Line Cutter…

[Philip Tiberius D.]

I have a Prairie Twister that doesn’t seem to “cut it” (sorry for that) but seriously I can’t get it to cut a zip tie even when I pack it full of 4F powder. I’ve thought of milling one end to something of an edge as both sides are blunt. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance.
Philip

 

[Worsaer]

Are you using actual BP, not pyrodex or BP substitute?

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

It’s FFFF unless Dong’s Gun supply swapped out the goods. I will quadruple check when I get home but it’s BP.

 

[tim cubbedge]

You want GOEX BP. I just bought a Prairie Twister the other day and loaded approximately 0.1 grams for a ground test and it cut clean through supplied tie wrap.

Edit:
Did you put an O-ring on the match head too?

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

And yes to O ring

 

[TimothyG]

An easy improvement I've found is to remove much of the chamfer on the piston. To much chamfer and it binds. I've resorted to making my own linecutters however, as it's fairly easy to make them 1/4 the weight. May not seem like much until you're doing a two stage and realize you get all 4 linecutters in a redundant system for the weight of one.

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

do you need a mill to make your own ?

 

[Worsaer]

You can indeed use too much BP…

Here is an example from ground testing..




This test was with redundant cable cutters, nearly full of BP. Here’s also the video.

View attachment trim.A7CDD98A-25ED-4D2E-8973-F458E1944A07.MOV

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

do you need a mill to make your own ?

do you need a mill to make your own ?

Sorry, lathe.

 

[Cameron Tinder]

Heavier and more expensive than the Prairie Twister as the body is made from Stainless steel instead of aluminum and machined to rather tight tolerances:

https://www.tinderrocketry.com/piranha-line-cutter
If weight is less of a concern than cutting ability:

https://www.tinderrocketry.com/the-mako-cutter
Exhaust-less, quiet and VERY powerful!

Hope this helps!

Cameron
TRA 12403 L3

 

[dpower]

I have a Prairie Twister that doesn’t seem to “cut it” (sorry for that) but seriously I can’t get it to cut a zip tie even when I pack it full of 4F powder. I’ve thought of milling one end to something of an edge as both sides are blunt. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance.
Philip

One end of the piston should be concave and sharp. Sounds like yours was not manufactured correctly. Got a photo?

 

[tim cubbedge]

One end of the piston should be concave and sharp. Sounds like yours was not manufactured correctly. Got a photo?

Don’t think so or at least my prairie twister isn’t. It’s flat on both ends and have now used it successfully in flight.

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

One end of the piston should be concave and sharp. Sounds like yours was not manufactured correctly. Got a photo?

Smooth as a babies backside….