MrHixxx 0 #1 July 2, 2003 In the case of reserves without slider bumpers, how many of you tack the riser to keep the link shortside up and use a loop of seal thread to keep all the lines together at the top of the link. If not, why? thanks, Hixxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JayhawkJumper 0 #2 July 2, 2003 I'm learning to rig right now and the guy that is teaching me doesn't pack rigs without slider bumpers. He doesn't use the plastic ones though, he makes his own with 1 inch weave and tacks them tightly to the links. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #3 July 2, 2003 I prefer PD's Slinks and I won't pack a reserve without slider bumpers if it has rapide links. I am tired of fixing dents in slider gromets after a deployment. Those dents and/or burrs would then damage the lines on the next deployment. Hook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrHixxx 0 #4 July 2, 2003 I am the only person person at my dz with Reserve slinks. Do you tack your slinks? I also run a pass of supertack through the tab loop, so the locking loop can not get back over it as a precaution. I set them with the recommended 50 lbs pull, but I wanted to do a little extra to ensure they aren't going anywhere until I get a deployment that really tightens them up. -Hixxxdeath,as men call him, ends what they call men -but beauty is more now than dying’s when Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #5 July 2, 2003 I don't tack them. I do set them though. I don't see any problem with tacking them, probably a good idea, even if it is never needed. If tacking was necessary, we would have seen main Slinks come undone. But it can't hurt. Hook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wags 0 #6 July 2, 2003 I don't do it quite like you do, but I use a piece of binding tape looped around that not only holds the lines together, but also keeps them at the top of the link. A local rigger has done several that way, and it seems to work well, it might help a little with protecting the slider grommets from getting burred. I just finished this one in the picture. It amazes me how many rigs are packed with nothing to at least hold the lines at the end so the link is loaded properly. We should all know that they were not made to hold much weight sideways. Blue Skies, Wags Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Samurai136 0 #7 July 2, 2003 I would offer the customer the option of either : a) buying bumpers for their rapide links; which I would tack to properly orient the link or b) buying PD reserve soft links I have PD reserve soft links in all my gear. I set them and decided that as tight as slinks are on the reserve risers it was unnecessary to tack the tab inside the riser. For my main(s) I do tack the tab inside the mini-riser. Ken"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #8 July 2, 2003 I've been rigging long enough to have went through a lot of variations on this theme. First, we jumped for years and years with #5 French links and no slider bumpers on the mains. Then we jumped with bumpers and never tacked them down. A bumper up the lines caused one friends only malfunction in almost 20 years, on the jump in his tux into his wedding. So I became the tacking Nazi and ran around tacking everbodies main bumper down. In the mid 80's I table deployed another riggers reserve pack job and when I was finished deploying the lines one of the vinyl bumpers was about 2 feet up the lines. He had put vinyl bumpers on but not tacked them down, which I never have done. At that point I started taking bumpers off not trusting the tacking. Then I decided I'd rather have them there and tacked them down. Then we started getting fabric bumpers with some canopies. Slinks haven't caught on here because none of the riggers push them. We'll put them on if someone asks and I keep a set in stock. All of this is over a 20 year rigging career. I'm still in a mixed mode. I don't believe that tacking or bumpers are absolutely necessary but do prefer to have one or the other. But quite likely at least one of my PERSONAL rigs have neither. Don't remember for sure. If I see a rig without anything it doesn't bother me much. But I also take care when packing that everythings in the correct orientation. So I guess the answer is yes, but there's reasons for lots of variation around.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bwilling 0 #9 July 2, 2003 QuoteI'm learning to rig right now and the guy that is teaching me doesn't pack rigs without slider bumpers. This brings up an interesting point... I had a rigger I've known and trusted forever assemble my rig and pack my reserve... well, as fate would have it, I ended up airing it out the 1st jump I put on it. I then had a staff rigger at the DZ repack it for me, so I could continue to jump the rest of the weekend... Months later I showed up at the same DZ with a reserve that was 2 days out of date... wanting to do the 'right thing', I had a different staff rigger repack the thing for me, and he told me that the reserve didn't have slider bumpers on it, and that since it was TSO'd with them, he wasn't going to repack it without them, and promptly built me a set out of webbing... Does the TSO process really cover this? I realize that the function of the bumbers is to protect the grommets on the slider from damage, and as such don't affect the reserve opening per se, but I'm curious as to whether the TSO really mandates that they're included... "If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crapflinger2000 1 #10 July 2, 2003 When I learned, the guy who taught me (way back in the day before slinks n junk) was a no - bumper advocate, at least as far as the manual permitted it. So, for Ravens, which I believe the manual did not mention bumpers on the reserve (I could be wrong), we NEVER installed any type of bumper on ravens... Our theory as to why they came with bumpers was that Precision stuck them in everything they sent since it was possible to use as a main as well... PD reserves we did use bumpers because the manual was pretty explicit on the matter. We tacked those down as well.... One thing we did do on the Ravens (and Tempos and Swift and Swift Pus I believe) was take sealing thread and tack all the reserve lines together at the link. The theory is that the most likely way for a link to load up assymetrically and break would be for one line to slide up to one end and the others to stay at the other end (there are some good drawings in the Poynter manual I think). This kept all the lines together and reduced the likelyhood of assymetrical loading... I think tacked bumpers in general could not hurt though.... __________________________________________________ What would Vic Mackey do? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
