What flies through firmaments

Somehow or another I got it into my head, this past winter or autumn, to try my hand at kite making. Just one more craft in the ever-growing list of things which take up space and time in my life. Not that I complain, these are good things that I enjoy, and I've learned which are wise to adopt. I can catch onto simple mechanics and construction like bicycle mechanics and kites. I never had much luck with electronics beyond splicing wires together. Enough talent I had at that to put together a contact mic, but no more.

Anyway! My original intent had been to get a kite done in time for Fly A Kite Day, handily marked on the calendar I recieved for my birthday this year. Failing that I decided to get one ready sometime before the end of National Kite Flying Month. This did not happen either, but I now have a complete kite... which has been sitting waiting for me to actually take it out and see if the darn thing'll fly, or if I'll have to start again. I haven't done any decoration yet. I'm holding off in case it bursts into flame once aloft. Don't want to waste time. If it flies I'll decorate it. If it flies, but poorly, and survives the attempt, I might still decorate it and keep it as non-usable art.



So, here is the unpapered frame. I got the bamboo from TJ Max. It's not the best quality stuff, and it's probably rather overpriced, even at TJ Max prices, as craft bamboo since it's sold as a decorative sheaf. Anyway, it's something to play with for now. I've been looking into various purveyors of bulk bamboo for building. The above photo is of the second attempt, since on the first attempt I made the cross, then attatched the sail, then tried to do the bend of the cross piece, which broke. I checked out a number of books from the library with names like KITES! Make Them! and decided on the Eddy kite for my first project. It's much like a typical diamond kite, but with a curved crosspiece that adds stability and control that the flat diamond kite lacks without the addition of a tail.

I then covered the frame with newsprint paper, as you see. I didn't have large enough pieces on hand to cover it with one piece, so I had to glue various seems. We'll see how that holds together.

Materials are bamboo, hemp twine, wood glue, elmers glue, and a bit of shellac over the knots. I gessoed the paper for strength (?) and a better decorating surface, and attached a bridle of hemp twine with a fishing sort of attachment of a name I've forgotten to connect the line to.







[as an aside, I'm just learning about this
blogger thing, so I'm experimenting with
format here]






Well, that's about all I can write until I've actually tried flying the thing. If this one works I will move on to more elaborate designs.

Thanks for reading.