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imagin · Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2004 8:59 pm Post subject:

I think you might be onto something Gerry, with the spherical shape but it may add a lot of weight. The tubing and the ties seem pretty simple.
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Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.

KiteSquid · Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 9:04 am Post subject:

There was a tetrahedral kite that was manufactured in the 1970's that had molded plastic fittings... They pop up on eBay about every other month...

I would think that dirlling hte holes in a sphere would be teadous at the least. getting the angles right in 3 dementions....

Flexable fittings help to make up for some problems in cutting hte spars to the corrcet length and not getting them to seat all the way. Also they make it easyer to set up.

Bell's kites were a rigid structure that did NOT pack down... UGH....

Look HERE to see a photo of one of bell's fittings..... tough to build compared to the felxable fittings made of tubing and nylon wire ties...
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VR/
KiteSquid
AKA TakoIka
AKA Harold
King George VA

P.S. Yet another post by the Squid..... Shocked

Doesent he ever shut up???

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

gduran · Joined: 03 Mar 2004 Posts: 36 Location: Argentina

KiteSquid · Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 10:05 am Post subject:

No I am refering to the type of construction in Grant's Photos at the top of this thread.

He used flexable tubing and nylon wire ties to hold them together....

The tubing he usesd is fuel line tubing for model airplanes, but Vinyl tubing from the hardware store or urthane tubing (superthane) from other sources could be used. Just try to stay with a thin wall tube...

The Nylon Wire Ties are from the hardware store or auto parts store. If you want to build a kite with lots of sails, you can get bigger bags of ties from an electronics supply house for less money..
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid
AKA TakoIka
AKA Harold
King George VA

P.S. Yet another post by the Squid..... Shocked

Doesent he ever shut up???

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

stevef · Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 10:14 am Post subject:

THIS is probably the best Tetra design i've seen. Light weight, collapsable, flys in LOW wind, basically very easy to build, cool design.

Origninal plan by Grand Champion Kitebuilder, am Houston. Drake Smith and the rest of the Maryland Kite Society did a lot of work with this design and won an award or two. Wink

I am surprised by the lack of questions i receive on this design.
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Steve Ferrel
Measure once, buy twice!

Grant L · Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 10:57 am Post subject:

I forgot to mention that ! That was the part that really sold me on the plans. I like tetrahedrons but they were bulky to haul around. This one folds very flat. And it doesn't take all that long to set up Very Happy