Shortening Quad Lines

[Badger6lr]

Hi all

Just wondered if anyone has any good tips or can point me in direction on how to shorten Laser Pro quad lines . Impossible to get 30ft or 50ft lines over here in the UK and having difficulty in getting any shipped over from US so as I have a spare 120ft set thought could go about sorting myself but do not want to end up making a mess of it .

Any suggestions really appreciated

Thanks

[hyzakite]

Now here is a question everyone can respect, but can't answer correctly!

My answer is.

#1 DO NOT CUT UP A PERFECT SET OF LINES!

#2 DO NOT CUT UP AN IMPERFECT SET OF LINES!

When it comes to string, you can always cut it, but can't put it back together with the same ease.

[Reef Runner]

You might want to read through some of this topic from the past.............

(not exactly about, how to shorten existing lines, but more on how to put a set together, if you have made up you mind, to cut your existing set)

http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/4105-making-your-own-kite-lines-how-do-you-do-that/#entry27010

[makatakam]

Buy a bulk spool of 1000' of LPG or Shanti yellow, and make your own lines. You will save at least 50% over pre-assembled line sets, even if you must buy it from overseas. The reason for 1000 feet is that you can make one set each of 120', 80', and 40', with almost no waste.

Don't cut the pre-made set until it starts wearing out.

[Reved]

Here you go

http://www.ikeclub.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=558

At the top right of this page is a search box. I entered "how to make sleeving" and got several good discussions. And get yourself a pair of really sharp scissors. Have fun.

Welcome to the forum badger6lr. And keep those questions coming.

[oapbillf]

There is no way I would cut up a 120ft LPG set unless they are really in a poor condition !

What is normally done is to use a spare 80ft set that came with a newly purchased Rev and cut that down.

I did exactly that and ended up with one set at 30ft and another at 47ft leaving the existing sleeving on but where cut I did not bother with sleeving at all.

Remember that using these shorter lengths are not suitable for team flying only solo therefore the lengths are not critical.

Bill

PS You are not too far from us at Dunstable Downs so come and join us one Sunday !

And I see you are not on the Rev forum yet !

[Hadge]

Hi all

Just wondered if anyone has any good tips or can point me in direction on how to shorten Laser Pro quad lines . Impossible to get 30ft or 50ft lines over here in the UK and having difficulty in getting any shipped over from US so as I have a spare 120ft set thought could go about sorting myself but do not want to end up making a mess of it .

Any suggestions really appreciated

Thanks

Have you tried flying with 30ft lines? It's VERY short and things happen in the blink of an eye.

[SHBKF]

I like to take extra dual line sets & combine them to make quad sets like my 90# x 65' set made from extra Prism Nexus sets. I wanted a blue stack of five Nexus kites so I acquired five ready to fly kites giving me plenty of extra dual line sets. So I took two dual line sets, equalized them to make one quad set. Next I took another set & cut them in half to make a quad set of 90# x 30'. That still left me two of the original sets for dualie use. I now have an extra dual line set that is 150# x 85'. I plan to make a 150# x 40' quad set from those lines to use for my larger Blast & Power Blast kites as a short line set. I made a 50# x 50' quad line set from extra Micron line sets when I assembled my six stack of the little zoomers. My oddball length 50# sets come from breaking line sets flying in too high a wind. I am a solo flier so line length is based more on available space & my mood than any other considerations. I find I fly short lines very frequently these days. SHBKF

[mystainedskin]

I am a firm believer in "do what you gotta do"

If you have a spare set you are willing to chop..go for it. Several threads of info shared already that should get you through it.

Remember...there is no set guideline to length...except for team situations. If you are flying solo...no one cares except you how long they are. Experiment and find what works for ya.

I chopped my first and only set for 2 varied length sets...never regretted it...

[SparkieRob]

I agree with you. Do what you gotta. My first set of 30's was 27. Surprisingly that 3 feet made a difference! There is heaps of how to's for line set making. One thing I will say, I don't put sleeving on the new loop just a pull tab.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Badger6lr]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice - being a relative newbie ( although am already a self confessed Rev addict ) it's great to be part of this community .

Have just heard back from Dave Shenkman @ kite connection and he is sorting and sending some over so have opted for the easier route this time . Will consider doing myself next time now that I've got your comments and tips.

