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.
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!
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 a handy download of printable step-by-step instructions. This design and all the other 1-Skewer and 2-Skewer designs are covered.
MBK 1-Skewer Barn DoorLike 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.
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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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Flight Report:
Big Box In Booming AirJan 19, 19 02:53 AM
Remarkable. Before leaving for the field, the online weather station reported 20kph gusting to 28kph. And then on arriving back, again, the speeds were 20kph gusting to 28kph! However, the direction w…
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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