How To Make A Barn Door Kite
Step-by-Step - Page 1 of 3
The MBK 1-Skewer Barn Door
This set of instructions on how to make a Barn Door kite assumes you know absolutely nothing about kite making.
MBK 1-Skewer Barn DoorMBK 1-Skewer Barn DoorYou 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!
These instructions on how to make a Barn Door kite might look a bit long, but each step is quite simple to do.
Just steadily work your way through from top to bottom, skimming over any detail that you don't need.
At 29cm (11 1/2") from tip to tip, the MBK 1-Skewer Barn Door Kite is a rather small Barn Door, with dihedral and simple 1-leg bridle.
The little Barn Door is a fine light to moderate wind flier.
As a bonus, these instructions also show you how to string several of these kites together in a kite train!
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 Make A Barn Door Kite
Sail
Now's the time to read up on the 'tools' and materials required for making a Skewer kite, if you haven't already.
The template shown above represents one side of the kite sail. You will now transfer these measurements to the sail plastic as follows...
NOTE: Don't worry if your sail dimensions don't look exactly like the photos below. Just stick to the Template measurements, which were used for my most recently tested kite!
- Firstly, take a light plastic bag that will fit the entire Template shape within one side, and lay it flat on the floor.
- Mark dots on the plastic, corresponding to the corners of the Template. There is no need to use a T-square, since any small error will be duplicated on the other side of the sail.
- Using the marking pen, rule lines between the dots, as in the photo.
- Flip the plastic bag over, and trace over all the black lines using your marker pen and ruler.
- Cut out a rectangular section of the bag containing the kite sail, open it out and lay it flat on the floor - you can now see the complete sail outline, as in the photo.
- Cut along the black lines with scissors, to create the sail.
I can tell you love kites...
Otherwise you wouldn't be all the way down here near the bottom of the page :-)
So, could you do me just a small favor?
Please sign up for my free monthly publication, "Tethered Flying". No other emails will be sent, and your details are safe with me. You do 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)
Looking forward to hearing from you...
P.S. My free kite-making e-book "Simplest Dowel Kites" can be downloaded as soon as you sign up.
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Click here to buy anything you need. Just use the Search box in there if you need different weights or lengths of line, for example.
P.S. Keep an eye out for books by kite author Glenn Davison, a prominent kite person in the USA.
What's New!
-
Indoor Sled Kite - Side Lawn Shenanigans (Flight Report)
Jun 15, 19 12:45 AM
The MBK Indoor Sled kite floated around indoors, and then... The little sled flew furiously in light swirling air over the side lawn!
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...