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Arches & Kite Trains


carlosst
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I have a couple of ideas maybe :wub:

A few things you need to decide first. Size of the Eddy kite. Common sizes are 40 cm and 50 cm. (mine are all 50 cm). Next, you need lot's of line. For 150 kites in a single arch, I'd recommend 300lb dacron.

The kites are easy enough to make. I can point you at simple plans for both 40 and 50 cm kite. Use whatever pattern you like. Solid colors, appliqued patterns, or even Crazy kites. (but if make a crazy kite, you have to send me at least one ;) )

For pockets and tails, you have a number of options. Dacron or 1.5 oz fabric makes good pockets. Tails are best made with surveyors tape (long collorfull NON-STickey tape used for makeing boundris and stuff) and packing tape (really sticky stuff). Length of tails should be 3 times the height of your kite. Tape the tails together with the packing tape and cut a small slit in the middle of that. Then, you can just pass the spine throught the hole. It's the easiest way to attach the tails.

Spines can just be wood dowels. Cheap and easy to get. Last a long time. I've yet to even break one. But, don't make the spins so long that they tension the sail vertically. When the arch flies, the line will tension the kite horizonally and you need a little bit of play along the spine (see below)

Space the kites at whatever distance you wish. A common rule of thumb is to space them the same width of the kite ie: if the kite is 50 cm wide, put 50 cm between 'em as well.

The real trick is when sewing the kites to the line. You want to stretch the line as it's being sewn down. A good cording foot is invaluable for this. After sewing, there should be many wrinkles in the fabric along the sew line. ( :o but wrinkles are bad your saying). What happens is that when the arch flies, the line will be tensioned and your wrinkles will be pulled out. If you don't stretch the line as you sew it, you could end up ripping the skin when flying it.

I have some info somewhere on eddy trains. I'll have to dig it out. One neat thing to do with eddy trains is to make two of them. Then join them at the top with a light line (crochet thread) to make a big arch. Use another kite (delta kite is good) and launch it from UNDERNEATH the arch. It will rise up and cut the thread releasing each train to fly on it's own.

Feel free to contact me with any quesitons you have.

Cheers,

P.

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