From: Buck Childers Subject: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Message-ID: <31BCC632.3B4D@tyrell.net> Organization: needed, apply within Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 15:04:50 -1000 Anyone know of a good source for bamboo (for spines)? What's the best alternative if bamboo isn't available? I picked up Philippe Gallot's _Fighter Kites_ book and it's what got me started. I'd never flown one before I built my first fighter late one evening and flew it the next morning on the way to work. It was quite zippy. Yes, the nose is rather grass stained but after a few minutes I was able to keep it in the air and pretty much navigate to any part of the window. I used .75 oz ripstop on a fiberglass spine with micro carbon spreader. I plan on making continuing sewn kites using .5 Icarex with carbon spreaders but I'm not sure what qualities the spine should have... light, stiff, flexible, or what? email me if you can shed some light. Thanks, -- Buck Childers |>play: childers@tyrell.net | work: bchilder@ldpd.gtd.eds.com P E A C E | (aka smtp.bchilder@eds.com) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: johnsen@eskimo.com (Brian Johnsen) Subject: Re: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Message-ID: Organization: Tethered Airfoil R&D Pty. Ltd.(C)(R)(TM) CD CASS Date: Tue, 11 Jun 1996 15:54:15 -1000 In article <31BCC632.3B4D@tyrell.net>, Buck Childers wrote: >Anyone know of a good source for bamboo (for spines)? > >What's the best alternative if bamboo isn't available? > >I picked up Philippe Gallot's _Fighter Kites_ book and it's what got me >started. Same here. Make em & break em. I use bamboo 'cause I have some. Others swear by spruce or basswood You can glue up thin veneer like plywood on a form to get just the right bend in the nose, or you can get replacement spines (usually spruce) at some kite shops. Ed Alden likes to use carbon fiber spars for the spine that he puts a kink in by using a short piece for the nose and an angled piece of wood or aluminum epoxied on. If you come up with another, let us know. ;) Mostly, with fighters, you're looking for light weight. Beginners need some durability, but it comes at the cost of more tonnage. Get some tissue paper fighters and study the construction and stress points. They're the Ferraris as far as fighters go. They break easily, but they're cheap. I got bamboo at a store display house. Check the yellow pages. -- Travelling To Baidoa In A Stolen 707 Frank Sinatra Tells All Seattle Post Intelligencer Interview Exclusive -- Brian Johnsen johnsen@eskimo.com Seattle, Washington USA = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: johnsona.al@gtefsd.com (Al Johnson) Subject: Re: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Date: Tue, 11 Jun 1996 05:56:26 -1000 Organization: ShireNet Communications Systems, Inc. Message-ID: <4pk4ve$fk1@frodo.ShireNet.com> Please post the responses as well. I am curious about this as well. Thanks Al Johnson Buck Childers wrote: >Anyone know of a good source for bamboo (for spines)? >What's the best alternative if bamboo isn't available? >I picked up Philippe Gallot's _Fighter Kites_ book and it's what got me >started. I'd never flown one before I built my first fighter late one >evening and flew it the next morning on the way to work. It was quite >zippy. Yes, the nose is rather grass stained but after a few minutes I >was able to keep it in the air and pretty much navigate to any part of >the window. I used .75 oz ripstop on a fiberglass spine with micro >carbon spreader. I plan on making continuing sewn kites using .5 Icarex >with carbon spreaders but I'm not sure what qualities the spine should >have... light, stiff, flexible, or what? >email me if you can shed some light. >Thanks, >-- > Buck Childers |>play: childers@tyrell.net > | work: bchilder@ldpd.gtd.eds.com > P E A C E | (aka smtp.bchilder@eds.com) -- Al Johnson Reston, VA Per the company, "The views expressed are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official position of GTE or any of its subsidiaries". = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: griebeno@athena.mit.edu (Kai Griebenow) Subject: Re: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 16:02:34 -1000 Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Message-ID: <4pnsrq$q74@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU> Hi, the best bamboo for spines and cross-spar is tonkin bamboo (I get mine at Bamboo Fencers, Boston, Jamaica Plain). For spines it isn't that critical to have nice bamboo. You can pretty much use any thick bamboo (like e.g. the stuff from Pier (Peer) 1 Imports. The best alternative to bamboo is carbon fiber micro rods. There are some kites that have them bowed (ask Peter Lee, isn't my invention and thus I would not like to explain it here). I prefer to construct my kites less snappy. I found that in a battle it is nice to have a kite that really goes straight when you pull the line and turns when line is released. I see a lot of fighters these days that turn like crazy even with the line under tension. Best way to loose in a battle in my opinion but great fun to fly just for the heck of it. Happy Kiting Kai P.S. I have a plan on-line: http://web.mit.edu/griebeno/www/indonesian.html P.P.S. There have been some updates in my web-pages: The NAK results of Nahant Beach and BASKC are on-line, new kite of the month, and I am working on an applique workshop on-line with 8 photos (allready scvanned, I have just to write the thing........) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: "Joel R. Peck" Subject: Re: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 1996 08:01:16 -1000 Organization: The University of Sussex Message-ID: <4q46hc$b2l@infa.central.susx.ac.uk> Making a bamboo bow that works well is not easy, I'm told. It has to be balanced and tapered properly towards the ends, and you need the right kind of bamboo. You can order bow-and-spine sets ready made and imported >From a good kite maker in India from the Highwaymen on 01455 230736 (if you call from outside the UK, it's 44-1455-230736). They charge 50p (about $0.75 (US)) per set. When your sail gets torn or stretched, you can just use them again with a new sail. The Highwaymen also sell a variety of fighters, cotton line, etc. The nicest fighters they sell that I've flown are the bamboo and mylar (or bamboo and paper) kites imported by Stafford Wallace, and the fibre-glass and ripstop kites made by Malcolm McCloud. Happy flying! Joel = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: ahclem0013@aol.com (AhClem0013) Subject: Re: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Date: Tue, 18 Jun 1996 17:58:00 -1000 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Message-ID: <4q7ts8$qmf@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Warning: Shameless Plug from jordan air. We build a .5 icky fighter with all carbon avia micro rod that is remarkably balanced and fully adjustable. Invented by Tim Elverston when he worked here, because we didn't have any bamboo. This little marvel has a canterlevered spine arangement that puts exactly the amount of bow in the nose you want while providing shock resitance to crash's. Tested extensivley at Epcot, the fighter could be crashed, walked on, left in trees(many i pass every day still looking good)and generally mangled only to fly as good as new with a minor adjustment. Available direct. They are listed in the Into the Wind catalog also. Disclaimer: As usual i wrote the above, and actually believe what i say. Just like Dodd. No really, i do. aoxo-dean = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: johnsen@eskimo.com (Brian Johnsen) Subject: Re: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Message-ID: Organization: Tethered Airfoil R&D Pty. Ltd.(C)(R)(TM) CD CASS Date: Thu, 20 Jun 1996 17:15:44 -1000 In article <4q7ts8$qmf@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, AhClem0013 wrote: >Warning: Shameless Plug from jordan air. > >We build a .5 icky fighter with all carbon avia micro rod that is >remarkably balanced and fully adjustable. Invented by Tim Elverston when [ ] >trees(many i pass every day still looking good)and generally mangled only >to fly as good as new with a minor adjustment. > >Available direct. They are listed in the Into the Wind catalog also. > >Disclaimer: As usual i wrote the above, and actually believe what i say. >Just like Dodd. No really, i do. Finally saw one of these last weekend. Very interesting frame setup. Would like to see some molded fittings though like the stunters have. I've had poor results with pierced vinyl tubing over the long haul. -- "I Spoke To Wallace Beery Through