Date: Thu, 21 Apr 1994 06:04:55 -1000 From: higham_t@lincoln.gpsemi.com Message-Id: Organization: GPS Lincoln Subject: Building First Kite I have recently bought "Stunt Kites to Make and Fly" and I intend to first make a shuttle for my six year old son to fly, followed by a Speedwing for myself. Could someone comment on whether these are good kites for a first attempt at making my own kites and whether there are any tips for buiding which are not highlighted in the book. Secondly with the Speedwing I would like to build it using glassfibre tubular spars rather than the carbon fibre recommended in the book in order to save some money. Will this make the kite more resilient when crashed and will it cause any problems when flying, other than needing a slightly stronger wind? Tim Higham = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 22 Apr 1994 00:53:03 -1000 From: david@camscan.co.uk (David Sansom) Message-Id: <4330.9404221053@bendix.camscan.co.uk> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Re: Building First Kite Hi, I think the shuttle's probably a great starter - I haven't made one myself but I've seen the design. As for the speedwing - I made a couple for myself & found the bridle a real pain and the resultant kite a little disappointing ! I started with a spinoff - which is the same as the standard 200 - and found no problems with construction. Go for plain sails to avoid any complicated seams and the rest is quite simple really. It's a much more versatile kite than the speedwing - better wind range & is good for ground work - although it can pull a bit more. You can make any kite in fibre glass but you lose a little from the frame being more flexible but in general it should be fine. I believe Hawaian Kites originally made fibre glass versions of SpinOffs and Teams, so if it's good enough for them... Go for it ! Dave ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave Sansom (david@camscan.co.uk) ________|________ PPL(A) -(*)- C152/PA28 driver /!\ ...if it flies I love it ! = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 22 Apr 1994 14:07:32 -1000 From: mark@murder.demon.co.uk (Mark de Roussier) Message-Id: <767084852snx@murder.demon.co.uk> Organization: damage Subject: Re: Building First Kite In article <4330.9404221053@bendix.camscan.co.uk> david@camscan.co.uk (David Sansom) writes: > [stuff deleted] > > You can make any kite in fibre glass but you lose a little from the frame being > more flexible but in general it should be fine. I believe Hawaian Kites originally > made fibre glass versions of SpinOffs and Teams, so if it's good enough for them... > 'Hawaian Kites' ? If this is the kite I think you mean, its a 'Hawaian Spin-off' made by ToTL. I have one of these, and it uses fibreglass alright ( the thin - walled black - coloured stuff that I mistook for carbon until I broke one !), and works fine. I had it out for the first time in a long time today, and was pleasantly surprised by it's performance - not a kite for edge work, nor snappy turns ( it turns *nice*, just slow ), but quite graceful in its own way. -- Mark de Roussier ************************************ A nice man is a man of nasty ideas. Jonathon Swift. ************************************ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 25 Apr 1994 12:32:34 -1000 From: thompsontra@phibred.com Message-Id: <9404252232.AA08012@phibred.phibred.com> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Re: Building First Kite On April 21, Tim H. wrote: >I have recently bought "Stunt Kites to Make and Fly" and I >intend to first make a shuttle for my six year old son to >fly, followed by a Speedwing for myself. >Could someone comment on whether these are good kites for >a first attempt at making my own kites and whether there are >any tips for buiding which are not highlighted in the book. Tim, exactly the same thing I did when I got into making my own kites last year. My only comment would be that I was disappointed with the performance of the Shuttle. They are easy to build, but unless you have an extra line that forces the diheadral angle in the cross-spar they won't fly with any sort of control. They do spin around alot and look like an out of control fighter kite though. I built a stack of 3 and haven't bothered to add to it. (BTW, thanks again to Simo for the tip on using a piece of bridle line to enforce the curve in the cross spar.) As for the Speedwing, I have a blast with mine. They are easy to build, fun to fly and I've had a blast with my set of 4 as a train (but watch out the pull pretty good when you get them in a train). One neat idea I picked up was a way of attaching a short section of briddle line to the bottom center of the trailing edge. You then secure this to the center point of the lower spreader and it makes for a much more responsive kite. (My guess is that is it becuase you are now effectively adding a "Spine" area to the center of the kite, anyone want to comment on this?) Only problem I have had is with finding a good way to keep the ring attached to the upper portion of the bridle lines leading to the nose. Still trying to find a good solution for that problem. >Secondly with the Speedwing I would like to build it using >glassfibre tubular spars rather than the carbon fibre >recommended in the book in order to save some money. Will this >make the kite more resilient when crashed and will it cause >any problems when flying, other than needing a slightly >stronger wind? I used a smaller diameter GlasSpar in all mine and I haven't had a lick of trouble with them. Rejoyce, Rejoyce -- Good Winds (and great sunshine) have finally come to Iowa. -- Travis Thompson Network Manager / Programmer / Jack of All Trades -- MES, Inc. thompsontra@phibred.com = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =