How To Make A Sode Kite

Complete Instructions For The MBK 1-Skewer Sode

These instructions on how to make a Sode kite are not quite as detailed as for the earlier kites. I'm guessing you might have already made one or 2 simpler MBK kites before you try this one. The pictures should make things pretty clear. Just quickly work your way through from top to bottom, skimming over any detail that you don't need.

As with earlier kites in this series, about the only tool required is a pair of sharp scissors. Any other materials you don't have are easily bought. If not exactly what I used, then at least something pretty similar!

The MBK Skewer Sode Kite is quite small at 29 cm (1 foot) tall, and does need a tail, unlike the traditional ones. The Skewer Sode is a very nice light air flier.

If you would rather make a bigger Sode, why not try the 2-Skewer Sode kite instead.

Now's the time to read up on kite materials and other things needed for building a Sode kite, if you haven't already.

How To Make A Sode Kite Frame

1. cut off the points from 4 bamboo skewers, leaving them all exactly the same length
2. measure the half-way point on one skewer and snip it in half
3. make 1/8 skewer-length marks on a full skewer and on a half skewer, then bind them together with sewing cotton and glue as in the photo - this is the kite's vertical spar, or longeron
4. while that's drying, take another full length skewer and make 1/4 skewer-length marks on it, as on the next skewer in the photo
5. the next skewer down is marked in the center, and 1/8 skewer-length to each side
6. finally, the remaining 1/2 skewer is just marked in the middle

1. arrange the spars and longeron as shown in the photo, using the marks to help align them
2. place some extra bits of bamboo under the bottom 2 cross spars to keep them level
3. the bits of paper are there to protect the table top from glue
4. apply a few small dobs of wood glue to the 3 joins to keep everything in place
5. using a ruler, make sure the measurements down the right hand side are the same as the corresponding measurements down the left hand side - move the spars a bit at a time until it's all aligned
6. wait for the glue to dry, then bind the joins with 10 or so winds of sewing cotton each
7. apply some glue to each joint, soaking the cotton all around the joints

How To Make A Sode Kite Sail

1. cut a rectangle out of a large freezer bag and lay the spars on it
2. make sure the middle cross spar is lying flat against the table
3. make sure all the spar ends fit inside the plastic rectangle
4. tape the spars to the plastic in the 2 places shown in red

1. using the marker pen, draw lines on the plastic as shown in the photo, guided by the spar ends and the marks you made on the cross spars earlier
2. with scissors, carefully cut around the outline you have just made

Freezer bag plastic can be quite fiddly to cut. I found that it tends to get easier with practice. To begin with, just go slowly and carefully. I used a pair of sharp scissors, but a Stanley knife and ruler might work better for you.

1. carefully fold the narrow flaps of plastic over the 2 top cross spars and tape down as shown in red in the photo
2. now fold tape over all 8 spar ends, as shown in red, to secure the sail to the frame
3. flip the kite over, and add a couple more pieces of tape where indicated in green - these will reinforce the plastic sail at the weak points
4. if you want to, snip off any bits of tape that stick out from the outline of the kite

How To Make A Sode Kite Bridle

1. In the photo, the plastic sail is on top of the bamboo frame
2. Using the pointy end of a skewer, poke holes in the plastic where indicated by the red dots on the photo
3. Now cut a length of bridle line, about twice the length of the kite
4. Tie each end of the line to the longeron as shown. Use double-wrap slip knots if you know how, otherwise just make it as secure as you can, tying the knots off over the plastic

How To Make A Sode Kite - Attaching The Tail

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

• Make up a tail from another freezer bag, making sure it is at least 6 times as long as the 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

At this point, you've pretty much finished making the 1-skewer Sode!

How To Make 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, suspend the kite from the flying line. Shift the Prussik knot along the bridle line until the kite hangs at about a 30 degree angle from the horizontal.

How To Make A Sode Kite - Flying Tips

Assuming there is some breeze, 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 line slip through your fingers.

Another approach 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.

Here's a picture of the completed MBK Skewer Sode Kite in flight, just hanging there on a very light breeze. The bend in the bottom spar was an attempt to get it to fly without a tail!

Have fun flying, and I hope you've enjoyed learning how to make a Sode kite!

All the above info, plus much more is available in a PDF eBook which covers the entire 1-skewer series of kites.

Last updated: 31 May 2010