riffclown

FWIW, it flies in 8-12mph very well Black Race Frame and 30' x100# Skybond.

I'd usually agree but the darker fabric in the back destroys the effect by overpowering the lighter color.. BAcklit, the snowflake all but vanished. I'll end up back cutting eventually after the bridles test.. Due to the sail space, I decided to go with a french bridle for this project.

Only Framing and Wear Strips remain.. I might end up back cutting the snowflake.. it doesn't show up very well

Edge binding is done.. I made a few minor adjustments to get the LE fit I want. Still considering a few small solid panels. Hoping this kite will be flyable before the weekend is out.

Agreed and this is my kite for when the others don't want to take anything out of their bag unless they have a Vicki. I do fly on days where the Full vent or the Freilein Max are still too much kite. This marks the first time I've done anything resembling a normal center panel.. Just nailed down the final look.. Lattices are sewn.. Getting there quickly with this kite. I'm looking for something between Hyper vent and Vicki and I think this will fit that bill nicely.. If the performance of the kite requires it, I can always fill in a strategic hole or two. I may do that along the verticals anyway just to keep the wear strip from being the sole stress point.

Honestly, when it comes to the mesh designs, the low wind range will surprise you every time. Without a screen material to weigh the sail down, you lighten the sail significantly enough to truly drop the bottom number a lot.. A 40% or 75% Shook can be flown in winds usually reserved for full sails..

Trying to decide how tight I want the mesh. something really open like this would work but we are talking 15+ mph minimum to really enjoy it.. My wife has named this kite for my and I think she nailed it.. "Winter Jacket" 'cause the wind goes right through it.

Thank You, Never had an issue making each kite different. FWIW, I have a hard enough time making stuff the same size.

A new 1.5 mesh based on the Challenge PolyMax and a touch of Icarex Light Blue scrap. Hoping to make this a higher wind kite. Made my own 1" strips from the poly this time instead of using tails. I may open the mesh pattern a bit but you get the idea. Playing with some of all I've learned. You can see a touch of Mesh, A touch of Poly, and a hint of Perspective. Except for the snowflake entire sail will be the Midnight Challenge PolyMax. I'll also be edge binding in the same material. LE will be my normal White.

I will tell you when it comes to the Dyneema Cloth (aka Cuben fiber) be mindful of the tools you use to cut. it will actually dull metal scissors, shears and rotary cutters.. FWIW, Flymarket still has Challenge Polymax for $3 a yard.. great for experimenting with, without breaking the bank. Only one color but cheap enough to make mistakes. I used it for my first kite (indigo Sunrise) I didn't make out of tails. It's also the fabric I used in a few recent experiments (Diamonds Squared) that haven't gone well. When trying something new a cheaper fabric will let you know if it's work using the more expensive fabric on the next one. I also used it for one of the colors in my first Diamonds kite. 3/4 oz. Challenge Polymax navy blue ripstop polyester $3.00

I'm sure it does over time..

I have a $100 Brother SM 2700 I've used for the vast majority of my kites.. I do have to clean up the gumminess from the seam tape and I make it a point to do so after every bobbin but it's still going quite strong and for the price it might be cheaper to replace than repair if it does break.

Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't.. SOMETIMES!! it just takes figuring out how to do it differently Back Burner for the time being.

After careful placement, tacking and sewing, this design seems impossible to keep as flat as I require. Even the smallest of tension variance in the thread gives a significant misalignment . I'll be abandoning this idea for now unless I decide to go with the backing mesh for the squares as suggested by @Breezin

Great choice.. The Symphony is a great sport foil..

A little line management goes a long way.. Take a look at JB's Line Management and Line Equalizing vids. Launch and Control would also be a good place to start after you have your gear in order.. Never assume everything is "right" or OK just because it came that way.

Those that truly know can share.. I typically have 50-100 kites with me.. But honestly, that number is going down.. I'm getting better at managing my space..

I merged them for you

@SmokeHavel Ready for this??? You are already in.. As a paid subscriber, you not only have the tutorials but you are also automatically entered in @John Barresi's regular KiteLife drawings..

If your design is really close to stock.. is the one or two panels worth the extra expense?? It's a choice only you can answer.. I ended up going stock for my first one and I couldn't be happier with that decision.. Down the road a bit I may go custom colorizer ,but I think for my first one a stock color was the right color. You can bet if/when i go custom, it won't be close to stock in any way.

Indeed.

Whe you tag someone, type in the "@" and maybe the first few letters to get themenu.. @Flap Floblem doesn't tag you.. @Flap Floblem does..

When it comes to the Djinn, The are no bad choices..

one thing I've noticed about many bags with "outer pockets" is even though the closure is external, often the space it accesses is often internal and steals space from the internal part of the bag. That only becomes an issue when the bag is at, near or beyond capacity on a regular basis. Another note** While the Roll-up bags have spaces for Handles, placing handles in all those compartments makes for some pretty bulky storage.. Personally I use a Freilein Dig Bag, a modified HQ Bag, an On Stage Microphone Stand bag and a Hard Case for Trade Show Displays on a regular and rotating basis.. I also have my large orange duffel that holds several of the previously mentioned bags and also fits nicely in the Hard Case.. For my linesets and Handles, I use a Double Ball Bowling Ball bag.. Has space for all my gear as well as pockets I use for camera gear and other important items.. I also use a Nike Soccer Ball bag to hold my power kites.. It literally holds all of them with zero issues.. FWIW, I pack pretty heavy.. Your Mileage WILL Vary..