any tips pls about getting the struts on an SB1 tight???

i've tried pinching the valve and finger-over-the-end tricks, but still lose that critical bit of pressure before getting the cap on.

there's a ball in the valve, but stuffed if i can figure out how to seat the thing.

Good advice from KiteNutt, gravity will make the balls drop, you only have to look look at his avatar for proof of that

Seriously though that is the answer.

Pinch the valve low down on the thick part. That will keep the air in while you put in the plug.

The other tip is to get rid of the SB1. The first generation bow kites were revolutionary and also extremely dodgey. The SB2 is good and it has one pump and no pulleys on the bar. The SB5 is about to come out.

djanda said...

thanks guys.

mine haven't dropped (as you can see from my avatar) and i can't get them to, invert, shake or curse them. or at least they won't seat and seal. i've emailed cabrinha and if i get a useful answer back i'll post it.

cheers

Pump the strut hard, then rotate the strut with the pump nozzle still in the valve, rotate the valve until it is facing the ground, then visually check and make sure the ball is over the valve air inlet, then remove the pump nozzle, and it will seal.

Also check that the nozzle of your pump is trimmed a bit so that its not stopping the ball from sitting on top of the air inlet part of the valve.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

much appreciate the good advice guys. i'll work on it.

for the record, here's what cabrinha said

"The best way to keep the air pressure in your struts if the ball isn't seating properly, is to pinch off the valve at the lower part of the stem just prior to removing the pump nozzle. Then you can instert the plug without losing any pressure. This is basically the same way all inflatable kites worked back in the early days of kiting. It's an easy back-up method to inflating your kite."

the SB1 was a way to get a big kite cheap(ish)... it was new (ie unused) and flies from my SB3 bar.

but now the struts are up, i leave them up, because by the time i pump the bloody 16m zeppelin up from scratch, the sun's gone down