homemade streamers ?

[arthur dent]

Has anyone made a home made streamer or has anyone got any good ideas on how to make one?

 

[prowlerguy]

For sport streamers, a roll of crepe paper from Party City will make more streamers than most of us will ever use, and they are flameproof. You can also use contruction marking tape (like crime scene tape, without the writing) to make something very similar to the ones that Estes ships with.

For NARTREK or competition, I am partial to an appropriate size chunk of my mylar space blanket, which cost a couple of bucks and has made countless parachutes and streamers.

 

[ShieldWolf]

Surveyors tape is available in most hardware stores and comes in several bright colors. Sometimes you can even find an assortment.

With very small models, plumbers teflon thread sealer tape works well, but be sure to coat it very thoroughly with talcum powder so that it doesn't stick to itself and become a recovery lump.

Tissue paper, the kind you wrap gifts with, not the kind you wipe your nose with, makes a good, but not very rugged streamer. Plan on replacing it regularly.

Gift wrap will also work, as will newspaper, and even typing paper.

Crepe paper streamer is colorful, cheap, and best of all, flame retardant, at least that sold in the US is. Besides using it for streamers, you can use it for wadding.

Tyvec, a brand name for a material used in wrapping houses during construction to reduce air leaks, and also used in USPS Express Mail envelopes, may also be a good choice.

Possibly more important than the material is the size of the streamer. A good rule of thumb is Length = 10 x Width. Too long and the streamer will cease to flutter and will instead fall smoothly. The flutter is what acts to slow the drop.

Be sure to check out the

Streamer Size Calculator at EMRR.

The Handbook of Model Rocketry also has some good info on streamer size, and if I remember correctly, materials.

HTH
Randal

 

[rabidsheeep]

if you have a 99c store around go down and pick up some of those tarps they use to cover lawn chairs or tables that go outside (green nylon-ish)... try and find ones that arent obsessivly thick... gives you plenty of material for a cheap price

 

[lalligood]

Originally posted by ShieldWolf
Surveyors tape is available in most hardware stores and comes in several bright colors. Sometimes you can even find an assortment.

**SNIP**

Tyvec, a brand name for a material used in wrapping houses during construction to reduce air leaks, and also used in USPS Express Mail envelopes, may also be a good choice.

From the same material as surveyor's tape is disposable tablecloths. The come in a zillion different colors & cost less than $2 for a 5ft x 8 ft sheet...that's nearly the equivalent of buying a cube of dog barf wadding! You can custom cut to the width & length that you want...

Once upon a time Tyvec was discussed here on TRF. Do a search for Tyvec & I'm sure you'll find the thread. It was determined to NOT be flame resistant or flame proof! It is NOT a good idea to use it.

HTH,

 

[arthur dent]

Quite simply more ideas than you can shake a stick at thanks guys

 

[BobH48]

Originally posted by lalligood
From the same material as surveyor's tape is disposable tablecloths. The come in a zillion different colors & cost less than $2 for a 5ft x 8 ft sheet...

If you have a "Dollar Store" near you, they always have those disposable table cloths. For a buck you can't go wrong.

I use them all the time for streamers (and chutes).

 

[teflonrocketry1]

Streamers can be made from Teflon pipe thread sealant tape; and no wadding required! Comes in colors up to 2" wide visit:

https://www.mcmaster.com

Look at the bottom of catalog page number 3177. Just tie a good length to the rockets shock cord.

Bruce S. Levison, NAR #69055

 

[WillCarney]

I have made some from rip stop nylon left over from making my
own parachutes.

I don't do the sewing but all edges are sewn to prevent edge
frays. The end that holds the string is folded over and sewn to
give a gap to run a string thru. On larger ones the thread is sewn
thru the line as well as the material.

This has worked just fine for a scratch dual deploy using a
streamer about 3 inches wide and about 3 feet long flying on a
3 inch rocket about 6 lbs with a J570.

William

 

[dr wogz]

Mylar wrapping paper. Get the holographic shiney stuff!!

 

[lalligood]

Originally posted by Dr Wogz
Mylar wrapping paper. Get the holographic shiney stuff!!

I have to give props to mylar streamers because it's the only recovery device that doubles as a rocket locator. If folded before flight, it rattles on the way downmaking it easy to spot because you can hear it as well as see it...

 

[Mad Rocketeer]

Originally posted by Dr Wogz
Mylar wrapping paper. Get the holographic shiney stuff!!

A friend of mine gave me a sheet of this stuff (not huge) which has provided several streamers for small LPR birds, with plenty left for more. It rattles pretty good coming down too, and even though it catches the sun very nicely, I still usually hear it before I see it.

 

[Micromeister]

Coverite Micafilm from Tower hobbies in Red #Lxb241 or Yellow #Lxb 242 come on a 24" roll. Great for streamers, holds a pleat like all gee-wiz light weight and very tough to tear, believe it or not a 3" x 40" streamer in a 10.5mm body tube with this stuff, had no trouble at deployment whatsoever
1/2mil silver coated both sides Mylar also makes for very good streamers. Holds the pleats well but can't roll quite as tight as the micafilm.
If your just looking for cheap non duration streamers, any of the mylar 1/4mil mylars for the party supply store or 2" wide plastic caution tape, I just picked up a HUGE roll at Lowe's for 8 bucks.

 

[KEN R]

what is the best color to use?

 

[KennB]

what is the best color to use?

It varies for the conditions where you are flying. Red, orange, black or most dark colors are quite visible in the sky. But you have to consider ground color, too, as the streamer can be a big asset in finding your rocket once it's down. Green would blend in on a sod farm but would stand out in the desert. Orange, red and yellow wouldn't be good in foliage season in the North.

A shiny Mylar is great for catching the sun and "glinting" the location of your rocket both in the sky and on the ground but it can be fragile unless properly constructed.

As with most questions on this forum, there's generally no one good answer. It's best to keep a few different colors on hand so you can use what's right for that flight.

 

[kuririn]

Wow, a 15 year old resurrected thread. Is that a record?

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

https://www.amazon.com/Hanson-Fluorescent-Orange-Flagging-Tape/dp/B000DZBHCW

 

[BABAR]

Wow, a 15 year old resurrected thread. Is that a record?

Yeah, pretty impressive consider the June 2005 post is by an expert who is likely currently looking DOWN when he views rocket launches.