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  #1  
Old 11-08-2015, 11:59 AM
K'Tesh's Avatar
K'Tesh K'Tesh is offline
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Question White Estes Parachutes?

At the OROC meeting last Thursday, I scored another DRM, and was looking at it through the packaging when I noticed something different. There's a message on the parachute's packaging saying that:

Quote:
Dear Estes Customer,
Due to new restrictions regarding the printing of
plastic materials, we have had to temporarily
suspend printing our colorful parachutes. This
white parachute material conforms to all current
government requirements and can be decorated
with a design of your choice using colored markers.

© 2009 Estes-Cox Corp. All rights reserved. PN66201 (2-09) Printed in China.


I'm curious, what was the restrictions on printing all about? How long did this situation last? Was the DRM the only rocket that had this (perhaps due to the black color ink?), or did all 2009 Estes' rockets come out in white? And with all the rockets I've bought and researched over the years, Why haven't I ever heard of this before?

The face card shows the traditional black skull parachute and a blaze that says "New 18" (457mm) der Red Max Parachute!" and is dated by a © 2007.
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Old 11-08-2015, 12:51 PM
Rex R Rex R is offline
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the ink they had been using had (I think) excess lead in it. the all white chutes were followed by the transparent red chutes before the current chutes.
Rex
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Old 11-08-2015, 01:45 PM
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It was all Estes chutes produced in China. You can search threads here. It was discussed quite a bit, including the super high costs to get every little tiny bit of every kit tested and approved for import.
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Old 11-08-2015, 01:50 PM
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K'Tesh K'Tesh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rex R
the ink they had been using had (I think) excess lead in it. the all white chutes were followed by the transparent red chutes before the current chutes.
Rex


Quote:
Originally Posted by tbzep
It was all Estes chutes produced in China. You can search threads here. It was discussed quite a bit, including the super high costs to get every little tiny bit of every kit tested and approved for import.


Thanks for the replies.

I'm amazed that I somehow managed to not see any of those discussions. I suspected it was Pb causing the problems.
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Dreaming of making the rockets I dreamed of as a kid (and then some).

"The Guide says there is an art to flying", said Ford, "or rather a knack."
"The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."


Launching is Optional... Landing? That Depends on Trees.
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Old 11-08-2015, 03:44 PM
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As others have noted it was the imposition of some extremely tight lead standards for toys that caused them to go from the colorful Chinese 'chutes that had been around for a long time to the white ones, then the translucent red ones (which work very nicely and are visible in all sky conditions) and on to the current patterned ones which are reminiscent of the designs of 45 years ago. That, and the "real" DRM chutes.
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Last edited by BEC : 11-09-2015 at 10:21 AM.
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  #6  
Old 11-09-2015, 07:43 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rex R
the ink they had been using had (I think) excess lead in it. the all white chutes were followed by the transparent red chutes before the current chutes.
Rex


It wasn't necessarily that the ink actually had lead in it, but that it hadn't been tested and shown to meet the new requirements that had just been introduced.

-- Roger
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Old 11-09-2015, 09:05 AM
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Joe Wooten Joe Wooten is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jadebox
It wasn't necessarily that the ink actually had lead in it, but that it hadn't been tested and shown to meet the new requirements that had just been introduced.

-- Roger


Guilty until proven innocent.......

Gotta protect all those guys who love chewing parachutes so they don't die from lead poisoning.
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Old 11-11-2015, 05:38 PM
SCooke123 SCooke123 is offline
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How true - I thought this was about white chutes in Estes kits. I've never seen one and this is the first I've heard about them too. Have to start looking around some and see if I can find one.
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Old 11-11-2015, 05:54 PM
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I'm actually interested in seeing some of the others described too... I haven't opened my kit up to expose the white parachute, but I don't know if I've seen the transparent red ones either.
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Dreaming of making the rockets I dreamed of as a kid (and then some).

"The Guide says there is an art to flying", said Ford, "or rather a knack."
"The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."


Launching is Optional... Landing? That Depends on Trees.
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  #10  
Old 11-11-2015, 06:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by K'Tesh
I'm actually interested in seeing some of the others described too... I haven't opened my kit up to expose the white parachute, but I don't know if I've seen the transparent red ones either.

The white chutes were pre-assembled. The plastic is just like the current printed ones without the screen printed color. The shroud lines were wimpy and fuzzy, making them easier to burn through if someone skimped on wadding. I don't think I have any red chute kits.
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