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1.5 B-series Bridle Dimensions


Guru4tru
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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

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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

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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"!! :shifty:

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

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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

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Thanks again Tom!

The weather seem to be saying that tomorrow is probably going to be "Elvira's" bridle day! :shifty:

(that's "Happy Bridle Day". She'll be so happy!)

--------

You..."...village idiot award.." that'll be the day!! B)

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

Keep It Up!

Duane

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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!! B)

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???) :clap;

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!! :shifty::)

Keep It Up!

Duane

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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

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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). :shifty:

Keep It Up!

Duane

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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. ;)

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It Works GREAT!!

I dressed up Elvira in her new "home made" bridle and it not only looks good on her but it flys great too!

Thanks again for the help Tom (and Elvira says "thanks" too :) ).

Keep It Up!

Duane

YOu are most welcome. Glad I could help.

-tom

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It Works GREAT!!

I dressed up Elvira in her new "home made" bridle and it not only looks good on her but it flays great too!

Thanks again for the help Tom (and Elvira says "thanks" too wub.gif ).

Keep It Up!

Duane

Hi Duane,

I've been reading your post about making the 1.5 bridle. As you, I'm am likewise retired, and just coming onto the Rev scene. I also fly some duals, but have really become involved with learning to fly the Revs, and all about them. Being somewhat of a do-it-yourself-er, myself, I did make myself a bridle board, based off of my first 1.5 SLE, which incidentally, was a gift, "out-of-the-blue". So one rainy day, I just simply took it apart, very carefully, and a piece at the time. I did a bunch of measuring and marking, tying and untying, and while I was doing all of that, I transfered everything to a board, with nails in all the specific places, and before I knew it, I had a bridle board.

Tying bridles has now become one of my other rainy day projects. I've made kite bags, I've retro fitted all my handles, so now I make spare bridles. I've got them in yellow, orange, red, blue, and black, and in combinations of those colors. Something that I have found neat, is to mix the colors. I like to make the vertical pieces one color, and join them to a contrasting, horizontal piece, just for something different, but like you have said, I'm also running out of rainy day projects. I'm just looking for summer. I don't have any more room in my flight box, for any more bridles, but if I ever need one, I'll surely be covered. Hey, it's something to do when the weather reaks........

Anyway, here's a picture (see below) of one of my latest projects, except this one is for a Rev I. I haven't made a board for the Rev I bridle, yet, but I made this one out of 170 lb laser pro bridle line, so it will probably last for some time. I think the Rev I is probably large enough to handle the heavier bridle line. My regular bridles, that I make on my board, for the 1.5 series, are made out of the 100 lb line.

As JB said, once you make a board, it's a piece of cake. It's just making that first bridle, and the board to go with it, that's the challenge........5 hours sounds about right............... but once you take the time to make that board, it cuts that time factor way, way, down. Sounds like you worked it out with somebody's book case, though............ cool.gif

post-4670-126741361483_thumb.jpg

post-4670-126741363447_thumb.jpg

post-4670-126741364896_thumb.jpg

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Hi Reef Runner,

Hey,,,Those bridles are really cool! I can't let "Elvira" see them (at least till summer) or she'll have me making a whole bridle wardrobe for her! ;)

I retired (forced) this last November...and I don't know what I would do without my kites!! Well, yes I do---I'd go crazy!! :P Even with them, there are some moments I stare at the walls and wonder what to do...heehee! :P

My difficult time will be in the summer,...here in Florida, that's when we hide from the heat. But, there is hope...as I'm :greedy: practice--practice--practicing :) to be good enough to fly my Rev. in the "group and mega" flys at TISKC next January...I'll probably be good enough by summer to fly my Rev. from under the shade of a tree or something. That's something the dualies would have difficulty with...although I love them too! B)

I do have the "seed" of an idea for this coming summer...I saw some "ripstop" for sale at http://www.kitebuilder.com/ (Steve), a package of pieces of every color he has in stock adding up to 20 yards. Twenty yards should be enough for a quad, I think! :confused!: I'd probably have to sew it by hand, so that would keep me busy all summer-and plus, maybe! But, it's just in the idea "seedling" stage now. ;):)

Keep It Up!

Duane

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I do have the "seed" of an idea for this coming summer...I saw some "ripstop" for sale at http://www.kitebuilder.com/ (Steve), a package of pieces of every color he has in stock adding up to 20 yards. Twenty yards should be enough for a quad, I think! :confused!: I'd probably have to sew it by hand, so that would keep me busy all summer-and plus, maybe! But, it's just in the idea "seedling" stage now. :):P

Keep It Up!

Duane

You could come visit the cooler northern half of the country...

20 yards will make one... very big quad... :confused!: I bet if you ask around you can find a free sewing machine just waiting for you in the closet of a close friend...

I think its funny that us northern kiters build in the winter and fly in the summer... and you sandbar dwellers Floridians are the other way round.... :greedy:

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My difficult time will be in the summer,...here in Florida, that's when we hide from the heat.

Pssst, Duane, check out the IKE method of flying in the heat!

Cheers,

Tom

hope that tree is a fast grower... looks kinda small for a full club event :greedy:

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My difficult time will be in the summer,...here in Florida, that's when we hide from the heat.

Twenty yards should be enough for a quad, I think! confused_1.gif I'd probably have to sew it by hand wink.gifsmile.gif

Keep It Up!

