My latest build - 3.25 M NPW 5P. Not quite finished (have to check and then trim the bridles). My biggest kite yet.

Nice looking kite Randy, come on you know size matters, take a leap of faith the bigger you go the more tolerant the kite is to slight errors. I'm going the other way started planning a high AR 3m hammer to compliment my quiver. Few tweaks to the design and some aplique to finish.

Quote: Originally posted by sadsack

Great, I have not been on my board for a while. The beach is real hard now so if we don,t get any snow I am try my board on the beach. One day I am going to get some binding for it.:bird:

I know this is an older post, but that skateboard rocks! I've never seen one with tank tracks. Cool as the other side of the pillow!!!

Quote: Originally posted by bigE123

Nice looking kite Randy, come on you know size matters, take a leap of faith the bigger you go the more tolerant the kite is to slight errors. I'm going the other way started planning a high AR 3m hammer to compliment my quiver. Few tweaks to the design and some aplique to finish.

Thanks Ian. I have found that as builds get bigger in some ways they do get easier. Its really hard to do tiny darts. Since I started out not being able to sew a straight seam longer than a few inches its taken a while for me to move up in size. Its also a bit of a challenge to make bigger kites since I've bought an assortment of 1 yard long ripstop of different colors - so I have figure out how to make it work. Next time I order I am getting longer ones.

For now - I'm going the opposite direction making a .7 M NPW 5 (gift for wife's friend.)

Randy, is that just the bottom row of bridles on the brakes? Nice looking kite.

Yes - the bottom 2 rows for each of the 3 columns of bridles on each side are the brake lines. I thought about making the outside ones on the wing power, though. I might experiment sometime with changing it.

Here is my .7 M NPW gift kite. Its a buzzard kite, its annoying that its upside down, but it shows right side up if you click on it. One of my attempts at putting designs on kites.

Quote: Originally posted by Randy

Here is my .7 M NPW gift kite. Its a buzzard kite, its annoying that its upside down, but it shows right side up if you click on it. One of my attempts at putting designs on kites.

Cool! Does it stare down at you from the sky? She looks pissed.

That's the idea - to look like an angry buzzard.:D Just took it out for the first flight - the wind was pretty lame but it flew in a few of the puffs!

Love that color Randy!

That's funny - I got an assortment of a dozen different colors. I don't like pink, and since the kite was for a lady, I decided to use it.

A litle pink is nice:




6.5 meter

I've been on a roll this week. Not sure where to put this - kite longboarding, SUP kites, or here, so I guess I'll put it here. This captures some of my latest builds, including my 3.25 M NPW 5-P and a NPW like kite.

Nice vid Randy, that new kite looks like simplicity personified! (get me, been reading a dictionary :D)

Not an NPW but it is single skin, my new 3m2 high aspect kite ready for bridling:


Two firsts on this one, firstly: my first ever blog on the build:BigE blog
The second: a higher aspect ratio than before, my 12m was 4.7 this puppy is 6...fingers crossed.

Quote: Originally posted by bigE123

Not an NPW but it is single skin, my new 3m2 high aspect kite ready for bridling: Two firsts on this one, firstly: my first ever blog on the build:BigE blog The second: a higher aspect ratio than before, my 12m was 4.7 this puppy is 6...fingers crossed.

@BigE - nicely played sir, nicely played. I just read your blog on XK from beginning to most current. Very cool evolution. I love your color scheme and decoration features! I've got a 4m Peak2 that screams through the sky in high winds. I can imagine how this rocket is going to really zip, being both smaller and higher AR.

Are you planning on making this DP and run it off a DP bar? I suspect not, so FB off of handles? Is this kite a buggy engine, or what are you planning to do with it mainly?

Very fun to read your blog and live the evolution through your text and pictures. Thanks for making the effort to share the slow stoke. :karate:

Single Skin Racing! That's one long 3m. Looks real nice,
the colors and design.

Stiffeners in this one...?

Hope to hear a proper performance report soon.

What's next?

