broken Widow ng

[Exult]

29 minutes ago, Breezin said:

I really want to be  a trickster. A speed kite will let me fly in as much wind as I can handle. Still haven't flown my snapshot yet but at around 20 plus my other foil is to much for now. While sitting in my pasture a needle , thread and an idea will keep me occupied waiting for fair winds.

Hmm a speed kite can be quite small and pull quite much for their size (check line recommendations e.g.). The Fazers I got are more robust normal DLK than speed kites. So robust that they can be up in any wind that you I can handle and therefore becomes fast. But I can still trick those kites, so I kind of doubt that they are "pure" speed kites. I need to start using my Atrax and the Speedwing arriving soon to be able to make a comparison. In general I don't think a speed kite is a good trick option. Perhaps go for a vented DLK kite if you want to reduce pull and still be able to do some tricking in higher wind, but to my experience, moving your tricking from the centre of the wind window to the edge of the wind window can also do that. Go OPK to find out about speed kites if you can (I can't with a reasonable amount of effort)!

Well pastures doesn't really need to be such bad places for kiting. One might even find a loyal audience: http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/8233-minchhampton-common/?do=findComment&comment=66603

 

What kind of pasture (b.t.w.)? Something that you maintain?

[Breezin]

I just about bought a fazer last week cause the price was so good . Backed off because of the pull. Read  some where people are tricking them. Same conclusion as yours that it's not a true speed kite but close. Live on the rolling prairie in Colorado. 14000 ft Pikes Peak is 40 miles to the west. Always makes me smile looking that way. I pasture Alpacas on 80 acres. They don't bother the kites and the kites don't bother them.Once in awhile they stop and watch for awhile. I think they snicker at my abilities and then get bored. Silly monkey birds do it all the time.The cows run away lol. At the  edge I'm getting close to a lazy susan. Got some half axels by accident. Getting a grasp on slide stall landings.

[Breezin]

Late this afternoon caught some light wind. Doubt anything above 6 mph. Put the nose to full pitch . Couldn't do much but fly. Nose back to half and tried doing some ground work. Kots are 1/2 inch. Think the nighthawk needs 1/4. Came from top center of window 3/4 down window to the right. Slide stalled to a wing tip landing. Launched into a back fade turned nose slightly inward flipped right line missed the roll up. As I moved backward and  snapped ,the line wrapped around wing tip. Failed 1/2 axle .Right tip hit and kite flexed inward and flipped onto it's face . Glue bond on spreader ferrule failed. Easy fix. Last Sunday I did the same thing on the widow. I think this is what broke the spreader. I didn't notice at first maybe because of inattention,fracture got worse by continuing to fly or both. I think the tension from the stiff widow l e ferrule transferred  to the spine ferrule the weak point. Obviously the inside tube end being the weak link. The nighthawk with a more flexible single  le let go on the other side of the spine. I'm starting to believe the end results were by design to avoid a punctured sail. If that is so wow !!! Success with 2 on right 1 left of center just about 1 right of center. Left side ahh not so much, Nothing broken . Like to think that the cause was an attempt not a case of the lazy. 

[Lisa Bernard / Kiteworld]

Huh? Ok wow , you guys are so technical, it's like watching and learning from jeopardy everyday, love it. 

[Breezin]

I'm approaching kite flying like music.Once you learn the language the technical becomes fun. Without the the fun the technical doesn't translate to knowledge for me. I think kiting is going to be a lot like music . It's  better when ya got yer groove on.

[Fluke]

Kites: more than meets the eye (my facebook friends can concure)

 

[Breezin]

Talked to Fun with wind a few minutes ago. Parts back ordered till Fri. Sigh. Fella suggested a c-clip on both tubes with a bungee connection  to hold tension on the lower spreader. Cause I'll probably do it again . Brilliantly simple. What a fun guy .

[Fluke]

21 minutes ago, Breezin said:

Talked to Fun with wind a few minutes ago. Parts back ordered till Fri. Sigh. Fella suggested a c-clip on both tubes with a bungee connection  to hold tension on the lower spreader. Cause I'll probably do it again . Brilliantly simple. What a fun guy .

talking about Jim? very nice guy and very patient with me when i ordered the sf 

about c-clips: are they glued in place or just clipped on? my hypnotist could benefit from a few around the connectors

[Wayne Dowler]

Many older kites used a thick rubber band type thing to larkshead around both lower spreaders at the "T". My older Stranger uses it and never had the LS's ever come out, even with a good impact! Probably make one from something like a bicycle inner tube.

[Breezin]

'I believe the spot of glue would be for the bungee to clip. Didn't think about gluing the clip because of it being so close to the spine. I'm guessing if to much reinforcement can end up with spine problems. A little is probably the right way.Rather buy another tube and apparently I'll be buying more tubes!! I'd sure like to take my grand kids to 1 of his flight classes. I'd just be a semi interested observer right LOL. When he comes to Colorado next maybe he'll give a class. For the grand kids of course. I think I've seen an HQ kite kite still using the rubber band lower spreader thing a ma jig thingy. Don't think it even has a tee Wayne.Single rod with twist at spine. Think it's newer cause it was pricey.

[Breezin]

Exult took me awhile kinda slow sometimes canard. Know what ya meant now.

[Breezin]

First kite repair done yay. No wind . Measure and measure again. Just about cut tube 1/16th short.

