Cat Claw Cable Cutter

What is a cable cutter and how does it work?

Cable cutters are used as an alternative to conventional dual deployment recovery in amateur rockets. Rather than deploying the drogue and main from separate compartments in the airframe, with cable cutters both the drogue and main parachute are ejected at apogee from a single airframe separation point. The main parachute is kept tightly bundled by a nylon cable tie, which the cable cutter severs to release at the desired deployment altitude during descent. This allows for a more compact airframe and recovery system, without the need for shear pins.

Cable cutters shear the cable tie which bundles the main parachute, using a metal piston propelled by a small pyrotechnic charge. The charge is ignited by an electronic match which receives current from an electronic deployment controller, just like a typical pyrotechnic deployment charge. When using cable cutters for main deployment, standard pyrotechnic deployment charges are used for the apogee separation event.

 
 

Cat Claw Cable Cutter

Cat Claw is not the most compact or lightweight cable cutter, but it is intended to be the most accessible option. There are other, smaller designs, but Cat Claw can be made very cheaply in-house by any hobbyist. Furthermore, it is easy to load and reuse quickly which minimizes the labor involved in preparing a rocket for flight. Cable cutters already find use in high-power rocketry, but this document is intended to make them a less difficult and more practical option for single-compartment dual deployment recovery on all but the most mass-optimized rockets.

 

 

Component Guidebook [HCR-4100]

All details of fabricating and using the Cat Claw are included in the following guide, which covers:

·     Background on the function of cable cutters

·     Parts list and assembly instructions

·     Manufacturing reference materials

It is assumed that the reader is familiar with high-power rocketry and the use of basic hand tools.

Design Files

All files needed for Cat Claw are available for download through our official Google Drive repository. Half Cat Rocketry provides the following:

  • Component Guidebook (HCR-4100)

  • SolidWorks CAD files (.sldprt)

  • 3D models of printed components (.stl)

Please note that the SolidWorks CAD was created in the version 2022 student edition and is for educational purposes.

Half Cat Rocketry is not liable for the usage of this content, and the authors bear no responsibility for the usage of its content. Read the README and License files before viewing or downloading.