What's in your rigging kit?

[Hooknswoop 19]

What is in my rigging kit:

Rigging tools should be durable, large enough not to fit into reserve container, and have a flag installed. Have the minimum tools possible, one tool for several jobs if possible. The less tools, the better. Here is what is my kit and either how I made it or if I bought it.

-Tool: Wire Fids for finger trapping line. Made them

Materials: 0.20, 0.32, and 0.41 aircraft safety wire, 1/2-inch aluminum pipe, 1/2-inch vinyl caps, epoxy, and heat shrink.

Cut the aluminum tubing about 6 inches long. Cap each end with a vinyl cap. Use epoxy to glue the caps on. Drill 2 holes, 1/8-inche apart, centered on the tube. Use a drill bit only slightly larger than the safety wire you will use to make the fid. Using about 16 inches of safety wire, put about 3 inches of both ends through each hole on the tube, centering the wire. Bring each end back through the opposite hole and pull tight. Twist the wire, using a rod in the end of the loop of wire until tight and even. Then wrap the ends around the wire towards the loop end of the wire. slide the heat shrink over the wire so that it extends from the tube to just past where the short ends terminate and heat the heat shrink to protect the line form the ends of the wire.

An alternate Fid design is to take stainless steel rods of different diameters, tap one end with course threads and, using a Dremel tool, taper the other end.

-Tool: Raw-hide hammer for removing knots, opening "L"-bars, etc. Bought it.

-Tool: Dead Blow hammer for setting snaps and grommets. Bought it.

-Tool: 2 "T" bodkins. Bought them, then modified one.

One with a Dacron lanyard, stainless steel straight pin and tube stow or rubber band. If you need to, Dremel out the hole so that the stainless steel straight pin will fit. The rubber band/tube stow keeps the stainless stell straight pin in the hole which keeps the "T" handle from coming out of the free-bag.

-Tool: 2 Velcro line protectors with long flags. Some riggers sew Velcro to the flag on their Cypres temp pins. This prevents the possibility of leaving the line protectors on the free-bag. This is risky in that the pins are sharp and can puncture the free-bag and reserve canopy.

Materials: 1-inch loop Velcro, 1-inch type-IV tape, 3/4-inch type-IV tape (neon pink)

Sew the Velcro to the 1-inch type IV, folding under the ends of the type-IV. Then sew the 3/4-inch type-IV to the Velcro. Simply sewing the flag to the Velcro causes the Velcro edges to wear quickly. The re-enforcement of the 1-inch type-IV is necessary.

-Tool: Packing paddle(s). Made them.

There are several variations and materials. They can be made of wood, aluminum, plastic, or stainless steel. They can be tapered or flat. The advantage of the wood is any dents won't leave sharp edges or burrs that can damage the reserve or container. Aluminum and stainless steel is stronger. Make the packing paddle long enough that it won't fit inside a closed container, preventing the possibility of accidentally packing it into the container and put a long flag on it, just in case. Either make them or buy them. At least 2 are necessary.

-Tool: Leatherman Wave. I use it in place of several tools; scissors for cutting seal thread, tacking cord or other cutting jobs, pliers for putting in the rip cord pin, screwdrivers for changing Cypres batteries and "L" links and a straight and serrated edge knives, putting a needle through thick fabric, etc. Bought it.

-Tool: Clear film case for lead seals. Keeps them from ending up in the bottom of my rigging box. Locate one.

-Tool: Spring scale 0-40 lbs. minimum with max weight indicator. Make sure it has an adjustment screw so that it can be calibrated. It is used for SB's tests, rip-cord pull force tests, fabric pull tests, etc. Bought it.

-Tool: Rag and Ace Pure Silicone Lubricant. Any sort of clean, durable rag will work. I use a cloth napkin form a restaurant. The silicone is at Ace Hardware stores. Bought it.

-Tool: Packing weights. Made them.

Materials: Type-XII webbing, lead shot, Type-IV neon pink tape. Cordura, Type-XII webbing, lead shot.

Fold over long-ways and sew type-12 webbing, fill with lead shot, add a long flag and sew shut. Make them long enough that they won't fit into a closed container. Also a very large one made of Cordura with Type-XII webbing handle to weight the container and a smaller thick one to put under the reserve container when closing the rig are nice to have.

-Tool: Knee plate. Made it.

Materials: Thick Stainless steel.

Cut the notch for the pull up for/temp pin and polish it. It will take a serious machine to cut stainless steel.

-Tool: Positive tension closing device. Made it.