[makatakam]

When cutting tubes I have often cut them a bit longer than necessary, up to 1/2 inch. You can easily cut that 1/2 inch off, but adding some when it ends up too short is a real pain.

[Breezin]

That's exactly what everybody said to do. Cut and sand down to mark.

[cjay]

On ‎12‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 10:41 AM, Breezin said:

Talked to Fun with wind a few minutes ago. Parts back ordered till Fri. Sigh. Fella suggested a c-clip on both tubes with a bungee connection  to hold tension on the lower spreader. Cause I'll probably do it again . Brilliantly simple. What a fun guy .

How did this end up working for you?

I can't quite picture how it attaches, or how it functions.

I just got my Widow Ng, and am going to get a few spare parts, and maybe do this bungee mod.

[Breezin]

You can take some tape and wrap the female end a few time to strengthen it. That's been done to my Mind Trick vented. Iv'e had it in 30 + winds and haven't broke anything yet cross my fingers. Helps that I don't crash as much.Put the c clips 3" from end of tubes. Make a loop in both ends of your bungee small enough that it fits snug over the c clips. Make the bungee length so it's snug not tight. If you do break the LS and don't mind the extra cost  replace with Nitros. I never did the mod on mine. The last time I broke the Widow ng spreader was trying a comete. Wrapped the line around the kite with line above the roll up.Yanked not knowing where the line was and pop. Took awhile to figure out what to do in that spot. Broke the Hydra and Zephyr LS doing the exact same thing. Now I put kite on back and rotate away from the wrap. If I can't do that go to ground in a controlled crash. Been working so far.

[cjay]

 I think I understand how it attaches now. I guess the c clips are glued in place so they don't move then.

So basically the bungee is there to hold the spreader ends together in the T.

I don't know what Nitros are. I am guessing a different type of tubing that is stronger and probably some people are using them in this application?

[Breezin]

Sky shark nitros are stronger, a little lighter and more costly. They're on the Widow Maker. You got the concept spot on.

[cjay]

That is interesting. I will have to check those out.

I am thinking about a line set. Like skybond. I think the Widow NG comes with 85 ft long line that is 150 pound.  I have read that 100 foot line with 95 lb weight is a better option. I think that would work good with my E2 as it also came with 75-85 foot line 150 lb test.

Funny thing about the weight is that Premier claims the Widow NG comes with a 16 gram weight, but mine weighs 14 g. Some people prefer a 10 g weight.

I want to figure out how to keep the weight and spine in the pocket.

[Breezin]

I got a HQ  130# x 100' set that I like better than the stock ng lines. Don't think the quality is any better but I like the 100' length. Use it on my Hydra and WMP the most. Hoping it wears out soon so I can justify 1000' of 90# Shanti Speed. My Prism 100' x 150# is nicer. Got 150# 100" Laser Pro competition quad set that I haven't flown yet. My favorite lines are LPG in 120 x 50# and 124" x 90#. Flew the ng on Prism 90# x 82' below 10 but always got nervous  above that. In low winds I'd take the ng weight out and with the 90# set could window hunt quite well down to 3. Don't know much about adjusting weights yet. Zephyr stays in most of the time. Played with different positions on the Hydra. Now in winds below 12 spacer is at top. Above they're all in and that's about it. Got a new 80' x 90# set that'll be here by Fri. Sadly they'll be attached to a brand new Premier Nighthawk. Jon T told me he thought Premier made a mistake stopping production of that kite. The one I regretted selling the most. Is the velcro not staying attached ? Never had a problem.

[cjay]

Interesting.

I know I want 100' lines, not sure what weight of lines to get. Thinking around 100#. Not sure if that gives me a good wind range with the big kites or not though. I probably don't want to fly my kites much over 15mph, I will get a beater for that like an HQ Ion, or foil of some sort.

Didn't you used to have a nighthawk, or have one already? 

 

 

 

[Breezin]

Yeah I did. Had to fund the WMP. Really happy ones coming back. New ones are getting rare. The Shanti speed at 150# is probably lighter than Chinese 90# dyneema or close to it. Pretty sure if you stayed under 15 on the ng Shanti or LPG 90# would hold up. Didn't have LPG when I had mine. As much as I've thought about it I still wonder why I don't have a 1.2 Spiderkite neon yet. Must be subconsciously scared or something. Get the beater kite thing. Got my Psycho dirt cheap. When I get done though my Psychos won't be beaters. They'll be high wind trickers.

[cjay]

I think the e2 lines are either Dacron, or spectra. the Widow NG lines are supposedly spectra.

There is a kite shop near me called the kite shoppe that custom builds sleeved line sets. They are said to do really nice work. I guess Shanti does that also.

 I was looking at the Prism Synapse 140 or 170 when I was at Prism kites. I don't know anything about what size or choice would be good for a high wind beater though.

[Wayne Dowler]

Any decent lines are made of spectra, dacron is for SLK's. Several shops near to choose from - The Kite Shoppe, The Kite Connection, Into The Wind, and A Wind of Change. Almost all handle LPG and/or Shanti Skybond, you'll need to look around for Shanti Speed. Pretty sure ITW carries it in bulk, not sure about sets. Same with AWOC.

[cjay]

I don't know whether speed line or skybond is the one for my application.

I would be interested to know which shop does the best quality work on the sleeving.