Kitebuilder.com

[Progcraft]

The bridle is simple. Just a bit time consuming.
I found sewing the overlap seam with a 200 lb dacron line in between to be the hardest. My seams did not come out very well which is why I converted my 5.12 square meter NPW9b into a train of mini Della Porta kites.
I'm not going to use the reinforcing line next time. I'm going to use a plain seam and add in ribbon tabs for the bridle points.

Hmm, I wonder. Would you be able to add the dacron line into the folded over seam??? Hmmm, I think you could. I'm going to look into this a bit more when I build it. I just might do it this way instead. Sew the seams with straight stitch and add ribbon tabs at all the bridle points. Fold the seam over, feed in the dacron line and triple zig-zag it down. This should give the best of both worlds. Shouldn't it??

P.

P.
_________________
There is no box.
Children of the Wind Kite Festival
http://www.windykids.ca/

[CJQ]

give it a try Prog , it'll work . I modified a pressure foot by adding a rectangular gruve on the bottom of the foot to allow for the hump created by the line being sewn in .

CLIFF

[mhartzel]

The reinforcement line is much better to use. Sure it's a pain to sew, but it's stronger...

The tabs only have maybe 8-12 stitches holding them in. Where the reinforcement line spreads the load across the entire seam.

I don't have a cording foot and put mine in by holding the fabric in one hand and the cord in the other and took my time...
It gets easier with practice
_________________
Mark
Sand, Street or Sky... I love to fly.
- Take back the web.

[mhartzel]

WOW What a day!!!
Winds ranging from 20-30 MPH, an open field and a 2.77m NPW9b.
I definately don't need my gym membership if we're gonna keep having winds like this... What an absolute rush any time the wind gusted higher. My arms and legs got a workout. Arms from holding on for dear life, and my legs for trying to keep myself on the ground.

and i was thinking about making a 6m....
HEHEHE I think I will

This npw held up very well to the wind. The bridle shows no signs of wear. 30# secondaries and 50# primaries with the 200# reinforcement line. worked great...

talk to everyone later...
_________________
Mark
Sand, Street or Sky... I love to fly.
- Take back the web.

[kiteguy]

[Progcraft]

This page shows a method for useing ribbon tabs and binding as well.

P.
_________________
There is no box.
Children of the Wind Kite Festival
http://www.windykids.ca/

[Progcraft]

So, here's what I was thinking for useing tabbed bridle points and no reenforcing line.



A: Sew a half circle dacron patch onto each bridle attachment point on both pieces of fabric

B: Put fabric together good-side to good-side and straight stich the seam 1/4 inch. Put in the tabs in the center of the circles as you come to them.

C: Open and sew flap down with triple zig-zag with a couple pass over each tab.

May still want to use reeinforcing line when hemming the outside of the kite though. But, still use the dacron patch and tab method as well.

Discussion?

P.
_________________
There is no box.
Children of the Wind Kite Festival
http://www.windykids.ca/

[mhartzel]

Well Prog... there is the usual answer "...try it and let us know how it works..." In theory I guess it could work. But the issue I see with it, is you are still concentrating the pull of the kite to individual points on the sail fabric.
The last time I flew my 2.77 NPW it was in 18-23MPH wind and I can only imagine what the pull strength on each individual point was. My bridle for that kite is 50# primary and 30# secondary. The 30# line I have is pretty small in diameter, maybe 1 to 1.5mm. I don't think it would hold up very well, unless the loops were 3.5oz dacron and double folded.
_________________
Mark
Sand, Street or Sky... I love to fly.
- Take back the web.

[kiteguy]

I repeat, do it like he does on the kites at this site: http://www.xs4all.nl/~pdj/nasa.htm Use the NICE WAY.

You will not, I repeat NOT pull the tabs out. If you use 3/4 oz material for tabs you will be sewing 6 layers of materisl between 4 layers of binding material. With the tabs sewn in, folded back over themselves and sewn again you have the forces spread out along the entire seam with what amounts to 7.5 oz of Ripstop 1/4 inch wide. That is stronger than any 50# line can pull out. We used 80# bridle lines for both main and back lines. Not much need to watch weight on such a strong kite.

Oh, and you will have seams that you are proud of. All of them enclosed in 4 layers of Ripstop with raw edges enclosed.
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Dave Ellis
Kites + Kids = Education