shah269 0 #1 May 24, 2011 I'm sorry but I have two very dumb questions. Line maintenance? Is there any special technique in keeping ones lines healthy? UV light and the general environment I'm sure do a number on lines. Is there any way in which one can prevent damage? A quick google search brought up something called line wax? Canopy maintenance. Is it best to store a canopy within the container or is it best to let it breathe after a day of skydiving?Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 8 #2 May 24, 2011 If you're going to be going a while between jumps (and we're talking several months here) pull the canopy and put it in a tupperware bin, in a closet (temp, humidity, bug controlled). As for lines... generally you don't gotta jack with 'em, and I wouldn't apply ANY chemicals to them. Never know how it will interact with the lines, fabric, webbing, container, or any other part of the assembly. Just not worth it."I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #3 May 24, 2011 I wouldn't put anything called wax on the lines, it sounds like a dirt magnet. Keeping the canopy packed will lessen the possibility of the fabric being exposed to chemicals or cat pee etc. It doesn't need to breathe while in the closet, in fact I put my packed rig in a large heavy plastic bag before I put it in the gear bag. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hchunter614 0 #4 May 24, 2011 Be sure to untwist your brake lines every day after you finish jumping. If you don't they will take on the twists and become shorter. Also periodically check your slider grommets for burs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #5 May 24, 2011 If the canopy is damp, hang it overnight - to dry out - then stuff it in a plastic bag or deployment bag. It does not matter whether you store it in a plastic trash bag or nylon deployment bag. The act of packing wears out canopies far faster than sitting on the shelf. Leaving a main pack - for years - makes little difference. Only the rubber bands will rot out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jsreznor 0 #6 May 24, 2011 QuoteBe sure to untwist your brake lines every day after you finish jumping. If you don't they will take on the twists and become shorter. Also periodically check your slider grommets for burs. This. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #7 May 24, 2011 Thank you will do.Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hchunter614 0 #8 May 24, 2011 If you don't know how to untwist your brake lines ask a rigger or packer. You start up at the cascade and run the line thru your finger towards the toggle (like getting the kinks out of a garden hose). The main reason for doing this is that as the slider comes down the lines it heats the lines up which will set the twists if you leave them in. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #9 May 24, 2011 QuoteIf you don't know how to untwist your brake lines ask a rigger or packer. You start up at the cascade and run the line thru your finger towards the toggle (like getting the kinks out of a garden hose). The main reason for doing this is that as the slider comes down the lines it heats the lines up which will set the twists if you leave them in. A slide can produce that much heat?Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hchunter614 0 #10 May 24, 2011 Yes, that's also why you need to replace your line sets every so often depending on what type of lines you have. The heat generated by the slider coming down the lines causes them to shrink and they shrink at different rates depending on the line group. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #11 May 24, 2011 WOW! Learn more every day. I had no clue they got that hot.Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #12 May 24, 2011 i advise you to run as fast as possible and then drop to your knees; kind of like the soccer-guys do when they hit a goal. you'll figure out quite quickly how hot it can get! that, or bang the fat out of a size 8+ girl while on your knees over a longer duration of time.. “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DocPop 1 #13 May 24, 2011 QuoteThe main reason for doing this is that as the slider comes down the lines it heats the lines up which will set the twists if you leave them in. Is this true for all line types? The main problem with twisted lines is that they get shorter. Of course if they then set that makes the problem irreversible."The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hchunter614 0 #14 May 24, 2011 I believe it's true for all types of lines just that each type is more or less resistant than others. But I'm not sure which is most/least resistant off the top of my head. EDIT to add: After a quick seach it seems that Spectra has the worst resistance to heat (and shrinking) while HMA and vectran do not shrink much (or at all). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #15 May 24, 2011 QuoteThe main problem with twisted lines is that they get shorter That's a negative ghostrider. The main problem is that they don't lie flat, and have a tendency to half-hitch around themselves or other stuff. Ever heard of a tension knot? Short lines are easy to live with, just watch out for the stall on the bottom end. Tension knots are a slightly bigger problem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #16 May 24, 2011 Quote WOW! Learn more every day. I had no clue they got that hot. And whatever ya do, don't put silicone spray on the lines to reduce friction and lower the heat...I know a guy that lost his shoes doin' that! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hchunter614 0 #17 May 24, 2011 Good catch Dave. I was typing my reply and thought about shrinkage affecting the trim of the canopy and ended up merging the 2 different affects into one sentence. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DocPop 1 #18 May 24, 2011 QuoteQuoteThe main problem with twisted lines is that they get shorter That's a negative ghostrider. The main problem is that they don't lie flat, and have a tendency to half-hitch around themselves or other stuff. Ever heard of a tension knot? Short lines are easy to live with, just watch out for the stall on the bottom end. Tension knots are a slightly bigger problem. I was thinking more on opening where one half of the canopy would be set in deeper brakes than the other causing an asymmetric opening with the potential for the canopy to spin up. Brake lines never seem to twist up evenly on both sides on the canopies I have packed - I don't understand why. I didn't know twists were linked to tension knots - that's a great reason to spend a minute a day untwisting them!"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #19 May 24, 2011 Quote And whatever ya do, don't put silicone spray on the lines to reduce friction and lower the heat...I know a guy that lost his shoes doin' that! Help a brother out...what?Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DocPop 1 #20 May 24, 2011 I believe he is referring to a "brisk" opening!"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kellja2001 0 #21 May 24, 2011 Quote Leaving a main pack - for years - makes little difference. Only the rubber bands will rot out. This happened to one of my current canopies. The previous owner left it in the container and d-bag over several summers. He had black bungees on at the time. They started to lose their coloring, and left a lovely black ring around the lines every foot or so. When I first saw it, I genuinely thought the lines were rotting, as do a lot of people. It doesn't look good, but I've had it checked out by a rigger etc. and apparently they're still perfectly fine! 50 jumps later on the canopy and they ain't broke yet! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #22 May 24, 2011 QuoteBrake lines never seem to twist up evenly on both sides on the canopies I have packed - I don't understand why people tend to favor turning to one side when they land to collapse the canopy others - twists be come loops, loops become knots, knots become tangles - I'd worry about this long before I'd worry about twists making one side shorter or not the heat from the slider shrinks the lines - nylon shrinks with permanent heat damage as for coating the lines.......I'd think dirt attraction is about the worst thing to try for line preservation........ ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 8 #23 May 24, 2011 QuoteIf you don't know how to untwist your brake lines ask a rigger or packer. You start up at the cascade and run the line thru your finger towards the toggle (like getting the kinks out of a garden hose). The main reason for doing this is that as the slider comes down the lines it heats the lines up which will set the twists if you leave them in. It helps to start above the cascade, separate the lines on the tail, then work your way down. If you just start at the cascade, you can still have a twist or two above it."I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arvoitus 1 #24 May 24, 2011 Am I the only person who doesn't drop their toggles as soon as they land?Your rights end where my feelings begin. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #25 May 24, 2011 Nope, I set my brakes and then pick everything up. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
