Barn Door Kite Plans

For All The MBK Barn Doors

These Barn Door kite plans and hints are aimed at summarizing the more in-depth instructions to be found in those eBooks down there on the left.

The eBooks include these exact plans and tips as well. Perhaps the nicest thing about the eBook on Dowel Kites is the handy way they are all designed to come apart and roll up like a Sled!

For each of the Barn Door kite plans below, there are also a pair of plan view photos. The one on the left is of the front surface. That is, the surface of the flying kite which faces the flier. The other photo is of the back surface, which exposes the spars.

For all 3 designs, attach flying line to the bridle with a shiftable knot, for later trimming. Also, all 3 designs work well with light single-ply plastic for sail material. Many types of large plastic bags are suitable.

Dowel Barn Door Kite Plans

Tips And Hints

1. For a dowel length of 1.2 meters (4 feet), 5mm (3/16") dowel works well.
2. Reinforce the sail edges by adding nearly the full width of clear sticking tape inside the outline, then trimming back to the outline.
3. Secure the sail to each spar end using 2 short lengths of electrical insulation tape. One length goes over and around the tip, the other at 90 degrees to the first tape, with corners folded back under the sail.
4. For the upper bridle loop and lower bridle lines, try lengths about 1.5 times the length of the horizontal spar.
5. At the bridle attachment points, a Single-wrap Slip Knot should be sufficient, secured with a spot of glue. For this design, they also serve to lash the spars together.
6. No tail is required for this kite.

Plan View Photos

The eBook The Dowel Barn Door Kite - Light Wind Version bundles together these plans, detailed step-by-step instructions and a whole lot more.

2-Skewer Barn Door Kite Plans

Tips And Hints

1. reinforce the join in the middle of each diagonal spar with a length of skewer, 0.3SL long, glued to one side of the join as in the plan
2. reinforce the join in the middle of the horizontal spar with 2 lengths of skewer, 0.2SL long, glued to each side of the join as in the plan - they stay flat on the table
3. reinforce the sail edges by adding clear sticking tape over the outlines, then trimming back to the outlines
4. secure the sail to the spar ends using short lengths of electrical insulation tape
5. try a length of bridle line about twice as long as the kite is high, to tie between the 2 upper attachment points - in each case use a single-wrap slip knot, secured with a spot of glue
6. try a length of bridle line about 3 times as long as the kite is high, to tie between the upper bridle loop and the lower attachment point
7. for a start, try making a single tail about 6 times as long as the kite is high, with each end tied to the bottom end of a diagonal spar, forming a loop

Plan View Photos

1-Skewer Barn Door Kite Plans

Tips And Hints

1. reinforce the sail edges by adding clear sticking tape over the outlines, then trimming back to the outlines
2. secure the sail to the spar ends using short lengths of tape
3. bend about 15 - 20 degrees of dihedral into the horizontal spar - hearing cracking noises from the bamboo is normal!
4. try a length of bridle line about twice as long as the kite is high, to tie between the 2 upper attachment points - in each case use a single-wrap slip knot, secured with a spot of glue
5. try a length of bridle line about 3 times as long as the kite is high, to tie between the upper bridle loop and the lower attachment point
6. for a start, try making a single tail about 6 times as long as the kite is high, with each end tied to the bottom end of a diagonal spar, forming a loop

Plan View Photos

I hope one of these Barn Door kite plans is just right for you!

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Last updated: 22 May 2010