New Parachute Patching

 The Thrifty Rocketeer blog continues....

It's been a little while since last I wrote an entry, but there's a couple of good reasons why.

First, we've been coming out of the pandemic, and life has gotten more hectic.

Second, I've been loading up a secondary blog about Hobby Tips in honor of the late Henry Boltinoff who drew probably four dozen strips or more over a four year period for DC Comics in the mid-1960s.

Third, I've been conducting some club rocket launches on my own and trying to dip my toe into higher power with a little success.

So, as I've been driving back and forth to work, I've noticed something bright orange laying in the green of the median on the highway.  Each day I noticed it and make a note to check it out the next pass after dark... but of course, I forget... until today.

At first I thought it might have been a parachute from a rocket.   And then perhaps a red plastic sheet from the nearby Lowe's lumber department.  But then I thought maybe it was a nylon bag from a nylon lawn chair, that had blown out of the back of a pick-up truck on the way to the beach.

Turns out I was right... a ripped bag that used to house a chair.

It seems most of the thick black nylon "handle was intact, but the bright red-orange nylon fabric had wiped around in the slipstream until the fabric ripped...and then it sailed away over the tailgate.  Don't know if the owner know where or even IF they lost it.

I took the thing home and checked it over. It's frayed in spots, but essentially there.  As a result, I turned to the wife and asked if  she saw any value in it.  She turned up her nose and wouldn't touch it.

The final step was the toss it out, but I kept thinking about what the fabric could be used for... and then it came to me.  Parachute repair.

Now, I've already talked about re-purposing the skin of ruined umbrellas, and how I didn't touch the panels that were ripped.

But this is thicker, more stout material, and seems to be good for PATCHING another nylon sheet that had a rip.

I set to work with my little seam-ripper... (OK, it's actually my WIFE's seam ripper... but don't tell her) and soon, I had freed the ends of the nylon carrying strap from the reinforced patch of blue nylon that anchored it successfully until the orange fabric ripped.

Next, I set to work on the small round bottom that closed the tube up.  And finally, I started running down the single seam that held the tube together.

When I stopped, the only thing left was the black draw-string still in one end of the draw-close bag.

I stopped there and examined the fabric. It has a number of pinprick holes and some sun-bleached areas, but it's pretty stout.... except for to long strips where the hand ripped out. It almost looks like the white stripe from the star spangled banner flag, except the material is missing there.

I decided that I could use the thing as a windsock with a little sewing on my part, and take it to the next launch.  The round end could be used as a patch for another chute when needed.  And the nylon strap... well, who knows at this point, but it's strong and tough and not frayed.

So that's where I've stopped, having ripped the seams that I wanted my wife to do, and having several ideas where to go from here.

If you've got any ideas, let me know.

This has been the Thrifty Rocketeer saying, save your nylon scraps for patches!