tkrinor Posted June 26, 2016 Report Share Posted June 26, 2016 Some folks have been sewing reinforcement tabs on the leading edge. Anyone want to share any specs, tips, pics? (how wide are the tabs-how many-placement etc.) Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted June 26, 2016 Report Share Posted June 26, 2016 Tried to post link. It's not working for me. Give me a bit of time to make it work. Ok, here it is: Reinforcement patch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaginCajun Posted June 26, 2016 Report Share Posted June 26, 2016 I noticed on my Shook there's tabs at the fold points so there's no mesh to rip. Brilliant idea, not sure why all my Revs don't have that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrinor Posted June 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2016 33 minutes ago, makatakam said: Tried to post link. It's not working for me. Give me a bit of time to make it work. Ok, here it is: Reinforcement patch Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwmf Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 Have Bazzer do it on a new set of sails for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul LaMasters Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 7: I prefer one at the middle/center and on the fold areas, (mine all match in size), must have a dozen kites built this way by both Bazzer and Shook, but others have used one inch wide strips all along the leading edge, I've seen as many as eleven. This technique effective doubles the life of your kite's sail (now the trailing edge will wear-out first, that's thousands of hours away, even giving lessons) Consider covering the knots on the bottom of the sail and locking down the spar so it can't wiggle or even "jump over" the elastic knot/washer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul LaMasters Posted June 27, 2016 Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 Note regarding the pictures from my comment in the other thread, I've since added one more tab in each space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.V. Nguyen Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 JB, what kind of material is the reinforcement tabs? Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 I'm using Nylon Grosgrain - 1" wide for the center and two fold points, 1/2" for all the other tabs in-between (19 tabs total)... Straight stitch, close to the edge all the way around the perimeter of the tab. My spacing could probably be more even, it's been an experiment in progress - main thing is to evenly support the mesh, enough that when it does eventually give out there isn't enough slack in the sail for it to lose it's original form in flight. Bear in mind, the tabs do add some weight but nothing a little technique won't overcome. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 I apply little dots of this stuff to affix the tabs on either side of the mesh, once they're all dry you just sew them down - much easier than juggling them into place while sewing (PS: we're on an old Pfaff 1222 - not industrial but fairly heavy duty). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 14 minutes ago, John Barresi said: I'm using Nylon Grosgrain I buy mine at Rose City Textiles. https://www.fabricline.com/ProductDetail.php?rctno=71546 They have more variety than is listed on their website. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul LaMasters Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 if making a new kite you can ask for it to fit only one 1/4 diameter tube in the leading edge sleeve, that tightness translates over to the entire sail,... that together with the extra reinforcing tabs is worth the few bucks extra it will cost you, go ahead, ask about covers over the bottom elastic knots and washers too. if you flail enough you'll be so glad you did this modification. Ever had a spar jump over the elastic down at the bottom of the sail? Solutions are available, if you feel it's necessary. I've had so many things go wrong over the years that I want all the crap on my kites, "stock" is for folks who don't know their own shortcomings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyzakite Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 42 minutes ago, Paul LaMasters said: "stock" is for folks who don't know their own shortcomings! Am I reading, "Modification" of a kite is for folks that do know their piloting skill inadequacies? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul LaMasters Posted July 13, 2016 Report Share Posted July 13, 2016 most definitely, you can probably do anything I can with half all that crap left off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.V. Nguyen Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 I buy mine at Rose City Textiles. [emoji6]https://www.fabricline.com/ProductDetail.php?rctno=71546 They have more variety than is listed on their website. Thanks. JoAnn and Michael's all have them. However, 5/8 and 7/8 are the closest to yours that they carry. I will fit them on before Long Beach. Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.V. Nguyen Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 if making a new kite you can ask for it to fit only one 1/4 diameter tube in the leading edge sleeve, that tightness translates over to the entire sail,... that together with the extra reinforcing tabs is worth the few bucks extra it will cost you, go ahead, ask about covers over the bottom elastic knots and washers too. if you flail enough you'll be so glad you did this modification. Ever had a spar jump over the elastic down at the bottom of the sail? Solutions are available, if you feel it's necessary. I've had so many things go wrong over the years that I want all the crap on my kites, "stock" is for folks who don't know their own shortcomings! Thanks in advance, Paul LaMasters. What is the spar jump that you mentioned, and how to fix/avoid it?As newbies, we don't know what problems to look out for, or how to prevent it BEFORE things start to go wrong. Any tips/tricks or heads-up from experienced pilots would really be appreciated. Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwmf Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 6 hours ago, P.V. Nguyen said: What is the spar jump that you mentioned, and how to fix/avoid it? The bottom of the vertical spar moving to the outside of bungee knots instead of sitting between them. In my experience, this happens to me for one of two reasons - 1) Not enough tension on the bungee resulting in the spar being able to move too much, or 2) wind that is overpowering the sail. Other than that, knocking or applying force to the spar via an external source could obviously push the spar to the side. A combination of factors increases the likelihood of this happening. It happens to me from time to time, but not often enough for me to implement major modifications. Paul's photo with the 3 loops sewn over the knots and spars would be one such solution. Another (simpler) version would be to replace the bungee with longer shock cord and just overhand knot each end around the opposite one to form a loop that the spar could go through - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisherman's_knot Personally, I don't worry about it and when I see a spar slip it tells me to check the tension on the bungees 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul LaMasters Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 or to flick -flak it again and thereby right everything back to the correct position 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 Paul spanks his kites really hard. Most flyers don't trick their kites as often as he does. But when you do it certainly helps. The upright spar jumps over towards the center of the kite, and if only one of them jumps, creates an imbalance that is not catastrophic, but definitely annoying. On some of my kites I have modified the bungee so there is only one knot going to the sail on the side away from the center of the kite, a little to the left of what is the half-way point between the original two holes. If it is centered it likes to keep jumping jumping back and forth, which creates a really annoying "click" feeling in the handles every time you power up and ease off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 Aye, no bunji issues here (other than catching the bridle on a knot from time to time). @P.V. Nguyen, remind me this weekend and we can explore some techniques for shaking off tip wraps and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.V. Nguyen Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 Thanks, kwmf. I tensioned all the bungees a little to get the wrinkles out initially. Vinyl caps were also put over the vertical end caps (as pictured) to reduce impact on unscheduled landing. Those measures might help prevent the slip, I wonder. We will look out for situations like you described. Like you said, when it does happen, then it's time to check the bungees again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 Vinyls are really only needed on concrete or asphalt, or on indoor kites where you can prevent slipping. Never needed them on my regular outdoor stuff. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyzakite Posted July 15, 2016 Report Share Posted July 15, 2016 4 hours ago, P.V. Nguyen said: Thanks, kwmf. I tensioned all the bungees a little to get the wrinkles out initially. Vinyl caps were also put over the vertical end caps (as pictured) to reduce impact on unscheduled landing. Those measures might help prevent the slip, I wonder. We will look out for situations like you described. Like you said, when it does happen, then it's time to check the bungees again. I'm interested in the color combination of the rest of this kite, the brown? dark gold? deep tan? looks like a color I haven't seen other than special applications. Looks cool. As far as the unscheduled landings, the leading edge hitting the ground will usually have much more force than the ability to hit the ground with the bottom of the verticals, but they make for good dust caps preventing or slowing sand/dust from entering the end caps. I'd like to see the rest of the kite now that I've seen those to colors together. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.V. Nguyen Posted July 15, 2016 Report Share Posted July 15, 2016 Yep, the cap fits nicely to keep the sand out. It's a FV night Red/Orange/Gold/Lime. My son is a lime/green kinda kiddo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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