Quick Kite Project
by Ben Kickert
(Bowling Green, KY, USA)
I attempted to make my own kite without reading any directions and failed miserably.
I made a quick and dirty version of the MBK Dowel Diamond kite and was absolutely amazed at how easily it took off in even the slightest breeze.
The instructions printed here got me in the right direction, but I had to do a little bit of adjusting to get the bridle to work out okay. I found it was easier to attach the spars to a large piece of plastic and then cut the edges than to try to cut out the design first. I have several tweaks I will do when I remake this kite (like using a Prusik knot on the bow spar and redesigning how the spars attach).
Thanks so much for the help!
Comments for Quick Kite Project
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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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P.S. Keep an eye out for books by kite author Glenn Davison, a prominent kite person in the USA.
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)
