Box-Kite Plans

For the MBK Box Kites

These box-kite plans are aimed at the more experienced kite maker. They summarize the far more in-depth instructions to be found in the How To ... pages for the Dowel and Skewer Series box kites.

These plans assume that you have the knowledge to do a neat job, use the right knots, and keep the weight down!

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Dowel Box-Kite Plans

 

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2-Skewer Box-Kite Plans

Tips and Hints

1. Use a single strip of clear sticking tape over the long edges of both pieces of sail plastic. This will reinforce the edge and at the same time attach the skewers to the plastic. Each main spar is two skewers with points removed, butted end to end and reinforced with two short lengths of skewer glued on.
2. Close the box using clear sticking tape along the shorter sail plastic edges. Also, fold a short length of tape around each end of both joins to reinforce.
3. Reinforce the sail at each tip of each main spar, with small squares of insulation tape. These caps, folded onto both sides of the sail, will prevent the spars from slipping through the edging tape.
4. Insert and secure the two vertical cross-pieces—one near the upper cell and one near the lower cell, both butted onto the same two spars. Hold in place with insulation or packing tape squares folded over the main spar and onto the cross-pieces.
5. Cut the other two cross-pieces slightly oversize, then trim down to fit before securing them onto the other two spars in the same way.
6. Try a bridle line about 3.0 SL (87 cm, 35 in.) in length.
7. Poke a hole through the plastic for the upper bridle attachment, then add a short strip of clear sticking tape just forward of the hole as reinforcement. Secure the lower bridle attachment knot with a small dob of glue.
8. This design just loves moderate-to-fresh wind, for which no tail should be necessary.
9. Due to its small size, it is convenient to attach the cross-pieces permanently to the spars with glue. You can use paper gussets or very short lengths of skewer along with the gluing to achieve more strength in the joins.

Here's the MBK 2-Skewer Box kite in flight on an almost overcast day:

 

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1-Skewer Box-Kite Plans

Tips and Hints

1. Use a single strip of clear sticking tape along the longer edges of both pieces of sail plastic. This will reinforce the edge and at the same time attach the skewers to the plastic.
2. Close the box using clear sticking tape along the shorter sail plastic edges. Also, fold a short length of tape around each end of both joins to reinforce.
3. Reinforce the sail at each tip of each main spar, with small squares of insulation tape. These caps, folded onto both sides of the sail, will prevent the spars from slipping through the edging tape.
4. Insert and secure the vertical cross-piece.
5. Cut the horizontal cross-piece slightly oversize, then trim down to fit before securing it to the two side spars. Apply a little glue where it crosses the vertical cross-piece.
6. Tie some flying line between the two side-spars, attached where indicated on the plan (side view). Use a couple of Half-Hitches to hold a little tension in the line, before securing the knot with glue. This is an unusual box kite design, but it saves weight!
7. Poke a hole for the bridle attachment, then add a short strip of clear sticking tape just forward of the hole to protect the plastic.
8. Try a tail about 6.0 SL (175 cm, 70 in.) long, looped around and attached at both ends to the lower cell where indicated. Experiment with reducing the amount of tail later.
9. This little kite flies best in moderate winds.

Here's the MBK 1-Skewer Box kite in flight:

 

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I hope you've had fun using these box-kite plans. Did it fly well? Great!

 

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