Sled Kite 

Building and flying kites is a wonderful hobby and a good way to learn about air, wind and flight.  This type of kite is called a sled kite, it is constructed from a single sheet of light plastic, tape and straws.  It is a reliable flier, performing well in most wind conditions.

This project supports many aspects of  state or provincial curriculum.  Schools have used this simple kite to support science and technology teaching in grades ranging from Kindergarten to Grade 6.  For grades 6, 7 and 8 this kite can be used as the basis for a design challenge, see "Experimenting with Kites" at the bottom.

Supplies:

1 - large plastic bag (garbage bags work well) 6 - 25 cm straws (join them to create 3, 45 cm straws) 1 roll of clear tape 1 roll of duct tape string (fishing line is ideal) scissors hole punch marker

Building your kite:

A good way to start your kite is to create a template, a cardboard shape that looks like your kite.

Because your kite is symmetrical you only need to make 1/2 of a template. To create the template use the dimensions shown (all dimensions in cm)

Use a marker to trace the shape of your kite on the plastic sheet. Flip your template to create both halves of the kite. Cut out the kite and cut out the vent in the center. Join two straws by pushing the end of one straw into another. Tape the straws as shown, using three pieces of clear tape on each straw. Put a tab of duct tape on each side of the kite as shown. Punch a hole through each of the duct tape tabs. Tie each end of a 2.5 meter string to the holes (this is the bridle ). Tie a loop in the center of the bridle.

 Flying your kite: 

Test fly your kite by holding the loop in the bridle and running. Hold your hand high and the kite should follow along behind you. To fly higher, tie a long string to the loop in the bridle.

Kite Eating Trees: Flying kites close to trees or buildings is difficult, this is because air behaves strangely when it moves past objects, swirling in unpredictable directions and taking your kite with it. An open field is the best place to fly a kite.

DON'T FLY KITES NEAR POWER LINES!  Power lines are very dangerous!

Experimenting with Kites: Try creating your own sled kite.  Create a larger or smaller version of this same kite. Try different shapes for the vent.  Does a tail improve the performance of your kite?

This project supports these strands from Ontario's Science Curriculum:

Energy and Control: Grade 2 – Energy From Wind and Moving Water 2s55- design and construct a device propelled by air (e.g., a kite, a pinwheel, a balloon rocket);

Matter and Materials: Grade 6 – Properties of Air and Characteristics of Flight 6s35- design, construct, and test a structure that can fly (e.g., a kite, a paper airplane, a hot air balloon);

Kite OptionsSled Kite

One of the most popular. Usually smaller in size, very convenient and safe. The simplest kind of sled is just a single sheet of sail material with a

couple of vertical strings attached. First design was created in 1950 and patented in 1956 by William

Allison. Sled kites rely on wind pressure to keep the sail in shape. Can easily be made with any material.

Most practical use in specific is its use for beginners because of its construction ease and ease of flying. It can also be used for recreational purposes.

Possible Materials/Recommended Conditions:Wind: Light to Moderate (4mph to 18mph)Line: Crochet or button hole threadSail: 24" x 30" plastic trash bag (kitchen size)Spars: 16" x 1/8" wooden dowels (OR: use match-stick bamboo)Bridle: 48" flying lineTail: Optional. Use bag scraps.Tape: CellophaneHow to make a sled kite:1. Draw half of the kite on edge of plastic bag and cut out (a)2. Tape spars to sail (b)3. Attach 48" bridle to sail (b)4. Find center of bridle by placing keels together and tie a loop (c)5. Tie flying line to loop (c)6. Optional: Roll remaining bag and cut 1-1/2" wide tails. Tape to bottom at each spar (d )

Barn Door Kite Plans

For The MBK Skewer Barn Door Kites

These Barn Door kite plans are aimed at the more experienced kite maker. They summarize the far more in-depth instructions to be found under the How To Make A Kite section of this website. It assumes you have the knowledge to do a neat job, use the right knots and keep the weight down!

For all 3 designs, attach flying line to the bridle with a shiftable knot, for later trimming. Also, all 3 designs work well with light single-ply plastic for sail material. Many types of large plastic bags are suitable.

For each kite plan below, there are also a pair of plan view photos. The one on the left is of the front surface. That is, the surface of the flying kite which faces the flier. The other photo is of the back surface, which exposes the spars.

1-Skewer Barn Door Kite Plans

Tips And Hints

1. reinforce the sail edges by adding clear sticking tape over the outlines, then trimming back to the outlines

2. secure the sail to the spar ends using short lengths of tape3. bend about 15 - 20 degrees of dihedral into the horizontal spar - hearing cracking

noises from the bamboo is normal!4. try a length of bridle line about twice as long as the kite is high, to tie between the 2

upper attachment points - in each case use a single-wrap slip knot, secured with a spot of glue

5. try a length of bridle line about 3 times as long as the kite is high, to tie between the upper bridle loop and the lower attachment point

6. for a start, try making a single tail about 6 times as long as the kite is high, with each end tied to the bottom end of a diagonal spar, forming a loop

The Double Star

Kite                                                                                                                 Type: Cellular/DimensionalName:Double StarParts: -11-12,150c wide nylon        -11X 150cm (60 inch)10mm Carbon Tube        -A Ten Point Center Connector (dia=13.5 cm)        - Dacron reinforcement                -10 endcaps

-2X10 mm nocksDimensional blueprint-

       

A large kite composed of multiple panels sewn

together into a "star pattern"Sewing Panel-

        

Difficulty level: 4/ high winds required

practicalities: surveillance, wind speed, weatherSewing Panel (one side)

Practical Applications-

Surveillance purposes Weather purposes such as measuring wind pressure, speed and temperature used as a power generator - using wind to power and create electricity

Delta Kite

Very common design Easy to fly and build 3 foot wingspan works well in all winds types

can fly at a high altitude

Construction

First, make a right isosceles triangle with wooden dowels Add a center support beam Cover with plastic tarp Connect line to center beam

Practical Uses

Video surveillance Signal others Recreation

The Quantum

 

Type: Stunt/ControlParts: -2 - 59” arm support              -4 – 10” spacing spars              -1 - 35” main support              -Nylon skin or plastic sheathing              -2 – 29” horizontal brace              -1 – 21.5” horizontal brace  

Dimensional blueprint         Construction

First, connect wooden dowels at the top add the horizontal supports Cover with plastic tarp Connect line bridles

Practical Uses

Video surveillance Energy Generator Recreation Transportation

1. Because of the size, you might find it necessary to use 2 plastic bags for the sail. One for the left wing and one for the right. Overlap them down the center-line, as you can see in the photos below. Tape the full length of both edges with clear sticky tape.

2. For the spars, use hard-wood dowel of 5mm (3/16") diameter.3. The spreader and its shorter reinforcement dowel are also 5mm. Secure these 2 dowels

together with 3 wraps of sticky tape, at 5 points. Including the extreme ends of the shorter dowel.

4. When cutting out the sail, include a long narrow flap to fold over each leading edge spar, to completely enclose it in a pocket.

5. Reinforce the edges of the sail by adding clear sticking tape flush with the outline.6. Lash and glue the spreader tips to the leading edge. The glue is necessary to prevent

slippage.7. Cap the spar ends with electrical insulation tape.8. Seal the leading edge spar pockets with long lengths of clear sticky tape.9. After cutting out the keel from sail plastic, use clear sticky tape to run a length of flying

line down from all 3 attachment points down to the towing point. One on each side of the keel, so that's 6 pieces of line altogether

10. Knot the keel lines together, close to the plastic, and add another knot to the 6 lines coming out at the towing point. Tie the keel to the vertical spar and also use sticky tape to attach the keel's edge to the sail.

1. Each spar, including the spreader, is 2 bamboo skewers butted together and reinforced with short lengths of skewer glued on as shown.

2. When cutting out the sail, include a long narrow flap to fold over each leading edge spar, to completely enclose it in a sleeve. Make cut-outs for the ends of the spreader.

3. Reinforce all edges of the sail (except the long edges of the tabs) by adding clear sticking tape over the outlines, then trimming back to the outlines.

4. The spreader should be glued and tied in place where it crosses the leading edges. Then the bamboo can be trimmed to length, with a small overhang.

5. Cap the spar ends with short lengths of electrical insulation tape.6. Seal the leading edge spar pockets with long lengths of clear sticky tape.7. After cutting out the keel from sail plastic, use clear sticky tape to run a length of flying

line down each edge that leads to the towing point - on each side of the keel, so that's 4 pieces of line altogether.

8. Knot the keel lines together, close to the plastic, and add another knot to the 4 lines coming out at the towing point. Tie the keel to the vertical spar and also use sticky tape to attach the keel's edge to the sail.

9. No tail is necessary for this design, even near the top of its wind range.

Delta kites are single winged, keeled kites that mimic the look of stunt kites but do not require dual control strings or special flying instructions. Delta kites are easily made at home with tissue paper and wooden dowels. Follow these simple steps to make a small, easy-to-fly delta kite.

(http://www.argoss.co.uk/pictures/alpine_stunt_kite.jpg)

Things You'll Need 20" by 30" sheet tissue paper 20" long 1/8"-diam. dowel 100 to 200 ft. spool of kite string Kabob skewers Scissors Elmer's white glue

Cut out the wings of the kite by using the scissors to cut a diagonal running from a point three inches from the bottom of the tissue paper up to the top corner. Also cut out the keel---the part that steers the kite---by measuring six inches along the bottom of the tissue paper and cutting diagonals from this point to each corner of the wing.