How bout one with zipper to 'close up or open up" fabric and built in bridal adjuster so you can change kite size to extend wind range(ref: Paraski Flex)

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

Are you planning on making this DP and run it off a DP bar? I suspect not, so FB off of handles? Is this kite a buggy engine, or what are you planning to do with it mainly? Very fun to read your blog and live the evolution through your text and pictures. Thanks for making the effort to share the slow stoke. :karate:

Thanks Windstruck, fb is in my passion at the moment, I do have dp on my 12m though. as with all my kites I like to spend some time static flying to really get the "feel" of it, but yes it's to buggy with on handles or bar.

Quote: Originally posted by skimtwashington

Single Skin Racing! That's one long 3m. Looks real nice, the colors and design. Stiffeners in this one...? Hope to hear a proper performance report soon. What's next? How bout one with zipper to 'close up or open up" fabric and built in bridal adjuster so you can change kite size to extend wind range(ref: Paraski Flex)

Cheers Skimt but,
Whoa there :D Now that is a good team name "Single Skin Racing"!
Yes I have put stiffeners in the LE they go just past the point the nose starts.
Next? I can't think past this one! :D
Zippers: I've seen and the concept is fraught with bridle issues, I'd prefer to build a kite to do one job and not compromise trying to make it do more.

Quote: Originally posted by bigE123

Nice vid Randy, that new kite looks like simplicity personified! (get me, been reading a dictionary :D)

Thanks Ian. I guess now that you are a blogger you had to study that dictionary!:D

Awesome work on your new build. You blog pictures and explanations are quite interesting. Seeing the kite start to come together is the fun part of building (along with watching it finally fly, and of course, thinking about the next one to build.)

Quote: Originally posted by Randy

I've been on a roll this week. Not sure where to put this - kite longboarding, SUP kites, or here, so I guess I'll put it here. This captures some of my latest builds, including my 3.25 M NPW 5-P and a NPW like kite.

Love it Randy! I liked that first kite on the bar. Also, looks like you are enjoying your longboard and getting comfortable with it.

Thanks Sean. Pretty happy with the longboard. I always thought the pavement at that spot was too rough for a longboard, but it worked pretty well. The only thing is - the faster I went the more it felt like my feet were vibrating. It was pretty fun though.

Finally finished, leaders fitted and packed ready for it's first test flight, and the weather is? NO WIND!!

That always happens.

Really impressive build - and you did those hundred(s?) bridles pretty quick. Must have been working every spare moment. Can't wait to hear how it flies.

Cheers Randy, my wife has been away for a couple of days, what's a guy to do..... hang a kite up in the lounge and make 118 bridle lines! Shhhhh Now to tidy-up before she gets back later!

Quote: Originally posted by Randy

. The only thing is - the faster I went the more it felt like my feet were vibrating.

Are you on a drop through or top mount? If top mount do you have any shockpads between the deck and trucks? Soft shock pads help but if the road is really rough and the wheels relatively hard and you are at speed, you can't eliminate all of the vibration. Tightening the trucks and bushing changes can help some but that may defeat the purpose you are going for.

Quote: Originally posted by B-Roc

Quote: Originally posted by Randy   . The only thing is - the faster I went the more it felt like my feet were vibrating. Are you on a drop through or top mount? If top mount do you have any shockpads between the deck and trucks? Soft shock pads help but if the road is really rough and the wheels relatively hard and you are at speed, you can't eliminate all of the vibration. Tightening the trucks and bushing changes can help some but that may defeat the purpose you are going for.

Drop through with shockpads. A guy at the skateboard shops said I should go for the biggest, softest wheels. Would that help?

I do have an ATB, but prefer the longboard since it seems to need less wind.

Yes, bigger, softer wheels will help so long as you don't get wheel bite. Risers on a drop through lower the clearance so depending upon the shape of the deck you need to be careful about wheel size as you can't raise the board unless you top mount the trucks

Thanks B-Roc!

Quote: Originally posted by bigE123

Finally finished, leaders fitted and packed ready for it's first test flight, and the weather is? NO WIND!!

Nice work bigE! Insanely jealous of the new creation.