Hi all, I was wondering if any of you dabbled in actually making your own kites? Let it be stunt kites, single line or power kites. I'm interested in possibly trying my hand at this and was curious as to what would be needed to get started, and if there were any good resources out there for this. Hopefully, if I get better with time doing this, I would love to make a custom kite design and sell it. I Hope someone can offer me some advice. Thanks again for all the help so far, this is a great community!

I've made a few single line kites, mostly box kites.

This a great site I've referenced a number if times. http://www.kiteplans.org

I like to buy fabric and parts from Into the Wind http://www.intothewind.com

My wife and daughters participate in a home school group where every spring I teach a kite making class to the 10-14 age group. It's a great exercise for teaching all kinds of stuff, from geometry to physics, the Bernoulli effect to meteorology all together with something I REALLY enjoy... It's hard to fit it all in to the limited time they give you, but it's fun to lay out all my kites and see the kids react to the bigger foils ... Last time I took the group out and showed them a demo with a 6.8m Viper S (traded that one out since).

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the great information! I was looking at starting with a Nasa wing or similar for a first try, as its only single layer. I really want to eventually try making my own parafoil, but its hard to find any plans online. Has anyone tried making their own and can offer some advice?

Into the wind sells all colors of ripstop with the wind proofing on it... It's kind of expensive, but it's good kite material you may be able to get cheaper somewhere else... Susan (kitemaker4) is a great resource on all things NPW... She's made hundreds of them I'm sure. If you contact her, I'm sure she'll give you guidance.

Thanks, Ill be sure to contact her. Yeah, that fabric does seem a bit pricy, for a 3m foil that would have to be upwards on 8 meters of fabric used. I guess thats why new kites are so expesnive!

I've made quite a few stunt kites many years ago, never tried a foil though. Found this site which looked very good: Kite Plans maybe worth a look.

Thanks! Now that I think of it, I might try to make a rev style kite to start, those seem awesome! And simple to make too? They cost like 300 dollars new, So I bet I could make one for much cheaper...

Here are plans for numerous kites of several types

Fantastic! Does anyone have any additional spots to buy fabric and line? Also, what kite would be a good starting point to practice?

Goodwinds has fabric, line, winders, fiberglass and carbon rods..

Quote: Originally posted by shaun413

Thanks! Now that I think of it, I might try to make a rev style kite to start, those seem awesome! And simple to make too? They cost like 300 dollars new, So I bet I could make one for much cheaper...

I thought the same thing and I probably could have..In the end, I bought a Rev....and then 2 , etc...

You can find used ones HERE

ahh, I can't really afford anything new or used atm... But I was thinking a diy one may be doable depending on cost...

Quote: Originally posted by shaun413

Hopefully, if I get better with time doing this, I would love to make a custom kite design and sell it. I Hope someone can offer me some advice. Thanks again for all the help so far, this is a great community!

There is an expression in the kite world. The only way to make a million dollars selling kites is to go in with 2million.

By the time you factor in lines, handles and spars it will cost you about as much to buy a used Rev', NPW or foil as it will to make one.

Markite, Deanoxo and a few others have been making kites for years but it ends up more a labour of love than a money making adventure. Don't give up your day job!

And don't forget that a new NPW can be had for less than half the price of a new foil. The quality of construction available right here, made in USA by one of our own(km4) has made me a big fan, and I don't do much more than sew buttons!

Yeah, talk to Susan. If you're into making it because you want to make it, she can help. If you're into making it because you want a cheap, awesome kite, she can help (just let her make it for you). Just remember those NPW's look like Klingon birds of prey when seen flying from the side. It's sometimes hard to remember how awesome they look, when all the pilot sees is something that looks like a rainbow waffle-iron.

Well, I want want to make my own kite as much as I want to fly it :P I think it always adds an aspect of fun and accomplishment if you can make something yourself, then use it for its desired purpose. I do this a lot with many other things, and would love to try to make my own kites

Shaun413
Dunno if you have been to this site, it includes a calculator for bldg. NPW9's. http://www.kiteplans.org/planos/npw9b/NPW_plans_eng.html

thanks! that site could come in handy