Thanks again for the help

[Paul LaMasters]

Ah, so you selected the convenience path, excellent decision!

When you want to take this mission on as a D-I-Y project, you should acquire a set of lock-jaw forceps first,... you can use them as a consistent measuring device, a heat-shield to melt the ends and prevent fraying, a second gripping device, or to untie a pre-existing knot.

To use the forceps as a measure you grip the melted end of the roll into the jaws and go around the locked part, back up to the jaws again where you carefully place the line over the edge snugged tight and repeat the wrap-around a second time. This is where the center (release) knot will be constructed. You form the loop AFTERWARDS! Make these loops big enough that any overall length adjusts are made into the longer line by adding more overhand knots (or figure of eight knots, uses more overall length). Pinch the single line measured-out using the forceps at this newly determined location, between your finger and thumb nail, indent the spectra. Carefully unthread the wraps and re-pinch the forceps at this new center point.

I pass that single line strand twice around & then back through itself, snugging back to the repositioned jaws of the forceps (the stopper). Snug it down tightly and remove the forceps. (the only movemen/or change of length is how much the knot collapsed or moved ~ Not much!) Now add a double stranded overhand knot. (it can slide and you intend it to do so, right down to the stopper, separate the two strands and yank em apart forcing the overhand knot into it's end position)

You finish the loop building with a figure of eight knot. This knot will travel in two directions while tightening, you don't want that though, so one of the loops (a figure eight remember?) has to PASS OVER the rest of the assembly and all the slack needs to be pulled out in the opposite direction as the pass-over was done. Now you can exactly position the closing knot, particularly is you use the foreps as the guide to which your align. You don't need sleeving as the stress part of the figure of eight knot is four thicknesses of line wound around and threw each other.

You immediately notice that you can build this knot sequence from either end point too, the end of the roll or the edge of the stake marking you expected length. This technique is highly repeatable and accurate. Eventually you'll know you need 13 inches or 18 inches of excess length to make a end-loop for the larks head.

(If you are making bridles then these knots and directions work almost as well as "bridle board")

I use division to make my line sets though. I build a loop into the roll end first and walk out the desired length (including the amount necessary for loops, exact measurement depends on what size forceps you bought), one on each of the two lines which will be created after division (cut and melt stage). By making the lines two at a time, even if they aren't perfect they match as tops or bottoms perfectly.

I never use sleeving useless I buy pre made lines sets that came that way. Special order lines are done "my way" and I also buy bulk spools, but I don't rush out to replace lines,... as long ones become less effective for team flying they get hacked-down to shorter and shorter lengths. They might wind up as one inch loops to affix train/stacking lines or they are given away to poor souls in need with some useful life left in them.

I'd say to practice the PASS OVER a couple of times on crap line so you understand the figure of eight knot action necessary and can do the proper placement.

Forceps usage make this a much more accurate assignment if you decide to give it a go and create your own line sets.

-plm

PS: If you're going to shorten an existing set it's even easier. Pull two lines tight from a well-placed stake or fence post, use the forceps to hold 'em and cut or melt away until you get back to the jaws. Use one of them to measure the next line needing to be shortened, and so forth until all four are the same length. Then follow the directions above to complete the loops. Use the end without sleeving on the kite and you'll find your line set-up becomes much easier too. The sleeving tangles instead of cleanly separating like a stopper knot equipped set works, use the sleeved ends on the handles.

[3wrapframe]

Cut-um. I am cutting up some brand new 85'ers when I get around to it. Find or search some line sleeve kits.

[makatakam]

Like Paul, I leave the kite-end loops unsleeved. Less crap and weight at the kite. I use two figure-eight knots at the base of the loop, and one more, (or an overhand), at the end of the loop to create a "pull-tab". Makes set-up and break-down easier. The two figure-eights ensure that the line doesn't "creep" through the knots when the line is tensioned. I make the loops 5 to 6 inches long. This allows equalizing the lines by tying additional knots in the loop in any line that needs to be shortened. Can be done in the field easily; takes only seconds from start to finish.

P.S. -- I made a 40-ft line set from scratch last year at the MOTS fest in Milwaukee. Complete line set in 20 minutes.