Making simple stuntkite

introMini Indoor Stunt Kite Make.

A cheap (and I mean really cheap!!) Mini Indoor Stunt Kite.
Made from:

Drinking Straws (thin)
Plastic Bag (pedal-bin Liner, the thinner the better)
Cotton Thread (strong white, but any will do if its strong)
stick (balsa, or anything sticklike and even from tip to tip. no taper)

You will also need:

Glue (superglue works best)
Needle (for minor stitching)
Scissors/Craftknife (sharp)

Step 1Get your plans.

To begin with (other than getting the materials) you wil need to get a suitable plan from online. then print the falf image of the kite (as its going to be symetrical) onto an a4 sheet.

or if your great like me (nah only kidding ;) im poo :( ) you can make your own (see measurements pic in next step).

You will need these materials:

Drinking Straws (thin)
Plastic Bag (pedal-bin Liner, the thinner the better)
Cotton Thread (strong white, but any will do if its strong)
stick (balsa, or anything sticklike and even from tip to tip. no taper)

You will also need:

Glue (superglue works best)
Needle (for minor stitching)
Scissors/Craftknife (sharp)

Step 2Layout

If you prefer to design your own kite shape (like I did) then lay it out on a sheet of card (cerial box would be good).

or you can use the measurments from the image below..

The spine leangth - 230mm, and the LE leangth - 350mm (leading edge)are also the leangths the straws need to be fo those parts. But we'll get to that soon.

step 4Framework Gather your drinking straws.. You will probably have to extend one or two for the longer bits. The lengths are: 60mm x 2 for the two little thingys that go on the mainspar 230mm X 1 for the spine 350mm X 2 for the leading edge (both sides) 110mm X 1 for th small spar that goes near the tip 320mm X 1 for the mainspar (again I have no pictures of this part, refer to the given images) step 5Assembly Now you have everything.. Lay out the Kite surface and carefully glue the spine straw in place making sure its dead center all the way from tip to tail. then glue the LE straws along the edge making sure that they are aligned to the edge perfectly. It doesnt matter if the 3 straws dont meet at the tip.. they dont have to .. you can put a folded peace of straw across the tip slotted inside the LE straws as a reenforced tip and stitch it to them. On the surface at the point between the tail and the wingtips where the surface meets at a angle (the point marked at 115mm x 65mm onthe plan below) attach a small peace of tape to strengthen. then using thread attach the small 60mm straws to this point stitching a cross shape. repeat in symetry. Attach the mainspar to the spine 80mm from the tail (a small rubberband may work), and attach it to each LE 90mm from the end tips by stitching straw to straw. Then stich the small 60mm bits to the mainsparabout 70mm from the spine. this will raise the surface to the desired shape for flight. stitch the smaller 110mm spar in place where it fits snugly near the kite tip. You should now have your Kite :) but we're not there yet. step 6Bridle and control lines This is the fun bit :S You will need to make a bridle to attach the control lines to. This is done by tying a peace of thread to the points where the spars are stiched to the LE, and the mainspar crosses the spine.. You will have 3 peaces of thread on each side. They will need to be tied together at certain leangths to work properly. I used thiese lengths: from small spar/LE, 123mm (spar to knot) from mainspar/LE, 133mm (spar to knot) from spine/mainspar, 97mm (spine to knot) Thies are the same for both sides.. once knots are tied add a second knot 15mm further up before cutting off excess thread. This is for attaching the control lines. We now have the bridle set up.. Now get 2 equal lengths of thread (use the same stuff for all this build) about 6Ft each, tie a loop in one end of each and attach the other end to the stick at a distance of 130mm appart making sure the leangths are equal.. The Kite is now ready to fly :) (hopefully)

Bottle rocket

Do you dream of being a space pilot? Or are you interested in a more practical aeronautical adventure? If either of these describes you, follow these clear directions to build and launch your own bottle rocket.

Required Materials:

• 1 empty 2-Liter soda bottle a 1-inch hose clamp
• 1 bottle of rubber cement 2 2-inch long nails
• 1 2”x4”x12” piece of wood 1 6”x1/2”x18” piece of wood
• 1 can paint thinner 4 thin sheets balsa wood, 6”x4”
• 1 manilla folder 1 electrical knockout junction box
• 3” thin steel, 1/8” diameter 12” strong twine or string
• 1 roll masking tape electrical junction knockout box
• 5 wood screws, 1” long
• Test tube stopper, size #4, with a hole in the center
• Copper tubing, 12” in length, diameter small enough to fit into the rubber stopper

Required Tools:

• Hammer compass
• Drill scissors
• Air compressor sand paper
• Permanent marker angle
• Jigsaw
• Screwdriver (regular or Phillips, size will vary depending on your selection of wood screws.)

Instructions:

Make the rocket:

1. Rinse the soda bottle. Allow it to dry completely. Take off the label. Use paint thinner to remove every trace of remaining glue.
2. Using the angle, outline a 5”x3” right triangle on each piece of balsa wood. Cut the triangles out with a jigsaw. Sand the edges of the triangles until they are smooth. These are your rocket’s fins.
3. Mark the place on the bottle where each rocket fin will attach. The four fins should attach to the bottle at an equal distance from one another, with the 5” side of the triangle flush against the side of the soda bottle.
4. Attach each fin with rubber cement. Tape the fins in place with masking tape. The fins should be even and straight, so that the rocket appears symmetrical from all sides.
5. Using the compass, draw a circle 4” in diameter. Cut a straight line from the outer edge of the circle to the center. Fold the circle into a funnel with a small opening and glue the sides of the funnel together. Secure it with a small piece of tape.
6. Glue the funnel, point skyward, to the top of your soda bottle rocket. Tape it in place.
7. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly, overnight. Remove the tape after the glue has dried.

To Make the Launching Pad:

Build a kite yourself

How to build a kite and the basic part of kite if you want make it yourself.Simple and fun

to make,kites are easy enough for young beginners to learn and fly.

A Kite consists of eight basic parts. First is the Spine, the vertical stick in which the kite is built around. Second is the Spar, the support stick that is placed crossways with the spine. Third is the Frame, which is the assembled spine and spars that is considered the skeleton of the kite. Fourth is the Cover. This may be made up of plastic, paper or cloth. This is considered the skin of the kite. Fifth part is the Bridle, which are strings attached to the spine or spars. The bridle aids in controlling the kite. Sixth part is the flying line. This is the long string attached to the bridle and held to fly the kite. Seventh part is the tail. The tail is a long strip of paper or roll of ribbon that aids in balancing the kite. Eight part is the Reel. This is where the flying line is wound up.

The materials needed in making a kite are:

a. thin garden twine or butcher cord
b. glue or scotch tape
c. a sheet of strong 102cm x 102cm paper
d. two sticks of bamboo or wooden doweling with a length of 90cm and 102cm
e. markers, paint or crayons

First step is to assemble the two sticks. The longer stick is the spine while the shorter stick is the spar. The two sticks should make a cross. Tie the two sticks together and make sure that the angles form 90 degrees.

Second step is attaching strings to the frame so that the kite assumes a diamond shape. Cut notches on the end of the sticks. This will make sure that the strings are secure. Tie one long string on the edges the sticks starting from the top, right, bottom, left and going back to the top. Make sure that the lines are tight enough but not so tight that the sticks bend.

Third step is attaching the skin to the skeleton. Place the sheet of paper in a flat surface. Put the skeleton over the sheet of paper. Cut the sheet of paper to assume the shape of the diamond kite. Make sure that there is a two to three centimeter margin from the strings of the frame. Fold this margin over the strings using glue or tape.

Fourth step is attaching the bridle. A string with a length of 122 centimeters where one end is tied at the bottom of the spine and the other end tied just above the intersection of the spine and spar.

Fifth step is attaching the tail. Cut a ten-centimeter long ribbon and attach it at the bottom of the spine.

Last step is attaching the flying line. Tie one end of the flying line at the middle of the bridle. Make sure that it does not move up and down the bridle.

3D dragon affair

China is not the only one with a history of Kite Flying.

The Ancient Tradition of Taiwanese Wind Art is flooding the World with its Beautiful and Classic Kites. The skies are being filled with bright coloured, and often intimidating kites, held and maneuvered by 12 year old boys and girls.

Taiwanese Kites are good at soft-winged structure. The two goals in Taiwanese Wind Art is first, to replicate the shape of things found in nature and two, to simulate the movement of those things. The result is a beautiful kite flying experience.

Two that my wife and I came across recently are the Taiwanese Dancing Dragon and the Taiwanese 3D Dragon.

The Dancing Dragon is 38ft of Flying Wonder! It glides through the sky with its soft but imposing tail and sweeps high and low like a bird on the wing. The 3D Dragon is something else. It's intimidating. With a 2 metre wing span and its three dimensional body, it's both unexpected and beautiful.

