Kitebuilder.com - Fly... with a little help from your friends.

Progcraft · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2003 4:20 pm Post subject: Building Bridles

G'day all.
I was wondering how you build your bridles?
Last night I built and used Tom White's bridle board which you can find in his NPW9B calculator. And I love this thing. It makes short work of marking and cutting the lines. My NPW uses 24 primary lines, all of the same length and with this board I was able to make 4 lines at a shot. Marked and cut all in one pass including fid in and out points. The secondary lines are made two at a time. Right side and left side. And the adjustability of it means only a few seconds are needed to reset for a different bridle length. Just loosen the wings nuts, slide the slider so the front lines up on the measurment on the tape measure, tighten, and your done. And I made it totally out of scrap I had laying around the garage.

So, what do you use to make bridle building easy and quick?

You can find his NPW9B calculator here:
http://members.shaw.ca/kiteman/Downloads.htm

KiteSquid · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2003 6:40 pm Post subject:

Can you post a link to the bridle board?

I did not understand the wing nut.

It depends on the kite....

If it is a sport kite, where the bridles have to match, a board is the only way to go.

if it is a SLK, then it does not matter much, I just make the bridle infinatly adjustable.

But an Edo is an exceptin to the rule, the bridles have to be spot on. I used the long demention of my basement to make them as each row was 60' long and then I made a cascade system to attach all rows together. If I get some time I should make a drawing to demonstrate the process.

My current Edo project kite will have bridles about 100' long or so... I have not made that decission yet.
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid AKA TakoIka AKA Harold of King George VA
PS Yet another post by the Squid... Shocked

Doesn’t he ever shut up?
PPS The wind is like the air, only pushier.
PPPS All information provided is for hobby use. None may be used commercially.
PPPPS Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. x11.5K
PPPPPS Please excuse my speling errorors.

Progcraft · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2003 7:18 pm Post subject:

http://kites.icelands.ca/misc/bridleboard.jpg

P.

kitepoor · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2003 8:00 pm Post subject:

is there an easy explaination to "cascading" in refernce to kites?
_________________
Randy
to fly a kite is like
holding hands with a lover
maybe like holding hands with God

Progcraft · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2003 8:11 pm Post subject:

A 'Cascade' bridle use two sets of bridles. Primaries and Secondaries.

The lines coming off of the kite itself are know as Secondary lines (but I've seem some people refer to them as Primary). For traction kites, there are a lot of them. My NPW has 24 per side. These lines are paired together from top down and merge to a singel Primary line. So, for every two Secondaries, there is one Primary. It's these Primaries that go to the tow point. A Cascade Bridle uses less line overall and therefore creates less wind resistance.

Clear as mud?

P.

stevef · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2003 8:57 pm Post subject:

You can find more info here:
http://members.cox.net/wsp2nd/Cascade.htm
_________________

Steve Ferrel
Measure once, buy twice!

www.kitebuilder.com - Go Build a Kite! |

KiteSquid · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2003 9:10 pm Post subject:

A cascading bridle is best described as a muli-legged bridle that has one adjustment point, but many self adjusting points.

For my Edo SLK's the system kind looks like this from the side:

Yes that is 9 rows of bridles Very Happy

_________________
VR/
KiteSquid AKA TakoIka AKA Harold of King George VA
PS Yet another post by the Squid... Shocked

Doesn’t he ever shut up?
PPS The wind is like the air, only pushier.
PPPS All information provided is for hobby use. None may be used commercially.
PPPPS Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. x11.5K
PPPPPS Please excuse my speling errorors.

KiteSquid · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2003 3:56 pm Post subject:

One more thing I should mention is that is that is is scaleable, but you need to keep in the following progression for an infinantly adjustable bridle.

This refers to the rows on the kite:

3

5

9

17

33

65

129

257

My drawing is of the 9 row catagory
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid AKA TakoIka AKA Harold of King George VA
PS Yet another post by the Squid... Shocked

Doesn’t he ever shut up?
PPS The wind is like the air, only pushier.
PPPS All information provided is for hobby use. None may be used commercially.
PPPPS Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. x11.5K
PPPPPS Please excuse my speling errorors.

Progcraft · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2003 3:59 pm Post subject:

Why are you using rings instead of just figuring eight-ing the lines together?

P.

KiteSquid · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2003 9:17 pm Post subject:

With this system the lines that come to a ring and are the same color is one piece of line that is able to slide thru the ring. The one line of a different color is tied to the ring.

