sd-slider 0 #1 February 27, 2007 My D-bag flap on the fold-over, the thread has come out and has gotten to the point where 75% is unraveled...what thread is the best choice for running it through my machine to fix it up? No. I am not a rigger, but this is a simple enough fix with minimal safety concerns with me doing it myself. Non flaming answers please. . .Anvil Brother #69 Sidelined with a 5mm C5-C6 herniated disk... Back2Back slammers and 40yr old fat guys don't mix! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #2 February 27, 2007 I see no reason being a rigger would make any difference. Just make sure and take the canopy out of the bag . . . (You really didn't think you'd get way with it, did you)? NickD BASE 194 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sd-slider 0 #3 February 27, 2007 QuoteJust make sure and take the canopy out of the bag . . . Understood, I left it out after the last jump for this reason. .Anvil Brother #69 Sidelined with a 5mm C5-C6 herniated disk... Back2Back slammers and 40yr old fat guys don't mix! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IanHarrop 42 #4 February 27, 2007 More information than you're going to need for this: http://www.parachutemanuals.com/Other/FAA-Handbook-8083-17.pdf Section 7 talks about repairs, I think it recommends E thread which is described in Section 3"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiveal 0 #5 February 27, 2007 use 'E' thread. any home sewing machine that will take size 18 needles and will go through the thickness of material you want to sew. some wallmart stores have size 18 needles. paragear have the thread. http://www.paragear.com/templates/parachutes.asp?group=33&level=2&parent=193 if you want to be a rigger, right now on your own gear is the best time to start practicing. your profile says you dont have too much experience so i would advise you to just stick to replacing what was there originally. nick may have been joking but a lot more experienced jumpers than you have in fact stitched their canopy to their container by accident.my hovercraft is full of eels. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #6 February 28, 2007 Here's a good selection of Size 69 nylon thread.My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenneth21441 0 #7 February 28, 2007 Size E thread generally is used with around 8 to 11 stitches per an inch. I perfer 9 to 10. Besure to start the sewing at least around two inches from the start and two inches from the finish area of damaged area. Also allow half inch lock stitch on both front and rear of reapair. Best to also sew over any orginal stitching to assist in locking that in. Take it slow and make it look neat. Color chose is up to you. or try orginal color of tread if you can find it in size E. Hope this helps.Kenneth Potter FAA Senior Parachute Rigger Tactical Delivery Instructor (Jeddah, KSA) FFL Gunsmith Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #8 February 28, 2007 Fabric stores often carry nylon 69 thread as upholstery thread in smaller spools. Often odd colors though.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gene03 0 #9 March 1, 2007 An 18 needle will work with E thread. A 19, 20 or 21 will serve you better though.“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him. Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #10 March 1, 2007 Quoteif you want to be a rigger, right now on your own gear is the best time to start practicing. your profile says you dont have too much experience so i would advise you to just stick to replacing what was there originally. True, but make sure you get some supervision from a qualified rigger. Like ND and others up thread have said... some very experienced folks have sewn their canopy to their container by accident... and there was a thread somewhere here where someone posted a picture of a reserve they opened were someone else had previously done some hand taking on the rig w/ the reserve still closed and tacked the reserve bridle to one of the reserve flaps; thankfully the owner of the rig hadn't needed to use their reserve before turning it in for a repack. Wouldn't want to turn a simple repair on a main D-bag into something that can kill. Heck, its so easy to take a D-Bag / PC off of a main and put it back on, I can't imagine not taking it off of the canopy just for ease of getting it under the sewing machine. Good luck. Safe Rigging. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiveal 0 #11 March 1, 2007 absolutely, that is some very sound advise. it is extremely difficult to give any advise over the internet while taking into consideration that a complete moron will read it even years later and go do something like stitch their reserve bridle to their legstrap. theres a lot to be said for finishing the job and then comming back a few days later and acting the inspector on your own work, but another rigger is even better! i have always been an advocate of a complete repack after any sewing work.my hovercraft is full of eels. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
