Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 22:00:07 -1000 From: salanne@convex.csc.FI (Simo Salanne) Message-Id: <1993Sep17.080007.16038@nic.funet.fi> Organization: Finnish Academic and Research Network Project - FUNET Subject: Beman weights (Was: Re: What's a wind tamer screen? In <1993Sep16.153349.13933@das.harvard.edu> sasaki@netop3.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) writes: >Storm Front also uses tamers, often with our vented kites. >Additionally, we add weight to the kite when the wind comes up. The >weights are Beman 6.3 rods which slip neatly into the SkySkark rods... I'll meet French flyers next week, I'll tell them that Beman sticks are suitable as weights in SkyShark framed kites:-)) Smooth Spars Simo = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 05:11:47 -1000 From: sasaki@netop3.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Message-Id: <1993Sep17.151147.25417@das.harvard.edu> Organization: Harvard University Subject: Re: Beman weights (Was: Re: What's a wind tamer screen? In article <1993Sep17.080007.16038@nic.funet.fi>, salanne@convex.csc.FI (Simo Salanne) writes: >In <1993Sep16.153349.13933@das.harvard.edu> sasaki@netop3.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) writes: >>Storm Front also uses tamers, often with our vented kites. >>Additionally, we add weight to the kite when the wind comes up. The >>weights are Beman 6.3 rods which slip neatly into the SkySkark rods... > >I'll meet French flyers next week, I'll tell them that Beman sticks >are suitable as weights in SkyShark framed kites:-)) Bemans are suitable for all sorts of things Simo. I use them as internal ferrules for SkySharks. I've used them in a mobile that I made, and for a balance. My equivalent of the Simo-coke-can stiffness tester uses a Beman 5.0 as a pointer. In a pinch, I've used a Beman stick to tie a nail-knot (used in fly fishing). -- Marty Sasaki Harvard University Sasaki Kite Fabrications sasaki@noc.harvard.edu Network Services Division 26 Green Street 617-496-4320 10 Ware Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Cambridge, MA 02138-4002 phone/fax: 617-522-8546 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 11:41:27 -1000 From: salanne@convex.csc.FI (Simo Salanne) Message-Id: <1993Sep17.214127.14180@nic.funet.fi> Organization: Finnish Academic and Research Network Project - FUNET Subject: Re: Beman weights (Was: Re: What's a wind tamer screen? In <1993Sep17.151147.25417@das.harvard.edu> sasaki@netop3.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) writes: >In article <1993Sep17.080007.16038@nic.funet.fi>, salanne@convex.csc.FI (Simo Salanne) writes: >>In <1993Sep16.153349.13933@das.harvard.edu> sasaki@netop3.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) writes: >>>Storm Front also uses tamers, often with our vented kites. >>>Additionally, we add weight to the kite when the wind comes up. The >>>weights are Beman 6.3 rods which slip neatly into the SkySkark rods... >> >>I'll meet French flyers next week, I'll tell them that Beman sticks >>are suitable as weights in SkyShark framed kites:-)) >Bemans are suitable for all sorts of things Simo. I use them as >internal ferrules for SkySharks. I've used them in a mobile that I >made, and for a balance. My equivalent of the Simo-coke-can stiffness >tester uses a Beman 5.0 as a pointer. In a pinch, I've used a Beman >stick to tie a nail-knot (used in fly fishing). >-- I should have used more :-))))))))s and I will .... (((( for reasons I cannot explain (in public), I am not so fond of Beman )))) The idea of *Beman* as *weight* just hit the right spot in my emphaty (sp?) / symphaty (sp?). Smooth Spars Simo = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 11:00:22 -1000 From: kobi@netcom.com (Kobi Eshun) Message-Id: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest) Subject: Re: Beman weights (Was: Re: What's a wind tamer screen? salanne@convex.csc.FI (Simo Salanne) writes: >In <1993Sep16.153349.13933@das.harvard.edu> sasaki@netop3.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) writes: >>Storm Front also uses tamers, often with our vented kites. >>Additionally, we add weight to the kite when the wind comes up. The >>weights are Beman 6.3 rods which slip neatly into the SkySkark rods... >I'll meet French flyers next week, I'll tell them that Beman sticks >are suitable as weights in SkyShark framed kites:-)) >Smooth Spars >Simo Hey! What's all this sniping at Beman all about? I use Beman/Diva rods in my WASP's and I have nothing but good things to say about them. For example, my 3/4-oz competition kite is framed with Diva-20 rods in the leading edges. In a 15 mile-an-hour wind, I can power-dive into a tip-stab in the middle of the window. This is a very explosive, demanding manoever, and causes the wingtip (which extends about 10 inches below the spreaders) to deflect to an *impossible* 60-degree angle -- from which it recovers with aplomb. To be fair, I suppose I should also mention that I tried the same stunt with a kite framed in "stock" 5-mm Beman kite rods and suffered rude disillusionment. For some time now, Beman has sold a line of "seconds" to the kiting industry, and I have learned to avoid them. For example, my Phantom came with 5-mm Bemans, and I soon replaced the spreaders and leading edges with the more durable Diva 20's. The downside of the Diva's is their cost. At $7.50 a rod, it is hard to justify reframing all of your kites with them. And some archery supply stores will only sell rods by the half-dozen, so you're out of pocket fifty bucks just to try them out. I still love 'em though. Kobi. +----------------------------------------------------+ |Kobi Eshun ADAC Laboratories kobi@adaclabs.com| |408.321.9100.x2457 | |408.321.9536 (FAX) | +--ADAC is not responsible for making me say things--+ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1993 06:04:39 -1000 From: sasaki@netop3.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Message-Id: <1993Sep20.160742.18054@das.harvard.edu> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Beman weights (Was: Re: What's a wind tamer screen? Kobi Eshun writes: Hey! What's all this sniping at Beman all about? I use Beman/Diva rods in my WASP's and I have nothing but good things to say about them. For example, my 3/4-oz competition kite is framed with Diva-20 rods in the leading edges. In a 15 mile-an-hour wind, I can power-dive into a tip-stab in the middle of the window. This is a very explosive, demanding manoever, and causes the wingtip (which extends about 10 inches below the spreaders) to deflect to an *impossible* 60-degree angle -- from which it recovers with aplomb. I don't know what Simo's statements stem from, but mine were meant in jest. I thought that the reference to using them to tie a nail knot would be a give away, but I guess not. Beman seconds were being sold to the kite industry for a while and many kites (including a lot of Katanas) used these shafts with very little problems. I found that I had to test them (give them a good hard flex), to find the bad ones, about 5broke when I did this. Beman has stopped selling seconds, or at least they have started selling sticks specifically for kites. These new sticks come in three varieties, the Lights, the Heavies, and the Pro-Comps. The Pro-Comps come closest to the Diva's in quality, and are a bit cheaper, with a suggested retail of around $5. The folks at Beman tell me that the most popular rods are the Pro-Comp 14 (5.5 mm) and the Heavy 16 (6.3 mm). If you need something stronger and stiffer than the Pro-Comp 14, you can move up to the Pro-Comp 15 or the Pro-Comp 16. Each step up will raise the low end wind speed a bit, but the differences in strength/stiffness are quite noticeable. Some archery shops do carry the Divas, but don't expect them to. They are definitely a specialty item. If the Divas are popular enough, I could probably be convinced to stock/sell them. Send me EMAIL if you feel the need for the Divas. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Marty Sasaki Harvard University Sasaki Kite Fabrications sasaki@noc.harvard.edu Network Services Division 26 Green Street 617-496-4320 10 Ware Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Cambridge, MA 02138-4002 phone/fax: 617-522-8546 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =