quad sticks....

[audioRob]

ok, I got to fly a rev with quad sticks ast sunday and I totally dig it. Ive heard lots of people comment on it adding extra mass, which I guess makes sense for precision. For tricks it helped a ton (and did some things you cant do otherwise with a rev), and on top of that it was much more stable. Reverse was in turbo if you wanted, side slides were faster if you wanted... just cool. Setup was way easier too. Different types of snap/flip/rollup launches were easier if not only possible with the rods.

What are other people's experiences? I already dig em, and am making a set for myself regardless of what other people say Im really interested in other's experiences, good and bad.

If anyone has any suggestions for length of the rods that'd be helpful too!

[Jason Paul]

I have a set on my 1.5 and love them. I use a P300 LE rather than the stock SLE and get a MUCH better wind range. The P300 LE is quite a bit more flexible than the SLE, which I kind of like, actually. The quad sticks help stiffen it a bit. It doesn't flex as much as John's Rev 1 flexes in most of his videos.

I wouldn't say that extra mass helps with precision. In fact I would say the opposite. However, my Rev with the P300 LE and quad sticks feels much better to me than the SLE. To me the SLE feels clunky and has too much rotational mass, requiring too much "opposite stab" to stop rotations. The P300 LE is better about this because it's so much lighter overall. It's MUCH snappier.

One of the coolest/best advantages offered by the quad sticks IMO is the change in behavior in glides. For catches and throws, the kite glides toward and away from you rather than just dropping out of the sky like a rock. It looks very nice and keeps you from having to run to the kite - at least not as much.

I don't do too many tricks with my Rev, but I have noticed that the sticks help it axel flatter.

Mine are about 13" I think. They could probably be shorter. For a 1.5 I probably wouldn't make them much shorter than about 10", although I don't know for sure. They have to be long enough to keep the kite standing up on the ground inverted. The shorter they are, the easier it would be for the wind to knock it over. Also, I'm pretty sure I used .157 tubes.

BTW, my 1.5 weighs in at 8.5 oz.

Jason

[audioRob]

Other info?

[Dorsal]

About a month after I got my first quad (a Rev) I made myself a set of 13" handles and flew with them. I felt a sense of control and agility with the kite I had only hoped for prior to that day.

Ever since, I have never used the stock handles.

[Penny Lingenfelter]

You know, I've never measured the handles. How do the 13" compare in size to the SUL or Longthrow handles?

BB

Penny

[monkey]

I tend to use whatever is on the lines at the time, but, that being said, I -think- all my handles are the longer SUL ones. I keep meaning to look at that tho, maybe this weekend.

I DO know I prefer the older metal SUL handles over the newer graphite wrapped ones, they are just a little lighter.

Now, for a real workout, throw some short Rev II handles on. :-D

[John Barresi]

Graphite wrapped vs metal SUL handles... There is a slightly different angle to the bend as well, and the grip (foam) is slightly larger in the hand.

I prefer the older ones myself.

[monkey]

I have a few sets around, I'll take pictures and measurements for comparision's sake for the next issue's REVisions article

[Dorsal]

Rev Handle Lengths

[monkey]

Heh, cool, saved me some work!

What do you use on your Spirit stack? Which, btw, looks great on the cover of the GWTW calendar now sitting on my desk

[Dorsal]

13" homemade handles. The SS tubes I found weren't long enough to make (3) 13 1/2" rods, so I made them 13" instead.

BTW, the "quad sticks" on the back of the Spirits are only about 10" long - - Why do they need to be so long for a Rev?

[Jason Paul]

I think that 10" would probably be fine for a Rev. Mine are 13" just because Paul (REVflyer) had made a set at that length and they apparently worked.

Mine work fine and I would only lose a few grams by shortening them - but I'd have to re-tie the whole setup. Not worth it at this point.

Jason

[Red Doug]

I flew a Rev for the 1st time at WSKIF, and hope to get my very own soon.

This discussion of "Quad Sticks" confuses me. So I'll expose my ignorance, and ask what they are, and how do they fit onto a quad?

My impression is that they help to prop the kite up for a launch. If so, do the sticks stay on the ground? I can't imagine adding a (pair?) of sticks that will flop around on the back of the kite while it flies.

[Jason Paul]

Hey Doug,

Here's a photo of a set to give you an idea:

Quad sticks on a Rev 1

I think those are much too long, but you get the idea of how they work. The kite can lean back on them on the ground. They also provide some added stiffness as well as make for some cool glides during catches and throws.

Other tricks can be done with them too, for people more advance than me.

Jason

[monkey]

And much to my utter delight, I came home and picked up the mail... Voila! The set of Majix Stix I had ordered from High Flyers Flight Co. Ltd. (thanks susan!) (23.95 US after shipping to Canada)

They came with a good set of instructions and 10 minutes later, I had them installed on my 1.5 SLE (currently without an SLE). Of course, the weather forecast here suggests rain till March so it may be a while before I can actually try them out...but I'll report back when I do.

