Carabiner for quick change Parachute?

[techrat]

Howdy all.... I know the fishing swivels are popular, but I am ALSO thinking of using really small carabiners for quick change of parachutes, depending upon the weather. For example, if I watch the first launch, and see other rockets drifting off the field due to the breeze, I may decide to swap my 18" chute, even with a hole, for a 12" chute so I'm not chasing the rocket. It may come down a little quick, but the field is grass, I have yet to break a fin, even when the chute doesn't deploy at all... Has anybody else done this successfully?

 

[Hobie1dog]

for mid power, you'll be fine. It's the very heavy rockets that can open up/destroy carabiners.

 

[Bill S]

Maybe one of these. Probably more secure.

https://csrocketry.com/recovery-sup...nd-swivels/1/8-quicklink-stainless-steel.html

 

[waltr]

Without knowing weight of rocket it is hard to suggest or the BT size.
18" or 12" chute is only hint from the OP and to me these indicate a LPR. It that case I use the clips like these:
https://www.asp-rocketry.com/ecomme...el-Size-7.cfm?item_id=384&parent=50&navPanel=
For MPR, 800 to 1500gram and chutes in the 24-36" range the 1/8" Quick link is what I use but not on chutes. Fir this size rocket I put a third loop on the shock cord about 1/3 way from nose to BT. Then pass the chute's shroud lines through the loop and pas the chute through the shroud lines. This minimizes items that can fail. Changing chutes only takes a minute so no need of any type of quick link.

As to the carabiner the OP asks about, I have no idea which he is thinking of.
Any of the small ones I have seen are for keychains and have NO load rating and are NOT locking. I would never trust one i a rocket recovery system.

 

[Lee]

Maybe one of these. Probably more secure.

https://csrocketry.com/recovery-sup...nd-swivels/1/8-quicklink-stainless-steel.html

Or one of these

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BVGT59...WRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1&psc=1

 

[Frausing]

Or one of these

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BVGT59...RpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1&psc=1

Those look like they can tear the ...ng at those, Interlocking Snap Swivel, Size 7

 

[Frausing]

I know you're asking for a carabiner, but I'd also use some kind of fishing swivel with it so the parachutes don't spin so much that it closes.
Maybe something like this, This one has ball bearings and are rated for 95lb / 52kg.

 

[dr wogz]

For MPR, 800 to 1500gram and chutes in the 24-36" range the 1/8" Quick link is what I use but not on chutes. Fir this size rocket I put a third loop on the shock cord about 1/3 way from nose to BT. Then pass the chute's shroud lines through the loop and pas the chute through the shroud lines. This minimizes items that can fail. Changing chutes only takes a minute so no need of any type of quick link.

I do that even for my lower end HPR; 4-8 lb rockets. Why add extra weight? And why have a heavy metal "thing" to bash your tubes & such to bits..


As for eh OP: you can get some pretty big fishing swivel links, easily enough to handle the loads expected for an MPR rocket. And they are designed to stay closed while the fish thrashes about. I would shy away from a traditional carabiner, as they are not a locking device (unless you get one with a positive lock on it - they are meant to quickly engage / disengage). They can / are expected to open with the push of a thumb, therefore they can open if the chute twists just right.. use a quick link as described above (with the threaded feature to close it)

Add a swivel too.. But then a gain, thread the swivel on the loop (as described by Waltr) and then add the chute to that the same way. (I also do that!)

 

[Lee]

Those look like they can tear the ...ng at those, Interlocking Snap Swivel, Size 7

I haven't had the clip tear or snag yet but could always put a small wrap of masking tape to prevent that

 

[Frausing]

Those I plan to use in my first MPR is those.
They got a small ball bearing no sharp wire, and is to 95 lb / 52 kg. and really small.

 

[Sparkyflyer14]

Howdy all.... I know the fishing swivels are popular, but I am ALSO thinking of using really small carabiners for quick change of parachutes, depending upon the weather. For example, if I watch the first launch, and see other rockets drifting off the field due to the breeze, I may decide to swap my 18" chute, even with a hole, for a 12" chute so I'm not chasing the rocket. It may come down a little quick, but the field is grass, I have yet to break a fin, even when the chute doesn't deploy at all... Has anybody else done this successfully?

I use a small caribineer for a 30in chute. It might not be the safest thing, but it hasn't broken yet. Like you say, it makes it very easy to interchange. My most recent endevour was hooking the parachute to a swivel, and then hooking it to the caribineer. This way I get swivel action and caribineer action, though I have done it without the swivel with fine results.

 

[bjphoenix]

Small carabiners, especially aluminum, might have limited strength. For my mid power rockets I use the small steel quick links, you can even find these in Home Depot. For low power rockets I've been using small fishing snap swivels but I've also had some of the normal ones fail. I'm going to switch to the ones similar to what Frausing posted. You can find a wide variety of these on Amazon and ebay, and many of them will list the strength.

 

[Frausing]

I did just see this page on Apogee
https://www.apogeerockets.com/Build...ery_Equipment/Swivels/200_Ball_Bearing_Swivel

 

[gldknght]

I would not use a carabiner for anything rocketry related. The normal ones are made of aluminum and are not rated for any kind of load. The load rated ones are made of steel and are way too heavy for mid-power.

 

[waltr]

The Load Rated Climbing 'biner's I use are Aluminum.
Still too large and heavy for MPR