Blackstar Posted August 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2022 I see OK. I have a Prism kite I'll look at as well as my old Cheetah, but that Double Larks Head bit helps, Thanks! So now I'm just waiting on my stainless ferrules for the wing spars before I can start assembly. I made templates for the leading edge connectors and the yoyo stoppers. Question about the yoyo stoppers: do people usually mount them in a leading edge cutout like the LE connectors, or melt a hole for a zip tie and just "Clamp" them around the rod with the leading edge dacron inside? I suppose it depends on what you got for stoppers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted August 25, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2022 My ferrules should come today hopefully, so I can begin the final assembly of the kite. I plan on building a bridle board to assist with the tying and measuring of all those parts. After looking at things a little more, I will probably just use the 150lb line for this bridle, I had originally planned on using the 300lb. Question: What is a good line length to use for the control lines? Preferences seem kind of all over, I will probably end up with a few different sets of lengths but I was looking for a good low to medium low wind length for this time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted August 25, 2022 Report Share Posted August 25, 2022 Your about there. Hard tedious sewing done. I'm really sloppy at sewing. I would use the 150 for bridle because the larks head will not slip as easy. Fly lines use what you got they are very hard to break unless you like hurricane winds like me. Stormy Pete can take it. Don't know about me hanging on. Make bridle adjustable at all connection points is really nice to fine tune. Think I said how? Just tie about 3 " length with a few single knots tied to leading edge and spine. Then just tie a simple loop at the ends of the finish bridle and lark head attach. Easy to adjust on different knots plus it will compensate for errors in length from right and left side. Fly high like me. Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted August 28, 2022 Report Share Posted August 28, 2022 If you have 2 extra ferrules you can temporarily tape to end of both spreaders to widen kite to be more trick happy. Easy to change it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted August 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2022 Well it's getting pretty close now. I left my rods like an inch longer than desired till I got it together .. I'm gonna have to sew the nose a little more but it feels sturdy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted August 28, 2022 Report Share Posted August 28, 2022 If that's your first build you did a really nice job. Let us know how it behaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted August 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2022 It is my first build yes. I definitely learned a lot from the build and I'm planning on compiling a "do this better and don't do this" list. I definitely should have paid better attention to my nose stitching, but I was having problems with the "stack" of cloth. It ended up being 4 layers of Dacron and 2 layers of 1000D Cordura. The needle just didn't have the mustard. Not sure how to combat that, but I'll address it. I've started a Virus with my 10 year old son so I'll learna little more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted August 29, 2022 Report Share Posted August 29, 2022 Love you are teaching your son should be fun. Kids catch on to stunt kites really quickly. A great kite for kids is the tiny Micron prism. Unbreakable needs some strong wind but screamingly fast at super strong wind. Kids love the speed and pivot turns. Taught many on mine. Poor kite. When your machine won't get through thick layers try just turning the wheel by hand. Good idea on sharing mistakes. I made them all. Sure it will fly great. Have fun. Quads are really easy to sew and build, you might try that for next build. Flying it is another challenge. You two have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted August 29, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2022 Yeah I have built templates for a quad from another forum that are widely available. That will happen when my tubing arrives. For now it's going to be a 2nd Le Virus, and then a Karel Oh design I got some Light weight tubing for. I haven't tied the bridle yet for my first kite here, so I'm sure there'll be some more things to go wrong as I navigate that process as well. More updates to follow! 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted August 30, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 Sewed the nose better and then put 2 eyelets in on either side just below the leading edge pockets. It's quite robust now. Trimmed the spreaders to appropriate size and now all I have to do is put in my eyelets for the cord and knocks and tie the bridle. The little end of the project bits always take the longest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted August 30, 2022 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 I'm wanting to fly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted August 30, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 I'm going to change the title of this thread and start documenting my son's build as it gets going here. Does anyone have opinions on that? Start a new thread for the same kite design or just tack it in here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted August 30, 2022 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 You both will have an awesome time together! