Date: Sat, 2 Jul 1994 13:38:00 -1000 From: mgraves@leadingedg.win.net (Michael Graves) Message-Id: <675@leadingedg.win.net> Subject: DIY indoor Rev 2 Has anyone here tried using the G-Force tapers in a Rev? I'm thinking of making myself an indoor Rev 2 from skinnies and a mylar emergency blanket. I need to advance my indoor skills in the quad area, and thought this sort of kite would be something of an ultimate. Michael Graves = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 09:34:34 -1000 From: lord@eskimo.com (David Lord) Message-Id: Organization: Eskimo North (206) For-Ever Subject: Re: DIY indoor Rev 2 Michael The tapered spars should work fine in a DIY indoor Rev 2. Although I have not used them in a Rev I did build use some special made Clearwater 187/2 wrap spars that had an extra wrap applied on one end 1/3 of the length of the spar. When two of these were ferruled with the extra wrap ends abutting you ended up with a main spar that had the center 1/3 a 3 wrap and the two end 1/3 sections a two wrap. That is a single step approximation to a smooth taper. They worked really good in light wind. I would suggest you make the sail from Orcon. Dave Lord = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 07:52:02 -1000 From: marke0318@aol.com (MarkE0318) Message-Id: <34sro2$khd@search01.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Re: DIY indoor Rev 2 In article <675@leadingedg.win.net>, mgraves@leadingedg.win.net (Michael Graves) writes: I'm new to this... What's a 'skinny''. Mark = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 18:17:26 -1000 From: jburka@eng.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) Message-Id: <34u0cm$eil@mojo.eng.umd.edu> Organization: Project GLUE, University of Maryland, College Park Subject: Re: DIY indoor Rev 2 In article <34sro2$khd@search01.news.aol.com> marke0318@aol.com (MarkE0318) writes: >I'm new to this... What's a 'skinny''. A 'skinny,' at least in this context, is an abbreviation of "G-Force Skinny", a hand-wrapped 32.5" tapered graphite stick typically weighing between 7 and 8 grams, marketed by a company called Avia. The sticks are rather fragile and basically used in SUL kites designed for indoor or very low wind outdoor use. Commercial kites which use them include the Jordan Air X-1 Micro Lite, the Big Easy Featherweight, and Reed Richard's ZDX. Many mail order supply houses sell Avia sticks, including Hang 'em High and BFK (strangely, both of which have appeared on r.k fairly recently... ;-) (Hey, Marty, are you selling the SUL Katana, such as Darryl has? Or is that a limited sort of thing? It's a lot of fun...great axels! I was intrigued by your use of skinnies in the spine, particularly the positioning of the ferrule up near the upper spreader) Jeff -- |Jeffrey C. Burka | Pithy, insightful quote to be inserted | | | when one occurs to me. *If* one occurs | |jeffy@eng.umd.edu | to me. | = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sun, 11 Sep 1994 07:05:37 -1000 From: sasaki@das.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Message-Id: Organization: Harvard OIT Network Services Subject: Re: DIY indoor Rev 2 In article <34u0cm$eil@mojo.eng.umd.edu> jburka@eng.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) writes: >In article <34sro2$khd@search01.news.aol.com> marke0318@aol.com (MarkE0318) writes: > >>I'm new to this... What's a 'skinny''. > >A 'skinny,' at least in this context, is an abbreviation of "G-Force >Skinny", a hand-wrapped 32.5" tapered graphite stick typically weighing >between 7 and 8 grams, marketed by a company called Avia. The sticks are >rather fragile and basically used in SUL kites designed for indoor or very >low wind outdoor use. These things are surprisingly strong. They aren't all that stiff (the SkyShark IIP and the Advantage 1.5 wrap are stiffer), but can take a pretty good banging without breaking. They also have higher hoop strength than the competition. I think that for the highest performance that the SkyShark and Advantage rods are better, they are stiffer for about the same weight. For fun flying the Skinnies are better, they can take more abuse without breaking. The retail price for all of these rods is about the same... >(Hey, Marty, are you selling the SUL Katana, such as Darryl has? Or is >that a limited sort of thing? It's a lot of fun...great axels! I was >intrigued by your use of skinnies in the spine, particularly the >positioning of the ferrule up near the upper spreader) I put the ferrule up near the upper spreader to get a little extra weight in the nose. In light wind, Katanas do better with the center of gravity closer to the nose. This also helps with power dives without proper recovery... ;-) And yes, they Ultra-light Katana Katana is in production. -- Marty Sasaki Harvard University Sasaki Kite Fabrications sasaki@noc.harvard.edu Network Services Division 26 Green Street 617-496-4320 10 Ware Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Cambridge, MA 02138-4002 phone/fax: 617-522-8546 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 02:15:01 -1000 From: jburka@Glue.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) Message-Id: <359ds5$8mk@geog20.umd.edu> Organization: Project Glue, University of Maryland, College Park Subject: Re: DIY indoor Rev 2 In article , Marty Sasaki wrote: [regarding G-Force Skinnies] >These things are surprisingly strong. They aren't all that stiff (the >SkyShark IIP and the Advantage 1.5 wrap are stiffer), but can take a >pretty good banging without breaking. As Dave Arnold puts it, you'll wimp out before the skinnies will. That's certainly been the case with my X-1. I've seen some disturbing flex in my bottom spreaders, but they're holding up great! [the SUL Katana] >I put the ferrule up near the upper spreader to get a little extra >weight in the nose. In light wind, Katanas do better with the center >of gravity closer to the nose. This also helps with power dives >without proper recovery... ;-) Tell, me is it the ferrule that helps the CG or the the heavier weight of the tapered spars in the region where they're ferruled? Even a 3" piece of Beman 16 strong weighs under a gram! Jeff -- |Jeffrey C. Burka | Pithy, insightful quote to be inserted | | | when one occurs to me. *If* one occurs | |jeffy@eng.umd.edu | to me. | = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 11:27:29 -1000 From: sasaki@das.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Message-Id: Organization: Harvard OIT Network Services Subject: Re: DIY indoor Rev 2 In article <359ds5$8mk@geog20.umd.edu> jburka@Glue.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) writes: >In article , >Marty Sasaki wrote: >>I put the ferrule up near the upper spreader to get a little extra >>weight in the nose. In light wind, Katanas do better with the center >>of gravity closer to the nose. This also helps with power dives >>without proper recovery... ;-) > >Tell, me is it the ferrule that helps the CG or the the heavier weight of >the tapered spars in the region where they're ferruled? Even a 3" piece of >Beman 16 strong weighs under a gram! You are right Jeff, it is placing the thick part of the tapered spars near the top that makes the difference with the center of gravity... -- Marty Sasaki Harvard University Sasaki Kite Fabrications sasaki@noc.harvard.edu Network Services Division 26 Green Street 617-496-4320 10 Ware Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Cambridge, MA 02138-4002 phone/fax: 617-522-8546 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =