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Freeflysmiley

Stowing twists on grommits, riggers advice please

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I've got a Sabre2 150 in a RWS V410 bag. It has four grommits down the middle.

I have always single stowed the centre(first two) and doubled stowed the outer 2 gromits as I like my lines stowed tightly ( I am using the larger rubber bands not the tiny ones.)I've never had a problem so far, but a packer recently watched me and said you should never double stow on a grommit.
Asking round others say what I am doing is cool, and its better to have the lines nice and tight.

Can any riggers give advice?
Thanks
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Practise the 6 P's!
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I have seen 3 bag locks caused by double stowing over the grommets. sometimes as they lines pull through the band, it will cause a large(fist) that will not pull through the grommet. I've seen this twice with #4 grommets and once with a #5. I recommend using smaller bands on the outside and change any bands that start to feel loose, even before they break.

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Double stowing your lines at the gromet could cause problems, it is rare, and usually caused by being sloppy. but we are all sloppy from time to time(not me ever, ask anyone who knows me) Will the bag not close right with small rubber bands? I am a small rubber band freak. I pack a 1000+ mains a year and the extra 10 seconds of doubling every stow adds up to almost 3 hours of extra pack time, screw that. if you can get comfy packing with the rubber bands that are designed to be used with small lines, it would be better.

And you should replace all your rubber band after each jump. Brush after each meal and make sure you cuddle after sex. :D
HPDBs, I hate those guys.
AFB, charter member.

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I leave the large rubber band on the center two stows, that are above the cascades. When I get to the outer two I'm below the cascades, have half the lines and change to small rubber bands for the rest. Yeah, you have to have two kinds of rubber bands but I prefer that to double stowing anything.
I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

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Its not that small bands wouldn't work on the outer grommits. I just remember being told that small bands weren't as good as large ones when I was learning to pack. I can't rember why though?

Thx for the advice guys, I think I'll try small bands on the 2 outer grommits.Better safe then sorry. Does anyone know what size the grommits are on a V310 #4,#5?
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Practise the 6 P's!
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Its not that small bands wouldn't work on the outer grommits. I just remember being told that small bands weren't as good as large ones when I was learning to pack. I can't rember why though?



probably because you were learning to pack, or perhaps you were packing a canopy with dacron lines. i have double stowed locking stows for thousands upon thousands of pack jobs and never had a problem with it using large Keener crepe bands. however, i am unaware of any manufacturer who recommends or approves of that practice. i would not recommend double stowing a locking stow to anyone. i guess i have become my dad, "do as i say, not as i do".;)

i should mention i have only used this technique on main parachutes.


pulling is cool. keep it in the skin

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I have double-wrapped thousands of rubber bands without problems.



Have you double-wrapped thousands of rubber band locking stows? Based on the use of the term "grommit" (grommet), I have to assume the original poster was referring to the locking stows.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

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I used to think the same, never double stow locking bands until I demoed a canopy from pd. Kolla and Vladi (sp) both told me double stowing locking stows makes no difference. They said it was better to double stow and have the correct tension than to single stow them loose. (Using the smaller bands with one stow didn't quite make it tight enough on my canopy at the time).

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I have double-wrapped thousands of rubber bands without problems.
However, riggergreg is correct in saying that you are better off using small rubber bands with small diameter suspension lines like Spectra, Vectran and HMA.



I would have to agree, but with the small HMA line, it is not easy to find a rubber band small enough to make the correct tension. if you do find a rubber band small enough, you can't get your finger through it to open it.

got a solution?

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I have double-wrapped thousands of rubber bands without problems.
However, riggergreg is correct in saying that you are better off using small rubber bands with small diameter suspension lines like Spectra, Vectran and HMA.



I would have to agree, but with the small HMA line, it is not easy to find a rubber band small enough to make the correct tension. if you do find a rubber band small enough, you can't get your finger through it to open it.

got a solution?



Duct tape? :ph34r:

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I don't think people realize how strong a pilot chute is. At 180 lbs. of pull the rubber band is either going to release the stows or break even if it is doubled.

I would rather take another wrap and have the lines tight. I have done this thousands of times and I have never seen a bag lock from double stowing. No rubber band is going to hold 180lbs.

I just don't see any point in replacing rubber bands before they break. If they get loose I just take another wrap. Sometimes I might even GASP!take a second wrap. Remember the portion of the rubber band connected to the bag is not doubled, only the portion wrapped around the lines is.



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I don't think people realize how strong a pilot chute is. At 180 lbs. of pull the rubber band is either going to release the stows or break even if it is doubled.



Don't quote me on it but I think your 180lbs may be a bit optimistic.

In any case, yes, the rubberband will probably break. Eventually. It may hold for a second or two. That's well enough to cause a malfunction; I tried it once, now I don't double wrap locking stows anymore.

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