Rods: The difference ?

[Lisa Bernard / Kiteworld]

I can't help it I have an old soul, one of my fav kites is still my 74 skynasaur, I be a nerd for life

[Lisa Bernard / Kiteworld]

Great to always learn new things .. thank you

[Exult]

10 hours ago, Russ Wilson said:

Actually it's not too far fetched.  In some areas (like cycling) they are finding woods like bamboo offer some interesting possibilities.  I think the vertical spar I broke today was because of compression forces - bamboo might have fared better.  Plus, I can fabricate my own wooden spars in the garage a whole lot cheaper than a $110 Diamond frame.

Sounds tempting to do a budget QLK for the satisfaction of having DIYed it and would provide an opportunity to freely choose the size ! However, it is hard to believe that it would be as strong and light as one with a carbon tube based frame.  If one went the full way of making a budget QLK with a plastic foil sail and pieces of a hose for fittings (possibly combined with a hose clamps?), one should see the whole enterprise as a challenge in how good you would be able to make it and not as a way of making something really high end. Would a plastic sail sag too much e.g.? Another problem could be if you broke the LE, how would one find another close to identical bamboo stick?

Another thing is what wind range would be optimal for a budget bamboo plastic foil QLK with and without venting holes? What I lack for QLK, as opposed to for DLKs, is a feeling for what the tubes can take or not, since I've never broken one (not even one of the 2 feather Rev ones). Without this basis, guessing if a bamboo stick would last, becomes extra difficult.

[makatakam]

Bamboo, in order to be suitable for use as a kite spar, would have to be laminated from six strips like a bamboo fly-fishing rod. Those can sell for upwards of $1,800.00. Even the least expensive ones would probably sell for twice as much as carbon tubes.

[Russ Wilson]

I didn't really intend to suggest we consider non-carbon spars, but since we've gone down that path folks might be interested in the following article from a few years ago:

https://newatlas.com/cellulose-nanocrystals-stronger-carbon-fiber-kevlar/23959/

Even if there wasn't any advantage to strength, I like the renewable potential for using wood materials.  I hate the thought that I just sent the remnants of my Diamond frame to the landfill - probably take 100+ years for them to start decomposing.