Giant Kites

June 2nd, 2008 by admin

I really like big kites. I have a flickr site with many photos of them from many people. To see the site click here.

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Where To Find Kite Plans

May 30th, 2008 by admin

Here is a source of kite plans if you want to make your own kite: Kite Plans

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How To Make a Basic Box Kite

May 30th, 2008 by admin

The U.S. Weather Service used to use seven-foot-tall box kites to carry its instruments thousands of feet into the sky. This box kite is much smaller—but with enough sturdy string, you could fly it just as high.

You Will Need

  • Two 51” by 12” sheets of heavy-gauge plastic, lightweight cloth, or paper
  • 4 flat sticks, measuring 1?4 by 3/8 by 40 inches
  • 4 flat sticks, measuring 1?4 by 1?2 by 17 inches
  • String
  • Glue
  • A small metal ring
  • A fisherman’s swivel

Step 1: Lay out material

Lay the sheets of material next to each other, parallel and 16 inches apart.

Step 2: Mark off intervals

Mark off four 12-inch intervals on each sheet, leaving a three-inch margin of extra material at the end.

Step 3: Make X-joints

Cut quarter-inch notches into both ends of all the shorter sticks. Then cut a half-inch-wide, eighth-inch-deep channel across the exact center of each shorter stick. The two pairs of sticks should lock snugly together, making an X.

Step 4: Bind the X-joints

Wind string around the X-joints and cover the string with glue.

Step 5: Glue sticks to material

Lay the longer sticks across the sheets of material, making sure that each stick covers one set of 12-inch interval marks. Use glue to attach one of each stick’s narrow edges to the interval marks.

Step 6: Glue the margin

Once all the glue has dried, smear glue on the outside of the three-inch margin of extra material, then fold the twelve-inch flap at the other end over and attach it so that it covers the three-inch margin.

Step 7: Insert the crossed sticks

Once the glue has dried, insert the crossed sticks into the middle of both tubes of material, fitting the notches around the longer sticks. This should force the two tubes of material to take the shape of boxes with 12-inch sides.

Step 8: Attach string

Tie two pieces of string to the bottom ends of two of the longer sticks. Trim these strings so that they’re 30 inches long.

Step 9: Attach more string

Tie two more pieces of string to the same sticks but in the center of the upper box, where the crossed sticks attach the longer sticks. Cut these strings to 25 inches.

Step 10: Tie string to ring

Tie all four strings to the metal ring.

Step 11: Hit the skies!

Attach the swivel to the ring, tie your flying string to the swivel, and you’re ready to fly.

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