I've built an Estes STM-012 with an Apogee ebay to learn a bit about dual deployment. I don't need it but it seemed like a fun challenge. I've done a basic ground test, determined that about 0.3g of 4F each seems sufficient to deploy the drogue and main, and now I'm hoping to actually try it in flight in a couple of weeks (with motor ejection as a backup). Three kinda naive questions:
- For my tests, I poured the black powder in a small pile onto the sticky side of a piece of masking tape, set the initiator in it and then folded the tape over and pressed it down around the edges to make a tight little envelope. It seems easier than futzing with surgical glove fingertips, etc., as I've seen in videos. Is there any reason not to go with the little masking tape packet?
- Is there any reason not to prepare those packets, with initiators, etc., well ahead of time? I'd rather not be dealing with BP, etc., in the field, but don't know if there are other concerns.
- The shock line for the drogue is connected to the motor mount on one end and a small snaplink on the ebay end, so it can be removed and disconnected easily. What about the main chute? I could just attach the shock cord inside the body tube the usual Estes way, but is there any advantage to attaching it to the ebay and if so should I use a snaplink on that end as well?