How to: Making a Parachute(with pics)

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Well I just got back from Walmart. Seems my luck is changing if only ever so slightly. I came away with two yards of a dark(navy) blue ripstop nylon that has kinda a rubbery, waterproof coating on one side. I think I might try it on something, though probably not the deuce as it's kinda heavy/tough stuff. But it was clearance, so I figured it was worth a shot. They had a fair bit, but that was the only stuff they had. Worst case I can make some sort of waterproof covering for something.
Reed
 
are you guys leaving the pins in when you sew the seams up? if you can it would make sewing the patches on my uniforms so much easier lol. I think I am going to have to try this.
 
It's best to leave them in and take them out right before you sew over them. If you sew over them, you run the risk of breaking a needle when you hit the pins.
Reed
 
Great original write up on the chutes...chute making is definitely a fine art for patient builders.

The last chute I made came from a large umbrella that the skeleton failed on. I stripped the covering, sewed some shroud line on it, and it flew nicely for a few years...it met its demise on a high speed deployment.

Johnnie
 
foose, great write up on sewing a chute. I've made several in 8", 12" and even the 30" for my L1. It's really not hard to do. Hope this gets more people sewing their own.
 
Reed Goodwin said:
Well I just got back from Walmart. Seems my luck is changing if only ever so slightly. I came away with two yards of a dark(navy) blue ripstop nylon that has kinda a rubbery, waterproof coating on one side. I think I might try it on something, though probably not the deuce as it's kinda heavy/tough stuff. But it was clearance, so I figured it was worth a shot. They had a fair bit, but that was the only stuff they had. Worst case I can make some sort of waterproof covering for something.
Reed
Click to expand...


Reed:
Have you tried Jo-Ann fabrics locally? I and the better 2/3rds have found lots of nice lightweight (about 1.5oz/yd) rip-stop nylon at a couple of our local stores in Maryland with lots of bright colors. It's usually Not up front but kinda back in a corner somewhere where you do have to spend a little time looking, but we stocked up in September, Red, White, yellow, orange, Lt. blue, Dark Blue, Charturse(sp) Dk Green, purple, navy blue, Black and a semi goldish color. Also ran across some very nice silk in a couple colors for some other chute projects:)
Hope this helps.
 
Micro,
I've thought about going to a Jo-anns, but all the close ones are an hour away, minimum. As it happens, though, today I'm getting a well-needed haircut and then I'm going to run a few errands after that. Turns out there's a Jo-anns real close by. Let's hope they've got some, even better if it's clearance. Thanks for mentioning that, cause I would have forgotten to check the store locations if you hadn't.
Reed
 
Thanks for the kudos. I'm just glad it's still getting some hits. I was getting tired of searching for different threads to get all the info I needed, so I figured one thread would help everyone out, including myself. ;)

Joann's normal price is way too high for ripstop. Runs about 8 bucks a yard IIRC, and NEVER on sale. I've only seen a few basic colors there. Red, yellow, blue, green, maybe white, never orange or pink, or anything high vis. Like any chain this can probably vary from location to location. But the manager at mine says, they only get "safe" colors in, meaning primary colors that will sell most often. Occasionally, you can find reminant stuff on a discount rack there, but not very often. However, like most of the big and craft stores, they are generous with the 40-50% coupons when you sign up for their mailing list. For me, nothing has beat the dollar table at Walmart. ;)
 
Yeah, I just got back from my errands. I had to go to another Walmart so I checked there but to no avail. At the Jo-anns I found the ripstop, in simple colors (red, gold, blue, black, green, grey, white) and for $7 a yard. eeek! I found what I thought to be the clearance (red tag stuff?) but no ripstop. So I bought a half-yard of red, blue, black and white. Should suffice for a while. Gonna start sewing today, hopefully.
Reed
 
Foose,
Could you post that attachment of the shroud line attachment? When I click on the links in the first post nothing shows up. Actually, I know how they're connected, I'm just wondering how long they were supposed to be for the alternate method (not the traditional kit method).
Reed
 
Some folk are calling it the "purse" method. I don't know why the links don't work anymore. I just pointed to the URL's that I saw in other threads. The drawing belonged to Micromeister, so maybe he took it down. The alternate method drawing was one by Bob Cox and that doesn't work either.

I may have to draw them myself an edit the original post... unless those guys don't mind sharing the info again???

Basically, the purse method just has the shroud lines running parallel to each other...um, like a purse handle. ;)
 
When using that method, are all the shroud lines the same length (~1.5 the diameter of the chute)?
Reed
 
They should all be the same length. You want the same length from the common attachment point to the chute on all the shrouds. That means all the shrouds should be the same, no matter where they are attached.

I'll have to go back though the thread, I don't remember where it stated that the shroud lines should be 1.5 x chute diameter. Guess it doesn't matter, that is what I consider the minimum shroud length for all my chutes now. I was amazed at how much better the Estes plastic parasheets worked with 1.5 to 2x shroud lines. The homemade hemis and elipticals also benifit from the longer lines.
 
Well, yesterday evening I finished my second parachute that I've made over this break. Both are 12" hemis, though the one I made from my Walmart-found fabric has some relatively short shroud lines as I was mistaken thinking that the total shroud length was 1.5x the diameter of the chute. I made another one, though, from the fabric I got at Jo-Anns. It's much nicer, and it uses the NC State colors. I think it's probably my best yet. Anyways, on both of them I opted for direct attachment of the shroud lines instead of tying them to ribbon loops. I had had some issues with the knots coming undone on my previous chutes I made like that and I ended up having to put some epoxy drops to secure the knots.

