How To Build A Sode Kite

Complete Instructions For The MBK 2-Skewer Sode Kite

This set of instructions on how to build a sode kite assumes you know absolutely nothing about kite making. You might already have some of the simple tools and materials required. Anything you don't have is easily bought. If not exactly what I used, then at least something pretty similar!

The instructions on how to make a sode kite might look awfully long, but that's because they are so detailed. For those who like pictures, every detail is illustrated with photographs too. Just quickly work your way through, skimming over any detail that you don't need. All in all, it should be quite hard to make a mistake!

The MBK 2-Skewer Sode Kite is a medium-sized sode 58 cm across and 87 cm tall, with a single tail. Some 'dihedral' gives extra stability and shortens the amount of tail required.

The 2-Skewer Sode is a very nice light-to-moderate wind flier. Watch it go straight overhead when a thermal comes through! However, it's too lightly built to cope well with strong wind. The video up there shows the sode flying on a very short line, in gusty air. It's more sedate up high.

Have you read the page on kite materials? If you haven't already, do it now to see what's needed for building a sode kite.

How To Build A Sode Kite - Frame

For this sode, you need to glue skewers together to form the 3 spars. First, let's look at the 2 horizontal spars.

• Snip the points off 8 bamboo skewers, then check to see that they are all exactly the same length - trim some if necessary
• From another skewer, snip off 4 lengths of bamboo, each 0.15 x (one skewer length) long - and mark the center-points with the marking pen if you want to be extra-precise!
• Arrange 4 of the skewers as in the photo, with some paper underneath to catch excess glue
• For 1 spar, prop up each end to about 0.1 x (one skewer length) above the table, to give it 'dihedral'
• For the other spar, prop up each end to about 0.15 x (one skewer length) above the table, for even more dihedral
• Get down to table top height and look along the spars, and make sure they are as straight as possible
• Lay down a thick line of glue all the way down each join, as in the photo

Next comes the long vertical spar.

• From a spare un-cut skewer, snip off 4 lengths of bamboo, each 0.15 x (one skewer length) long - and mark the center-points with the marking pen if you want to be extra-precise!
• Arrange 3 skewers as in the photo, with some paper underneath to catch excess glue - taping the paper down as before
• Get down to table top height and look along the spars, and make sure they are as straight as possible
• Lay down a thick line of glue all the way down each join, as in the photo

How To Build A Sode Kite - Sail

The template shown above represents one side of the kite sail. You will now transfer these measurements to the sail plastic as follows...

The following sequence which uses a skewer as a measuring stick might seem a bit odd. However, it's quicker than measuring everything with a ruler, and possibly more fool-proof as well! The sequence is long, but hang in there, it works. Of course, if you prefer, just use a ruler to measure everything up according to the template. You can place the dots that way, ignoring the list below. It's up to you.

• Firstly, take the large bag that you will be using for the sail, and lay it flat on the table
• There should be only one cut skewer left - measure and mark its center point, and also mark a 1/4 length point - this is your handy measuring stick for the next few steps! (shown in the photo)
• Make sure the glue on the long vertical spar is dry, then lay it down beside the edge of the garden bag - mark the plastic at both ends of the spar, thus pin-pointing the nose and tail ends of the kite
• Make another mark on the bag's edge, 1/4 of a skewer length below the top mark - use your measuring stick!
• Again, mark the bag's edge, a full skewer length below the previous mark - just use the measuring stick
• The last mark to make on the bag's edge is 1/4 of a skewer length above the bottom mark - using your measuring stick again - at this stage you should have 5 marks on the edge of the plastic bag
• Place one end of your measuring stick at the 2nd from top mark, make sure the skewer is 90 degrees to the bag edge - by eye - then mark the plastic at the 1/4 and full skewer-length distances from the edge
• Now move down to the 3rd from top mark on the bag's edge, and do the same again - except make it a 1/2 skewer length mark instead of a 1/4
• Lay the center of your measuring stick over the 2nd from bottom dot, make sure it is 90 degrees to the bag edge, and mark the plastic at the skewer end - this skewer will become the bottom horizontal spar, surprise surprise!
• Finally, rule lines between the marks - to make things clear, I have done all the marks on the plastic as large dots, which you can see in the photo

• Flip the plastic bag over, and trace over all the black lines using your marker pen and ruler
• Cut out a rectangular section of the bag containing the kite sail, open it out and lay it flat on the table - you can now see the complete sail outline, as in the photo

• Lay clear sticking tape along all the lines with each line showing through the center of the tape - that's 12 pieces of tape in all
• With scissors, cut along the black lines - this will leave half the width of the sticking tape inside the sail outline

Note: Make each length of tape about a finger-width or 2 longer than the line it covers. No need for great precision here.

