skymedic 0 #1 May 9, 2003 Well due to Phreezone pestering me to make one, Anne and I went shopping and got all the stuff to make one. a few questions have come up and was wondering the best ways to sew it up. what kind of seem should I make for the tube itself all the way up...what will be strong enough to hold up. obviously I know I need to hem both the top and bottom but how much? and how many times? double tripple? also what did ya guys use for handles if ya made your own. phree was talking about a garden hose, problem being I dont have an extra sitting around I can just tear up. and last but not least any one have a close up of the handle attachment area and seams you sewed? thanks...this is yet another way I am practicing my sewing..which to me is the only really intimidating part of the rigger process. Marc otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sonicfreefly 0 #2 May 9, 2003 I used a PVC underground sprinkler hose and a line connector to join the two ends together. This you can get this cut to any length at a building supply store. The seam was a folded seam. This prevents the nylon cut from fraying. ie.same seam used on your canopy. For handles I set my tube up for both sitflying and headsdown. I used a old pair of risers so I can cut away the tube in headsdown because it is attached to my ankles. When sitflying I just join the two risers with a quick connector so I can just hang onto it. I would suggest you make the tube a little longer than the length of your canopy and lines to prevent a wrap. You can always shortened it if you desire later. When hemming the end of the tube I triple folded it. This end of the tube takes a lot of wind abuse. If you have questions or would like some pics of certain parts of the tube. Just contact me at: sonicfreefly@hotmail.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoshi 0 #3 May 9, 2003 I used rip stop nylon for the tube with a copper tube bent in a round shape for the base of it then I took one of those fanoodle things (like in a swoop course) and cut it all the way lencth wise and wrapped that around the copper (so it would cusion if it was dropped) use a double seam all the way up (I used a combination of two seams in a streight stich formation and a zig zag on top of it and lofded the top 3x over with a seam at each fod with about 5 seams on the last fold (If you dont it will come apart) the handle I used was from another freefly tube which is a chain with a plasic tube covering it... email me with questions if you would like... -yoshi_________________________________________ this space for rent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pd190 0 #4 May 12, 2003 I second the motion to use the PVC flexiable sprinkler hose as the base. Add a line connnector to get it together. Agian, I triple folded the base edge and used two types of stiches to secure mine. (wife has a fancy-dancey sewing machine.) I first stitched with two standard staight stiches, and then used a chain stitch in between the two single stitches. For the seem travelling up the tube, I folded the tube inside out, used a single line stitch, folded it right side out, and chain stitched the crease to one side. For the top edge, I also triple folded and repeated same stitches as the base. On all of the other "demo's" that I had made, I only double folded and they still frayed. For the handle, I used tubular nylon. It worked really well. Plus it's easy for most non-industrial style sewing machines. The first tube I made was 18 ft long. It was SCARY! (Wish I wouldn't have made it out of OD Green material.....Damn.) It worked well but had issues. The second model was a patch work and it shredded on deployment. (I'm a sewing jackass!) The third one worked well, and is still holding together after about 15 jumps. It's bright blue and 8 ft long. I passed it on to another jumper after adding lettering and some easy graphics. He loves it and has put about 10 jumps on it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rigging65 0 #5 May 12, 2003 We've used the planter/garden separation material you can get at most Garden Shops. It's that flat, plastic that you roll out and push into the ground as a border between a garden and say a lawn. The stuff we found is about 6 inches tall with a round "tube" section at the top and bottom of the flat sections. I've attached a very crude drawing of it (please excuse the artwork!!) We got some properly sized dowells and glued them in place into the top and bottom "Tubes" on the material. About 6 in. dowels did the trick. We then took some cheap aluminum reinforcing plates and riveted them in place using standard, short pop-rivets. This gives a very secure base ring that you can then cut slits into for attachments points. We rigged the attachments up with simple two-ring releases and the tube worked just great! One other note: We found that double needling every one of the seams really increased the life of the tube. At the top end of the material section, we took some 1.5 inch Ty III tape and sewed it around the edge to help it keep from shattering. Good luck! "...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..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #6 May 12, 2003 You guys might laugh but what I found to be the simplest ring is a bike wheel. The spokes pop out with a screw driver and about 15 minute work you have a perfectly round rim that there is no you you are going to bend unlike copper tubbing. Its light and an added plus is you can drill right into it do due what ever handle system you want to. I picked up a used 16 inch bike wheel for $8 at my local Bike shop. 16 inch wheels require nylon thats just over 50.25 inches wide to go perfectly around. I cut mine at like 52.5 inches and by the time I did the seams and everything it was perfect and I had to strech it to go over the rim. I mounted the fabric to the rim by putting 4 grommets in the fabric and then just putting bolts through the grommets into holes drilled into the rim. A bit of lock-tite and cutting off of the excess bolts and the material is'nt going anywhere.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rigging65 0 #7 May 12, 2003 Nice...I'll have to try that! "...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..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #8 May 12, 2003 I got a 20"wheel which is really only 17inches across. the places I kept calling thought I was nuts.... Marc otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
