Packing a parachute

[gorillamotors]

Do you prefer (if you have the choice) to pack a parachute in tight or loose?

 

[cjl]

Loose.

 

[wooden geezer]

I prefer loose because i think it opens quicker :2:

 

[Sailorbill]

I prefer loose because i think it opens quicker :2:

Slower opening within reason leads to less stress on the recovery system. Maybe not on the flier :shock: but it is better for the rocket.

 

[blackjack2564]

I prefer to fold and pack my chute very tight and compact....then roll and fold the nomex around it tightly to hold in place, but in such a way that the whole package will slide easily in and out of the airframe when deployed.

It's folded in such a way that it will deploy in a slow...step by step manner, not snap open instantly causing undo stress.

 

[troj]

It's folded in such a way that it will deploy in a slow...step by step manner, not snap open instantly causing undo stress.

That, right there, is the most important part. How hard it is doesn't matter -- some commercial (non-rocketry) deployment bags, when packed, and REALLY hard. The key is they're packed such that the parachute deploys neatly and easily.

It's the technique that matters, not how hard or soft it is.

-Kevin

 

[Estimado]

I have a question along these same lines...I have made a shock cord system using 100 lb. test Kevlar cord epoxied to the motor mount. This Kevlar cord ends about 1" before the end of the main tube and then is attached by a snap swivel to a 24" elastic chute cord. I am using a 3"X3" Nomex blanket for my wadding replacement. The chute is 18" nylon. This is being used in an Estes CC Express.

The motor mount on the sustainer stage has been modified to accomodate an "E" size engine (I've glassed the fins and have good joint fillets with glass stips in the fillets).

My question is...When packing the Nomex pad, should I slide the Nomex pad down the whole length of the Kevlar shock cord to the edge of the motor mount. Or, should I leave the Nomex pushed only up to the point of the swivel snap where the Kevlar and elastic cords are joined? Will the force of the ejection charge push the Nomex pad down the Kevlar cord and out of the tube completely?
Rich

 

[Tom W]

'It's folded in such a way that it will deploy in a slow...step by step manner, not snap open instantly causing undo stress'

Care to share?

If your folding method is repeatable (the unfolding always happens within a given time period) I'd like to give it a try.

Thanks,

Tom W

 

[CharlaineC]

For me it all depends on the type of rocket and wether or not a payload is involved or if its a multi stager.

For payloads I pack it loose as to open fast and not harm the payload (esp eggs).

powerful motors I will pack tight as to allow decent time and help keep the rocket in the area.

multistagers are packed tight at well as to keep them in the area

if i'm going for duration I pack super loose


I have some rockets like the estes cluster bomb that flys great but comes down like a brick so i use a super loose chute.

 

[Tom W]

I have a question along these same lines...I have made a shock cord system using 100 lb. test Kevlar cord epoxied to the motor mount. This Kevlar cord ends about 1" before the end of the main tube and then is attached by a snap swivel to a 24" elastic chute cord. I am using a 3"X3" Nomex blanket for my wadding replacement. The chute is 18" nylon. This is being used in an Ested CC express.

The motor mount on the sustainer stage has been modified to accomodate an "E" size engine (I've glassed the fins and have good joint fillets with glass stips in the fillets).

My question is...When packing the Nomex pad, should I slide the Nomex pad down the whole length of the Kevlar shock cord to the edge of the motor mount. Or, should I leave the Nomex pushed only up to the point of the swivel snap where the Kevlar and elastic cords are joined? Will the force of the ejection charge push the Nomex pad down the Kevlar cord and out of the tube completely?
Rich

I usually set the nomex just above the body tube and insert it from there allowing the shock chord (kevlar) below the nomex to fall into the body tube. This way the nomex doesn't have to slide on the shock chord to leave the body tube. I usually have a couple feet of nomex above this point which transistion to elastic (I've gone away from elastic lately).

Tom

 

[blackjack2564]

'It's folded in such a way that it will deploy in a slow...step by step manner, not snap open instantly causing undo stress'

Care to share?

If your folding method is repeatable (the unfolding always happens within a given time period) I'd like to give it a try.

Thanks,

Tom W

What size are we talking about? Different sizes require different methods. High Power? 45in and up is mostly what I fly.

Estes style I just roll 'em up and stuff 'em in.

 

[Tom W]

I fly mostly mid-power.

Usually 12-24 inch nylon chutes.

I fold mine so that the it opens as soon as it comes out of the body tube as descriped on the Apogee website.

I don't usually have deployment issues but there are times if my chute opened slower it would put a whole lot less stress on things.

I also see myself going for my L1 soon so I figure if I have an chance to learn I'm going to take it even if I don't plan on needing it for a few months or even a year.

Thanks

 

[hardinlw]

I mentored a TARC team last year and having the chute deploy reliably and repeatably is critical. They were using a Fruity Chutes TARC 16" and followed the instructions on the Fruity Chutes web site (www.fruitychutes.com) for folding and rolling the chute. Since their rocket was much larger than the rolled chute, it did not pack exactly the same was as shown on that web site. There were a couple of tricks used.

A kevlar shock cord joined the booster section and payload section. The chute connected to a swivel at roughly the halfway point. Roughly, but not exactly lest the two sections of rocket whack together all the way to the ground. The two sections of shock cord were twined around a convenient set of fingers in a figure 8 fashion and then two narrow strips of masking tape were wrapped around the ends of the 8 with one "free" end of the shock cord exiting each end. Try this on the ground before flying it. If you do it right, it is virtually impossible for the shock cord to tangle. To make sure you have it right, just pull the two "free" ends. One end is the swivel and the other is the end of the shock cord attaching to either the booster or payload section. If you have it right, the shock cord will smoothly feed out without tangling. Practice until you get it right.

So now we had three items, the rolled chute, and two segments of bundled shock cord with the swivel between them. These were laid into the 9" nomex chute protector which was folded around them taco style and then the ends were overlapped such that the corner with the buttonhole in it (the one the shock cord to the booster passes through) is at the top and inside. That way, when the chute gets ejected, the nomex protector will be stripped off the chute leaving it to open smoothly.