Parachute fabric advice

[Toddy]

Help!
Does anyone know about what parachutes are actually made from?
Is it possible to buy a large one that has been treated to be fire retardant?
Is anyone able to recommend a supplier who will provide documentation of the above to cover me for Health & Safety and Risk Assessments for Public Liability Insurance?

I have a brilliant idea for a multi craft activity at Tree in the Park later this year, I've even sold the idea to the organisers and they've agreed a good budget and funds for seven of us to work the weekend, but now there are worries that with >30,000 people visiting I have to have the same H & S cover as if it were a marquee
I *so* don't want to have to make the 'parachute' too

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[stotRE]

Hi Toddy

From what i can remember from when i did my jumps course in the army,parachutes are made from nylon but you may be able to buy a ww2 silk one but apparently these are quite rare.

As for fire proofing you might be able to have it sprayed with a fire retardent substance as nylon is definetly not fire resistent.

Maybe you could look up suppliers of tools and toys to children with special needs as they use them a lot as part of their therapy.(maybe they could advice you on safety issues).

Hope this helps mate.

 

[Toddy]

Hi Toddy



Maybe you could look up suppliers of tools and toys to children with special needs as they use them a lot as part of their therapy.(maybe they could advice you on safety issues).

Hope this helps mate.

Now that's an excellent idea, thank you

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[greg2935]

Not quite sure now, they used to be made from silk circa world war 2, think they now are made from a plastic/nylon type material. Parachutes are flammable but because the material is so thin it needs to be rolled up to catch fire usually.

You can get them from army surplus stores. Not sure about public liability, they tend to be really finicky this day and age.

 

[Toddy]

....... Not sure about public liability, they tend to be really finicky this day and age.

You're not joking. I've been sent a risk assessment, that is15 pages long, to complete before I get the final go ahead It's not even as though there'll be a naked flame near it either. Seems the biggest risk is smokers though why they would want to try a parachute is beyond me.
Thanks for the info, I did wonder how one would catch.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[stotRE]

try speaking to some of your local schools about there risk assessments for using parachutes.Another thing is to make sure that you take out public liability insurance, because a friend of mine in the army once hired a bouncy castle for his sons birthday party and one of the kids fell off and broke his fema
To make matters worse his broken fema cut his femoral artery and the poor kid almost bled to death

His parents tried to sue my mate but luckily he escaped prosecution because he was the one who administered life saving first aid

Don't mean to be a spoil sport but unfortunatly we live in a compensation culture and you need to protect yourself.

 

[Toddy]

Don't mean to be a spoil sport but unfortunatly we live in a compensation culture and you need to protect yourself.

It really has gotten ridiculous. I have to provide proof that I carry £5,000,000 of public liability insurance just to do a days work demonstrating natural dyes (cold, not even hot water!), spinning and weaving.
I can see where the Rangers are coming from with the marquee/parachute thing, but it's touch excessive.

Thanks for the help,
Cheers,
Toddy

 

[KIMBOKO]

I once used a lighter to trim a few loose threads from the inner (non proofed) of my nylon backpacking tent. I was expecting the threads to shrivel up but they burnt and the flame then caught on more threads. I put out the flame but within those few seconds I had a hole in my tent.
I would have thought that once alight a parachute draped like a teepee would burn very quickly.

 

[Motorbike Man]

Hi Toddy,

In the shop where I work, all of our display materials for the window dressing have to be fire proof and it's a real pain. A product that we had recomended to us is MSL Firecheck Luckily it's never been put to the test, but it's for use on synthetic as well as natural materials and a little really does go a long way.

EDIT - Just been flicking throught the website and they say not to use it on rip-stop nylon. Don't know if this will be an issue regarding 'chutes, but they do say to get in touch with them if you need further advice

 

[greg2935]

I've seen RM use a parachute as a giant tent and lighting a communal fire underneath, sparks tended to burn small holes in the material but it did not catch fire (which I was quite surprised about), I do not know if he used a fire retardent though, and tent material is very thin, far thinner than tent material. It is actually explained in p135 of his essential bushcraft book, although it does not mention fire, I guess to limit his own liability, the publishers lawyers would never allow something like that to be published. Ironically, I was in the reenactment movement for some years, and public liability insurance skyrocketed after somone lost his eye when hit by some wadding a flintlock discharge. We were dark-ages (and therefore did not need black powder etc) but our premiums doubled overnight!

