paracord for chute lines

[g zilla]

Has anyone used paracord when making their own parachutes. If not what is good material. Ive used kevlar in the past and that will get expensive. Oh and the paracute is a 12 panel hemisherical 20' chute.

 

[Banzai88]

I have used paracord and 95 cord. Easy to work with to learn things, but mega heavy and bulky for it's strength.

I now use 125 and 250lb rated kite cord. Get a cording foot for your sewing machine for this stuff. A $20 roll on ebay is a lifetime supply.

You're doing a 12 panel 20 foot chute? I'd still use a high rated kite cord, and probably more gores.

Paging Handeman!

 

[g zilla]

Cording foot ? I do need to fold this chute down into a space 7.5"x 18" including harness smaller is better. Ive already got the gores cut so 12 it be.

 

[AfterBurners]

Kind of on the same subject I have some military flare chutes. Not the 60" but the smaller 36". The lines are NOT the greatest because most of the time they are frayed. Who does reasonable repair work for replacing the lines with a better material? I was told Topflight does repairs??

 

[Jeffmhopkins]

I've been using them in my parachutes, but to save on bulk I gut the 550. Still plenty strong for what I'm doing. For a larger parachute (mine are only 4' usually) I'd probably keep the guts in.

 

[Banzai88]

Cording foot ? I do need to fold this chute down into a space 7.5"x 18" including harness smaller is better. Ive already got the gores cut so 12 it be.

Search for kite cord. It is very much like the cord used in window blinds. Light weight, low bulk, minimum stretch.

A cording foot will help hold the line in place while you stitch it to the canopy. Not 100% necessary, but the smaller the line the more precise you need to position and control it. For under $5 ebay, worth it's weight in gold. It only works for small cord.

550 and 95 cord can be a pain to control, but that is somewhat mitigated by it's width, making stitching a little easier. Use duckbill tweezers to help shift things around under the stitching foot.

Google for pictures and variety on both items so you get an idea of what they are, then Ebay is your friend.

 

[Banzai88]

Kind of on the same subject I have some military flare chutes. Not the 60" but the smaller 36". The lines are NOT the greatest because most of the time they are frayed. Who does reasonable repair work for replacing the lines with a better material? I was told Topflight does repairs??

I believe TF and Cato will both do repairs.

 

[Tonimus]

I used 550 cord on my 15' surplus parachutes when I serviced them. Worked great.

 

[rharshberger]

Most people don't realize that 550 cord can be used without the core strands and its much easier to sew, IF you don't need the full rating of the cord (iirc 550 outer is good for 300-375lbs), the inner core strings can be used on other smaller parachute projects. I typically use 95 and 550 para cord on all my chutes. A cording foot isn't necessary with coreless 550 as it lays flat like ribbon, but a cording foot is nice to have for the rest of the time.

 

[Jeffmhopkins]

Most people don't realize that 550 cord can be used without the core strands and its much easier to sew, IF you don't need the full rating of the cord (iirc 550 outer is good for 300-375lbs), the inner core strings can be used on other smaller parachute projects. I typically use 95 and 550 para cord on all my chutes. A cording foot isn't necessary with coreless 550 as it lays flat like ribbon, but a cording foot is nice to have for the rest of the time.

Yep, I gut mine most of the time. Easy easier to sew.

 

[Nessalco]

I love this stuff

https://www.paragear.com/skydiving/10000043/W9754F/

That's 400# tensile strength. They also make a 600# flat weave.

Kevin

 

[rharshberger]

can you hear me now?

Nice stuff too bad I cant buy it local.

 

[TopRamen]

I used it on a couple MPR chutes with the inner 7 strands removed, but it was heavy so I stopped involving it in my chute making.
There are other types of cordage which are strong enough for the size rockets I'm flying, and lighter.

 

[crossfire]

Or you guys could just email TFR and we could sell you a roll of what we have used for years.

70lb test braided nylon used on 9"-15"
125lb test braided nylon used on our 24"-30"
250lb test round braid nylon used on our 36"-120"
750lb test flat braid nylon used on our line of UXT and CF chutes.

 

[Handeman]

Has anyone used paracord when making their own parachutes. If not what is good material. Ive used kevlar in the past and that will get expensive. Oh and the paracute is a 12 panel hemisherical 20' chute.

I used paracord for my 24 gore 9' chute. Here is the build thread https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?122017-Build-Thread-9-ft-24-Gore-Semi-Elliptical-Chute
It is quite bulky. If you are making a 20' chute, I'm assuming you have a very heavy rocket, +100 lbs. With only 12 lines, I don't think I would go with the kite cord unless you used a pilot chute and d-bag to control opening and a slider to slow down and reduce the shock of opening.

What type of material are you using? The 1.9 oz ripstop from fabric stores is what I used and it is very bulky compared to the 1.1 or 3/4 oz of true parachute material. If you are using the lighter material you will have more room for larger stronger cords.

The chute I made was only 9' but with the 1.9 oz nylon and 24 shrouds that feed all the way across the top of the chute. It still fits in a d-bag that is 5.5" OD and 18" long.

 

[Banzai88]

Or you guys could just email TFR and we could sell you a roll of what we have used for years.

70lb test braided nylon used on 9"-15"
125lb test braided nylon used on our 24"-30"
250lb test round braid nylon used on our 36"-120"
750lb test flat braid nylon used on our line of UXT and CF chutes.

Good to know!

 

[g zilla]

I used paracord for my 24 gore 9' chute. Here is the build thread https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?122017-Build-Thread-9-ft-24-Gore-Semi-Elliptical-Chute
It is quite bulky. If you are making a 20' chute, I'm assuming you have a very heavy rocket, +100 lbs. With only 12 lines, I don't think I would go with the kite cord unless you used a pilot chute and d-bag to control opening and a slider to slow down and reduce the shock of opening.

What type of material are you using? The 1.9 oz ripstop from fabric stores is what I used and it is very bulky compared to the 1.1 or 3/4 oz of true parachute material. If you are using the lighter material you will have more room for larger stronger cords.

The chute I made was only 9' but with the 1.9 oz nylon and 24 shrouds that feed all the way across the top of the chute. It still fits in a d-bag that is 5.5" OD and 18" long.

Not quit sure on weight Im guessing 60 lb booster. It is an 7.5" upscale Estes supervega 2 stage. The fin pods are easily prone to damage on landing. Trying to keep descent rate as slow as possible. I found 1.35 oz ripstop nylon for $2 a yard.The chute design is semi hemisherical straight lines coming off center 30 degrees about 6' then arcing perpendicular towards edge

 

[Dave A]

HD slingshot with big fishing weight, trailing a small twine. Fire over the shock cord, tie heavier rope to one end, pull rope over tree, grab both ends of the rope and pull down through the tree, down comes rocket, better than climbing.