Glue the two wings together along the inner seams with the Elmer's white glue.

Cut the spars-the supporting framework of the kite-out of the skewers and then use the Elmer's white glue to glue the spars down to the long edges of the wings and center.

Use the packing tape to reinforce along the keel and front part of the nose.

Insert the spreader bar across the wings of the kite and use the tape and glue to secure the spreader bar in place. Tie the string to the keel and get flying!

Easy Kitemaking: How to Build a Pyramid KiteUpdated on January 11, 2015

The Tetrahedral Kite: Easy to Make, Easy to Fly!

There are many kite designs, but the pyramid kite is easy to make and a fun project for kids. I made my first one in second grade (Thank you, Mrs. Mckee, wherever you are). My homemade kite lasted for almost ten years of blustery springs spent bashing into a cornfield.

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a...

flying pyramid?

I've called it a "pyramid kite" since I was a kid, but it's really a tetrahedral kite. The shape is a tetrahedron, which is just one kind of pyramid. But if you need to build a pyramid a school project, hang on! I've also created a How to Make an Egyptian Pyramid   tutorial for you-- check it out!

But hopefully you're here to make a kite. So, let's get started!

Video: Flying My Pyramid Kite

Don't worry, this kite isn't really that close to the tree.

Sorry about the silly music. The wind blasted my mike with static, so I had to swap the audio. (It's Wagner'sFlight of the Valkyries.)

Materials You'll Need to Build This Kite

Materials For Making a Kite

24 plastic drinking straws

spool of kitestring or kitchen string

large sewing needle (** or chopstick + twistie -- see below)

strong, light tissue paper or mylar (Colored plastic wrap found in party stores works nicely, but tug on it to make sure it doesn't tear easily. Regular printer paper or wrapping paper is too heavy.)

craft glue (I use rubber cement, but there's safer craft glues for kids)

**NOTE: See "Extra Help if you can't find a big needle, or if the store only has bendy straws.Instructions for Making Kite

Drawn on a Mac LC in 1993. Old webpage is old. :)

1. String three plastic drinking straws together to form a triangle. The easiest way is to give your thread extra slack, use a heavy needle, and drop it down through one straw, letting gravity do the work for you. Tie the triangle's ends together securely, leaving as little slack as possible.

2. Thread and tie on two more straws to form a second triangle, using one of the first three straws for one side of the triangle. Then tie one more straw between the outer corner of the two triangles to form the back of the pyramid. Again, don't tie the thread so tightly that the straws bend, but don't leave so much give that your pyramid flops. It should stand up on its own once you've got all six straws in place.

3. Place your pyramid on your paper or wrap of choice. Trace or cut out a triangle about half an inch larger than the pyramid's base, nipping off the corners as shown. The shape is like the orange safety triangles on slow-moving vehicles. If this is an activity for children, you may want to prepare a cardboard pattern ahead of time which they can trace and copy. Repeat to get a second triangle.

4. For each of two sides of the pyramid: Curl the edges of the paper triangle over and around the straws, then secure with rubber cement.

Photo Guide: Making a Pyramid Kite

Click thumbnail to view full-size

Make triangle base.

5. Repeat steps 1-4, to create three more pyramids, each with two sides covered with paper.Stack the four individual pyramids into one large pyramid: three on the bottom, one on top.

6. Orient all of them in the same direction, so that, for instance, the papered sides on all of them are on the left and right. (They're like the wings of birds flying in formation. If they're facing different directions, the wind won't be able to pass through freely.)

7. When you've got all the pyramids arranged properly, tie together all the corners that touch, double and triple knotting, just to make sure.

8. Attach your kitestring to one of the corners where two sides of paper meet, as shown in the diagram, and you're done!

If you want to be ambitious, you can make three more kites like this one, then tie them together to build a giant kite! Ever heard of fractals? You can just keep repeating the same pattern, larger and larger, to make the Great Pyramid!

TIP 2010: This kite can be feisty in strong winds (see video above). I find it fun, but you might want to make a detachable tail for stability. Add a string loop on the "downwind" corner of the kite. Then cut a separate string as a tail. Tie cloth ribbons to it, or some other sort of weight like beads or paper clips. Tie a paper clip to one end of the tail to use as a fastener. That way you can add or remove the tail as needed.

Making Your Kite: Extra Help - Improvising Alternate Materials

Extra materials for making kite

The twistie needle is probably more "kid safe" than the turkey-lacing needle I used to use. I trimmed a paper-and-wire twistie so that it would fit easily through the straw, then folded the end over to make the eye.

It's also really quick -- drop it in one end of the straw, push it through with a chopstick, grab the end sticking out and repeat.

When trimming bendy straws, use the bottom of the joint as a reference so you cut them all to about the same size.