23 replies to this topic

[Guru4tru]

OK...I give!! I can't find it!

I got some really nice red bridle cord, that "Elvira" (My Most Beautiful Black Rainbow 1.5 B mid-vent) really likes and I want to make up a spare bridle for her with it. I don't want to strip her's down to get the proper dimensions, if I don't have to, so does anyone know her standard bridle dimensions? :confused!:

Keep It Up!
Duane

[Jeepster]

Guru4tru, on 23 February 2010 - 01:47 PM, said:

OK...I give!! I can't find it!

I got some really nice red bridle cord, that "Elvira" (My Most Beautiful Black Rainbow 1.5 B mid-vent) really likes and I want to make up a spare bridle for her with it. I don't want to strip her's down to get the proper dimensions, if I don't have to, so does anyone know her standard bridle dimensions? :confused!:

Keep It Up!
Duane

I can send you the dimensions I use, but you'll get a better product if you use one of the bridles you have in hand.

The best method to make copies is to make a bridle board. Use a piece of 1 x 4 pine board about four feet long. Buy some small nails (inch or inch-and-a-half long). Take the bride off one of your favorite kites ... Elvira? Stretch it out on the board weaving it back and forth (symmetrically) so that you don't need a twelve foot board. Pull the lines snug and drill small holes to insert the nails into to keep the bridle snug. I draw a line between all of the nails to show how the bridle is laid out. Then mark where the knots are located.

I could never find a good explanation of how to make and use a bridle board, so stumbled around until I found an approach that works for me. Just experiment until the final product looks just like the one you took off Elvira.

You'll have to make some trial knots to find out how much line is used in making each knot - each type of bridle line uses a different amount. HiTech 110# 100# line uses about 1/2 inch of length. So, if you're using HiTech, you'll drill an additional hole 1/2 inch further down the board. Wrap the line around the further nail, grab both lines with a pair of forceps where you've marked the knot, tie a knot with the tip of the forceps in the center of the knot, snug up the knot, remove the forceps and tighten the knot down. Easy peasy ... as the Gecio gecko says!

Oh yes, PRE-STRETCH your bridle line. HiTech and Laser Pro line both elongate about 2% with a load of 50% of rated strength. You'll use about 12 feet of bridle line for the horizontal piece. A stretch of 2% means that piece of the bridle will grow a little over two and three quarter inches!!! If you don't stretch it first - then chasing your tail comes to mind.

Oh, and if you already know how to build and use bridle boards, maybe you could write up a "Bridle Boards for Dummies" posting. If you get up around Washington, look up RevFlyer and get him to explain how he uses bridle boards. It'd be fantastic if he would make a video of how he does it!!!

Cheers,
Tom

[Guru4tru]

Thanks Tom,

I now have my next rainy day project (probably tomorrow)!

"...maybe you could write up a "Bridle Boards for Dummies"..

What are you talking about..."You Just Did"!!

I got 20 yards of 100# Laser Pro High Performance Bridle Line. You mentioned 110#...I suppose 100# will be OK, if not get back with me before it rains again down here!

Thanks again!
Keep It Up!
Duane

[Guru4tru]

Just wanted to pop this back on the front page so Tom (or anybody) doesn't miss my question.

100# line is OK...Right?

Keep It Up!
Duane

[Jeepster]

Guru4tru, on 23 February 2010 - 03:53 PM, said:

Just wanted to pop this back on the front page so Tom (or anybody) doesn't miss my question.

100# line is OK...Right?

Keep It Up!
Duane

Opps, my mistake ... that earned me several points towards my village idiot award. The HiTech bridle line is 100# not 110#.

I also have some 170# Laser Pro and HiTech ... both of them are way too heavy for a Rev.

Cheers,
Tom

[Guru4tru]

Thanks again Tom!

The weather seem to be saying that tomorrow is probably going to be "Elvira's" bridle day!
(that's "Happy Bridle Day". She'll be so happy!)
--------
You..."...village idiot award.." that'll be the day!!

"In the valley of the blind--the man with one eye is KING!"

Keep It Up!
Duane

[Guru4tru]

OK...As expected it was raining this morning...("Elvira" melts in the rain...a "no fly" morning...and also a sign of a True Mistress of the Dark!!)

So, I followed "Master Tom's" directions for making a Rev. bridle.

I'm glad I had the project due to the rain and all, but setting it all up and getting the correct lengths and the proper nail holes set at the right place (and the 15 minutes explaining why I was pounding nails in the side of the book case down stairs to my wife) and the additional bridle line lengths to provide for the knots, with the additional nails to go for that and trying to figure out all of what went where....took me 5 hours to complete the bridle!! heehee!!

I laughed out loud several times during the project when I would reflect on the fact that a new store bought bridle only cost $12 dollars!?!? ( How do they ever do it for that price???)

But it was a good---and necessary---project! I had 2 places where the bridle was attached to the connectors that were almost worn through. I got Elvira (1.5 B mid-vent) for Christmas and I will admit she has seen a lot of air time since then, and my beginning crashes, but I was surprised. Anyone with a Rev. should disconnect their lines from the connectors and just check them out and reconnect them if good, because that could save possibly replacing a racing rod or whatever you may be flying with.

But!! Thank you again Tom!! And I decided to keep the new bridle on Elvira (she really likes the red color) and use the original for a spare (after I fix the worn places--Howard told me how to do that) and as far as I know it is GREAT!! It passed it's first test...when I wrapped Elvira up the bridles were there to loop over the connectors---that's promissing!!

Keep It Up!
Duane

[Jeepster]

Congratulations ...

Yes, you can buy a bridle inexpensively, but now you have a better idea about what's involved. And, you won't be afraid to make tweaks to see what happens.

And, you thought that kite flying would soon get boring ... wrong!!!

Cheers,
Tom

[Guru4tru]

Jeepster, on 24 February 2010 - 12:48 PM, said:

Congratulations ...

Yes, you can buy a bridle inexpensively, but now you have a better idea about what's involved. And, you won't be afraid to make tweaks to see what happens.

And, you thought that kite flying would soon get boring ... wrong!!!

Cheers,
Tom

"Boring" Hell!! The more I get into "IT" the more I actually learn and the More I realize how little I know!!

And Yes!! You are right---If I ever get stranded on some Desert Island in the middle of no-where...and my Rev. Bridle breaks---Yes--I'll know how to make a new bridle!

But, till then...I'm buying my bridles from those that make $12 per 5 Hours Work...That's...what...5 into 12 ...(even in my worst times on planet earth I've never had to work for those wages!!

But, Hey Really...Thanks Tom...It was good...& Yes, I'll probably actually make my own bridle next time too, if I need to---(that's just to keep my wife off my ass about why I haven't removed the nails from the book shelf down stairs, but when you've but so much time and effort in something...well you know).

Keep It Up!
Duane

[John Barresi]

Thanks for keeping any specifications in PM/email... I'm not real big on public posting of bridle specs for any kite still in production, quad line or otherwise.

Passing from friend to friend is super cool, of course.

Aye, as was mentioned above, a bridle board is dead simple and easy to use once you know how.

Otherwise, I know Rev or your local shop can take an order for a standalone bridle.