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anybody know where i can get a few GOOD rolls of parapak, cordura, dacron, spectra/dacron thread, F111, Pilot Chute ZP, Baloon ZP, all webbing and tape needed to build a rig, bridal, pilot chute, and possibly, a canopy.

my idea is to make the whole thing with no metal, not for technical reasons, just to see if i can do it. the hardest part should be the cutaway cable, i dont want to use just plastic, i need some spectra sheathed with structural plastic or something. I also have no bar tach machine, only a med-duty single needle machine. i have spent about 300 hours on it in the last 3 years, but i dont know about making the canopy without automatic parallel stitching. i dont even know about making the canopy at all.


oh, and i need ceramic pins. or make some out of carbon fiber.

i mean, what the hell else am i going to do?

you've watched dropzone recently, haven't you?

I have watched dropzone, a lot until i actualy started jumping.


but a smugglers rig, that would be easy.
i need a challenge. i want a fully functional non metalic rig.
in fact, i can get pretty close to all fabric methinks.
no velcro though, i hate velcro.

Are you insisting on a cutaway system? Integrated risers [akin to reserve risers on a skydiving rig] would make your little project easier.

If you're not too allergic to velcro, it could make for a solid chest strap. Large amounts of mated velcro can have a surprising amount of strength.

Metal parts on a rig that I can think of:

2x closing pins
2x closing loop keeper washers
2x closing grommets
4x slider grommets
2x toggle grommets
2x WLO toggle rings
4x slider bumper washers
2x rapide links [canopy attachment]
1x rapide link [pilot chute attachment]
1x bridle attachment point ring [not on all canopies]
2x three-ring system
2x cutaway housings
2x leg strap friction adapters
1x chest strap friction adapter

What'd I forget?

What's the point of doing this anyway?

I mean, suppose you do manage to make a non-metallic rig, and you try to get past security with it with intent to jump it. Its hard to get through a metal detector with balls of steel

...i crack myself up (disclaimer: its 3:54am and i have a deadline in 2:06 hours... and i'm running on way too much coffee for my own good)

 
300 hr? As I recall my first rig took me a week of late evenings after the shop closed. That included drawing the patterns. I can't say that it was a thing of beauty but it did work. In fact I've still got it. It's hanging on a rack in the corner I can see it from here. Would have gone quicker but I'd only seen a couple of "real" base rigs at the time and I was working from memory.
Built metalless as well. That one was a rush job. Two days. I thought I had a shot at one of the local B's. Looks like a Jansport back pack.
I appoud your ambition and your dedication. Man, three years. I wish my attention span was that long. My only concern is not that your trying to do this but that it is taking you so long. Maybe you had better find some one that can sew.

Lee

 

To hook up two of your risers?

ok... so im not building a metal rig to get past security, im building it so i can feel accomplished. i have had a lot of arguments with freinds that a fully functional 2pin rig cant be made without metal of some kind.

and i can use my machine to build the harness, i have built webbing slings for rock climbing on this machine that hold about 20KN, (around 4000lb) one just has to be creative and knoledgable (obviously not about spelling) when it comes to sewing the best tape pattern without a heavy duty machine. shit, i have made a 15kn sling while sewing by hand.

I assume the rig will only take about 2 weeks. i have never built a harness, or fingertrapped lines, but i have built sails for hang gliders. the 300 hours was building a very complex sail for my own design hang glider. i still fly it.

edited to add...
"shit, i have built a hang glider using everything i got from ace hardware. (nothing else, even the harness was tied rope) and useing no sewing machine, i used polyurethane tarp, and sewed the edges to the frame by hand. that took awhile, but she flew, i made a huge flight on that wing. granted, i had no sewing machine than, i was 16. oh yeah, and i crashed it when i was 17. i kept some peices, but in the next 2 years i built 2 more hang gliders. with a sewing machine and production harnesses

so, me being the weirdo bastard that tries to fix everything that aint broke, ...

i think i can design better closing pins, and better ways of attatching them to a bridal.

I think i can build a better pilot chute with a totaly new design.

and i already have 2 base rigs, im doing this for fun.

..
..
..

Matt
your a fucking geuins and i would jump any rig u build
these none beleavers are just pissed off because your so good looking ans smart. and my sister told me your hung like a horse

Check out this site and free download. It is quite excellent. I think you will enjoy it. Airfoil CAD stuff
http://www.surfplan.com.au/sp/
take care,
space

your sister said she has seen bigger, but none of them could move like me. my girlfreind is still jealous of your sister.

I kitesuff as well, cool websight. i probably wont build the canopy, but if i did, i would make a simple 5 cell.

eventualy i want to modify a blackjack with zp, with 10 risers. it would follow a paraglider riser setup, with no point other than research really.

The other two are held on with hopes and dreams.

so... where can i buy large mesh fabric? all i can find is fine/high drag stuff

Also, i have a few hundred meters of type E thread, what i use for hang glider sails.
wondering what is used in Pilot Chutes? Containers? Canopies?
Canopies are E i hope,
Harnesses are type FF methinks, but i dono.
I dono if my machine can handle much bigger that E, but, ill figure it out.

Do you have nylon or dacron thread? It is very important to match materials when making high stress equipment. Nylon will stretch more than dacron, so you can use nylon thread on dacron fabric but not the other way around. Most mesh we use for base is dacron, polyester is another name for it. Strong Enterprises will sell small quantity lots of material. Parastock in Florida is another source. Have fun Matt, I can answer alot of Q's for you, just ask.

Thin suspension lines (i.e. HMA) are sewn with B thread.
All other types of suspension lines are sewn (bar tacked or zig-zaged) with E thread.
Most canopies and containers are sewn with E thread.
Highly-stressed corners of containers are sewn with FF thread.
While some parts of harnesses are sewn with E thread bar tacks, the vast majority of structural stitching is done with 5 cord or 6 cord.