Materials: Stainless steel rod, about 1-inch thick. Can be hollow or solid. If hollow, needs thick wall. Stainless steel rod, 3/8-inch.

Drill a 3/8-inch hole near one end and cut a notch in the other end for the pull up cord. Using a Dremel, clean up the edges. I made mine long enough that I can turn it without the handle hitting the reserve container. Cut the 3/8-inch thick stainless steel rod to about the length of the closing device. Be careful with a positive tension closing device as this tool can create a lot of leverage. Only use with a knee plate to prevent damage to grommets.

-Tool: 10X magnifying lens with flag. Bought it.

-Tool: Ball point pen. Doesn't run on the reserve data card. I like the stainless steel parker pen. Bought it.

-Tool: 6 large clamps. Great aids for packing. Add flags. Bought them.

-Tool: 22 Caliber stainless steel rifle cleaning rod for pulling the pull up cord up through the reserve PC. Bought it.

-Tool: Line separator for rounds. Bought it, but could easily make one.

Tool: Small crescent wrench with a stainless steel straight pin on a lanyard for leverage prevents over-tightening of Rapide links. Also eliminates the need for a screwdriver and a wrench. Bought it and modified it.

Materials: Small crescent wrench, type IIA, stainless steel straight pin.

Finger trap and sew the straight pin to the crescent wrench. Make the type-IIA lanyard long enough to make it difficult to pack tool into container.

-Tool: Cypres material pull up cord with a 6 inch piece of Cypres material finger trapped in the center to make it thicker so it is easier to get the pin through the loop. It is also damages the closing loop during closing less. Made them.

-Tool: Pre-made Cypres and long and short main closing loops. Made them.

-Tool: Red fingernail polish. Used to make a torque strip on Rapide links. If the strip isn't aligned, then the barrel nut has loosened up. Bought it.

-Tool: Line tie-off lanyard. I use it to apply tension to the A, B, C, and D lines of a reserve to hold them in place while I flake the canopy.

Materials: 1-inch webbing, 4 1-inch fast-tec quick release fasteners, stainless steel 1-inch buckle.

Sew loops of 1-inch webbing to a main piece of 1-inch webbing, each with a quick release buckle on it. At the top end, sew the buckle so that the entire tool can be tightened. Each line group loop can be tighten individually and the entire assembly can be tightened to adjust for different sized reserves.

-Tool: Feeler gauge. For checking grommets. Bought it.

-Tool: 12-inch stainless steel 'Wescott' ruler. Bought it.

-Tool: Lock-tight for Rapide links. Bought it.

-Tool: Metalic Sharpie. For writing on soft reserve ripcord handles. Bought it.

-Tool: Seal press. Bought it.

-Tool: Hand needles. Bought them.

-Tool: Lighter. Bought it.

-Tool: Seam ripper. Bought it.

-Tool: Cypres temp pin. Bought it.

I keep the following in an Aluminum clipboard (keeps everything neat) Bought it:

-Inspection checklist. Made it.

-Re-pack and Cypres stickers. Using return address labels, make "Re-pack Due:" and "Maint Due: / Batts Due:" stickers to put on reserve data cards. Made them.

-Closing loop length chart. A list of container types and sizes with reserve size and length of closing loop. Made it.

-Packing data cards. Bought them.

-Stamp with certificate # and seal code, prevents 'pencil packing'. Bought it.

Derek

[councilman24 37]

What's in my rigging kit? Too much stuff.

Other things that directly related to packing include

Bottom half of a click type ball point pen to aid in getting Cypres cutters into the elastic keepers,

PC locking strap and rod (for collapsing PC's) for how I used to do Stong Pilot rigs. Rod also serves to hold PC collapsed to kicker plate with grommets on the one rig I still do that uses one.

Line hook for stowing lines in Navy Back, or now stowing lines on Preserve V deployment bag.

Preserve V's also require a couple of different materials as break ties.

A couple of high quality hemostats. Most of the ones available in hobby shops or gun shows are pretty crappy.

Still have a sewing palm. As well as Sandy Reid's Navy end tabs for needle pusher/puller.

Large and small seam rippers and exacto knife.

Extra main closing loops, I give them away.

Hmmm what else.

Materials like tack cords, spare links, rubber bands, safety stow loops, etc.

Stamp pad and seal symbol stamp to help foil forgers. (reread and saw yours)

One of Dave DeWolf's pull testers, but I don't like using it much.

Soft, locking "bodkins" for bags like the Vectors. Allows you to pre compress the bag.