Anyhow, I just took the new chute outside and looped it to some solid metal scissors and did some tossing to try and get some pictures of it. I then brought it back and weighed stuff. The scissors were 4.2oz and seemed to be falling at a nice rate. Then I weighed the chutes because I could feel a noticable difference between the two. Turns out the one made with the Walmart fabric weighed 30g while the Jo-ann one weighed 15g. Maybe that stiffer Walmart stuff just isn't meant for parachutes.

I'll get some pictures up soon enough,
Reed
 
After trying to work out the gores to make the best use of the material I decided to go with a X-Form design.

The material is from Hobby Lobby. (Light Rip Stop Nylon) and the lines are braided nylon cord.

My wife sews them for me. I'm not allowed to touch her sewing machine.

The X-Form design makes the best use of the material with very little waste.

Notice the seams...my wife insists that the thread used in the seams must match the material!:rolleyes:

Basically the shape of the main section is 2:4 and the "flaps are 1:2.

View attachment x form chute.JPG
 
As promised, pictures.
IMG_7963s.jpg


IMG_7961s.jpg


I like it,
Reed
 
Didn't your mother ever tell you "Don't drop a scissors from a parachute with the pointed end down!"

btw- it looks great!
 
Oh, it's better than that. I threw them into the air then let them fall to earth. Very safe. :)
Reed
 
Very nice looking chute, Reed. Love the scissors - the picture confirms the mental image I had from your 9:40 post. 'Nuf to make a Safety Nazi have a coronary!:rotflol:

For any of you who are following this thread but haven't gotten up the nerve to try making one yourself, my son started making nylon hemi parachutes when he was in something like the 8th grade. He made a nice big red and white one for my Silver Comet, which has gobs of room in it. It looks SO great floating down slowly under that chute, and the fact that he made it is icing on the cake.

How about a new motto for those of us flying homemade chutes: "A rocket should look just as good coming down as it did going up!"
 
well I just talked to the wife and she said we could go get some fabric this weekend I am going to try to make a 36-45" chute for my 38 special.
 
I have been greatly blessed, and I feel a little responsibility to pass some of it on to others. So--

The first two TRFers from the United States to post here or PM me asking for a chunk will each get a 60 by 90 inch piece of bright yellow, lightweight ripstop nylon, fresh from Joann's earlier tonight. Free. Postage included. Merry Christmas. Include your mailing address in the PM.

If you have a source (or two) of this sort of ripstop nylon close to you, I am going to ask you (on the honor system) to refrain from posting a request, to allow some of the other guys to have a shot.

If anyone else wants, I can go back Friday or Saturday (40% off coupon still good) and get some bright blue (or more bright yellow) for you at about $4.20 per yard (60 inches wide) plus a couple bux postage.
 
where did you get the cupon for the 40% off I have a joanns here and I am going to try to get some stuff this weekend.
 
Great find PowderBurner:
Hope others check-out JoAnn's as well, My Last visit in October, netted a bunch of Lt. blue, Yellow, Red, purple & white light weight rip-stop and two colors in real silk. very nice stuff. None of which was over 5 bucks a yd;) Very glad to see it's not just my local Waldorf, MD store:)


Foose:
What drawing are you talking about? I haven't taken anything off.
 
hazegry said:
where did you get the cupon for the 40% off
Click to expand...
I get a joann store flyer (with coupons) on a regular basis stuffed into our local Sunday newspaper along with all the other store adverts.

You can also sign up to get on the mailing list for your local store (well, I could, you probably can too) and they will mail a coupon to you every couple weeks.

I just found an online offer at their website
https://www.joann.com/joann/index.jsp;jsessionid=3DRBAPY2133MQP4SY5GVAFJ50LD3OUPU
for 50-percent-off-any-one-item but I don't have any info on how long that offer is good
https://www.joann.com/joann/catalog...=GOOGSBRFBRC&gclid=CJztwJvDuZACFQ8nawodz0fFLw

For the free nylon:
Only one taker so far.
I am going back today to get a few yards of blue, enough to offer two more (four total) pieces for you guys to play with.
 
The coupons are a good idea for Joann's. Regular price is too much. Go to the website and sign up for their e-mailing list, they'll flood you with coupons! :rolleyes: I've found reminant discounted stuff there from time to time, but it's spotty. Just have to keep checking from time to time... like the other place I mentioned.
 
I've been getting mine at Hobby Lobby with a 40% coupon but sometimes it's on sale for even less than the 40% coupon.

Hobby Lobby has lightweight rip stop nylon in purple, black, yellow, red, white, orange and blue.

I like to mix the colors on my chutes.:D

I get the braided nylon cord from a local fabric store run by a real nice old lady in the next town over from me. I also get my elastic shock cord from her too.

I just have to remember to bring my empty rolls when I go.
 
I don't think I ran... I figured throwing them in the air then loosing sight of them falling as I looked through the camera was safer, hehe.

Why is it that all the good stores for rocketry stuff aren't around me... Sad.
Reed
 
One piece of yellow remaining. Still free to a good parachute maker.



UPDATE: Jan 2
Last piece of yellow spoken for.
 

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