Diamond Kite Plans

For All The MBK Diamonds

These Diamond kite plans and hints are aimed at summarizing the more in-depth instructions to be found in the How To Make A Kite section of this website.

For each of the Diamond plans below, there are also a pair of plan view photos.

The one on the left is of the front surface. That is, the side of the kite which faces the flier. The other photo is of the back surface, which exposes the spars.

For all 3 designs, attach flying line to the bridle with a shiftable knot, for later trimming. Also, all 3 designs work well with light single-ply plastic for sail material. Many large plastic bags are suitable.


 

The BIG MBK E-book Bundle!

On this site, there's more kite-making info than you can poke a stick at :-)  Want to know the most convenient way of using it all?

The Big MBK E-book Bundle is a collection of downloads - printable PDF files which provide step-by-step instructions for many kites large and small...

Every kite in every MBK series.

 

Dowel Diamond Kite Plans

Plan View Photos

Dowel Diamond from the front.Front
Dowel Diamond from the backBack
Plans for the MBK Dowel Diamond.
Plans for the MBK Dowel Diamond.


Tips And Hints

  1. For a dowel length of 120cm (48 inches), 5mm (3/16") dowel works well.
  2. Reinforce the sail edges by adding nearly the full width of clear sticking tape inside the outline, then trimming back to the outline.
  3. Secure the sail to each spar end using 2 short lengths of electrical insulation tape. One length goes over and around the tip, the other at 90 degrees to the first tape, with corners folded back under the sail.
  4. Lash the horizontal spar to the vertical spar with tape or string, or any other method you prefer.
  5. Try a 0.75DL (90cm, 36") length of line for the upper bridle loop. Use about 1.0DL (120cm, 48") for the lower bridle line.
  6. At the bridle attachment points, a Double Wrap Slip knot works well, secured with a spot of glue.
  7. No tail is required for this kite.

There's our Dowel Diamond in flight, below...



The Eddy-inspired Dowel Diamond kite in flight.Loads of fun in the lightest of breezes


Take a look at this Dowel Diamond in flight...




2-Skewer Diamond Kite Plans

Plan View Photos

2-Skewer Diamond from the front.Front
2-Skewer Diamond from the back.Back
Plans for the MBK 2-Skewer Diamond.
Plans for the MBK 2-Skewer Diamond.


Tips And Hints

  1. 30 cm (12 inch) bamboo BBQ skewers work well as spar material.
  2. Reinforce the join in the middle of each spar with 2 lengths of skewer, each 0.15SL (4.4cm, 1 3/4") long, one on each side as in the plan. The reinforcers stay flat on the table, and glue is applied along their lengths, from above, to join the 4 pieces of bamboo together.
  3. Reinforce the sail edges by adding clear sticking tape over the outlines. Trim back to the outline, leaving at least 3/4 of the width of the tape on the sail.
  4. Secure the sail to each spar end using a short length of electrical insulation tape. Fold it over the tip.
  5. Secure the horizontal spar to the vertical spar with glue, or any other method you prefer.
  6. Try a length of bridle line about 4.0SL (116cm, 46") long.
  7. At the bridle attachment points, a Double-Wrap Slip Knot works well. Add a spot of glue if you want to.
  8. For a start, try making a simple ribbon tail about 8.0SL (230cm, 90") long and the width of 3 adult fingers.
  9. The tail can be attached to the vertical spar with a single Half Hitch. Trim off excess tail plastic above the knot.

Here's the 2-Skewer Diamond in flight...


The 2-Skewer Diamond kite in flight.Black tail, orange sail, blue sky - it works for me

 

1-Skewer Diamond Kite Plans

Plan View Photos

The 1-Skewer Diamond from the front.Front
The 1-Skewer Diamond from the back.Back
Plans for the MBK 1-Skewer Diamond.
Plans for the MBK 1-Skewer Diamond.


Tips And Hints

  1. 30 cm (12") bamboo BBQ skewers work well as spars. I work with 1SL = 29cm (11 1/2").
  2. Secure the sail to the spar ends using short lengths of clear sticky tape.
  3. After cracking the bamboo to get the dihedral angle, use a generous drop of wood glue to join the spars where they cross and hold the dihedral angle firmly.
  4. Try a length of bridle line about the length of one skewer. Let half hang out the front of the sail, and the other half out the back. Secure with a small drop of glue. The kite can now be easily included in a kite train.
  5. For a start, try making a tail about 8 times as long as the length of the kite itself, and 2 adult finger-widths wide.

There's a 1-Skewer Diamond in flight, below...


The 1-Skewer Diamond kite in flight.Knots in the tail only make it better

 

Out In The Field

Diamond kite stories of my real-life flying experiences are worth checking out!

Illustrated with photos and videos, of course.

I hope one of these Diamond kite plans is just right for you.


 

The BIG MBK E-book Bundle!Step-by-step DIY
Printable

The BIG MBK E-book Bundle!Step-by-step DIY
Printable


As mentioned earlier, there's more kite-making on this site than you can poke a stick at :-)  Want to know the most convenient way of using it all?

The Big MBK E-book Bundle is a collection of downloads - printable PDF files which provide step-by-step instructions for many kites large and small. Every kite in every MBK series.


Get A FREE E-book!

It's a printable PDF file. Make a diamond, delta or sled step-by-step. They fly hundreds of feet up for hours on end. Woohoo!

Could you do me just a small favor though? If you're over 16, please sign up for Tethered Flying - my free twice-per-month publication. Here's just a sampling of the total content...

* 3 "tips of the month" (for beginners, parents & experienced)
* A fresh "photo of the month" (+ link to big hi-res version)
* A fresh "flight report of the month" (my personal flying)
* Updates on the latest board game from my-best-kite.com

Any questions? Here's more info on both the e-book and the newsletter.

 

P.S.  If you're curious...

  view some previous newsletter issues