councilman24

Recognize that the spec you linked to is way out of date, dated in the early 90's. The Feds abandoned that spec in 1998 along with all the mil-specs for parachute fabrics and hardware. The first FAA rigger handbook published in 2005 erroneously still called them mil specs and many catalogs and web sites still refer to those spec numbers as mil-specs. But PIA took them over after the Feds abandoned them. Otherwise every maker would have their own specs and every contract would have had to specify the individual characteristics. PIA is on the 4th revision of that particular spec since 1998, the last one issued in 2015. It is not available for free, PIA sells them to the industry on their web site. I don't know if it now lists a max breaking strength. It may very well not but I think the next size up was a min breaking strength of 120 so it would be pretty safe to say it wouldnt be higher than that. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

The Preserve V round by FreeFlite specs a very light weight break tape. I don't remember the spec and I'm not home and on my phone but look up the manual and you'll find it. The stuff is so light that you have.to be careful tying it to keep.from breaking it. Two.turns might work. I'm sure there must be break tapes specked in between. We used light weight wire ties as staticline PC assist connectors. They sometimes spec strength. Also I use the velcro like heavy duty connector that uses plastic mushroom shaped posts interlocking to hold led lights on altimeters. It used to be sold to hold camera's, may still be. Check Paragear or ask in photo forum. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Jerry I haven't looked at.the spec but.since.the.80lb cord is used to close military static line rigs I assume it has both a minimum and max breaking spec. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Just play you old grump. And I have at least 12 weights. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

https://www.universalsewing.com/images2/parts_lists/all/bj80ls38.pdf try this I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Three T bodkins (three convenient for Strong back PEPs) 2 an iFLY card for 10 hours 1 And a Pack Opening Band pulling tool. (I think I've only seen one of these once, and don't have one.) and 2 needs to be disqualified. Supposed to 2 of something in a rigger kit. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'm just being my pessimistic self. i don't know anything. We got by with old class 3 even though paying passengers. Yet to be determined if we still do if new one goes into effect. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

A change to second class medical? Since we're carrying passengers for hire. I can see this not being good enough for USPA or the FAA. Not that I want that. Just saying. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I now admit ignorance of electronic altimeters. I don't own any and don't much want to. I have used audible for a long time. I would have never dreamed that the thing would auto zero after take off if you didn't tell it not to. If I ever want a digital altimeter I guess I'll be looking for one that works like my analogs, set at the beginning of the day. Check each jump that pressure hasn't changed, and tell me the altitude when ever I look at it. Do any do this? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Also, if your doing a group exit, be aware that it is a zero airspeed exit. You won't be able to track or maneuver for 5-10 sec. This is not the same as an airplane exit where you have the forward airspeed to work with. Why is this important? If you exit with others and they decide to deploy quickly you won't have had time to get separation. The balloon pilot will dictate the exit. They may need to set up a rate of decent so that when you leave the balloon doesn't cork, it just stops descending. Coordination is needed by all. I had a 200 jump wonder decide that rather than exit just after me and pulling above me he would let go without looking at me just before the signal got from my brain to my hands to let go. This put him below me with him not having a clue. Decided to deploy at about 5 sec. All I could do to miss him and his canopy with little airspeed to work with. Plan the dive and dive the plan. Heed wire advice above and realize that wires don't always follow roads. Assume they are along the roads but look hard for poles in the middle of the fields. Also up hill and downhill landing can be challenging if your not ready for them and aware that the ground it going to jump up and meet you or fall away as your trying to get your feet on the ground. All be aware of the wind direction. Direction the balloon is moving. You won't have wind socks or other normal aids. Look for flags, smoke or steam or just remember. And take your cell phone to call 911 when you break your leg. With GPS on. Worries me a little that you thought there might be an issue with the altimeter. That is the least (non-existent) thing you should be concerned about. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Never did. Stayed with 35' T10s until went to ramairs in mid 80's. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

