Good way to fix common stab damage?

[hackish 8]

The attached shows some minor damage in a very common place. This example is only minor but I've also found a lot of tears on the stabilizer fabric itself where it is sewn to the reinforcements.

What would be considered the "proper" way to fix damage that occurs in this area? Cutting the whole piece out and rebuilding that part of the canopy seems like a _lot_ of work.

-Michael

[RiggerLee 61]

Or using that particular example you could just pack it.

Seriously not every thing needs to be "fixed". Think about how you would have to take the canopy apart to put a "Standard Patch" on it and how little you would get in return. This is part of why I advocate using small single layer "scab" patches on small holes. When some one incest that I patch a hole smaller then half an inch I generally do a small single layer patch. sewn in two rows around the edge. Looks almost the same. Covers the hole. And I don't have to make it larger then necessary to give me the room to do a french fell.

Lee

Lee
[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com

[riggerrob 558]

If that hole was only through the ZP fabric, I would ignore it.
For holes in stabilizers - near slider stops and line attachments - I just scab-on a single-layer patch of PD slider-tape. I fold the edges under to hide the hot-cut edge. Sew 2 rows of stitching around the edges.
If I don't have any PD slider-tape, I might substitute Type 4 webbing (3 inches wide).

[hackish 8]

The example itself was only something I had handy. It is in fact not something I'd normally patch.

The trouble is with older tandem mains the damage is often a lot worse and sometimes includes the stabilizer fabric tearing where the edges of that wad of reinforcement is. I've seen repairs done using Rob's slider reinforcement method.

In my mind something ought to be repaired so it mimics the factory configuration. It just doesn't feel right slapping any ol piece of material on there. I don't know if I can loosen my standards enough to do something like that. I'd rather send a canopy to someone else than put my name on the attached.

Maybe I'm not being realistic?

-Michael

[riggerrob 558]

That patch looks like it was done with sticky ripstop tape. Ripstop tape is largely "passé." These days I only use ripstop tape for patching drogues, but as packers and TIs take better care of drogues, I get asked to patch fewer and fewer drogues.

Trivia: why was sticky ripstop tape invented?

[hackish 8]

That patch was done with some unidentified ripstop nylon. It has about 3/16" ripstop squares and is a fair bit heavier than the normal canopy fabric.

As for ripstop tape, pretty sure it was just to allow temporary field repairs. Patch bullet holes in canopies? Despite people saying the glue is acidic it does not test so. Despite people saying it weakens fabric some tests were done on 20+ year old patches and were not able to backup that claim. While I'm not a fan I don't think it's as evil as some people say it is...

-Michael

[riggerrob 558]

Sticky rip-stop tape was invented to patch down-filled sleeping bags.

I also doubt that it is acidic, however I have seen many cases of it holding California desert grit against delicate canopy fabric. After a few years the adhesive dries out and ripstop patches fall off.

[RiggerLee 61]

In the end the only real question is, Is it a good repair? In a very pratical since, a good repair is one that serves the intended purpose. In this case will the repair prevent the tear in the stabilizer from spreading. If it serves that purpose then this repair is a "good" repair, for values of good. A separate question would be, is it an "ideal" repair? But that is a separate, unrelated question. An ideal repair would return to canopy to factory new condition. The only repair that would do that is the total replacement of the whole stabilizer. Virtually all work falls some where between these two examples. The only "bad" repair is one that falls below that first limit. Duck tape can be a good repair dependent on your objective. Maybe not as nice as rip stop tape, but if your goal is to get through the weekend or even through the season, duck tape can be a "good" repair. Not as nice, or as long term as a patch but also not as demanding of your time and resources. There is a point of diminishing returns. Is it really worth it to replace an entire stabilizer for a quarter inch hole? Is it worth taking apart the whole reinforced slider stop to do a proper patch for a quarter inch hole, when you'll have quadrupedal to size of the hole to sew a two inch patch on your quarter inch hole and then rebuild the whole stop? Point of diminishing returns. Every one has their own standards of where that lies. But remember that all of these work so none of them are actually wrong. Some are just nicer options then others. So don't bee too quick to judge others work unless it is actually "wrong", as in it does not work. An old drogue may not warrant a patch when you're just waiting on UPS for the new one to arrive. Rip stop works.

So I'm not making fun of any one that strives for the highest standards but I'm not going to turn up my nose at work that... works.


Lee

Lee
[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com

[hackish 8]

I like the way you put that Lee.

I'm looking for ideas on how to patch something like that that is by your description a "good" repair but by my description doesn't look like ASS in the meantime. Does everyone recommend Rob's method with the slider material or is there some other way?

-Michael