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Clip On Kite Stake


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Awhile back I made up some fancy kite stakes with a key ring type clip on it so it could be easily clipped on a belt loop when not in use.

I recently, made a couple more out of some golf balls and attached “alligator clips” (called “roach clips” in the Pacific Northwest) which can be clipped on anything anywhere and they are much smaller then the key ring clips.

I attached them with plastic wire ties and then coated the whole area with 2 part epoxy. They work great and when clipped on the back pocket the stake is held firmly in place and doesn’t swing around at all, but is there anytime you need it and it is an easy one handed operation.

Keep It Up!

Duane

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Eliminated the need for a stake holster!! kid_smartass.gif

Yeah...And it's a "combination tool" for the Pacific Northwesterners!! :blue-confused: Should go over BIG! ;) heehee!!

Keep It Up!

Duane

I don't think that only the Northwest will find that useful!!! Then again, I could be wrong!!! kid_horny.gif

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  • 1 year later...
  • 2 months later...

Or, you can make your own stake & holster, for little of nothing.......It's not "rocket science", you know :ani_sleep:

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It's just a 1/4" stainless steel rod, approximately 10 - 12 inches long, pointed on one end, and pressed into a 7/32" hole, which you drill into (not quite all the way through) a golf ball. No glue necessary - just use a hammer and drive the rod into the hole (in the golf ball) until it bottoms out. Then sharpen the other end, so that it will penetrate the ground. I use stainless steel rods for regular ground, and aluminum rods for the beach and/or dunes.......

To prevent accidents, it's best to have a holster. Make a holster out of any suitable 1" wide piece strapping material, doubled and sewn up each side. Form a loop, up on the top end, to attach the holster to your belt. If desired, use a metal snap, or Velcro, to make your loop, so you can open and close it, or just sew it closed, and slip your belt through the loop........."piece of cake" :ani_victory:

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I've also made them out of fiberglass rods for marking curbs in the snow and such. They come in orange or yellow and are easy to cut down and add a golf ball. Very visible in grass or sand. They bend a little, but are pretty sturdy. I haven't broken one yet.

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I carry 2 stakes with me - one of Walt's beautiful creations and a stake I picked up many years ago!! It's an acrylic dice on a regular steel spike, changed holders over time and once a year I sand it for rust, but it still works these many years later!! :ani_yahoo:

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It's an acrylic dice on a regular steel spike, changed holders over time and once a year I sand it for rust, but it still works these many years later!!

Yeah, I understand that part about, "these many years later!!" :doh:

RUST ? Now jerk that steel rod out and replace it with an aluminum or stainless steel rod. No more rust worries :ani_victory:

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  • 2 weeks later...

You need to have one of Walt's stakes for "bling". They sure are "purty".

Yep, purty they are, and if I didn't have so many stakes already, I'd have probably ordered one by now. But golly, how many stakes can one carry. I must have a dozen or more, right now, all different colors, sizes, materials, & lengths, etc. I always take two, three, or more, when I go to fly, just in case I run up on someone that doesn't know about stakes, the advantages of using a stake, or has forgotten theirs. I've given away, quite a few in the past.......... :cat_shy:

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I got away from carrying stakes for awhile, but I've started carrying one of Walt's stakes clipped onto my back belt loop about a year ago and have been really happy to have it on hand for those oh so rare breaks from flying. :D

Well, you probably don't have as many "un-scheduled" landings, as some of us do :cat_sick:

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Oh, I have my share of unplanned landings... Not so many piledrivers though. :D

Piledriver - John ? Now that thought never even crossed my mind. I couldn't imagine you doing that, John. What I meant, was ending up on the ground, with an awkward orientation, and then needing to go to the kite (ok, taking the walk of shame), but especially when the wind is cooking around 15+...........that's when I really need my stake :ani_victory:

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Nah - I end up in lots of awkward positions, but I really, really hate walking so I learned a bunch ways to relaunch. :)

The one that still gets me, like anyone else, is the face down "death" position... Not a fan of dead launching, so it's a walk.

Well, you need to make us a "Bloopers" video................ :cat_lol:

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Nick - any ideas on what to use to break the seal of whatever is holding my old stake together? :ani_idea: Dice is made of an acrylic and stake is of regular steel! I'm pretty sure I can replace it with stainless rod I have on hand, but I gotta take it apart SAFELY, first!!

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What if you drop it a few times pointy-end-down onto concrete from four or five feet high? Some of the epoxies and super glues hold great when they are not under stress, but do not hold up well to impacts and lateral shear forces. Some engineering types will tell you the exact proper terms and reasons for this . . . I just know it worked to get a busted ferrule out of a Rev spar. I simply dropped the spar (broken ferrule end down) onto the concrete, and the epoxy let loose. I was able to pull the ferrule out, no problem, and epoxy a new one into place.

I think Jeepster might be the one who taught me this trick . . .. .

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