew them for me, and I would have her do the shroud lines Estes style.

 

[Rocketbuilder]

So if you make your own 'chutes because you have more time than money, then wouldn't it make more sense to sew it by hand, rather than buying a sewing machine? I'm sure it takes lots more time (the little bit of sewing I've done was certainly time-consuming), but if you have lots more time than money, it would make sense. Does anyone do this?

 

[Gary Byrum]

So if you make your own 'chutes because you have more time than money, then wouldn't it make more sense to sew it by hand, rather than buying a sewing machine? I'm sure it takes lots more time (the little bit of sewing I've done was certainly time-consuming), but if you have lots more time than money, it would make sense. Does anyone do this?

You really don't have to do that much sewing if you are making a simple parachute 16-18-24" or such. You can use a template and burn them out with a hot iron / wood burning tool or whatever and just sew the shrouds in place. Some of these other folks are making chutes in sections that have to be sewn in. I wouldn't wanna sew one by hand like the ones they are talking about. I'm all about the smart easy method. Besides, I don't need really big chutes anyway.

 

[thobin]

You all got me inspired to try out a parachute from this web site. https://www.vatsaas.org/rtv/systems/parachutes/chute.aspx

I cut out my pattern, picked a color.



I used my rotary cutter and mat to cut out the panels.


I combined the two parts, which I might add is a mistake it leaves the center peak without any renforcement, something that sewing the larger panel to the smaller one would give you. Alas this is for a small rocket and it will suffice for now. I'm going to look into the CD a bit more on this design and do a bit more testing. It appears to only be slightly higher CD as a standard X-type.

Any way I pinned it all together and then stabbed it a bunch of times with needle and thread. An hour latter Booya! :headbang: I have to admit I like the 4 shroud lines. I think i'm going to try some nylon strapping next and tie on the shroud lines. I'm not sure about the heat shrink tubing on the anchor point, it looks like a good idea for larger parachutes. For smaller rockets where your attachment options are limited it might cause a problem.


I still suck at sewing, not getting much better at it but i'm getting quicker. I need to make a bunch for a while so I can get some more practice. The wife only had to come bail me out once this time.

TA

 

[thobin]

So if you make your own 'chutes because you have more time than money, then wouldn't it make more sense to sew it by hand, rather than buying a sewing machine? I'm sure it takes lots more time (the little bit of sewing I've done was certainly time-consuming), but if you have lots more time than money, it would make sense. Does anyone do this?

Its really not that hard to find a machine. The wife bought a Kenmore 148 for $20 bucks. And all it had wrong was it hadn't been oiled EVER so it had seized up a bit. An hour with some heat and Break Free and now it runs like a million bucks. The Kenmore 148 through 178 where built by Jaguar in the 70's and aren't bad sewing machines. Do your home work, watch the thrift stores and the classifieds and you will have a good machine in no time. Sewing by hand is like having your gums scraped.

TA

 

[Rocketbuilder]

Sewing by hand is like having your gums scraped.

Well it's not quite that bad, but I'll admit that I was not having fun sewing a sail set for a ship model I'm working on. :bang:

 

[AlphaHybrids]

I started making parachutes because I was curious. In the 10 years I've been doing it - I've learned a few tricks. A hot knife is a must. It cuts and seals, and you can baste the pieces together to sew them correctly. You don't need to use super duper kevlar sewing thread. If you are burning your thread with your ejection charges, I'm guessing the nylon that it is holding together it toast. Regular nylon thread is plenty, at 8 stitches per inch. I use a rolled hem foot to put the panels of my parachutes together. This turns the edge in and forms a nice seam. It takes a single pass - if you use a flat felled foot you have two passes. I've never had a seam fail on a parachute. I've found the limit of the fabric first. For finishing the bottom edges i use a ripstop binding tape. I use a foot that takes a 2" wide strip and folds it twice so it ends up 1/2" wide and encases the raw edge of the bottom. I like the clean look and that I can add a contrasting color. For shroud lines I used to use grommets, but have since sewn in the shroud lines. I've never had one fail and they have been tested to 25 pounds a line, 3:1 safety factor. They ripped out of the ripstop nylon, the line didn't break first. The line broke at 125 pounds. I've sewn every type of parachute, flat circle, hemispherical, ellipsoidal, x-form, parabolic, toroidal, tri-conical, rotofoil, band-gap-disc. If I'm sewing multiple gores, I sew a toroidal to make the most of my parachute for the work I'm putting in. I've sewn flat circles to make them easier to pack (less seam volume) for some applications. 90% of the parachutes I use 1.5-1.7oz ripstop on. It is easier to sew and I fly sport mostly and have a cavernous amount of room to pack them into. When I do need to make a volume constrained parachute I use 1.1 oz calendared ripstop. It is a pain to sew - very slippery and takes me more time. I generally use a fusible web to sew them and then tear that off after the fact.

For patterns I generally derive them from the shape I'm wanting, then I convert that to AutoCAD. I plot that, attach to 1/8" masonite and then cut that out for my pattern. I then can use that pattern to cut gores out easily and consistent. Using AutoCAD and Excel I generally optimize my parachutes for the fabric that I'm using. I prefer to use 66" or 72" wide fabric because your efficiency goes up a lot.

Edward