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted September 1, 2022 Report Share Posted September 1, 2022 Hey It's awsome you are bonding with your son over something you both can enjoy for a life time. 88 year old Dad and me still fly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted September 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2022 Well it's all bridled up. I guess we'll see how it goes tomorrow. 15 knots wind expected in my local fly spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted September 3, 2022 Report Share Posted September 3, 2022 Hey It's awsome you are bonding with your son over something you both can enjoy for a life time. 88 year old Dad and me still fly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted September 3, 2022 Report Share Posted September 3, 2022 15 knots sure will give you plenty of feed back. Will be a day you both will remember. I think crashing violently is half the fun. Repairs imenent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted September 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2022 Sadly my son is with his mother this weekend, so it will just be me and the wife. I am fully expecting something to break during the trial run. I am not sure what yet, but I'm guessing some stitching on something I didn't do adequately. I'll let you know. My dad is 74 and bought me my first kite because he was into windsurfing and would drag us all around the oregon coast and hood river etc. to do that.. and here we are 30 years later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted September 3, 2022 Report Share Posted September 3, 2022 Awesome he is wind surfer! The lower spreader IS going to break first. You need that major stress point to be replaced with a SkyShark wrapped rod. Mary Anne at Kites and Fun Things has best prices on SS spars. Your pultruded rods are fine on LE and upper spreader.. Have a Fun Labor Day ! My b-day is Wednesday so I will take the week off. I will have fun as you will too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted September 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2022 On 8/23/2022 at 3:55 AM, Michael Marmaras said: Understand your question now. Most bridles are adjustable up and down the green line. Double lark head is great. I tie a single overhand loop knot at end so it's easy to pull loose and adjust. could you post a pic of this? I think I did my "double larks head" incorrectly, but all the links to it I can find are tying around a ring or something, and they pass the loop over the ring, which I obviously cannot do wrapping the knot around a continuous piece of line. perhaps I will have to remove that line, tie the double larks to it while it's loose, and then install it on the LE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted September 4, 2022 Report Share Posted September 4, 2022 Yes untie the green and slip on larks head. It's possible to tie with out removing but easy to get wrong. Another way is to use a simple locking slip knot. Tension is adjustable by how many loops. I always make all line attachment point adjustable with small 3" line with 3 knots and then attach all 3 bridle lines with simple loop that you fold over into single larks head. High end kites use this system to fine tune all three bridle lines. Important to totally change kite dynamics. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted September 5, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2022 Well I'm getting hosed by the wind. Saturday was supposed to be 15 knots, ended up being 4.. And then the same thing today. So I'm just waiting for some wind to try the Virus out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted September 5, 2022 Report Share Posted September 5, 2022 I have been a fighter kite enthusiast for 40 years. Make all of them and prefer miniature ones about half scale about 6" across. Able to fly them in no wind or others hurricane winds. Love and make full size ones too. Entire back yard is giant bamboo that bamboozled us and the neighbors. Use for spars.Point is there are zero and ight wind stunt kites too. Flown some in large indoor areas. Don't let light winds keep you home! Pick up or make some cheap fighters. You WILL have a grin on your face. Wren is a nice light wind stunt kite. Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marmaras Posted September 8, 2022 Report Share Posted September 8, 2022 You two flown that beast yet? It should pull pretty hard in medium winds. My 2 home made eight footers are too much for me in strong wind. Micron is better for us old folks in strong wind. Still a hoot! Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted September 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2022 I took it out yesterday, in 15-20 knot wind.. and as you foretold immediately broke a lower spreader. I know that's a ton of wind but I flew my Prism in it a bunch and my kid did too, including 2 full speed nose dives into the grass.. bless him 🤣 I'm ordering a .240" internal ferrule and 2 skyshark 5PT rods. I talked to the folks at Kites and Fun Things and that was their recommendation as well. So I can keep my leading edge fittings and spine, and I have a 6x6 R-sky T already so it should work out fine. The kite flew pretty good though to be honest, I'll need to tune it a bit once the lower spreader scenario is resolved. I've started my quad though I've seen mention of the plans and name for the design frowned upon here as it's a copy of a production kite. But I'll probably post some pics of that soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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