safetyjim

Interesting to see the photos and read the discussion. Much more information than a lot of threads in the forum. Whoever said that dinosaurs can't type...

Metropolitan D.C. is a large and traffic-congested area. Maybe you could tell us whether you're north or south of the Potomac, and in what general area.

I demo'd an Aerodyne Smart for a few jumps, landing in both moderate-to-higher winds and in dead calm. I found it well-behaved (I don't want an exciting reserve canopy) and I bought one. Consider making at least a jump or two on whatever you think you might buy. If that's what you get, you'll always know that if/when you have an emergency, you've already flown and landed the same thing.

Is Hank Ellis still rigging? If so, he was always careful, thorough, and honest. Look up Henry D. Ellis, in the Baton Rouge / Port Allen area.

Most of what I see from others are half-widths. For National Phantoms, I use half-width 2" bands (the 2" size is recommended in the manual) for the two grommet stows, then half-width 1¼" bands for the rest of the diaper. I don't double-wrap any of the diaper stows. Inside the container, for the two pack tray line stows, I use half-width 2" bands, double-wrapped, as specified in the manual. Like you, I try to keep stow tensions balanced. It irritates me when I see that a rigger has used different size bands or widths on the two grommets or among the other diaper stows. That's just sloppy. Half-widths by half-wits. I guess that includes me.

Huh?

It's a disease, and you're addicted. Riggers have tried counselling, but almost always relapse. You riggers...

I couldn't figure out how to edit/attach this to the earlier post. Nothing fancy, just a simple setup for my simple mind.

Jethers203: Actually, your dimensions ARE standard for a U.S. flag, where the correct length-to-height ratio is 1.5 It varies by country -- for example, the standard ratio for the Canadian flag is 2:1 Just one of those tidbits of knowledge learned years ago, although I don't remember when or why.

In the unfinished portion of my basement (clean, bug-free, dehumidified), spending only $6 gave me the ability to hang as many as 4 rigs at once while they await repacking or pickup. This isn't what Ramostony95 was looking for, but might be useful to someone else with exposed ceiling joists or other overhead capabilities at home. Materials: 6 nails (or screw hooks); 6 pieces of line, 4 to 5 ft. long; six 2"-diameter steel rings ($6 total at Home Depot); 2 sturdy wooden rods or equivalent, 36" long. Install 3 nails (or screw hooks or eyes) overhead, spaced 14" to 15" apart. Suspend a steel ring from each of the nails/hooks/eyes so that all 3 rings are at the same height. With a rod through the rings, 2 rigs can be hung (photo attached - if I figure out how to shrink it to less than the max 1.0 MB allowed file size). Adjust this recipe for your particular needs or preferences. It's simple, but it works for me.

I'm happy to work with a customer on timing, but the answer to your question is simple: when I pack a reserve, I seal it. It's dated the day I put my seal on it -- period.

"Except no rigger has 12 packing weights anymore, unless he's a collector." I use 12 packing weights when packing pilot rigs (I have 12, and use them all). I've watched a well-known east coast master rigger routinely use 17 or more!

I couldn't think of a particular "4" item, but for "5" I'd prefer either 5 sewing machines (2 dedicated straight stitch, 1 zigzag, 1 bartacker, 1 harness -- other persons might have an even greater number of machines on their wish list); or 5 8-foot tables (more convenient than 6 or 7 6-footers, for pilot rigs). If riggerrob receives responses all the way up to 12 (hint: 12 packing weights), he can make the final selections. 5 pounds of lead seals, maybe, but not 5 seals.

Gowlerk's 3rd photo (7817) also illustrates how to move the treadle closer to the floor, and shims between the wood and treadle support beam should make it possible to put the treadle at almost any preferred height. Good photo -- I like it!

Great list -- thanks for doing this. Almost 6800 entries, but no Dave Dewolf. The list must be only seal symbols issued *after* 1925(!)

I prefer B-12 snaps on my leg straps, even though they're not available in stainless steel. I still use wide (Type 8) risers, not mini-risers, and Rapide links, not soft links. Call me a dinosaur. I've had sliders with brass grommets and sliders with stainless grommets -- and I'll never again buy brass slider grommets, only stainless. The stainless grommets have less oxidation, less crud buildup, require less cleaning, and transfer less crud to the lines. They're also stronger, won't wear as much, and are much less susceptible to accidental damage (nicks, burrs, getting bent). Being lighter and more prone to crud accumulation, I could see where brass slider grommets might be incrementally slower to open. I'll let others comment.

Symbol MDW: More Damn Work ?

Check with a magnet. Cadmium-plated steel is magnetic; stainless steel is not.

If you've tried sand, it sounds like all you really need is coarse sand or tiny gravel -- something too large to leak, but small enough to "behave" like shot. Sand & gravel have the same bulk density (~100 lb/cu.ft.), so no issue there. Buy something whose large particles are about the right size (shot) at a gravel pit, sand pile, or garden center (or garden centre, in Canada), and screen out the smaller sizes through a piece of window screen. Sand or gravel is cheap, and it only takes less than a 12-once soda can's worth to make an 18" packing weight out of Type 6 webbing. Or just use 2" tubular webbing, available in bright don't-pack-me colors. I'd stay away from crushed limestone. It would be prone to subsequent dusting, and calcium carbonate dust on life-saving fabric just doesn't seem like a good idea (neither its abrasiveness nor the chemistry).

Hey, you're right. When you drill down to individual listings, it's still the same confusing format. That explains the "one" item in a category by itself. No intent to argue, no matter what you might choose to assume. I thought they'd finally fixed it. Main categories yes, individual listings ...no.

"also, they quote prices by the roll or by the yard... guess their web-site is a bit out of date" - - - - - - - ??? What you describe was correct some time ago, but has since been fixed. In each major category of Webbing & Tape, the top of each list states "Price is per roll", each item is listed as priced by "Roll", and the only prices shown are by the roll. Only one lone item (1" black commercial tubular webbing) still shows the previous formatting. I suspect a few folks pointed out to them that the previous format was confusing.

And what color is "petrol"?

Councliman says: "No reason why you can't take it out. Just remember you life depends on this thing. Handle it accordingly." Agreed. However, when the factory sends it back to you: Please have your rigger do the re-installation.

After seeing your reply, my screwdriver and I re-opened and rechecked a current Sailrite walking-foot LSZ-1 Ultrafeed. There are two sheet metal cover plates (left end & top, no mechanisms attached), but all the mechanics are supported by a cast iron body, cast iron bed. You know a lot more about sewing machines than I do, Terry, and I fully agree that a cast body is important. I'm puzzled where we might have a disconnect, unless maybe we're comparing different vintages or a discontinued model. (This doesn't help airdog07; I just want to recognize the current Sailrites for their dependability.)

Using an electronic postage scale, my two 5" hemostats are indicated to weigh 1.3 ounces, or 37 +/- 3 grams. If these are the guideline, 20 grams of weight should not unspool the bobbin thread; 40 grams should. Don't lose that little itty bitty screw when it falls or vibrates out...