We didn't say you should use a 'normal' mount. Just that yours doesn't do much to solve the problem. Get an available low snag mount that fits your helmet. After you have a whole lot more experience. If you can't see why yours is bad you don't have enough gear awareness to jump a camera. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Do the test I described and maybe you'll understand. If not go read the thread about a 3D printed shield. I'm done. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Take a bridle, wrap it around 360 degrees, and pull. Does it slide off? Or do you pick up the helmet? The entire mount is one big snag point. It may not snag a line or a bridle going by tight and only on one side but neither will your arm. Yet bridles and lines have been wrapping around arms since parachute parachutes were invented. Look at the other threads for more information. You'll see a vertical sided shield. IF it has no gaps it would not hold a bridle or line around it. I suggest you wait until you have more experience before trying to invent safety products for skydiving. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Common sense isn't common? They aren't go pros, are they? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Once you wrap a bridle around this knob it seems to.me to be anything but snag resistant. Go around 90 degrees or more and pull sideways and you've hung your coat up on a hook or grabbed the drawer handle. Not all snags are just a line going by a surface. Not all forces are vertical to the mount. Your arm is snag resistant until you wrap a bridle all the way around it. Am I missing something? And yes the gap is too big for a bridle and maybe a line. Invert the cone so the small part is at the top. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

You can always buy one of these. https://www.universalsewing.com/tek9.asp?pg=products&specific=1%6020657&usscriteria=466.2&usssearchby=header They used to be closer to $300. I should have bought one then. I've seen a crank up dolly like this for some other application but can figure out what. If I could it might be adaptable and cheaper. Or you can buy new legs. http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEWLINE-NEW-COMPLETE-ROLLING-T-LEG-WITH-CASTERS-FOR-INDUSTRIAL-SEWING-MACHINE-/321935768049?hash=item4af4ddf9f1:m:mw6_HEiXT4CAo8RmFafj_cw I just put casters on a new bernina 217. Came with 2x6 under the legs already. Just screwed them on. K legs are adjustable so drop the height or raise the chair. IF you need the treadle closer to the 'floor' build a small platform to slide under the treadle. I actually haven't sat at it yet so need to sort out what I want to do. I have never had any luck trying to attach casters to the K legs. The machines also tend to shake some on casters so I don't do it much. The 'wheel barrow' version described above is best for medium heavy equipment in my mind. I did that with my table saw that's on a home made wooden stand. Hmm, may be able to fabricate brackets that attach to legs only when wheels are needed. I also move machines by putting one end up on a flat moving dolly. If on carpet I usually need to pull the head to move roll the table. Did that with the OTHER bernina last night. I low dolly with 6" casters outside the table with axles above the load level might be good to. Like this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq2Sy-FaUwU Haven't found this in the U.S. yet. But some angle iron, a couple of wheels and some plates and bolts for axles. EDIT Knew I'd seen this somewhere. http://www.stanleysewing.com/shop/devices/machine-mover-tt500/ Finally found the right words to search - table truck sewing machine. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Who is it? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Of course in the U.S. the only thing a non rigger, and then only the next person to jump it, can do is pack the main. Maintenance requires a rigger. Some argue assembly isn't maintenance. I'll leave that for another thread. IN PRACTICE, because there is no documentation required by the rigger on what is done on a main there can never be any enforcement unless the FAA inspector is standing there watching. When I started in 1978 everybody did most everything. With gear more complex and sensitive to what is done I don't recommend anything on the list unless the jumper has discussed it with an experienced rigger or at least an experienced jumper and knows what to look out for. I've seen ALL of the listed things done wrong. Wrong material used for main loops. Loops wrong length. Mains attached to risers backwards - one after two non-riggers took 1 hour checking the line rotation but never looked to past the toggles, and didn't want any help. Mains on risers attached to harnesses backwards more than once. And three rings rigged wrong by people without training are not rare. Slinks attached by riggers wrong, let alone jumpers. And dbag, pc, bridle compatibility really up for grabs. Can experienced jumpers know and do all these things? Sure. Did I? Sure. Should they now? As a FAA DPRE I can't say they should, but I want jumpers to know how to do all this so they can inspect what they're rigger does. Or their non-rigger team mate who says "Give it here, I'll do it." I say experienced rigger above because any rigger coming out of a senior rigger oral and practical, and especially those coming out of short courses, have a license to learn. No one can learn or teach everything that can be done wrong or everything that can be seen in the field. That's one reason the PIA symposium is so valuable. It gives riggers a chance to learn from a multitude of folks. After going to 11 out of 13 Symposia and the last Rigger Conference in 1989 I still get surprised and there is a lot of gear I'm not familiar with just because I'm not asked to work on it. I know in some some individuals, some dzs, and some countries don't want non-riggers to have anything to do with anything besides packing, and a lot of folks don't even want to bother knowing that. One long time jumper never wanted to know how to hook up a three ring. Some folks just don't want the responsibility even for themselves. Of course I'm the type that want to know as much as I can about anything I'm doing. That's partly why I became a rigger. And with three rigs at $15 a 60 day repack the $150, 3 year rigger course was cost effective. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Their part numbers don't match the manuals. i think they reversed them. I need the $218 dollar one next to the $90 one. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I need on more Pfaff style knee lifter. The only U.S. source I've found on line is over $200. Found in U.K. for about $150 but still more than it should be. Don't need a new one. This knee lifter is a little different than singer lifters. It has a roller on the end of the arm that engages the cam on the machine. PN is 91-031411-90. Works on 145 or 238 Anybody have a source for used parts like this or have an extra one laying around from a stripped table? Yes, I've asked MEL. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