 

[JimH]

It really has gotten ridiculous. I have to provide proof that I carry £5,000,000 of public liability insurance Toddy

As others have mentioned, it's absolutely in your interest to be insured, regardless of what your hosts may demand.

Years of re-enactment taught me there is NO LIMIT to how apparently innocuous an item can be used by the public to achieve self-harm, nor to the degree to which they will claim you are responsible.

First we watched the weapons.

Then we learned to watch the tools, too.

Then the fires

Then anything smaller than a human orifice

Then we just heaped all the kit in a pile and stood guard over it constantly.

Ho hum. Have a good time

Jim.

 

[Toddy]

The public liability issue I've dealt with simply because if I don't, I can't work. As members of the great G.P. we complain about events being so expensive, but in view of underwriting costs to those who work the events, it's hardly surprising. What is going to happen is that the various organisers are going to find exhibitors walking with their feet, and saying," We can't justify this expense, you will have to provide the cover for the event as a whole." The insurance companies won't like that though, it'll cut their premiums.

If I'm asked to 'fireproof' a garment, well it's really more of a spark proofing, I wash it in alum. It's only really suitable for rugs, cloaks, long skirts, shirts and trews worn near open fires. I must do some testing and see just how effective it is.

Thanks for the link Jon, might be the way will have to go if I end up making the 'roof' myself.

Cheers everyone,
Toddy...'xhausted, sunburnt, drookit....Good Day though

 

[ronsos]

when I worked as a psychiatric nurse in the wards, the OT (dept occupational therapy ) used parachutes as a therapy tool.The elderly guys in my ward enjoyed them-the colours ,senations etc.These chutes were garishly colured and about the same diameter(I think) as 35 feet jumping chutes-they must have had H&S approval.Try the ot depts at your local hospital-Hartwood or Hairmyres is your nearest.I think the matieral is called 'parasilk', dunno if its fireproof .

 

[Skippy]

talking of parachutes, i foolishly missed an opportunity to get large parachutes extra cheap when my local surplus shop closed down. Now i can not get them anywhere, and I need one, any suggestions would be apprieciated.

 

[Skippy]

needs to be in a fair condition, want to convert it into a teepee.

 

[stotRE]

try meanandgreen.com and search for parachute.
59.95 for a 28 panel canopy which is unissued which i think means its in good nick

 

[Moonraker]

talking of parachutes, i foolishly missed an opportunity to get large parachutes extra cheap when my local surplus shop closed down. Now i can not get them anywhere, and I need one, any suggestions would be apprieciated.

Search and ye shall find

Try this appropriately named thread:

Parachute

 

[maverick]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11744&item=5976940566&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 

[Toddy]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11744&item=5976940566&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Tempting, so tempting.....but I need a wider one if possible. 8m + if I can get it.
Does that not look like a useful thing though? I'm running out of room for all my toys

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Toddy]

I got my parachute!
35' diameter and a good olive green with mesh 'windows'.
Now then, all you clever people who've done this before....how on Earth do I hang it up ??????


The central hole is about 50cms in diameter and has 15cms cut off lengths of paracord still sticking up from the rim.

I found fire retardant wash-in stuff and spray (Thanks MBM) but it's going to cost me about £80 for enough to treat the entire thing using it. Not going there, so I'm going to do an alum wash with a fabric showerproofing agent and there'll be no fires in, around or nearby when the 'chute is used (well at least for the public event).

I've got extra fabric and I'll make panels to cover the mesh windows. I'm tempted to turn it into a tipi, but suspect that might be a wintertime project for when things quieten down.

Any advice gratefully received.
Might like to talk about suitable stoves with appropriate spark catchers/flues too for later on.

Cheers,
Toddy