Alexei Volkov
Plastic parachute men are a fun toy for children and adults alike. They are available in packs of 4 or 12 and are made from durable plastic. Some varieties glow in the dark and are perfect for pretend play. To assemble a parachute man toy, you can follow a simple process: start with a plastic bag, fold and cut it to form a parachute shape, and then attach strings or cords to each corner. However, some parachute men toys come pre-assembled, requiring no additional setup. These toys are designed to be thrown or tossed into the air, providing entertainment and education on gravity and air resistance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Assembly | No assembly required |
| Batteries | Not required |
| Size | 4 inches tall, 1.7 inches wide |
| Parachute diameter | 11 inches |
| Material | Plastic |
| Features | Glow-in-the-dark |
| Use | Throw or toss it up to let the paratroopers float with their parachutes |
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What You'll Learn
Cutting the parachute from a plastic bag
Plastic bags are a perfect material to use for this home craft. Here is a step-by-step guide to cutting the parachute from a plastic bag.
Firstly, you need to cut the plastic bag into a square sheet. The most accessible plastic bag is likely to be a shopping bag, which is large enough to work with. Each side of the square should be around 20 centimetres (7.9 inches) long.
Next, unfold the plastic to reveal a circle. Alternatively, you can cut the corners off the square to make an octagon shape. The aim is to create a circular shape, so the more angles the better.
Then, make six marks around the circle with a permanent marker. These marks will be where the holes for the parachute strings will go. The marks should be placed a centimetre into the plastic bag from the outer perimeter. Use a compass protractor to make the marks 60 degrees apart from each other.
Finally, cut out six equal pieces of string. The string should be thin enough to fit through the holes in the plastic bag. A foot of string should be enough, provided the parachute is the size of a regular shopping bag. Cut off any excess string that protrudes from the rest.
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Attaching the risers to the parachute
To attach the risers to the parachute when assembling a plastic parachute man toy, you will need to cut a piece of cord that is double the length of the chute. You will need one cord for each hand. Duct tape works well for attaching the risers. Attach the risers to each corner of the parachute with duct tape. Flip the bag over and attach the risers to the other side in the same way. You can thread the risers through the coiled hands during this step or after.
The risers should be the same length as the parachute. You can make the parachute out of a plastic shopping bag. When throwing the parachute man, scrunch up the bag lengthwise, fold it in half twice, and loosely wrap the risers once around the chute. You could also drop the parachute man from a high place, such as a balcony.
For the hands, start by wrapping a section of wire twice around a socket. Bend the free ends at 90-degree angles at the same point in the loop. With the loop on the socket, twist the ends a couple of times. Straighten one of the ends directly away from the head while bending the other one perpendicular to form the arm. Grab another piece of wire and put a 90-degree bend in it. Place the bent wire up to the other arm. Use vice grips to hold it in place, and then use another pair of pliers to twist in the body.
The 3-ring release system is a parachute component used to attach the two risers of a main parachute to the skydiver's harness. The large bottom ring is attached to the skydiver's harness, the middle ring is attached to the end of the parachute riser, and the small ring is attached to the parachute riser above the middle ring. The rings are passed through each other and looped upwards, and a cord loop is passed through the small ring and grommet to the opposing side of the parachute riser. A semi-rigid cable attached to a release handle passes through this loop, securing it. To disconnect the riser from the harness, the skydiver pulls the cable, causing the three-ring system to cascade free.
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Preparing the parachute man for flight
Next, you'll need to attach the parachute to your parachute man. Cut a piece of cord or string so that it's double the length of your parachute's diameter. You can use duct tape to attach the cord to each corner of the parachute, and then tape the other end of the cord to your parachute man figure, threading the cord through the figure's hands if it has them.
Once your parachute man is attached to the parachute, you're almost ready for takeoff. Scrunch up the parachute longways, fold it in half twice, and then loosely wrap the risers or cords once around the chute. Now you're ready to launch! Throw your parachute man into the air and watch him float gently back down to the ground.
For the best results, try to launch your parachute man on a windy day. You can also experiment with different weights and sizes to see how it affects the parachute's descent. Just be careful not to throw your parachute man too high or too forcefully, especially if you're playing indoors, as this could cause it to get stuck or damaged.
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Launching the parachute man
Once you have assembled your parachute man toy, you are ready to launch it!
If your parachute man toy is a simple plastic figurine with a parachute, all you need to do is remove the rubber band that holds the parachute closed and toss the parachutist into the air. You can also try dropping it from a height, like a balcony.
If your parachute man toy is a glow-in-the-dark variety, you can throw or toss it up and let the toy float down with its parachute.
If you have built a more complex parachute man toy with a blowgun, you will need to find an open area with little wind. Take your pre-loaded blowgun and aim it towards the sky. Give a hard puff of air to launch your parachute man skyward and watch it float back down to earth.
For a parachute man toy with a pulley launch system, you will need to attach the loop of cord that goes over the high pulley with a "sheet bend" knot. Attach one loop to each lever of a clothespin so that when the cord is pulled, it opens the clothespin's jaws. When you pull the tails of the cord loop, the parachute man will be released and raised high into the air.
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Troubleshooting
If your plastic parachute man toy is not working as expected, there are a few things you can try to troubleshoot the issue.
First, check that you have assembled the toy correctly. This includes ensuring that the parachute is properly attached to the parachutist and that any strings or cords are securely tied. If necessary, refer back to the assembly instructions to verify each step.
If the parachute is not opening when you toss it into the air, try removing any rubber bands or constraints holding it closed. You may need to unfold the parachute and drape it over the parachutist's head before each toss.
In some cases, the parachute may become tangled or the strings may come undone. This can happen if the toy becomes entangled in the risers or if it strikes the ground with force. To prevent tangles, ensure that the strings are not too long or loose, and consider using a shorter length of string if necessary. If the strings come undone, you may need to retie them securely, possibly using a stronger knot or a small amount of glue to hold them in place.
If the parachute consistently fails to open, it may be due to the weight of the parachutist or the size of the parachute. Try using a smaller toy or a larger parachute to see if this improves the performance.
Finally, if the toy is made of low-quality materials, it may simply be a case of a faulty product. In this case, you may need to replace it with a higher-quality option.
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