How To Make A Diamond Kite
Step-by-Step - Page 2 of 3
The MBK Dowel Diamond
How To Make A Diamond Kite
Spars
For this Diamond, you need 2 long lengths of 5mm (3/16") wooden dowel. At least 1.0DL (120cm, 48") each. They are easily cut to the length required with a small hack saw.
- Lay down a dowel over the center crease of the plastic. Mark it at the exact height of the sail, and cut off at the mark. Round off the tips with a wood file. This is the vertical spar.
- Cut off a very short length of dowel, 0.01DL (1.2cm, 1/2") in length. Round off the tips with a wood file. You can use thinner dowel than this if you have some laying around. This will be used as the bow-line toggle. I use 4mm dowel for toggles.
- Lay down some more dowel across the left and right corners of the sail, mark it at the exact width and cut off at the mark.
- Round off the tips with a wood file then add a bow-line
so the depth of the bow is 0.08DL (9.6cm, 3 3/4"). With the kite flat
on the ground, that's how far the tips should be off the grass. This is
the horizontal spar. The photo above shows it with the toggle
unattached, plus the vertical spar.
How To Make A Diamond Kite
Spar Caps
Prepare 6 lengths of electrical insulation tape, each one about 4 times longer than it is wide. Stick them by a corner onto something handy like a table edge. You can remove them one at a time as needed.
- Spread out the sail, with the edge tape facing upwards.
- Lay down the horizontal spar over the sail, so it would bow away from the sail if you attached the toggle. With the toggle unattached, line up the tips of the spar with the left and right corners of the sail.
- Cap one tip of the spar with tape, by sticking tape down on the dowel and plastic, then folding it around the tip and under the plastic to stick on the other side. A bit tricky, take your time!
- For added strength, put another piece of tape at right-angles to the first. See the completed cap in the photo up there.
- Now do the other tip of the spar similarly, using another 2 pieces of tape.
- Finally, cap the top and bottom ends of the vertical spar, with one length of tape in each case.
How To Make A Diamond Kite
Lashing The Spars
Lash and glue the spars together where they cross, using a short length of flying line. Fix the knot with a drop of glue so it can never come undone.
Need winders, reels, flying line?
We earn a small commission if you click the following link and buy something. The item does not cost you any more, since we are an "affiliate" of Amazon.
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!
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Making Paper Kites - A Step-By-Step Guide
Sep 18, 18 12:58 AM
Making Paper Kites is a fully photo-illustrated step-by-step guide to making high-flying Sled, Diamond, Rokkaku, Sode and Delta kites from just copier paper and sticky tape. Even the spars are paper-a…
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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 breeze
12–19 km/h
8–12 mph
7–10 knots
Beaufort 3
Moderate breeze
20–28 km/h
13–18 mph
11–16 knots
Beaufort 4
Fresh breeze
29–38 km/h
19–24 mph
17–21 knots
Beaufort 5
Strong breeze
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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