Tape those slinks

[Kirils 1]

There was a recent tragedy, caused by a steering line wrapping around a Slink that had rotated to expose the tab. I suggest using gaffers tape to fix the Sloiks in place or till they take a firm set.

"Slow down! You are too young
to be moving that fast!"

Old Man Crawfish

[marks 0]

tack it down... why use tape?

read this from pd

http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/ControlSysMalf.PDF

clicky somone?

[Jimbo 0]

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tack it down... why use tape?

Agreed, 10 minutes with a needle and thread does a nice job at taking care of this little problem.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Hooknswoop 19]

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There was a recent tragedy, caused by a steering line wrapping around a Slink that had rotated to expose the tab. I suggest using gaffers tape to fix the Sloiks in place or till they take a firm set.

Like it was already said, tack them down, do not use tape. Tape attracts dirts which increases wear. Containers don't come from the factory with tape, don't add it.

Derek

[DutchSkyCam 0]

Clicky: http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/ControlSysMalf.PDF

Page 4 on this 5 page document is about slinks, the rest is about proper brake settings.

[ypelchat 0]

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There was a recent tragedy, caused by a steering line wrapping around a Slink that had rotated to expose the tab. I suggest using gaffers tape to fix the Sloiks in place or till they take a firm set.

Take a look at this:

http://www.performancedesigns.com/src.htm

S-Links will develop a set, after a few jumps, provided they were installed correctly. I'd say to keep an eye on them for the first 5 to 10 jumps. After that, they should be OK, and not move again.




Yves.

[mjosparky 3]

I have never seen "parachute tape" sold anywhere. Tape is for wrapping christmas presents. Please hand tac, if you don't have the materials or the skills talk to your rigger.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[hookitt 0]

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S-Links will develop a set, after a few jumps, provided they were installed correctly. I'd say to keep an eye on them for the first 5 to 10 jumps. After that, they should be OK, and not move again.

In theory, yes that's true. In real life most of them will stick out the side of the riser. Tack em down. It's quick and easy.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[VectorBoy 0]

Remember in the incedent it wasn't the tab sticking out but the jumper stuffing excess brake line in until it was time to unstow for flight. And then suffering a hang up of the excess brake line on one side.

My slinks have taken a set and don't move. But I look at them anyway. As I look at every part of my riser for wear and tear. The grommet, the three rings, and that little loop on the last ring that keeps your risers attached to your harness, that little loop is very important. Its all very important.

[rigging65 0]

Nylon likes needles and thread, not tape!!!!

Tape is not for your rig!!!!! Stop using it!!

"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

[craddock 0]

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Tape is not for your rig!!!!! Stop using it!!

I sure wish people would stop telling us what to do with our own rigs. Suggestions are nice, but what I do with my rig is my business so long as it does not affect the TSO

That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

[riddler 0]

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In real life most of them will stick out the side of the riser.

How much is too much? Is it suspect if it sticks out at all?

I have two slinks that I keep repositioning, but there's always just a little bit of corner on the tab that juts out of the riser. I'm trying to slowly train the slinks, but with my risers, it's pretty hard. I hope I'm just being anal, and it's OK if just a little corner shows, but maybe not??

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[billvon 2,396]

>Suggestions are nice . . .

. . . which is what everything here is. You can always ignore any advice you get here.

[FrogNog 1]

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Tape is not for your rig!!!!! Stop using it!!

I sure wish people would stop telling us what to do with our own rigs. Suggestions are nice, but what I do with my rig is my business so long as it does not affect the TSO

Kinda makes you want to go buy some tape and put it all over yer rig, doesn't it? GRRRR!

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[marks 0]

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In real life most of them will stick out the side of the riser.

How much is too much? Is it suspect if it sticks out at all?

I have two slinks that I keep repositioning, but there's always just a little bit of corner on the tab that juts out of the riser. I'm trying to slowly train the slinks, but with my risers, it's pretty hard. I hope I'm just being anal, and it's OK if just a little corner shows, but maybe not??

if you have soft links of any kind i would tak them down regardless of weather your having a problem or not.. it is real easy to do... next time your rig is unpacked have your rigger do it... should only take a minute or so.

