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mrfaosfx

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Everything posted by mrfaosfx

  1. I use a similar method mentioned by Paul LeMasters. I keep all the pieces under tension with double sided tape. I build the "skeleton" of the kite first, all of the initial pieces are hot cut and once the skeleton is completed, the double sided tape does all the work, allowing me to simply place more fabric while keeping everything neatly flat and then use curved sharp scissors to cut along the lines of the double sided tape, I get beautiful clean cuts that look like they were laser cut but it requires very sharp scissors. A few pictures of my recent build bellow illustrates the beautiful results!
  2. Or you can just go wild and crazy with the colors like I do 😉
  3. so very true ... I built a yellow Vickie out of 4oz ripstop and had someone actually tell me ... well, the kite is going to be too heavy for the wind and I told him "is weight really a factor when you're out flying this kite in 25mph winds??" we both laughed.
  4. mrfaosfx

    Icarex

    A lot of folks ask what the purpose of the mesh on the top leading edge is on quad kites and why is it even there ... I found out its purpose through experimentation and learned a valuable lesson. I built two identical kites, one with screen mesh venting at the top leading edge...this is the normal setup and one kite with out it ... they both fly fine no problems however, something really horrific begins to happen as the wind picks up on the kite that has no mesh at the leading edge... you can fly the normal kite with the mesh in strong winds just fine, you may have to adjust it but you can certainly fly it ... however, on the kite that did not have the mesh and the sail was connected directly to the rod sleeve, this kite ... loved to brake the rods ... I spent one month testing it flying it in strong winds ... I ended up replacing the outer rods at least 4 times because they would crack at the connection points and it only happened with that kite so then, I did further research and this is what I found out ... the mesh screen that sits in between the sail and the rod sleeve actually reduces the load and shock on the rod which greatly reduces the loads in flight. So for a light wind kite, no mesh is fine but if you plan on flying in strong winds ... you better brace yourself because that rod is going to be under a lot of stress with no mesh at the leading edge. It is easy to say it is not needed until you start flying the kite in varying wind conditions ... also having no leading edge mesh makes the kite much quicker and more responsive ... sometimes a little too responsive that can best be described as "jerky flying"
  5. That last one is insane, you are mad man riff!
  6. That is amazing time and dedication. I started on the floor, always said I would get a table. As of today, I still don't have a proper table but my current setup works. I went to Walmart and bought one of those foldable portable tables and then I put a 8x4 foot plywood board on it. You're back will thank you! Since I mostly build quads, I painted the template right on the plywood board ... this is an old picture, things have changed slightly.
  7. That is a Vickie ... hurricane winds sounds about right but you can fly it in a breeze if you're gentle with it!
  8. This was one of the first thing I noticed when I started building my first quads. I soon later discovered about the Kevlar inside the patches. However, the same damage still occurs, it's just that you'll eventually begin to see the Kevlar. The wrapped rods are like chainsaws and they will eat right through the dacron. Also, loose bungee cords at the LE will cause this damage as well. If everything is snug and the rubber covering is being used, you technically shouldn't see any major damage for a long time. Make sure that your bungees are stretching at the lower spokes and not at the top when you are using brakes.
  9. I use gMax, it's free but has a very steep learning curve.
  10. I have been a member for quite some time, it's just I've been more of an spectator. It's nice to meet people who share the same passion and vision. I'm here for friends and to learn more. I've attached some of the projects I have worked on over the years ranging from strange flying contraptions with two wings from roks and quads. I may know some of you in here. Good to be here guys! ---Rafael
  11. mrfaosfx

    Icarex

    You can get red dacron from here --- https://www.sailrite.com/Dacron-Sailcloth-4oz-Red-36 I most use white dacron on my leading edges but have switched over to black for my upcoming major quad project.
  12. mrfaosfx

    Icarex

    Amazing work buddy! About 1 year ago I built a kite based on the same pattern, except mine was arranged differently, have a look!
  13. It really does help to have an experienced flier beside you! It can be very overwhelming at first. The learning curve for quad flying is initially very very steep, there is a lot of trial and error but with help from someone you can get through it much faster. The first time I grabbed the controls of a revolution kite, I could not control the thing, it would go up, start spinning and crash down. I ended up tangling the lines very very bad. My 2nd instructor was Jynx, she showed me how to attach the lines and launch the kite and keep it in the air. Thanks to her, I had a bit of control of the kite and I could fly left and right but not very good, it was very fun. What followed after that was lots of crashes, broken spars. My third instructor I would say was Jay and Kelly .. Jay taught me the importance of the trim on the top and bottom lines, to also fly the kite with purpose instead of crazy and to make small adjustments and slower smoother flight. I also learned the catch and throw from him as well, a fancy trick. He also taught me how to better turn the kite. The rest I have learned on my own by watching. You will initially be intimidated when you see the precise control other fliers have, trust me, you will get at their level at some point. Today thanks to all the help I've head, I can call myself an experience flier. I have absolute control of my kite and flying is so much more fun and rewarding.
  14. I use gmax to design my kites to precise specifications. Here is a screen shot of one of my designs. Cheers!
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