Popular Post ACrop Posted April 19, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 I recently finished my first kite build, and I wanted to throw a public "Thank You!!" out to my kite making mentor: Elliot Shook, who allowed me to follow in his design footsteps, gave me guidance, techniques and encouragement. Without Elliot's generous mentorship this kite would likely still be flying only in my imagination. Holding my kite up to Elliot's work I still have a bit of fine tuning to do, but hey I still need an xtra vent, so I will get better. Elliot's eye for detail and build quality is definitely masterpiece material. I finished it just in time to take it to JB's OBX quad clinic and got to show it off to Elliot and all my best flying buddies. When the wind let up a bit (should have made an xtra vent for that weekend!!) I got to put it up with the sun behind it and it sparkled in the sun beautifully, and seemed to fly just fine. Nothing like seeing your own work flying and keeping up with the others in the sky. it flew just like a Shook should fly: smooth and un-phased by the bumps, in higher winds than I should have put it up in, and pretty as a can be. Also, Thank you to all of the folks who have pulled out kites to let me examine and photograph them, lent me your sails, and answered my questions about sewing and techniques - many of you were generous with your time and knowledge. The generosity of this community never fails to warm my heart and add lift to my efforts. To anyone thinking about taking the sewing plunge....I encourage it. I learned a ton, and kite making materials are not forgiving, so give yourself plenty of practice scraps and time. Oh the joy of flying a kite I built can not be described adequately. Thanks Again Elliot! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul LaMasters Posted April 19, 2018 Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 Congratulations. You're 1st effort sure looks better than mine did. Building it yourself is so rewarding, I see all the cool little details in there as well,.... most excellent AC. Spank that thing unmercifully, 'cause you know a gal who can fix it when the time comes!!! Powerful graphic presentation too, so happy for you, uniquely visual in the sky and you crafted the design all by yourself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Klaiber Posted April 19, 2018 Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 Great job April! Beautiful kite and flies like a dream. The smile on Eliot’s face and the loving look of a grandfather holding his grandchild in his arms for the first time was priceless! Can’t wait to see the next one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khsidekick Posted April 19, 2018 Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 Beautiful kite! Nicely done.Sent from my IPhone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffclown Posted April 19, 2018 Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 Indeed it is a true work of art.. Great Work @ACrop The pictures do not do the kite justice.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted April 19, 2018 Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 Backlit is just WOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACrop Posted April 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 I was quite happy with it lit up in the sun. Elliot had talked to me a good bit about looking at the fabrics in the sun lit from the front and back and where they overlap a. He said they would often look different in different light conditions. Scraps hung in my windows for a couple of weeks so as to contemplate the way they would look. However none of that prepped me for how distance would blend and change the look. The effect is much more blended than I expected, probably due to the shook mesh weave color overlaps. I will have to think on that for my next kite. I like blended, but I also like contrast. The effects of distance on the two properties is interesting to contemplate.Sent from my [device_name] using http://KiteLife mobile app 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breezin Posted April 19, 2018 Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 Beautiful !!! I can only imagine the excitement for you and yours when it first went into the sky. Very,very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Clay Posted April 19, 2018 Report Share Posted April 19, 2018 Definitely a beautiful kite! It flies beautifully as well! Great job April! Someday I will dive into sewing my own quad, I may hit you up for advice [emoji6]Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACrop Posted April 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2018 Definitely a beautiful kite! It flies beautifully as well! Great job April! Someday I will dive into sewing my own quad, I may hit you up for advice [emoji6]Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app Man, advice should make the learning curve shorter for all. Been thinking I should jot down notes to myself on what I learned so i remember the little things for next time. It is tough watching $18/yard material get you mistakes knowing that needle holes are forever on this type of fabric. Sent from my [device_name] using http://KiteLife mobile app 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffclown Posted April 20, 2018 Report Share Posted April 20, 2018 Every kite is a new learning experience. there's alweays something that can be refined in some way. Very much looking forward to your next endeavor.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul LaMasters Posted April 20, 2018 Report Share Posted April 20, 2018 Dave Ashworth never makes a kite the same way twice, always experimenting and sometimes he invents a new more energy efficient light bulb, but I've witnessed his best failures as well. I've known Dave over 20 years and he doesn't have ANY store bought kites at all! Part of the engineering process he occasionally forgets, like the part where you only change one variable at a time and compare results. Nope my buddy changes five variables and then complains about "oversteer" as an example. Then there's Bill Biggie, he made a kite every day for 500 days in a row and changed each one 4% to see the differences in flight dynamics! He also had a witness sign his log book each day as official evidence, naturally he kept all of those kites too. I admire a great kite builder, but I'm more about immediate gratification, so I'm a Visa Card flier until Shook and Bazzer become completely inaccessible to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Coffey Posted April 21, 2018 Report Share Posted April 21, 2018 On 4/18/2018 at 11:38 PM, ACrop said: I recently finished my first kite build, and I wanted to throw a public "Thank You!!" out to my kite making mentor: Elliot Shook, who allowed me to follow in his design footsteps, gave me guidance, techniques and encouragement. Without Elliot's generous mentorship this kite would likely still be flying only in my imagination. Holding my kite up to Elliot's work I still have a bit of fine tuning to do, but hey I still need an xtra vent, so I will get better. Elliot's eye for detail and build quality is definitely masterpiece material. I finished it just in time to take it to JB's OBX quad clinic and got to show it off to Elliot and all my best flying buddies. When the wind let up a bit (should have made an xtra vent for that weekend!!) I got to put it up with the sun behind it and it sparkled in the sun beautifully, and seemed to fly just fine. Nothing like seeing your own work flying and keeping up with the others in the sky. it flew just like a Shook should fly: smooth and un-phased by the bumps, in higher winds than I should have put it up in, and pretty as a can be. Also, Thank you to all of the folks who have pulled out kites to let me examine and photograph them, lent me your sails, and answered my questions about sewing and techniques - many of you were generous with your time and knowledge. The generosity of this community never fails to warm my heart and add lift to my efforts. To anyone thinking about taking the sewing plunge....I encourage it. I learned a ton, and kite making materials are not forgiving, so give yourself plenty of practice scraps and time. Oh the joy of flying a kite I built can not be described adequately. Thanks Again Elliot! The smile on your face was plenty April. Its one of a few on my Background, the group fly we did in OBX. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Schutsky Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 Wow wow Wow! Honored to have been present for the big reveal and first flight! It is indeed a gorgeous kite, and it sure flew great too [emoji106] Congrats to you April on a job well done.Sent from my iPhone using KiteLife mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_(on-light)110px.png.f871ac6915a5dfb149c2fb26bbaf0493.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.