[rigging65 0]

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Tape is not for your rig!!!!! Stop using it!!

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I sure wish people would stop telling us what to do with our own rigs. Suggestions are nice, but what I do with my rig is my business so long as it does not affect the TSO

No one's forcing you to listen. I only offer info from personal experience. I'm the lead Master Rigger for the largest sport loft in Northern California and manage a fledgling Rig Mfg. company...so I've seen plenty of people screw up their rigs. And tape is one of those things that screws up a rig. Dirt gets caught in it and damages the webbing, the residue ruins the color on the rig and can get spread to other people's rigs through contact.

You wanna put sticky stuff all over your rig, go for it. It's all you, man!

"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

[VectorBoy 0]

Put some on your jump suit or booties while you are at it and watch as anybody doing anykind of sewing for you say" let someone else do it, no thanks, not with my machines".

[Kirils 1]

I jump 4 rigs and 3 have soft links. Gaffers tape has protected and allowed them to take a solid set.
There has never been any sign of degredation caused by the tape. It works. Form follows function even in skydiving...
I made a suggestion to use the tape, why do so many of you youngsters take it as an attack?
Looking pretty is SOOOO important...

[PhreeZone 15]

Sewing them down is the correct form. I can use a sledge hammer to put up drywall screws but its not the right tool for the job. Have you peeled the tape off to see the effects of the glue on the nylon yet and how much dirt has been collected under the tape?

Its all of about 30 seconds per slink to use the proper tools...

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[airgord 1]

Once again another thread derails due to differences of opinion. But I love freedom of speech.

[TXSkydancer39 0]

My last malfunction was on a brand new canopy with the European version of the slink. My rigger had put them on. On opening, soft, I looked over and watched my riser fall on my shoulder. My best friend (rigger) with 5000+ jumps had lines caught on the ring of the slink resulting in a cutaway. After both incidents the entire DZ had their slinks tacked down. No one even thought about utilizing the tape. Personally I wouldn't want tape on my rig anywhere.

[billvon 2,396]

>There has never been any sign of degredation caused by the tape. It works.

At a place I used to work (that shall remain nameless) tape was used everywhere. On the plane, on the static lines, even on two student rigs (reserve container and leg strap pads.) The problem that developed was with the goo. After a while under load the tape started to creep and the tape goo became exposed. This picked up dirt, and the dirt tended to exacerbate the problem the tape was there to fix (i.e. excessive wear, pulled stitching.)

[base283 0]

Yo Kirils, I worked with some very good gaffers before and they could make any tape job look like art. Got fotos of yours? Post em please.
take care,
space

[rigging65 0]

First off, no one ever said that the tape caused degradation of the webbing. It's been posted again and again that it's the result of the mastic left behind (or under) the tape that causes problems. You haven't seen a problem on your gear? Great! But just as posting little tips here is a great thing, people need to be aware of the potential downsides of using these "tips".

No one took you posting the use of tape as an attack. Those with more experience simply brought out their opinions that it's a bad idea, then listed their reasons. You're entitled to use whatever you want on your rig (providing it doesn't violate the TSO), but that doesn't make it smart. People read these posts for information...we just want to be sure they understand both sides of what you're saying.

Secondly, since you weren't considerate enough to fill out your profile with numerical information, I can't compare your experiences to mine. Fine. But I'm not a youngster. I'm not an old man, like some of you but I'm certainly not a youngster (neither by age, nor experience). I won't lay out my credentials for you, as it seems it would probably be a waste. If you have questions I'll be happy to answer them, but try getting more information before you jump to conclusions.

I have many years of rigging experience, in all different weather conditions, to back up my claims about tape use on rigs, what information do you have besides your own use of it?

"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

[betzilla 56]

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(regarding tape and rigs) I sure wish people would stop telling us what to do with our own rigs. Suggestions are nice, but what I do with my rig is my business so long as it does not affect the TSO

I have been told by several riggers that the adhesives in tape cause a bad reaction with nylon -- basically eating through it. By the way, your risers are made of nylon. You're right, it's your business what you do with your rig. Maybe you just need better information, in order to make a better decision. If not, I'd be happy to sell you new risers when you need them.