Kitebuilder.com

[DuPont Spinner]

Howdy everyone. This is my first post at this forum and I'm wondering what's your favorite thread for sewing Ripstop nylon? I'm beginnig to sew my first duel line kite, but first I'm learning to sew; having never sewn a stitch in my life. There are numerous polyester threads to choose from, some with more fuzz and loose ends than others. Thanks in advance for the responses. DuPont
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Wipe off the blood and get back in the game.

[KiteSquid]

My favorite is Dabond Bonded Polyester in size 33. It it UV Resistant. 90% of my sewing is with Black... so I buy it in the largest cone I can find.

But you must find a thread that will work in your machine.... Some machines dont like Bonded thread.

If I am looking for colors I normaly use Gueterman Polyester.

I would recomend that you do NOT use natural fibers in your kites. I dont alwaly stow my kites were air can circulatle and dry them out perfectly so rot is an issue in my kites...

Some people use the Bonded Nylon that Steve sells at Kite Studio (there is a link at the top of most pages here at his fourms). I could never get it to work well, but others swear by it, I guess I did not adjust my machine to handle it well... It does come in a lot of colors.

I would recomend you stick to threads that dont give up a lot of fuzz into your machine so you dont have to clean it as often.

I do know of one professional kite builder that uses the cheepest cones of polyester thread..... He likes it. I dont.

Remeber it is a sewing system!!!!! the parts are

1) Thread
Size, fiber type, fiber length, coatings, type of twist, tightness of twist, number of yarns

2) Fabric
Size of fibrers in the Warp and Weft, Thightness of weave, Coatings, processes it went thru i.e. colanderazation,

3) Machine
Type of hook, top speed, back lash anywhere in the machine, vibration of the machine, stich chosen i.e. Straight, Zigzag, multi step Zigzag.

4) Needle
Diamater of the shank (also called size), size and shape of the eye, point (Ball point, universal point, sharp point [I recomend a Jeans needle made by Schmetz in the size needed for the thread and number of layers of fabric you are sewing thru, they are made all the way down to 10 but not carried at all stores so ASK!!!!!!! I ususlly use a number 12 that is carried at a quilting store near kitepoor's home.]) Coatings on the needle (Steve sells teflon coated needles and I have seen Titaninum Nitrate coatings) Lubes applyed to the needle or thread in its path, if it is bent from use or blunt from use...

5) Machine Operator
How you feed the fabric will affect the stitching ability of the machine and how fast you sew does too.

6) Machine Mechanic
How well he maintains and adjusts the machine to handle the above factors means a lot. When you take your mahicne in for manintance give them your needles/thread/fabric and tell them to adjust to that.... SEW on the manchine in the shop at difffrent speeds and stitchs and widths before taking it home to prove that it is ajusted for your system before taking it home so they can adjust again before taking it home.

All of the above affect the final product, the smile on your face when your creation it flying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow I reallay rambled there but the thread you choose is only one small part of the whole system.... Sorry to be tooo long winded.
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VR/
KiteSquid
AKA TakoIka
AKA Harold
King George VA


P.S. Yet another post by the Squid..... Doesent he ever shut up???

P.P.S. The wind is like the air, only pushier.

[stevef]

Hi DuPont, welcome to the community! There are several discussions about thread, and other sewing notions in the "Notions" forum.... check them out HERE
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Steve Ferrel
Go Build a Kite!
Measure once, buy twice!

[DuPont Spinner]

Thanks Kitesquid and Steve. Don't sweat the long winded replys. As long as I can understand the info; the more the better. I'm really excited about my new found skills and building my own kites from patterns that I purchased locally in the Puget Sound area. As I find more questions, I'll look forward posting them and getting responses. DuPont
_________________
Wipe off the blood and get back in the game.