How To Make A Barn Door Kite

Dowel Barn Door: Template, Tips, Step-By-Step eBook

Here's how to make a Barn Door kite! The Template and Tips might be sufficient, otherwise try the step-by-step eBook for making the MBK Dowel Barn Door Kite. Every kite in the Dowel series is made to be transportable, rolling up into a convenient long, slim package like a Sled.

The Template and Tips below should be enough if you are keen kite person. If you have put together a number of kites before, with a few different kinds of bridles, the Dowel Barn Door should not be much of a challenge! Everything you need, apart from the dowels perhaps, might already be lying around your house somewhere. I'm assuming you know how to make a Barn Door kite with low overall weight and appropriate knots.

The MBK Dowel Barn Door is a large tail-less design based on the traditional American kite. This kite is strictly a light to moderate wind flier, but can cope with gusts as long as they are not too strong.

The template shown above represents one side of the kite sail of course.

How To Make A Barn Door Kite - Tips

• 5mm oak dowels worked well for me. You might look at using 3/16" dowels, which is pretty much the same.
• Try positioning the template so the edge of a bag becomes the center-line of the kite.
• For more durability, edge the sail with sticky tape.
• Cap each spar tip with a single piece of insulation tape, wrapped around and stuck on both sides of the plastic sail.
• A 3-point bridle should be used for this kite. Attach the flying line with a shiftable knot to get an adjustable towing point.
• Plenty of bow held into the horizontal spar will ensure that this kite doesn't need a tail!

The step by step instructions for this Barn Door are also included in an eBook covering the entire Dowel series. It's a nice reference if you want to eventually make a whole range of different kites, of similar size. The info is pitched at the beginner, with very detailed instructions on a range of kite-making topics. Including the technique for making the kites transportable. This is explained individually for each kite.

However, the book is well-organized so the more experienced kite-maker can quickly scroll through and pick out bits of detail that are helpful or interesting. The long Table Of Contents helps too!

Click here for more info on the eBook 8 MBK Kites To Make - The Complete Dowel Series.

How To Make A Barn Door Kite - Flying!

You know how to fly, so I won't elaborate here. Except to say that we have had some good flights with this sizable Barn Door! This kite will easily reach 400 feet above ground on a 50 pound flying line. The 3-point bridle keeps it steadier in the air than a similarly sized Diamond. With accurate construction, it will put up with fairly fresh conditions, but it likes lighter winds.

In the launch picture over there, the kite is just hanging up in a very light breeze. It's actually on a very short line, so no camera zoom was necessary.

Have fun flying, and I hope you've enjoyed seeing how to make a Barn Door kite the MBK way!

By the way, if you would rather make a smaller Barn Door that is half as tall as the Dowel design, why not try the 2-Skewer Barn Door kite instead. Or, going half as tall again, the tiny 1-Skewer Barn Door kite could be just the ticket!

Last updated: 9 Mar 2010