If I move the tow point up, the rest of the bridle automatic compensates for that movement and keeps the kite at the desired Angle Of Attack (AOA)

Does that answer your question?
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid AKA TakoIka AKA Harold of King George VA
PS Yet another post by the Squid... Shocked

Doesn’t he ever shut up?
PPS The wind is like the air, only pushier.
PPPS All information provided is for hobby use. None may be used commercially.
PPPPS Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. x11.5K
PPPPPS Please excuse my speling errorors.

Progcraft · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2003 2:19 am Post subject:

KiteSquid · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:38 pm Post subject:

No problem!!!!

That is why I am here, to share info with kite builders around the world!!!
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid AKA TakoIka AKA Harold of King George VA
PS Yet another post by the Squid... Shocked

Doesn’t he ever shut up?
PPS The wind is like the air, only pushier.
PPPS All information provided is for hobby use. None may be used commercially.
PPPPS Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. x11.5K
PPPPPS Please excuse my speling errorors.

stevef · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:41 pm Post subject:

KiteSquid · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:00 pm Post subject:

I learned it at Fort Worden a couple of years ago...

BTW can you get a diffrent ring.

I woudl love a cold forged and polished Stainless Steel ring in about the same size as your Aluminum rings or smaller......

Tough part to find, as I cant find em, nor can I figure out a use for them so I can source them...
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid AKA TakoIka AKA Harold of King George VA
PS Yet another post by the Squid... Shocked

Doesn’t he ever shut up?
PPS The wind is like the air, only pushier.
PPPS All information provided is for hobby use. None may be used commercially.
PPPPS Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. x11.5K
PPPPPS Please excuse my speling errorors.

KiteSquid · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:56 pm Post subject:

I learned it at Fort Worden a couple of years ago...

BTW can you get a diffrent ring.

I woudl love a cold forged and polished Stainless Steel ring in about the same size as your Aluminum rings or smaller......

Tough part to find, as I cant find em, nor can I figure out a use for them so I can source them...
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid AKA TakoIka AKA Harold of King George VA
PS Yet another post by the Squid... Shocked

Doesn’t he ever shut up?
PPS The wind is like the air, only pushier.
PPPS All information provided is for hobby use. None may be used commercially.
PPPPS Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. x11.5K
PPPPPS Please excuse my speling errorors.

Progcraft · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2003 12:32 am Post subject:

I really need to learn to start putting posts into thier proper places. I just noticed the 'tools' forum. Embarassed

P.

stevef · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2003 1:47 pm Post subject:

No problem Prog... I have the power! Very Happy

The power to move things if they dont fit! However, there is a lot of overlap between categories so I kinda like to keep things the way you guys post unless it gets really our of wack... (this topic could fit into 101, Tools, or Line)

-S
_________________

Steve Ferrel
Measure once, buy twice!

www.kitebuilder.com - Go Build a Kite! |

KiteSquid · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2003 3:17 pm Post subject:

I printed the diagram for the bridle board and it looks like a great tool.

When I get some time I will build one, with some minor modifications as his is designed to mark your line for knotless loops.

You should see Paul lamaster's bridle boards. special build for 1 kite only!!!!

Nice red oak and made as a Go/No Go test jig too. If it does not fit on the nails and tru the screw eyes the bridle is no good.
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid AKA TakoIka AKA Harold of King George VA
PS Yet another post by the Squid... Shocked

Doesn’t he ever shut up?
PPS The wind is like the air, only pushier.
PPPS All information provided is for hobby use. None may be used commercially.
PPPPS Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. x11.5K
PPPPPS Please excuse my speling errorors.

Stan · Joined: 18 Nov 2003 Posts: 819 Location: San Diego

Here's a source for stainless hardware. Even if they don't have the rings you need, there's a lot to see here:
http://www.bosunsupplies.com

Stan

KiteSquid · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 9:15 pm Post subject:

They have TITANIUM rings Very Happy

, but they are too big.... Sad

_________________
VR/
KiteSquid AKA TakoIka AKA Harold of King George VA
PS Yet another post by the Squid... Shocked

Doesn’t he ever shut up?
PPS The wind is like the air, only pushier.
PPPS All information provided is for hobby use. None may be used commercially.
PPPPS Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. x11.5K
PPPPPS Please excuse my speling errorors.