[Jason Paul]

Cool. Do you plan to take some photos? I'd be curious to see what the "paid for" set looks like. Mine cost me about $3.00, but of course took an hour and a half or so to put together - not rushing.

BTW, I notice from your profile that we share a birthday - 'cept you're older.

Also - glad to see you're adding to your website again. I found it 2-3 years ago and liked reading, but was a bit disappointed that it wasn't being updated. Good to see you've added some new stuff recently.

Lastly - I uploaded some photos of my quad sticks last night. They're in my Odds & Ends album on my Webshots page.

Thanks,

Jason

[monkey]

Not only am I older, Im handsomer and more humble.

I figure its a fine day to be born!

Alas, no pictures yet, my digital camera is broken beyond all hope but, I will take some shots. The sole difference I could see is that the main cap at the end of the rod has 4 thicker lines coming from it, and you tie the frame lines to that as opposed to thru the cap.

Dammit, I am DYING to try this out. If we get a break in the rain, you know where I'll be headed...

And thanks, its nice to see REVisions saw some use despite my neglect of it for years. It wasnt that I stopped flying so much as I had bands running that effectively gobbled much of my spare time for a while. I'll be adding further stuff over the winter

[audioRob]

What would happen if the sticks were much, much shorter. Say 6-7 inches or so?

Should have the same effect eh? Maybe have to place them further down the rods but still.

[Jason Paul]

There's probaly a math geek around here somewhere that could figure out the ideal length and positioning for them. I ain't that math geek.

I'm sure they could be shorter. The thing to keep in mind is that the shorter they are, the farther from the LE they would need to be in order to be effective - at least for standing the kite up. Too far away from the LE and you compromise balance.

I don't know this firsthand, but according to what I've read by Paul and Harold, I get the impression that keeping weight close to the LE is best.

Does that make sense?

I read that Paul made his around 13" and they worked, so that's the length I used - and they work. To date, I haven't felt the need to spend another hour and a half and three more of my hard-earned dollars to re-tie it. Basically in my case, they ain't broke, so I ain't fixin' 'em.

Feel free to make them a bit shorter - keeping the balance thing in mind - and let us know.

One thing though, if you're goal in making them shorter is to save weight, you'd only be talking about a few grams (maybe 6-8, I don't know). If you regularly fly in winds strong enough to cut your shoe in half, you won't even notice the weight difference.

Jason

[audioRob]

And we're done.

16 grams total. would have been 10 if i used spectra, but I used dacron instead. Fairs better in the gritty, shelly sand I normally fly my revs (but rarely duals) in.

Lengths are as follows for the Rev 1.5, my I is in the car and if you want those lengths just ask and hopefully Ill get off my lazy butt and measure them

Rods: 13.5" placed exactly 12" down the rod

Upper Lines: 18.75"

Lower Lines: 24"

Outer Lines: 25"

Center Line: 59"

Matterials: Avia 0.157 pultruded rods stuffed up nicely. Apa .2500 connectors, 0.157 nock, 90lb dacron. Total cost (I already had the dacron. Old flying line will work perfect) 6$ total for DIY

Larks head to each place. Works very nicely! I've made 2 sets now with those exact measurements for the 1.5 and it works beautifully.

The hammer there was used to get the apa connectors on.

MUHAHA! admirabumblee

[monkey]

I was wondering about the hammer...

thanks for clearing that up!

[audioRob]

I was wondering about the hammer...

thanks for clearing that up!

If you look, there's a box-wrench there. I put the box wrench over the rod placed it on the apa connector and smacked the sucker with the hammer. 30-40 hits and it was down 12". Then some *ahem* .. "fine" tuning

Precision with a hammer is such a beautiful thing hahah

I should note that I tied 1 line around the nock to hold everything place then doused it in CA and let it dry. Very tight and well set. Looks nice

[REVflyer]

In the future, you can heat the fitting in a cup of boiling water (by using a micro-wave oven), it will then slide down much easier on the down spars.

I recommend NOT using CA glue, because it is so brittle. One good ground impact and your stationary fitting can break loose. Instead cut a half inch of vinyl tubing and put that both above and below the fitting on the tube(s).

If you want even more security you can use five minute epoxy, but I've never experienced any movement of components when combined with the vinyl tubing stoppers.

[REVflyer]

I can tell you, that if the length of the truss system tubes is too short you'll loose the advantage of magix stiks. Think about a suspension bridge. The strength comes from leverage, the tower(s) are always pretty tall compared to the span or there are multiple towers involved.

A longer length gives more effect and the weight difference is barely noticable. I've seen them six and seven inches and it wasn't as strong when the wind increases or when you are flicking it around.

13 or 14 inches long has the effect you are seeking and has been around for a long time, at least on the east coast of the usa.

[monkey]

Precision with a hammer is such a beautiful thing hahah

I should note that I tied 1 line around the nock to hold everything place then doused it in CA and let it dry. Very tight and well set. Looks nice

And here's hoping you don't cut rods with a chainsaw...