Ring Binders

 The Thrifty Rocketeer blog continues....

Here's a quick one for you low power guys and gals.

Have you ever made a low power rocket that used a streamer?

Typically these days, the streamer is made from surveyor's tape, but in the past, they have been crinkled crepe paper, and other things as well.

It seems inevitable that the streamer will someday be ejected while the rocket is still going too fast, either on the way up or the way down.  And so the streamer will either be torn from the shock cord, or begin to rip.



Well, one of the easiest preventative steps is to place a plastic or paper binder ring on both sides of the fabric material (for lack of a better name) to protect the hole and strengthen it against ripping.  You can also repair torn streamers this way.

However, when it's a crepe paper streamer, I have always taken a two inch piece of clear plastic sealing tape and folded it over that end of the streamer. Pressing it down with one inch on one side, and the other inch folded over onto the back side,  I then take a single hole punch and punch my hole about 1/3 to 1/2" away from the leading edge of the streamer (where the fold in the tape should be taking the brunt of the wind resistance.)  

I have never had a streamer rip when I have done this.


That's this month's tip, from the Thrifty Rocketeer...

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