How To Build A Diamond Kite

Step-by-Step Instructions For The MBK Simple Diamond

Note: The Dowel kites over there on the right are more sophisticated designs which you might like to try later. Have a go at following the instructions for the Simple Diamond (below), first.

Don't worry about how long this page looks. The steps are easy, hence this simple Diamond kite comes together very quickly!

Sometimes I go out with my young son to fly this kite. A classic picture of father and son, out flying a kite! Like nearly every Diamond, it's very reliable and easy to handle in flight. Watch it wing-waggle and swoop occasionally, staying up as long as the wind blows.

It's convenient to buy 30 pound flying line from Amazon - if you live in the U.S. or Canada. This weight of line is ideal for the Simple Diamond.

Now, just in case you have actually made and flown this kite at least once already...

Ever Made This Kite?

You've probably read a kite-flying story or 2 of mine, since they get published all the time on this site. I sometimes wonder if anyone else has made and flown this particular design...

How did your last outing go? Even if it wasn't so great, hey, post something here anyway. I'll see what I can suggest :-) Later on, you might even get a comment from someone else who has made the same kite!

Flight Reports From Other Visitors

Click below to read about various kite-flying adventures, contributed by other visitors to this page...

1. How To Build A Diamond Kite - Measuring The Sail

You might want to take a quick look at the materials and tools for making this kite, first. Then just click the Back button on your browser to get back here.

• Place your plastic bag flat on the floor, with the closed end at the top.
• Starting from just below the top-left corner of the bag, measure and mark 3 dots on the plastic. I've high-lighted the dots in yellow, in the photo. Judge the horizontal direction by eye. If you're careful, there's no need for a T-square.

2. How To Build A Diamond Kite - Cutting The Sail

• Take your ruler and connect the dots with the black marker pen, as shown in the photo. (OK, the lines appear a bit faint in the photo!)
• Flip the plastic over and trace over all the black lines.

• Cut along the top and right side of the bag, and open it out to show the complete sail outline, as in the left photo above.
• Take your scissors and cut along all the black lines. As in the right photo above, your Diamond kite sail is nearly complete!

3. How To Build A Diamond Kite - Adding The Spars

• Lay a length of your 5mm (3/16") dowel down the center-line of the sail, line it up with the top sail corner and saw it off at the bottom corner. See the left photo, above, where the dowel has not yet been cut.
• Cut off a 5 cm (2 inch) length of insulation tape, and stick down the dowel to the plastic. See the right photo, above.
• Do the bottom end of the dowel the same way.
• Do the other dowel similarly, so the kite looks like the photo on the right.

Note: After flying this kite for several months, I now recommend you add another piece of tape to the top corner of the sail, at right-angles to the first tape. For added strength!

4. How To Build A Diamond Kite - Attach The Flying Line

• Poke a hole in the plastic sail, right over where the dowels cross each other.
• Thread the free end of your flying line through the hole, and tie it firmly around the crossing-point, as in the photo. Ignore the loop in the photo, unless you want to make a simple bridle like I did...

5. How To Build A Diamond Kite - Attach The Tail

• From spare scraps of sail plastic, make up a long narrow strip no shorter than 5 times the length of the kite itself. The strip should be about 5 cm (2 inches) wide.
• Thread one end of the tail around the bottom of the vertical spar, as you can see in the photo. Tie the tail to the dowel with a simple knot.

FLYING!

That's it, you're ready to fly. Take the kite out whenever you can see leaves moving in the trees or bushes. If it won't stay up, try letting out plenty of line and then towing it up at jogging pace. It might find enough wind higher up!

Avoid flying in very windy weather.

Hope you enjoyed learning how to make a Diamond kite!

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