Travel Frames

[riffclown]

I know @Paul LaMasters uses them a lot for tuning but my question is simply this. Is a Travel frame simply twice as many half length segments or is the LE divided differently to prevent a ferrule in the exact center?

I need to make myself a travel frame as I will want a compact setup in the very near future.. If the LE is merely 6 equal segments, it's as simple as halving a current frame and adding ferrules.

[frob]

Yes, the one I have is exactly that. Half as long, plus a ferrule. Put two together and it is the length of a regular spar.  

When making a set I suspect they take a regular set of six spars (one spare), run them across a very narrow saw precisely down the center, then add six ferrules.

None of the spars are double-ferrule like the center spar typically is, only one ferrule per piece. 

[riffclown]

Thank You.. That's what I needed to know.

[Paul LaMasters]

Assemble each travel frame "stick" with a couple of wraps of electrical tape,

so the pieces stay together, until you don't want them to,....

A travel frame is stiffer. than a regular tubed set, so a three wrap travel is very much like 4 wraps.

 you can vary the stiffness to suit personal preferences.  I like 4 diamonds and two green race, with the race members at the junction of the leading edge and the top of the down spar.  I need that area rigid and I want the outer 3rds and the center portions of the leading edge to be more flexible. YMMV

[Paul LaMasters]

extra travel framed spars is never a mistake, to carry to the field!

invariably, the one that breaks (either with a ferule or w/o) is the one you don't have any more of handy

[riffclown]

Noted and agreed.  Here's what I came up with. Spars and Spares in the small green bag. Everything fits in the larger green bag which has an internal partition to separate the kite and spars from handles and linesets.

Thanks for the feedback and advice on this venture..

[Exult]

Hmm… imagine being out on a cafe close to a nice open surrounding, conversation going in a somewhat boring direction. With this in your “city sized” bag/back pack, how tempting would it be to make a poor excuse for sneaking away?

On 10/18/2018 at 11:42 PM, riffclown said:

This must be the kite-o-holic’s equivalent of a hip bottle.

Photo by Tomasz G. Sienicki
( https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Piersiówka_ubt.jpeg )

[riffclown]

That's the main reason for the travel frame.. It breaks a Hadziki Wing into smaller segment for travel.. Will fit in a backpack, suitcase or even some lunchboxes..

The Added benefit  @Paul LaMasters mentioned, is you can tune the individual segments of the frame for the proper flex and stiffness you want. Like putting a 3 wrap in the center with race or 2 wraps on the ends.. Now you have 6 segments to play with and you can focus the strength (or flex) only where it is desired.  You can do a whole other level of tuning for your sail. My Travel Frame is all Skyshark Camo (P2 and P4) and has a few extra segments so I can adjust the size of the frame to work with any size from B2 to my 96" size and everything in between.