The pieces of electrical tape mentioned below should all be about 3 times as long as they are wide. Bear in mind you can only see about half this length in the photo, since they are folded around the sail.

The white tape in the photo above is just holding the spars while the glue dries! Also, I later slipped a roll of tape under the right hand tip of the bottom horizontal spar, to keep it aligned with the 2 main horizontal spars while the glue dried.

• Place the long vertical spar on the plastic, with the edge tape facing up
• Cap the ends of the vertical spar with electrical tape, by sticking it down over the bamboo and plastic then folding it under the plastic to stick on the other side - a bit tricky, take your time!
• Next, lay down the 2 main horizontal spars and cap each end with electrical tape, like the black tape in the photo - pull the slack out of the plastic, but don't pull it really tight
• Next, lay down the bottom horizontal spar and cap each end with electrical tape, as you did for the main spars
• Finally, add more tape like the yellow pieces in the photo
• Secure the horizontal spars to the vertical spar, using drops of glue where they cross
• If you want to, trim any bits of tape that stick out, with scissors

Update: If this kite is flown in windy weather, it's possible for the spar cap tape on the upper horizontal spar to pull away. To prevent this, add clear sticky tape over the spar caps, folding it around in the same direction as the pieces of yellow tape.

How To Build A Sode Kite - Bridle

• Cut off some flying line to a length of 5 skewers, and tie a very small overhand loop into each end
• Using a spare skewer, poke 2 holes in the plastic sail at each bridle attachment point - one hole on either side of the vertical spar, as indicated by the small black circles added to the photo
• Tie each end of the line to the bamboo, through the holes - use a single half-hitch, and pull tight against the knot of the small loop

Now take a length of flying line about half a skewer long, and tie one end to the bridle line with a Prussik knot. Tie a small simple overhand loop into the other end, just to get a nice big knot.

How To Build A Sode Kite - The Tail

Have you read the page on making kite tails? Assuming you have...

• Make up a tail from a black garbage bag, making sure it is at least 4 times as long as the sode kite itself
• Attach the tail by poking one end between the bottom of the vertical spar and the sail plastic
• Pull the rest of the tail through the loop, but don't over-tighten - see the photo

At this point, you've pretty much finished making the 2-skewer sode!

How To Build A Sode Kite - Preparing To Fly

Finally, make up a flying line and attach it to the bridle with a Lark's Head knot. See the photo above.

As a final check, lay the kite on a table or the floor, with the bridle on top. Holding the end of the bridle, pull it straight up until both lines become taut and the kite's nose starts to rise up from the table. Where is the Prussik knot? It should be almost directly over the upper horizontal spar, or back just a bit towards the tail from there. If not, slide the Prussik knot along until it is in approximately the right position.

How To Build A Sode Kite - Flying!

Assuming there is some breeze outside, just dangle the kite at arm's length until the wind catches it. As long as you feel the kite pulling, let out line slowly by letting it slip through your fingers. If it refuses to climb despite pulling on your hand, shift the Prussik knot towards the nose a bit, and try again. Keep going until the kite behaves itself!

If the kite flies at a disappointingly low line angle despite a reasonable breeze, try shifting the Prussik knot back towards the tail - just a tiny bit at a time, until the kite starts to fly noticeably better.

Another way to launch is to get a helper to hold the kite up and let it go, with maybe 10 or 20 meters of line let out. This way, the kite soon gets high enough to make it easy to let more line out.

Have fun flying!

Here's a picture of me launching the MBK 2-Skewer Sode Kite, down at the Wilfred Taylor Reserve.

Hope you've enjoyed learning how to build a sode kite!

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Last updated: 11 Aug 2008