For those who enjoy a fast and zippy kite there is, what turns out to be, one of the most popular of all kites available in Australia: "Bright Eyes". We understand the attraction, it's just plain beautiful, and yet so easy to fly. We have found these kites to be sturdy, yet the light weight fiberglass and carbon fiber used - and the Rip Stop Nylon - means you have a high quality kite.

Though many Kite manufacturers have tried to reproduce the style and structure of the Taiwanese Kite, none have really come close to the original. If you ever go to Taiwan, whip over to the International Taipai Kite festival and see kite flying at its most stunning.

However, if that's not possible, if you can find one, you should join the craze and buy one!

Kite Festival

Kite flying is an extremely popular sport in China, India, Japan, Thailand and several other countries. 'Kite fights' are held in numerous countries, where kite fighters try to cut competitors’ kites down or tear them if possible. Kite fighters pass their strings through an amalgam of glue and ground glass powder, making it more potent and liable to cut the strings of competing kites. This practice can be hazardous, since the strings also have the potency to injure people.

A kite competition is known as “Gudiparan Bazi” in Afghanistan. Before the start of the war in the country, “Gudiparan Bazi” was a hobby for many Afghans. From the beautiful designs of the kites, which came in several shapes, to the making of the “tar” (wire), it was a matter of prestige to compete for the title of the best kite fighter in the neighborhood. This sport became a means of escapism for Afghans during the troubled times of the war.

In India, the festival of Makar Sankranti is involved with flying kites. Celebrated every January 14, you can see million of kites all over North India. It is particularly popular in the state of Gujarat, where the festival is a public holiday.

The Japan Kite Association organizes a gathering of kite fliers every year at Uchinada. The ""traditional"" festivals here are centered on one geographical area and one type of kite. This festival, however, attracts kites and fliers from all over the country.

The kite-flying event at Weifang, China, attracts competitors from all over China, and some from the rest of the World. This festival witnesses an amazing diversity of handcrafted kites. Numerous international competitors are also present.

The Thai Kite Heritage Group organizes a kite-flying event of international stature every two years on the Royal Palace’s polo field. It is no overstatement to call the festival "majestic".

Dragon Kite Flies High

Kites not just only a toy ,it will be more for somebody.

There are cultures which look at kites with different eyes. You may see kites to be just an outdoor toy which you can play with when the weather is nice and you would want to spend time outdoors. However, in some places and in some cultures, kites are more than that. There are some which look as kites to be messengers because of their ability to ride high in the sky. Some say that if you do fly a kite and you attach a letter or your wishes, that letter can be sent to those loved ones of yours which have passed away and are now in the heavens. It is also said that the wishes that you attach with a kite is brought to the gods and deities who are looking over us.

Whichever way you do look at kites, you sure can be more than happy with the Chinese Dragon Kite not because it is a wonderful thing to look at. See, this outdoor toy is going to be more than that because it has been made to be sturdy and to give you hours of fun flying it. You can use this kite to send your thoughts and your wishes to the heavens if that is something you believe in. Or if you do not, then you can still use this kite to have hours of fun outdoors with friends or with family members.

Take out the Chinese Dragon Kite and you will see it flying high and well in the sky. It comes with a really colorful tail which measures 30 feet. With that kind of quality and creativity placed in this toy, you will definitely love flying this one on a clear day. The skies may look dull with just a couple of clouds in it but everything will look different once this colorful and huge kite is working its might high up.

Outdoor fun has never been this exciting and that is something that owners of a Chinese Dragon Kite have attested to. Aside from that, the kite just does not rip or get damaged easily for it is made of real quality materials including ripstop nylon. The frame is also made of fiberglass which as you do know will not break easily. In case you are new to flying kites, you can learn with ease for it has a reel that will allow you to control the whole thing.

About stuntkite

Do you know about stunt kite?

Stunt kites are another name for sport kites. Stunt kites can be seen in kite competitions, where the scoring is similar to skating. Competitors are judged in performances that include ‘ballet’. Team flying is easily the most aesthetic and spectacular form of competition, with eight pilots and kites flying within inches of one another, all the while performing formations and figures in the air. There are several national and international competitions. There is even a yearly World Championship.

The American Kitefliers Association (AKA) is the top organization for sport kite competitions in the US. Competition winners from different states and regions assemble annually for the national championships.