One thing I noticed is that the rod from the right side pedal to the arm to lift the presser foot is missing. This type of stuff scares me when buying without seeing it or trying it out. Jerry Baumchen It may be that the previous user just used the hand lever. The second 217 I just got didn't have a knee lifter. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

And cirrus main. I had one. Reputation of hard to land but just had to work with it. Big fluffy matress with 230 sq ft or so. And only 5 cells, about 2 ft thick. But flew as fast and flatter than a pegasus in air to air comparison. Only stopped jumping because of shattered distal tibia and needed something a little easier. Don't remember when we switched to ram air student mains but the DZO first got vulcans. It boke the ribs of the experienced jumper trying it out. Then mantas in conventional rigs with belly warts. First piggy backs with northern lites about 1990, I think. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I'm not going to win but may place. Mel wins hands down. Lets see, with purchase price. 31-15 $75 111w151 $110 111w155 $145 Singer 7-33 $1700 (back when they were going for more, sews nice) Pfaff 145 walking foot like 206RB uses size 190 needles $35 Consew 199-2r $800 Pfaff 238 $500 Pfaff 238 $350 Bernina 217n 6mm with cam $750 Bernina 217n 8mm $400 Juki ddl-227 $300 Singer 212 double needle $400? Singer 144A305 30" arm walking foot $600 Juki 1900A HS like new gov. liq. $1900 Singer 29-4 restoration project with intact stand I think that's it for commercial machines, although I always seem to forget one. 2 or 3 home machine including a viking that zig zags 6 layer of type 4 for toggles better than any of the commercial machines. I tried to figure out if I could move the cam to the 8mm for a few minutes but didn't come to a conclusion. Some where in the sales brochure it seemed like they might be specific to each width machine. Anybody know? There's a 132 on ebay right now in S.C. http://www.ebay.com/itm/SINGER-132K6-EXTRA-HEAVY-DUTY-WALKING-FOOT-SADDLES-INDUSTRIAL-SEWING-MACHINE-/141825865957?hash=item21057af8e5:g:JCIAAOSwxH1ULvsH This one is down the road trying hard to resist. Has been on ebay twice. http://www.ebay.com/itm/JUKI-DDL-5550-Sewing-Machine-and-table-/331713573015?hash=item4d3bab7097:g:OuYAAOSwhcJWNYC- This class 7 is on auction right now about 5 hours from me. I'm sure this was on auction before. I bid a little while on it. Must have fallen through. http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?auctionId=10321881&convertTo=USD I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Only for you was it a FOUR foot platform. But I did stand up the 35' T-10 and my Comp PC fairly routinely. But also us old folks are REALLY good at PLF's. When we trained students for 35' T-10 we made them jump off the roof of the cab of a pickup, about 6 feet, forward and backwards and rolling in each direction. I made a round jump, Phantom 28', after about 18 years, and 50 lbs, and hit the pea gravel. I'd make lots of round jumps if I lost some weight. They're nice and quiet! I never did do much with the Wile E Coyote climb the riser flare. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE