Tinder Rocketry Piranha vs Mako

[Nick Hutton]

I’m wanting to try a cable cutter for MD 24 and 29mm rockets where my JLCR won’t fit and I’m planning to use a small altimeter for deployment and altitude recording +/- a gps tracker.

I only just realised Tinder rocketry have produced two relatively new devices, but no real direct comparison on their website of the benefits of the newer (and twice as expensive!) Mako.

Can anyone who’s used these devices maybe chime in with how they decided which one to go for based on the benefits of that device over the other.

Cheers

 

[santafeflier]

Hi Nick,

Great questions. I've been using cable cutters for my smaller projects for almost 2 years and have had great results. And I am working on several new projects, two of which uses the Tinder Piranha, and one of which uses the Tinder Mako.

Based on my experience and my research, here's what I've learned:

1. The Prairie Twister cable cutter is the smallest and lightest, and works great using small cable ties. For MD 24 and 29 applications, this might be your best solution. http://ptrocketry.blogspot.com/p/cable-cutter.html I always use two of them for redundancy.

2. The Tinder Piranha is slightly larger and heavier, and could work for small projects as well. I will be using this cutter on on a 54mm and 75mm MD project. On these project I will be using two strands of thin nylon line for additional strength instead of zip ties, and the Piranha can cut these lines easily. I will be using dual Piranhas for redundancy. FYI: it could cut zip ties if you want.

3. The Tinder Mako is much much larger and more powerful. It is designed to cut 500 lb Paracord lines. I am using it on a 6" project where I will be using two of them (redundant) to cut two strands of 500 lb line holding my main chute in a deployment bag inside of the body tube until main deplyment.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Brett