An Orange" Confirms Standup Comeidian -- Brian Johnsen johnsen@eskimo.com Seattle, Washington USA = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: ahclem0013@aol.com (AhClem0013) Subject: Re: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Date: Fri, 21 Jun 1996 08:27:15 -1000 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Message-ID: <4qepi3$i6c@newsbf02.news.aol.com> In article , johnsen@eskimo.com (Brian Johnsen) writes: > Finally saw one of these last weekend. Very interesting frame setup. >Would like to see some molded fittings though like the stunters have. >I've had poor results with pierced vinyl tubing over the long haul. It's not vinyl. aoxo-dean = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: cfbd@southern.co.nz (Colin Douthwaite) Subject: Re: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Date: Fri, 21 Jun 1996 08:46:37 -1000 Organization: Southern InterNet Services Message-ID: <4qeqmd$hjf@orm.southern.co.nz> AhClem0013 (ahclem0013@aol.com) wrote: >Warning: Shameless Plug from jordan air. > >We build a .5 icky fighter with all carbon avia micro rod that is >remarkably balanced and fully adjustable. Invented by Tim Elverston when >he worked here, because we didn't have any bamboo. This little marvel has >a canterlevered spine arangement that puts exactly the amount of bow in >the nose you want while providing shock resitance to crash's. Tested >extensivley at Epcot, the fighter could be crashed, walked on, left in >trees(many i pass every day still looking good)and generally mangled only >to fly as good as new with a minor adjustment. > >Available direct. They are listed in the Into the Wind catalog also. > >Disclaimer: As usual i wrote the above, and actually believe what i say. >Just like Dodd. No really, i do. > >aoxo-dean Dean...methinks you have not been paying attention ! :-) The Mighty Mite has been reviewed in Kitelines Mag and Steve Brorens did a brief review on rec.kites in March on the MM he got from you and flew at the Canterbury Kite Festival. I flew it for a short time and liked it but would like a little more time flying it before I add one to my collection. It seemed faster than my Vic's Fighter when I flew the Vics alongside MM but that may just be my flying or the tuning of the Vics...I don't think I get the best out of it. Also I think Gina Hsiung was planning to get the Mighty Mite so perhaps we will get some expert comment on the MM soon. Can you axel the MM easily ? BTW Des Pitfield asked me to give you his regards when I next crossed lines with you. It is very sad that Des and Yvonne de Mille had to close their kite shop in April after 13 years. The monthly fly days at Waikuku are continuing and Des has already been invited to run the 1997 Canterbury Kite Festival. Bye, = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: bluekites@inmind.com (BlueKites) Subject: Re: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Date: Sat, 22 Jun 1996 15:49:11 -1000 Organization: Blue Ridge Kites Message-ID: <4qi7n8$o74@mujibur.inmind.com> In article , johnsen@eskimo.com (Brian Johnsen) wrote: >Would like to see some molded fittings though like the stunters have. >I've had poor results with pierced vinyl tubing over the long haul. The tubing that is on the kite in reference is not vinyl at all. It is superthane, much better than any fitting and little weight addition. Try it, you will like it!! James Ervin/Blue Ridge Kites/Check out the new kite page at bluekites@inmind.com/ http://www.inmind.com/bluekites/kites.html (540) 586-9590 And the new Benjamin Kite Cartoon at http://www.inmind.com/bluekites/ben.html ____________________________________________________________________ Can I go home now? My brain is full. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: sendan Subject: Re: Building Fighters (Indian, Indonesian, or similar) Date: Sat, 22 Jun 1996 19:25:19 -1000 Organization: Hawaii OnLine - Honolulu, HI Message-ID: <31CCD53F.4A9B@aloha.net> BlueKites wrote: > > The tubing that is on the kite in reference is not vinyl at all. It is > superthane, much better than any fitting and little weight addition. Try it, > you will like it!! Once again I hear tell of the wonderful superthane. light weight, tough as nails, readily available???? Where can I get it? nathansendan = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =