Hello Neal,

Thank you. Regarding what you wrote about streamers, FlisKits' Flea kit (see: http://www.rocketreviews.com/fliski...an-westley.html ) comes with a black crepe paper streamer, and the kit reviewer reported that it was highly visible. He didn't report damage to it, so FlisKits may use the more durable crepe paper streamer material that you mentioned above. I've made cruciform paper "Stine Parachute Protectors" that also worked well to protect streamers, although I'd use wadding today as it's flameproof. I'm sure I've seen them, but I can't picture what the badge clips look like. Also:I haven't done this, but I *have* built model rocket kits when I had insomnia. :-)

__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR

All crepe paper streamers are treated to be flame-resistant. You could even use them as wadding, I suppose. Reinforcing the end of the streamer that is attached to the shock cord, as is done with drafting paper streamers in competition, would no doubt help it last longer.

__________________
SAM # 0011

Interestingly, although the Gnome kit instructions (see: http://estesplans.larocketryforum.com/000886_GNOME.pdf ) say to tape the streamer to the shock cord using masking tape, the instructions for the physically-identical Puma RTF rocket (see: http://estesplans.larocketryforum.com/001896_PUMA.pdf ) say to "Tie the streamer to the shock cord using a double knot," as do the instructions of the Firestreak SST (see: http://estesplans.larocketryforum.c...ESTREAK_SST.pdf ). Since all three of these rockets use BT-5 body tubes (the BT-5 tubing serves as the Firestreak SST's "internal liner tube"), the knots in the streamers must not block the interiors of even these narrow tubes. All three of these rockets come with the same streamer material (the fluorescent ["Day-Glo"] orange plastic flagging tape with the "molded-in woven" texture).

__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR

It's my opinion that you may be over thinking this. Just tape the the streamer to the shock cord. When it is worn out rip it off and tape a new on on. Follow the KISS principle.

Regards,

Don


Imagine a device that is rather like a potato chip bag clip, only smaller. It could be permanently attached to the rocket's shock cord (or to the nose cone, via a short line). One end of the crepe paper streamer would be held between the jaws of the clip, which could either be spring-loaded or held shut by a clasp (or even by fine-pitch screws). When the crepe paper streamer became too torn or tattered, the clip's jaws would be opened, the old streamer would be removed, and a fresh length of crepe paper would be clamped between the clip's jaws. A model rocketeer could just keep a roll of crepe paper in his or her range box and cut off (or tear off, in a pinch) a new length of streamer material when it is needed.[/QUOTE]

__________________
Don
SAM#513
NAR #11069

That can wear out the shock cord at the streamer attachment point, especially at the rate at which I had to change out crepe paper streamers (which is why I switched to plastic streamers that are attached to the nose cones using short lengths of shroud line tied to snap swivels).

__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR

Tie a small split ring into the shock cord at your desired attachment point, and then tie your streamer to it instead of to the shock cord itself. Even crepe paper streamers can be attached with a shroud line; they don't need to be taped to the shock cord. That attachment method, however, is often recommended because it is so simple and effective. Often a tape disk is used to attach the paper streamer to the cord. Round tape disks that are used for pricing have a much stronger adhesive than is present on Scotch tape (in order to make them hard to remove from merchandise), so the disks are usually quite good at fulfilling this role. I don't see how this could create a wear spot on the cord, but if that is a concern, then simply vary the attachment point each time you replace the streamer. But as illustrated by the alternative method that I described above, there are other methods for attaching streamers.

I can envision the development of a small, thin plastic square, not much bigger than the gripper tabs that are used on some plastic parachutes, that contains a flat, thin, simple to use but firm-holding clamp that can reliably grip the once or twice doubled-over end of a crepe paper streamer. The clamping would not be done with a spring, like a clothespin or binder clip, but by a folding action similar to that of a hair barrette. This would make it thinner and lighter and also easier and cheaper to manufacture. It would simply be stamped out of one or two layers of tough, flexible plastic, and perhaps feature a live hinge. It would have a hole at one end to allow it to be attached to a shock cord or nose cone base by a short shroud line. Again, the entire unit would be small, perhaps dime or penny sized to allow it to easily fit into and come out of a BT-20 without getting hung up, and it would be thin and light in weight. The all-polyethylene or polyethylene/polypropylene construction would keep down the weight. I don't have a specific design in mind, but that's the general concept.

__________________
SAM # 0011

Are you referring to a split washer, or to a small split centering ring (used on the rear end of a 13 mm motor mount to clear the motor clip)?This sounds like a good "Odd'l Rockets" item (like their RAISE Springs).

__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR

Neither. I'm talking about the type used in fishing.

http://bit.ly/nBKxA9

__________________
SAM # 0011

Very interesting--thank you very much for posting that link! I'd never seen those before, but I haven't done any fishing in over thirty years, and it was salt-water fishing with baited gang hooks or reflective "spoon" lures. Those stainless steel split rings look just like the split rings on keychains, only smaller. Also:

The wide variety of different outside diameters in which they are available (0.191", 0.219", 0.246", 0.281", 0.312", 0.347", 0.407", 0.454", 0.513", 0.573", and 0.663") would cater to all model rockets from BT-5 size on up. A plastic streamer could (depending on the split ring's size) either be tied directly to it as you mentioned, or (if the streamer had a short attachment line with a snap swivel at its end) the loop of the snap swivel could be "fed" onto the split ring. For that matter, the snap swivel could be dispensed with and a loop could be tied at the free end of the streamer's attachment line, and this loop could be "fed" onto the split ring. I'm going to be placing an order with Cabela's soon... :-)

__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR