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Miniature Stunt Kites

In article <AA24361.9311041221.cpt1.dur.ac.uk@uk.ac.durham> M.N.Oakden@durham.ac.uk (Mark N Oakden) writes:

 >> In a recent post, <ctwr10@com.mot.email> (Jim Dean) wrote:
 >> > 
 >> > It just dawned on me that one might try making miniature versions of
 >> > any favorite stunt kite ...
 >> >               [stuff deleted]
 >> >
 >> 
 >> For what it's worth, I tried this a little while back,  I built a
 >> small (just less than 12in) Hawaiian out of tissue paper and drinking
 >> straws.  I flew it outside in *very* little wind once and it was OK (I
 >> think it may have been just on the edge of not having enough wind but 
 >> my experience of two-line kites is minimal to say the least) but never
 >> got round to flying it again. I made the mistake of leaving it out in
 >> the house so one of my housemate's kid's destroyed it :-(, but maybe
 >> I'll build another some day ( last time I was very lazy and used
 >> adhesive tape in the construction which added  a lot to the weight, I
 >> think.  Next time I'll be more conscientious ... probably ... ).
 >> 
 >> But, it'll have to be some day after I get round to building my
 >> fighter stack, of course!
 >> 
 >> 
 >> Happy miniaturisations,
 >> Mark.
Mark,  And anyone else....
     I have seen some minature kites (stunters) that were at Lubbock AKA
last year that were made from .5 oz ripstop and the spars were made from
the same material as found on ultra light stand-offs.  These kites were
about 1 foot in size.  If you go into ultra minature kites...ie, around
6 inches, I have seen Richard Dermer (AKA Director) use 80-100 lb mono
filament fishing line as the spars.  These are not stunters but he has
some great single line diamonds,edies,ect..ect.  He builds the skins out
of white thin trash bags.  I'll describe how he has built a small diamond
The kite that I'm describing can be seen on the AKA newsletter.  It's the
AKA Logo.  He took the trash bag material and cut out a diamond kite shape
that is about 5 inches accross.  Then marked the AKA accross the material.
You can use magic marker for this purpose or anyother method of choice. Turn
the material over and with a very small amount of glue, place the center
spine down the middle of the skin. Again, we are using 80 - 100 lb mono-
filament fishing line.  Be carefull how the spine (line) is placed as you
will see very readily that a dihedral is allready built into the line.
The next step will be to place the cross spar onto the skin.  The proper
placement of the cross spar is done like this...cut the length of the spar
about 1 inch longer than the side to side span of the skin.  Now place the
spar down on the table.  You will notice that the line will also have a
built in dihedral (curve).  Place the line next to the skin and with the
line curving towards the top of the kite skin glue it into place with very
small amounts of glue.  (I like to use fast drying epoxy for glue)  Now
just trim the overhang of the line from each side of the skin.  Now add
a tail.  Depending on how fancy you want to get,the material for the tail
can be nothing more than a 6 - 8 inches of cassette tape glued on the bottom
of the kite.  Or if you want to get really fancy you will have to go to some
of the hobby stores and there you can fine some colored milar ribbon material
in just about any color.  They are nice as they sparkle in the sun.  For the
bridle and its adjustment.  The easiest way is to take about 8 - 9 inches of
sewing thread and place a very small piece of scotch tape at each end.  Now
just attach the bridle on the kite that looks about right.  Now attach your
flying line to the bridle.  It can be attached with a larks head so adjustment
will be easy.  Now fidle with the bridle angle and attachment points until
the kite fly's steady.  Now just glue the bridle to the kite with a small
drop of glue at each end of the bridle line.  You now are the owner of a
small kite that fly's great.  I have also made a few Rok's in minature.
If you decide to build one of these. May I suggest...use bamboo strips
(shave from larger bamboo with a razor blade) for the spars.  And to make
the kite stable...you will need to add a looped tail.  This tail is made from
the same ribbon material as described earlier but one end is attached on one
side of the Rok and the other end attached to the other side of the Rok at the
bottom of the kite.  Thus creating a loop hanging from the bottom of the kite.
I made a really nice 6 inch Rok by printing a Japanese warrior onto mica film
sheet  (very strong and light) using a Techronix color printer.  Then spared
and tailed it.  It fly's and looks great.  Hope this all helps someone. :')
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dick Bell
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