Duane

Well, I'm here in NC, on a large reservoir, however, I do most of my flying during the summer, on the NC Outer Banks. Man, the hotter the better, so far as I'm concerned..............Those 95F - 98F days are when I'll be up on the sand dunes all day, except for an occasional break, to enjoy nature, IYGMD.................tongue.gif

Now, as for that quad building, sounds interesting, should it take shape. Just curious, though, does Rev allow that? Anyway, good luck with you future projects, but it you get into the sewing part, take Bill's advice, and get a sewing machine, preferably one that zig zags...............cool.gif

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Hey Tom!!! That's Great!! I knew it could be done! But, where is the keg of beer? If kiting has people flying 3 & 4 kites at one time...I'm sure I could fly 1 kite with a mug in one of my hands---Hey, forget that, I remember seeing these guy with beer cans in a helmet and tubes going into their mouth!! (Gotta get me one of them!) :P

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The Florida heat isn't tooo bad, it the humidity that kills me. I flew off and on this last summer and after a few minutes I could slap my chest and sweat would splash off me, like slapping a pool of water! I can only go with the duilies for about an hour or an hour and a half before I have to quit or die!! :P (But, the Rev. might be different if I'm under a tree with one of those special helmets!!)

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I have a sewing machine and it's suppose to do zig-zags and all sorts of other stuff. I bought it for my wife years back, but she seldom ever used it and I don't know how to run one of those things (I don't think she does either...heehee)---I get the visiual of the the machine driving the needle through my finger!! :greedy: (I'll check it out sometime---without the helmet on! Can't be that hard---right?)

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I'm sure it's OK to make a quad for your on personal use. I believe I've heard of a lot of people doing it...I just won't put "REVOLUTION" across the front. But John should clear me on this before the "seedling" of the idea starts growing bigger! "What's your call on this John, whatever it is I'll honor it (if I ever decide to do it)!

BTW...the stuff I was looking at is 6 oz. poly, ripstop (whatever that 6 oz. means) is that the stuff I'd be looking for? And what kind of thread would I use? UT--OH---forget those questions!! I don't want the "seed" to start breaking ground yet! :)

Keep It Up!

Duane

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I have a sewing machine and it's suppose to do zig-zags and all sorts of other stuff. I bought it for my wife years back, but she seldom ever used it and I don't know how to run one of those things (I don't think she does either...heehee)---I get the visiual of the the machine driving the needle through my finger!! :greedy: (I'll check it out sometime---without the helmet on! Can't be that hard---right?)

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I'm sure it's OK to make a quad for your on personal use. I believe I've heard of a lot of people doing it...I just won't put "REVOLUTION" across the front. But John should clear me on this before the "seedling" of the idea starts growing bigger! "What's your call on this John, whatever it is I'll honor it (if I ever decide to do it)!

BTW...the stuff I was looking at is 6 oz. poly, ripstop (whatever that 6 oz. means) is that the stuff I'd be looking for? And what kind of thread would I use? UT--OH---forget those questions!! I don't want the "seed" to start breaking ground yet! :)

Keep It Up!

Duane

The 6 oz poly should make some pretty good kites... it is lighter than the average kite fabric.. if you poke around the forum at kitebuilders you will find plenty of info for getting that sewing machine going and plenty if simpler kite building projects... you can build a cheaper quad... you can build a more personal quad but it will take a few years of sewing and fussing to build a better quad... by then Rev will be a couple of quad designs ahead of you) plenty of fun and colorful kites to be made... then you could just tie them to your tree and take a nap in the shade.... When your ready :P

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Hi Bill,

Yeah..."If I Go There"...I'll have to go throgh a whole new educational process...which I might add, I'm not really looking foward to, but then it isn't summer in Florida yet and I don't have what you "yankees" call "Cabin Fever" yet! heehee! :greedy:

And for me to built "ANYTHING" cheeper or better, especially like a Rev. or something like it, would..."could"... never happen! Hey, I'm the guy that just spent 5 hours making a Rev. bridle that cost $12...heehee! The raw bridle line alone cost 8 bucks......so that would be 5 hours to make something that would cost $4....let's see...5 hours into 4 dollars...I've had some lousy paying jobs in my life, but never less then 1 dollar an hour. :)

But, I enjoyed doing it! (Made a second one tooo, just because I could!!)

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If I were to make a Quad, it would be sort of more like a work of art for me! heehee! I was thinking of maybe a picture of the Buddha on each side...and I'd call it a "ZEN"! (just kidding JB!) :P

Keep It Up!

Duane

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6 oz material is used to make stuff sacks for small tanks!! Revs are generally made with 0.75 oz fabric. 0.6 oz poly would be good stuff also.

Cheers,

Tom

good catch... I think he is referring to the 0.6 oz... I know I am... missed a (dot) in there some where... I don't think Steve sells anything that heavy

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6 oz material is used to make stuff sacks for small tanks!! Revs are generally made with 0.75 oz fabric. 0.6 oz poly would be good stuff also.

Cheers,

Tom

good catch... I think he is referring to the 0.6 oz... I know I am... missed a (dot) in there some where... I don't think Steve sells anything that heavy

Yes! That's .6 oz (what's a little dot, anyway) But, remember this will be going into my Rocket Launcher Kite Carrier!

Keep It Up!

Duane

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