Need Dowels For My Kite!

by Cathy
(Alabama, USA)

Q:

I am loosing my mind trying to find some dowels for my cloth kite! The dowels measure 50 inches long. Any suggestions? I don't want to simply toss this one. Is there a way to take two pieces and piece them together securely that would not weigh it down?

Thanks, I am searching the Net with no success.

A:

Well, you're right that long bits of dowel in Alabama are hard to find online! However...

The quickest way to get your kite in the air would be to order some dowel from www.kitebuilder.com They have all the standard widths in 48" lengths. If they are unable to order in any longer lengths for you, then all is not lost...

Just use 25" lengths and join them together in the middle using brass tubing. Thanks to Gary C. for that solution, and you can see his comments further down this page, for more detail on that...

Problem solved!

Now, here's some help to find that info at kitebuilder...

Simply cut and paste the following line into your browser, and go there...

http://www.kitebuilder.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/33?osCsid=045c144144f75fd3fb6d21d1de96128b

Otherwise, here's how...

1) go to www.kitebuilder.com
2) click the 'kite supplies' link (in the light blue bar near the top of the site)
3) click on the 'wood dowel' link at the bottom of the 'Categories' box on the left.

There's all the dowel!

Finally, if you don't want to order it online, it would be worth a try to simply ring up a number of local Home Improvement or Hardware stores, asking for 'hardwood dowel' and see what they say. You might well be able to just drive for half an hour and buy some straight away.

As a last resort, you could ring one of these 2 manufacturers for info - or off-cuts!

Demopolis Hickory Mill, Inc., Demopolis, AL
Freeman Manufacturing & Supply Co., Birmingham, AL

Hope you get that kite in the air soon!