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Charge Released Locking Mechanism
Tether is a small but
strong retaining device released by a reloadable pyrotechnic charge.
Tether is machined from 7075 aluminum with all stainless steel components.
Tether only weighs 1.7 ounces prepped, fits in a 38mm airframe, and is able
to hold and release under 500 pounds of load.
Tether has many uses, but its most popular use is to achieve two-stage recovery
with one compartment.
You can modify any existing altimeter-controlled rocket, without structural
modification, to take advantage of drogue-at-apogee/low-altitude-main deployment,
on the range in just minutes.
Tether was the 2001 winner of WildHobbies.com
Reader Choice Award for Rocketry Innovation of the Year.
Tether is manufactured in the United States of America.
Information
Adobe Acrobat PDF (136k) version of the Rapid Start
Adobe Acrobat PDF (424k)
version of the Technical Manual (package
booklet)
Adobe Acrobat PDF (256k) version
of the Technical Manual (8.5 x 11 page size, printer friendly)
Photo gallery
description of the preparation and operation of
Tether.
Printer friendly Adobe Acrobat PDF (196k) version
of the above photo tour.
Short QuickTime (1.8m) movie of a test fire.
Read some of our favorite stories about projects that use our Tether.
Frequently Asked
Why are the Cup and Lid so loose?
The fit is designed to be loose enough to keep any debris or excess
build-up of residue from binding so they can move freely when needed.
For this reason, they won't stay together on their own and masking tape
is recommended to hold Tether together. Be sure Tether is clean of grease or
anything else that may cause the adhesive of the masking tape fail.
You may wrap masking tape all the way around to be sure, and when
Tether is triggered, the tape will break. Always test Tether on the ground
so you can see first hand what will be happening in flight.
Read the end of the section titled "Loading A Charge" on the 11th page
of the Technical Manual,
or also the end of step #5 under the same section
on the second page of the Rapid Start.
Do any parts wear out?
Just one: the Ignitor Seal. This part is neoprene rubber and will become unusable
after several launches. How many is uncertain due to the unpredictability of how
badly it will be exposed to hot gases when the triggering charge occurs.
One will mostly likely last for anywhere between 4 and 7 uses, and we provide two.
This part is commonly known as a well nut or expanding nut and can usually be found at most any hardware store.
When choosing a replacement, take care that it fits into the Tether Cup as snugly as the
original
and that it uses a #8/32 thread to insure compatability with existing parts.
All of the other parts are designed to withstand normal operation for a very long time.
Parts List
Tether includes:
Tether Cup (7075 aluminum, type II anodizing in green)
Tether Lid (7075 aluminum, type II anodizing in green)
4 Retention Tabs (304 stainless steel, .060" thick)
Retention Cable (18-8 stainless steel)
Retention Bolt (18-8 stainless steel, .5" x .25", #8/32)
2 Ignitor Seals (neoprene with brass theads, #8/32)
Retention Bolt Screw (18-8 stainless steel, #8/32)
Cup Mounting Screw (18-8 stainless steel, #8/32)
Cup Screw (18-8 stainless steel, #8/32)
3 flat washers (18-8 stainless steel, #8)
2 lock washers
(18-8 stainless steel, #8)
Hex Key (3/32)
4 page Rapid Start
28 page Technical Manual
Tether Accessory
Pack includes:
4 Retention Tabs (304 stainless steel, .060" thick)
Retention Cable (18-8 stainless steel)
Retention Bolt (18-8 stainless steel, .5" x .25", #8/32)
2 Ignitor Seals (neoprene with brass theads, #8/32)
Retention Bolt Screw (18-8 stainless steel, #8/32)
Cup Mounting Screw (18-8 stainless steel, #8/32)
Cup Screw (18-8 stainless steel, #8/32)
3 flat washers (18-8 stainless steel, #8)
2 lock washers
(18-8 stainless steel, #8)
Hex Key (3/32)
Purchasing
Tether
and all Tether components are currently in stock.
You may visit our Store to purchase Tether online
using PayPal.
If you
would like to place an order through the mail,
you may download an Adobe Acrobat PDF (74k) version
of our order form.