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!




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The End of the Line

Image
 The Thrifty Rocketeer blog continues... Well, for years, the state of the model rocket industry relied upon plans and patterns that were photocopied or printed out, and then applied to standard sheets of balsa to be cut out. Eventually, the various parts for various sized rockets were packaged in groups or blister packs, and sold at hobby shops across the nation.  The emphasis was on home brew or building a rocket to specifications and plans. Eventually, entire kits were pre-packaged, with all the parts that one would need.  And then, laser cut shapes, fins or parts were already pre-cut, doing away with the need for most of the patterns and tracing. So what happened to all those bags and bister packs of parts of rockets?  That is, a baggie of various nose cones... or connectors... or transitions or more ?   Many of  those packages remain at your local mom and pop hobby store, just waiting for someone to come in and buy some of their pegboard stock....
Read more

sleeping with the enemy

Image
 The Thrifty Rocketeer blog continues... First thing I did when they put in a Hobby Lobby in my smaller metropolitan town, 40 miles away, was to grab an application to work there.  Now I know what you're thinking... "How could you?  Who would want to work for that conservative corporation?".. as my daughter would say.  And you'd be partially right. I saved the application and took note of the mailing address. Within the first month or so, most of the initial buying frenzy was over, having sold out of some things, but not everything.   But it seemed nothing new was getting restocked. So, I got on my word processor and wrote a letter to the store management, THANKING them for bringing the store to our isolated metro area. I pointed out that many of the items had sold through completely, and how much we had appreciated their stocking rockets. Then I also encouraged them to restock and consider expanding the display, pointing to the fact that as rocketeers grow...
Read more

Death of a Hobby

Image
 The Thrifty Rocketeer blog continues... No, this is not a column about how Model Rocketry is a dying hobby.  It's actually about another sister hobby that sometimes overlaps into Rocketry. I'm talking about Amateur Radio. Just this last weekend, our local Ham Radio club held a "swap meet" which is commonly called a Hamfest.  These gatherings to buy and sell used equipment, parts and visit old friends typically happen just once a year and in the absence of the late Radio Shack, is one of the only places to find parts and electronic elements. There is also testing held to advance to higher licenses. The admission varies depending on the club, their overhead, expense of renting the hall or venue, and the number of tables that they can sell to area vendors who will drive across state with their wares to set up for the half day show. It's not uncommon for amateur radio operators to drive across state to attend, pay admission and get a single entry into the door prize ...
Read more