Parachute-slighty off topic

I have to help my daughter make a parachute for an egg drop at school.
Are there any guidelines on design, such as canopy size for a weight
one of you might be able to share or a handy link.

Somehow I think my Strong is overkill.

Chip F.

I don't remember that there is a size limitation for the egg drop at my kids
school. I used two pieces of 2" foam with half the egg shape carved out on
either side and then taped together. Where the carved shape was not
perfect, I filled it with spackling compound for a very tight fit. If the
egg can not move inside the foam it will not break-at least at the lower
speeds under a parachute. Used light ripstop for the parachute. Never broke
an egg.

Good luck,

Mike
"chipsoars" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have to help my daughter make a parachute for an egg drop at school.
Are there any guidelines on design, such as canopy size for a weight
one of you might be able to share or a handy link.

Somehow I think my Strong is overkill.

Chip F.

foam is illegal. I think it won't be a good day for eggs.

thx

Then bubblewrap(lots of bubblewrap) would be my next choice.


"chipsoars" wrote in message
ups.com...
foam is illegal. I think it won't be a good day for eggs.

thx

"chipsoars" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have to help my daughter make a parachute for an egg drop at school.
Are there any guidelines on design, such as canopy size for a weight
one of you might be able to share or a handy link.

Ahh memories! I remember going through the same exercise with my daughter
way too many years ago. The chute size will be driven by the contest rules. I
remember making a crumple zone for the egg by forming a tube out of paper.

Vaughn

"chipsoars" wrote in message
ups.com...
foam is illegal. I think it won't be a good day for eggs.

thx

Well, here's a messy but food-related solution:
Avocado.
Cut it in half, remove the seed, spoon out as necessary to fit the egg,
duct-tape it back together.
It's not foam, but it should spread the load across the eggshell.
Buy some extra, and you can make guacamole.

Tim Ward

anything that will lengthen the impact time. I took a Pringles canister and
made a staged impact with different densities of materials. then I had fins
on the side I wanted to stay at the top. I threw that thing as hard as I
could and the egg wouldn't break.
"Vaughn" wrote in message
...

"chipsoars" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have to help my daughter make a parachute for an egg drop at school.
Are there any guidelines on design, such as canopy size for a weight
one of you might be able to share or a handy link.

Ahh memories! I remember going through the same exercise with my
daughter
way too many years ago. The chute size will be driven by the contest
rules. I
remember making a crumple zone for the egg by forming a tube out of paper.

Vaughn





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chipsoars wrote:
I have to help my daughter make a parachute for an egg drop at school.
Are there any guidelines on design, such as canopy size for a weight
one of you might be able to share or a handy link.

Somehow I think my Strong is overkill.

Chip F.

Hmmm...., reading all of the above and having a good chuckle (I have
been there my self of course). I can just see the teacher saying
something to the effect; Is it not wonderful what these children can
come up with if you just challenge them and give them the opportunity.

Paul

I made one for my daughter out of 6 fiberglass rods, ends taped to form a
pyramid. Strong rubber bands run from each corner to a little sack in the
center which holds the egg.

All is well if impact G-loads are within reason. To increase G-load
capability, either increase strength of rubber bands or wrap assembly with
cling-wrap to increase drag.

bumper
"Vaughn" wrote in message
...

"chipsoars" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have to help my daughter make a parachute for an egg drop at school.
Are there any guidelines on design, such as canopy size for a weight
one of you might be able to share or a handy link.

Ahh memories! I remember going through the same exercise with my
daughter way too many years ago. The chute size will be driven by the
contest rules. I remember making a crumple zone for the egg by forming a
tube out of paper.

Vaughn

A case of 'My Daddy's friends are smarter than your
Daddy's friends'.

Here's a different solution - Duct tape about two dozen
eggs together. With any sort of parachute at all,
one is bound to survive.

When I worked in a big machine shop, I must have helped
dozens of Dads make winning pine box derby cars. We
jig bored the axle holes, turned the little bumps off
of the axles, crowned the wheels slightly, balanced
the weight evenly, on and on...Trick is to read the
rules carefully and exploit the loopholes. And remember,
if you're not cheating you didn't want to win bad enough
;o)




At 04:30 13 March 2005, Bumper wrote:
I made one for my daughter out of 6 fiberglass rods,
ends taped to form a
pyramid. Strong rubber bands run from each corner to
a little sack in the
center which holds the egg.

All is well if impact G-loads are within reason. To
increase G-load
capability, either increase strength of rubber bands
or wrap assembly with
cling-wrap to increase drag.

bumper
'Vaughn' wrote in message
...


'chipsoars' wrote in message
oups.com...
I have to help my daughter make a parachute for an
egg drop at school.
Are there any guidelines on design, such as canopy
size for a weight
one of you might be able to share or a handy link.

Ahh memories! I remember going through the same
exercise with my
daughter way too many years ago. The chute size will
be driven by the
contest rules. I remember making a crumple zone for
the egg by forming a
tube out of paper.

Vaughn