The most common design for a sports kite is a somewhat triangular ""delta"" shape, with two lines used for control. Normally, these kites are made from lightweight nylon, with spars structured from carbon fiber tubing. The strings are prepared from braided Spectra which are extremely light, do not stretch and stay slick even when wrapped several times. For control, the pilot uses the right hand line to turn right and the left hand line to turn left. Using different combinations of pushes and pulls, intricate patterns can be flown. These include turns, landings and loops, and other spectacular maneuvers.

Some pilots fly ""quad-line"" kites, or four-line kites, that are controlled by a pair of handles. Each handle has two lines that are fastened and connected to the kite at the top and bottom. The pilot uses the lower line to control the kite’s direction. Expert use of these handles enables a quad-line kite to execute maneuvers that are impossible with two-line kites. Distinctive quad-line maneuvers include axis spins, reverse flight, hovers, etc.

Other aspects of stunt kites include traction or power kites, which are used to tow surfboards (kite surfing) or wheeled buggies (kite buggying).

Stunt Kites - A Brief History

How long is the history of stunt kites? Or, since when have kites had 2 or more lines attached for doing tricks and stunts? Here's a few details if you're curious!

The Beginnings

During the second world war, some naval antiaircraft gunners were trained using steerable 2 line kites that flew like modern stunt kites with two control lines. A pilot on the ground would fly the kite around, making it hard to hit. I've seen a photo, the kite itself really looked like a diamond stunter. A fairly big one, standing about as tall as the man holding it. The concept was developed by Paul Garber, a U.S. Navy Commander. Perhaps the history of them starts right here!

Decades of Popular Stunt Kites

However, until the 1960s, 2 line stunt kites for the general public weren't to be seen. These kites really started to become more popular in the 70s. Most kite flyers have heard of the Peter Powell Stunt Kite, which Powell came up with in 1972. At last it was much easier for anyone to buy and fly them. His design was a diamond with a very long, inflatable tail. The idea at the time was to trace big patterns in the sky with the tail! Surprisingly, this design is still popular today.

A lot of manufacturers came out with delta shaped stunt kites in the 80s. Watching or competing in kite flying contests became a cool thing to do. At this point in the history, team flying became a spectator sport with stacked kites performing colorful precision maneuvers in the breeze. People flew deltas, diamonds or flexifoils, depending on their preference. Apart from the still-popular Peter Powells, these kites had names like Hawaiians, Hyperkites, Flexifoils, Trlbys, Rainbows and Skynasaurs.

Flexifoils were similar to the parafoils which had been invented in the early 60s, but had a flexible spar running the entire length of the leading edge. These flexifoils flew really fast through the air!

Any history of stunt kites would not be complete without mentioning one particularly notable design of the period, the Mirage. This was a cleverly designed tailless delta that managed to win a lot of contests in the mid to late 80s. The design was inspired by the writings of two kite experts, David Pelham and Peter Ianuzzi. In those days, flyers would do 3 compulsory maneuvers rated 1-10 plus a 1-3 minute freestyle demonstration.

The 'big wing' stunt kites were also invented during the mid 80s. These kites were deltas with wings up to about 2.5 meters (8 feet) across. The first of this kind was called the Hawaiian Team Kite.

Starting in the 90s, the early parafoils were developed into traction or power kites. The main idea here was to get pulled along on a surfboard, kite buggy or snowboard. However, some of these parafoils remain in use as sparless ones by a lot of people because there's nothing rigid to break! But say 'stunt kite' today, and it really means 'delta stunt kite' to most people.

Since the 90s

Rip-stop nylon has become the favorite material for kite sails. This material is tear-resistant, light and doesn't let any air through. It is used in all types of modern stunt kites.

The Stardust CAD is an example of a sparless one. A beginners' kite, it's hardy and doesn't have a huge pull. There are plenty of parafoil stunt kites on the market, with the main advertising catch-phrase being 'nothing to break, just have fun'.

A more high-performance kite is the Prism Stylus range of kites. These come in ready-to-fly packages which include Spectra lines, winder, flight straps, and a tiny stuff sack or bag for storing and transporting.

Seattle Airgear is a company that is very serious about designing, making and flying these. They use aeronautical engineering know-how to develop their kites. For the more discerning flyer they produce the WindDance Dual-line Parafoil Stunt Kite. The design of future ones will likely be affected by new space-age materials that allow even more lightness and for the delta, stiffness.