Sew a Kite

Handwritten instructions on how to sew a kitesurfing kite.
You have to download the full size jpegs to really read them, or you can download the 24 page PDF from which the jpegs were made.

Step 1: Sewing the Ribs

Comments

[jef777]

Very useful guide. Thank you very much. Dacron is mentioned in one part of the guide, but what is the rest of the kite made from? Does anyone have a guide on how to make the inflatable tubes?

[Rossiroller]

How do you go about adding these four flying lines? and also, im about 180 lbs, is the 8.5m kite about right for me?

[yakergod]

saul, I'm currently building the 8.5 m kite v 2.0. I used a test piece of fabric to make one of the ribs, and it seems like the rib is up-side down. The final seam that closes the rib is completely straight, while the opposite side is the one with the airfoil shape. This seems to contradict the instructions, where the final seam assumes the airfoil shape. Am I doing something wrong?

[marcus_ivano]

In Surfplan under Edit->Ribs, there is a checkbox for "Seams underneath." You need to uncheck this box to get the seam on top of the rib, ie the side with the aerofoil shape. I had the same problem with the 4.5m plans.

[yakergod]

thanks! that helped a lot. just in time to start sewing.

[evil_mendez]

Great instructable. what about the inflateble part, shouldn't it be hermetized with additional metrial? or dacron is already enough and seams do not affect than much? thanks

[marcus_ivano]

Useful instructions on how to sew a kite, but I don't understand the bit about sewing a neoprene corner joint. How can you machine sew this corner joint if the strut is already sewn? For that matter how can one machine sew any tip strut to the leading edge if the seam angles are not the same?? Surfplan only allows the strut seam to be either at the top or the bottom and unless the leading edge seam angle matches this, how can it ever work??? Any insights into this greatly appreciated.

[worthashot]

where do you recommend buying the 3.9 oz Dacron? I only can find it for about $10/yard?

[Rosedale25]

I printed out this pdf and the instructions seem clear and well-organized. My question is the actual pattern pieces . . . I feel like I need accurately measured pieces to start with. How do I go about cutting out actual pattern pieces? Thank you

[barnes]

Any plans for making SLE plans?

[woodyhardon]

these are still too small and really hard to read even after the download. are they otherwise available?

[woodyhardon]

if this seems like too much work...please checkout my pvc helicopter-snagger grapple hooking system on ebay. It's a wild ride so make sure your shorts are on tight.

[volleybiggs]

What is the inflatable part along the edge?

[paul s]

like the comments about the weak area over the leading edge (used to have to regularly fix that bit when I was UK based). Still never done an LEI, one of these days though. Might well have to start a new project with a step by step guide for 4 line foil kites ;-)

[wombat7]

hooray saul. viva zeroprestige!