My own design pull up handle. A 6 inch length of 1 1/4" delerin rod. I cut a saw cut in the middle half way through. By wrapping the pull up around the handle in the saw kerf and around again on top of itself it locks off with out having to tie a larks head knot or other wrap. Change the saw blade, table saw vs band saw, to accommodate either type II or cypres pull ups.

Obviously mine includes things beyond tools. I have an instrument repairmans tool case that holds everything except weights, clamps, longest packing paddle, "Allen Silver" closing device, and table tension devices. It goes with me to the DZ so I have the needed the supplies and extras all in one case.

I'm not one for going simple. Hmm also good dressmakers scissors, and surgical scissors for cutting thread and tacking material. Needle nose pliers, also for pulling needles and Security 350 springs.

Probably more stuff that I don't remember without looking. Oh yeah, I use a molar strap. (No need to rehash the debate. If nothing else it scares the customers.)

Again, I want to be able to do more stuff out of the case, like undoing finger strap stitching to change toggles.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[riggerrob 643]

Thanks for the advice, now I am going to sew some Velcro onto the flags of my Cypres pins.
Anything to reduce the tool count.

Bromocreasil green

emery cloth

heat shrink tubing

cigarette lighter

6 inch steel ruler

upholstery needles 9 inches long

2 X temporary loops for Pop-Tops. To reduce parts count, the two temp loops are tied together and pull-up cords are sewn on.

4 X Pony clamps (size 2301 or 2303) with 2 yards (meters) of bungee cord tied onto each clamp

Locking pull-up cord - for Vector reserve D-bags.

Third pull-up cord for installing springs on Security 350s

Gun cleaning rod made of 40/1000 lock wire, because I am a cheap bastard

Molar strap with B-12 Snap (gate removed)

The more often you need a tool, the less likely you are to forget it.
For example: I use my molar strap 3 times during the average pack job.
1: wrap it around a table leg to anchor the bungees on my clamps.
2:as a molar strap
3: pull up on the closing loop. I defy you to forget a tool that you need to put the last pin in!
4: wrap it around pilotchute spring of Racer

[jumper03 0]

BUMP!



Putting my kit together and lost my original print out of this.


Jump

Scars remind us that the past is real

[twnsnd 1]

My rigging kit is as follows:

A Pencil

-We are the Swoophaters. We have travelled back in time to hate on your swoops.-

[LawnDart21 0]

When I got home from Dave's course this winter, I was really motivated to improve my sewing skills. Lets just say that my canopy patch for the course wasnt the easiest thing I had ever done.....lol....I think Rags is still shaking his head at my first attempt......lol

Anyways relating to this thread and tools, having a kick ass loft to come home to, I set out to sew myself fabric holders (like gear bags that open like a book) for all my tools. The one thing that always stuck with me in the course was "COUNT YOUR TOOLS", and having quite a few tools, I thought, what better way to ease that process than by making holders with specific slots for each tool. Now I have 4 fabric holders, each one a different size, that hold all my tools and fit in my Craftsman tool box. Now when I finish a pack job, I review my four holders, and make sure everything is in its place. It works great, and now I can sew like a pro. (well, not like a pro, but atleast like an amateur.....lol). -Tom

--
My other ride is a RESERVE.

[masterrig 1]

While attending USAPR, we were given the opportunity to make one of those nifty zippered cases like they sell in Para-Gear. In mine, I have:
Aluminum closing plate
Long-bar (Aluminum)
2-Maple packing paddles
Rifle cleaning rod
short fid (6" Aluminum)
Hook for stowing lines on Navy seats
4 - 'T'-bars
Awl (wood handle)
Finger trapping tools (made from knitting needles)
Various sewing needles
6"-Steel ruler
Small spools of 'E' - thread (various colors)
2 - screwdrivers (1-Phillips, 1-flat)
2- hemostats 1-straight, 1-curved(got them from a nurse)
Pliers
Wire cutting pliers
Needle-nose pliers
Pilot chute compression strap (2-types)
Pull-up cords (gutted - 550, Cypres and Spectra)
Temp pins (3-types)
Seam ripper
Tack cord (cotton & Nylon)
Sewing palm (Seldom use it)
Bic - lighter
Scissors (Sewing and surgical)
Flagged Velcro for Free-bags
Rubber bands (large and small)
Extra 'gutted' 550 for closing loops
Pure Silicone
Cypres loop material (spool)
Cypres washers
Standard washers
Seal Press
Lead seals
Most of these tools were either given to me or I made them. Each tool has it's own place... helps with that famous tool count!

Chuck