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Old 01-15-2009, 01:07 PM
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Default Swivel sizes/ratings

What size or lb test swivels are you all using for your LPR rockets? I've decided I'd like to try using some on a few of my rockets, and have no idea what size would be appropriate.
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Old 01-15-2009, 02:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FooBag
What size or lb test swivels are you all using for your LPR rockets? I've decided I'd like to try using some on a few of my rockets, and have no idea what size would be appropriate.


I usually just buy those multi size wheel packs in the fishing section. I use the smallest for the small rockets and the largest for BT-80 sized rockets, and the others in between. I've had stripped chutes and some broken/burned shock cords the last 30+ years, but I've never had a snap swivel fail. They look puny, so that statistic mildly surprises me. With mid and high power, I've always used quick links, as I just didn't trust any size swivel with heavy and very fast rockets.
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Old 01-15-2009, 04:20 PM
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More important than the size (which I usually go with that looks about right) is the construction. The conventional fishing snap swivels that work like a safety pin will come apart at exactly the wrong time. I gave up on those a LONG time ago.

You want ones that look like this:

Look for the names Coastlock or Sampo
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Old 01-15-2009, 06:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Kaplow
You want ones that look like this:




http://www.rocketmaterials.org/data...ivels/index.php
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Old 01-15-2009, 07:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brianc


Interesting, this is EXACTLY what I saw on a rocket flown with an I161-10 that ended up being an I161-2. I had used the same large snap swivel as in this example. The snap tightened like a noose onto the quick link, the shock cord zippered the tube, but the snap did NOT let go.
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Old 01-15-2009, 11:28 PM
zog139 zog139 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Kaplow
More important than the size (which I usually go with that looks about right) is the construction. The conventional fishing snap swivels that work like a safety pin will come apart at exactly the wrong time. I gave up on those a LONG time ago.

You want ones that look like this:

Look for the names Coastlock or Sampo



Hey Bob do you get them local or do you order on-line? I've checked locally and can not find them, I've also looked on-line maybe not in the right places though ? I've never searched by brand name just always looked for cross-lock swivels.

One more thing. Kaplow Klips, do you have a reference to them on-line somewhere? I.E. what gauge brass to use with what motor classes etc.

Jim
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Old 01-16-2009, 07:31 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zog139
Hey Bob do you get them local or do you order on-line? I've checked locally and can not find them, I've also looked on-line maybe not in the right places though ? I've never searched by brand name just always looked for cross-lock swivels.


Right click and VIEW IMAGE, and you'll see the web site I get them from. It's a kite company, http://www.intothewind.com/shop/Lin...ssories/Swivels will take you right to the page. I've found the small to medium size ones by checking fishing tackle stores, but the larger ones I've only found online.

Again, the key thing to look for is the pigtail at the end of the clip, rather than the straight safety pin style wire. Do **NOT** use any thing that looks like the "safety" swivel on that page. They WILL fail.

Quote:
One more thing. Kaplow Klips, do you have a reference to them on-line somewhere? I.E. what gauge brass to use with what motor classes etc.


http://www.nira-rocketry.org/Document/Phantom4000.pdf includes Kaplow Klip info. Like so many other things, I've used "That Looks About Right" to size them. And you can always use things like fender washers, storm door clips, or other odd hardware store parts if you're not into making your own.
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Old 01-26-2009, 10:21 AM
Greg N Greg N is offline
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You can get them in the fishing section as others have said or online.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...tems#itemDetail
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Old 01-26-2009, 05:58 PM
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Most of mine look sorta like this:


They have the locking snap as shown here, but have a simpler swivel section sans the fancy bearings. I don't think these are as good as the ones Bob cited, but their locking mechanism is still better than nothing.

I only use these on birds up to ~E power. After that, I use quick links. At that power level, the added bulk and mass of quick links is no big deal.

Doug

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Old 01-26-2009, 08:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Sams
Most of mine look sorta like this:


They have the locking snap as shown here, but have a simpler swivel section sans the fancy bearings. I don't think these are as good as the ones Bob cited, but their locking mechanism is still better than nothing.

These are called duolock-style snaps. The various versions of these at Cabela's website don't seem to have test numbers that are as high as comparable coastlock-style snaps, not even the ones made by SPRO. This style is somewhat easier to find in stores, though. I have gotten most of my rocketry-related terminal tackle in the fishing departments of K-Mart and Walmart.

Also, a friend of mine once warned me that the two tabs projecting out the side of the duolock-style snap could catch and snag on parts of the recovery system. It sounds plausible, but I have never seen that actually happen.

I have to confess here that most of my snap swivels are of the common brass "safety pin" style. I really should replace them all with well-made swivels that have coastlock snaps.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Sams
I only use these on birds up to ~E power. After that, I use quick links. At that power level, the added bulk and mass of quick links is no big deal.

Doug

.

I really wish I could find 1/16" or 3/32" quick links. They would really fill a niche for me in my MPR builds. But I could probably do just as well (maybe even better) with the larger snap swivels made by SPRO.

Mark \\.
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