Introduction: Diy Giftwrap Hexkite
a kite is fun for people of all ages , this one in particular is one of the best designs do to the capability to control the kite very well.
you will need : 3 x 1 yard/meter wooden rods, a roll or two of gift wrap paper or plastic, a roll of fishing line, and a glue stick.
tools: scissors and a knife
Step 1: Prepping Wood Rods
1. cut small notches about a centimeter away form tips on all 4 corners of each wood rod, and repeat exactly in the center, make sure not to cut too deep, only enough for the fishing line to grip,
2. wrap fishing line starting from center tie tightly in then bring the string down the rod to the tip spirally, once at the tip, wrap line all the way around the rod then take it to the next rod and wrap it around till you come full circle back to the first one cut the line and tie tightly.
Step 2: Adding the Paper
1.cut paper to shape of the kite, make sure to leave 1-2 inches extra length in order to glue over string
2.now using the glue stick, glue the edges of the paper and fold them over the fishing line and press, make sure its tight.
3.If paper is not large enough to cover the entire kite, its absolutely ok, just cut a piece of paper to fit the gap and stick glue it together.
Step 3: Wiring the Line
1.make a very small hole in the center of the kite exactly where the wood rods meet, take the line through the front of the kite around the three rods and back out the hole and tie it tight as possible ,i used a double knot.
2. measure that line from center to tip of one of the wood rods ,leave a couple of inches of extra slack to tie later, and cut the line.
3. now tie the another line starting at one of the top rod tips measure it to the center and back up to the other top rod tip, leave a bit extra to compensate for tying. this line should look like a (V)......now tie the line that is coming from the center of the kite to the center of your (v) line, it should look like diagram 2 photo
Step 4: Weights and Tail Weight
1. now we cut two identical pieces of gift wrap paper, measure from one tip to the next tip. this will be the length needed of each sheet, now cut a notch every 1 and a half to 2 inches as shown in the 1st diagram. stick glue to the bottom two sides of the kite. this weight is used for balance.
2.now cut a line 3 meters long, and tie it to the bottom 2 rod tips, as shown in diagram 2 , make sure its tight.
3. cut long strips of gift wrap paper fold them in half and stick glue the center of each sheet and fold it over the tail line we have just created.... press and secure.
keep in mind you may have to make adjustments to tail weight after final step.
Step 5: Tie and Troubleshoot
1. we will tie the rest of our fishing line to the point where our 2 other lines meet in the front of the kite. make sure every string on the kite is secure....
2. take the kite outside and run a bit with it , if it rises and stays steady then everything is fine...... if it goes left and right or in circles then it most likely needs a few more strips of weight at the tail.... if it doesn't lift then try removing a few strips....
Step 6: Add Ons
you can add many different things to your kite, such as led lights, or even a camera, just remember to keep both sides balanced and whatever weight you add, you have to remove from the tail to compensate.
Step 7: Watch Video.
detailed instructions and diagrams in video.