How To Make A Kite

24 Kites! Fully Illustrated Step-By-Step Instructions

If you want to know how to make a kite, you have definitely come to the right spot! Perhaps you have made plenty, but are always on the lookout for more designs and ideas.

In any case, some of the most popular single-line designs being flown in the Western world are covered here.

There are 8 types to choose from, and each one can be made in a small, medium or large size. Smalls and mediums using bamboo BBQ skewers, while the larger kites use ordinary hard-wood dowel.

The emphasis is on very cheap components, so you could make them all for just a few dollars!

However, making kites from bamboo skewers or dowel and plastic is fun and they do fly really well! You can see for yourself in the video for each design, showing the original in flight.

MBK Kites To Make

For each kite in the table below, there is...

• A 20 second video of the kite in flight.
• A template graphic showing you the sail shape and dimensions.
• A detailed set of step-by-step instructions, with a photo for each step.
• A launch photo or an in-flight close-up of the kite.

Although this is quite basic kite making, the designs do get a little more complex and time consuming as you move from Sled right through to Dopero...

The 2-skewer designs have about 4 times as much sail area as the 1-skewer designs. Hence, it's easier to make them accurately. Plus, for any given sail material, a 2 skewer kite will be better in light breezes than a 1-skewer kite. The 1.2 meter Dowel kites are another step up again, with a roughly 4-fold increase in sail area compared with the 2-Skewer kites! However, the strength-to-weight ratio of hard-wood dowel is not as good as bamboo.

You can read all about just how well the Skewer kites fly in the eBook Climbing Kites. By the way, this is not a handbook on how to make a kite, it's a collection of real-life flying adventures! After downloading, grab a coffee and settle down for a read.

If you haven't made many before, I hope you really enjoy learning how to make a kite!

MBK Flying Skewers And Plastic is a fun publication for kite lovers. Particularly single-line fliers! This FREE monthly newsletter will help keep you in touch... There's always something new being built or flown at MBK!

Your FREE COPY of a great 87-page eBook on popular kites is waiting to be downloaded. It's my way of saying 'Thank You' for subscribing.

Last updated: 16 Jun 2010