Shroud line material??

[AtomicStorm]

I would like to know what you use for shroud lines. This will obviously be a custom made 1.1m ripstop nylon parachute that will be 30-36" in diameter. Im looking for inexpensive cordage that doesnt tangle easily.

 

[dhbarr]

What mass of rocket are you catching, and what weight of nylon?

 

[AtomicStorm]

What mass of rocket are you catching, and what weight of nylon?

It is 1.1oz per yd, guessing i will use around 3/4 of a yard. The rockets will be a mean machine(stock), vopor(29mm upgrade), HL Olympus(29mm upgrade). Im only done with the mean machine and it is 320 grams with a d12 and no chute.

 

[augendoc]

You can get on eBay braided nylon line in a wide variety of diameters like 0.8mm, 1.0mm, 1.2mm, 1.5mm etc. similar if not identical to the nylon cord in miniblinds. I would think a 36” chute would require something probably more robust like 2.0mm or so. If youve already got a FruityChute or similar, measure the cords and compare to its diameter for some perspective. I am sure someone has worked out the math in terms of tensile strength vs chute diameter, though. There is of course always trial and error but there is something to be said for a commercial product that has been engineered and constructed properly and has withstood the trials of the marketplace.

 

[AtomicStorm]

This is what I purchased a few minutes ago off of eBay. I think the 500 lb paracord is just too thick and too much weight so I searched for a two or three hundred pound and came up with this one. Say's in the description that it's 120 lb test. We'll see how it holds up.

 

[Handeman]

I bought a 3000 ft. spool of braided Dacron line from a kite store about 10 years ago on clearance for $15. I think it was originally for mini blinds, it's a weird green color. Still haven't used half of it. It's 150 lb test and about 2 - 2.5 mm. I've used it on elliptical chutes up to 63" on rocket up to 11 lbs. Had a 40" chute deploy at motor burnout. The nylon shredded, but no issues with the shroud lines.

My experience has been that if you have a 500 lb shock cord and eight 100 lb shroud lines, the shock cord, nylon chute or stitching is going to give before the shroud lines.

 

[crossfire]

Just call one of the chute maufactors and they might sell you roll of a line size you like. Make sure uts braided cord. For a 36" go with 250 test.