Hey guys,

Been a while since I've posted. Winter is here and I'm getting into a project. I'm building a 7 foot wingspan power stunt kite out of an Older X-Ply windsurfing sail. I will pull the battens out of the sail, sand them to ideal diameter and use them as kite spars for the frame of the kite. I need to find out what fast drying glue or contact cement would adhere to the x-ply. I'm using glue because I don't have a sewing machine. Basically, I will be folding the leading edges of the kite wings over long ways and gluing the ends down to the back of the kite So it will make a small sleeve to insert the kite spars into. I will then fold the ends of the wings over and glue to prevent the kite spars from sliding out of the sleeve. I'll put a center spar in the middle of the kite and fold over the top and bottom of the kite a little to and glue it to keep that spar into place. I will then connect some spars crossways to keep the kite wing out in a fixed position. Sail tape will be used to lay over the area I glued to reinforce and protect the leading edges. Any advice is encouraged on this build. Thanks!

Searching some more, I found x-ply tape. Didn't even realise that was around. It's pretty expensive. Still wondering if gorilla tape will be just as good. There is a reflection tape called, "croc tape" that looked pretty cool looking and states to have a pretty nice adhesive bond. Any ideas with these items?

Sticky back fabric sail repair tape

These kites look like they are made from x-ply and sail material and some scrim perhaps.

actually they do look pretty cool from Xply.

This is how kite surfing starts, stop now before it's to late

one good thing about using sail X-ply .it will be easier to water start

I made one a while ago and it was too heavy due to the battens.
If you have some small hollow carbon tube battens, that could work.

MagicRide said..

jusavina said..
I made one a while ago and it was too heavy due to the battens.
If you have some small hollow carbon tube battens, that could work.

Do you remember what size diameter battens you used?

I didn't have any tubing , only yacht battens. The thing never took of the ground

jusavina said..

MagicRide said..

jusavina said..
I made one a while ago and it was too heavy due to the battens.
If you have some small hollow carbon tube battens, that could work.

Do you remember what size diameter battens you used?

I didn't have any tubing , only yacht battens. The thing never took of the ground

I'm using the upper half of windsurf battens off a severne 6.7 sail. They aren't hollow, but are round and tapered for the wings and not tapered for the rest of the kite frame. The battens used weigh in at 1.4 pounds and are 6.35mm in diameter. I am planing on Building the kite under 5 pounds.

Madge said..
I recon it'll be too heavy, you want spinnaker cloth or kite cloth for it.

Madge,

You won! I was talking to a kite expert in designing and building kites and he was telling me the kite would be too heavy. I would need hallow spars which need to be carbon content.
We talked for a while, and I learned a lot from the guy. I like when people take the time to go over details with you.
Thanks guys for your input. Stay healthy!

Carantoc said..
Hey MagicR,

Any chance you could talk in metres and kilograms so it makes sense to everyone in the developed world ?

Sometimes I forget that I'm on an Australian web page. Here in the states, we're so use to communicating measurements in pounds, inches, feet, yards, miles, mm, mph, etc... But, thanks for the reminder.