How To Build A Delta Kite
Step-by-Step - Page 1 of 4
The MBK 2-Skewer Delta
This set of instructions on how to build a Delta kite assumes you know absolutely nothing about kite making. You might already have some of the simple tools and materials required. Anything you don't have is easily bought. If not exactly what I used, then at least something pretty similar!
Original MBK 2-Skewer DeltaOriginal MBK 2-Skewer DeltaThe MBK 2-Skewer Delta Kite is a medium-sized Delta 96cm (38”) across and 58cm (23”) tall, with a single fairly short tail.
The horizontal spars are bowed to give extra stability and shorten the amount of tail required. Hence it's a bit different to a store-bought Delta with a single spreader.
The 2-Skewer Delta is a very nice light-to-moderate wind flier. Take it out when there seems to be hardly enough wind to keep any kite up.
Watch this kite go straight overhead when a thermal comes through. Avoid flying in strong wind however, since this design flaps rapidly in that situation!
Many months later, this 2-skewer design was superseded by a more conventional delta design. But people kept enjoying this page so I decided to leave it up.
Making Skewer Kites is my handy download of printable step-by-step instructions. This design and all the other 1-Skewer and 2-Skewer designs are covered.
Like to see a video clip? Just scroll down to near the end...
How To Build A Delta Kite
Frame
Have you read the page on kite materials? If you haven't already, do it now to see what's needed for building a Delta kite.
For this Delta, you need to glue skewers together to form the 3 spars plus spreader.
- Snip the points off 6 bamboo skewers, then check to see that they are all exactly the same length. Trim some if necessary.
- Put aside another 2 skewers, leaving the points on for now.
- From another skewer, snip off 6 lengths of bamboo, each 0.1SL (3cm, 1") long.
- Arrange all 8 skewers together with the short lengths as in the photo, with some paper underneath to catch excess glue - tape that paper down to the table.
- Get down to table top height and look along the spars, and make sure they are as straight as possible.
- Lay down a thick line of glue all the way down each join, as in the photo.
I can tell you love kites...
Otherwise you wouldn't be all the way down here near the bottom of the page :-)
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P.S. Keep an eye out for books by kite author Glenn Davison, a prominent kite person in the USA.
What's New!
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Global News Report:
Family Kite-Flying TraditionMay 23, 19 08:13 PM
Swinging back to the USA. The 7 images (captions collated below) point out distinct aspects of kite-flying recreation. This day out was almost a kite festival within a family…
Wind Speeds
Light Air
1-5 km/h
1-3 mph
1-3 knots
Beaufort 1
Light breeze
6–11 km/h
4–7 mph
4–6 knots
Beaufort 2
Gentle ...
12–19 km/h
8–12 mph
7–10 knots
Beaufort 3
Moderate ...
20–28 km/h
13–18 mph
11–16 knots
Beaufort 4
Fresh ...
29–38 km/h
19–24 mph
17–21 knots
Beaufort 5
Strong ...
39–49 km/h
25–31 mph
22–27 knots
Beaufort 6
High Wind
50-61 km/h
32-38 mph
28-33 knots
Beaufort 7
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Hey - grab your free e-book first :-)
I'm referring to Simplest Dowel Kites, my popular kite-making download. It's a printable PDF file. Make a diamond, delta or sled. Each kite is capable of flying hundreds of feet up for hours on end.
Could you do me just a small favor though?
Please sign up for my free monthly publication, "Tethered Flying". No other emails will be sent, and your details are safe with me. You need to be at least 16 years old. There's...
- A huge "photo of the month" (linked from a much smaller one in the email of course)
- 3 "tips of the month" (1 for beginners, 1 for parents and 1 for more experienced kite-fliers)
- A "flight report of the month" (selected from my own flying logs and illustrated with a photo)
Comments
Plenty of fun kite info, photos and videos - there's definitely too much here for only one visit! Feel free to leave your impressions of this site or just this page, below...