By Leslie Hunt
FIG. 1.
SKETCH OF INTERSECTION OF STICKS, SHOWING METHOD OF WRAPPING
Tie on other side with a knot like that shown in Fig. 2.
Prepare two sticks 3/8 by 1/4 by 26 inches and trim them until they are about
1/4 inch wide and quite straight. Plane or scrape the sides very lightly, just
enough to make them clean. Take the straighter stick and trim each end to good
solid wood, bringing the length to exactly 26 inches. Mark the edges 1/2 inch
from each end, and saw a narrow slit parallel to the flat sides down to the mark, or notch the ends as shown in
Figure 2. This stick is the spine.
Prepare the other stick in the same manner, only making the total length 22
inches. This stick is for the cross.
From the end of the spine selected for the top, mark 7 and 7 1/4 inches.
From
each end of the cross, measure 10 7/8 inches and mark all around. These marks
designate the place where the sticks will intersect.
Apply a thin coat of glue and place the sticks in position. Square the
intersection with one of the end boards of the crate, a book or other suitable
object. Tie the sticks in place as shown in Figure 1, using care to keep them at
right angles and in the proper position.
FIG. 2.
END OF STICK, SHOWING METHOD OF FIRST PART OF WRAPPING
After knot is tightened, lay end of string A along stick and wrap with B
about four turns, securing the framing string in the alit as shown in Fig. 3.
The small sketch shows the stick end notched instead of slit. Either method
works very well and allows new sticks to be put in without disturbing the rest
of the kite.
Cut four pieces of string 8 inches long and start wrapping the ends of the
sticks as shown in Figure 2. Wrap twice around just behind the mark, tie snugly
and leave the ends free. Do not wrap too hard. To break a string while wrapping
is almost sure to snap a stick.
Now take the ball of string, tie a knot about 4
inches from the end, and frame the kite by slipping the string into the slits or
notches. Start at the top of the spine. The knot keeps the string from pulling
through until you are ready to tie it to the other end of the framing string.
Draw the string taut but not tight enough to bend the sticks. Tie to the free
end at the top, and make final adjustments by squaring and measuring carefully.
Finish the ends of the sticks outside the framing string as shown in Figure
3, and clip off all loose ends.
FIG. 3.
FINISHING THE WRAPPING OF THE STICK END. The first half of the knot is tied.
Study Fig. 2 to see how the second half
is tied.
Open a roll of crepe paper on a smooth surface and straighten out the
wrinkles caused by the folds, being careful not to stretch the crepe. If there
is a right side to the paper, it should be placed down. Hold the paper in place
with books or other convenient objects, and place the kite frame, spine side
down, on the paper so the ridges of the crepe run the long way of the frame.
Bring the top of the spine even with one margin of the paper. Cut the paper
larger than the kite so a hem about 3/4 of an inch deep may be turned over the
framing string.
The triangular pieces left from the sides will be enough to make
the splice at the bottom. Apply paste freely 1/2 inch wide to the bottom margin,
and lay the splice on at once patting the paper together with the fingers. Keep
the hands clean. There is nothing more annoying than to have bits of trash
sticking to the fingers when one is working with string and paper.
FIG. 4.
METHOD OF STRENGTHENING AN IRREGULAR-FIGURE KITE
A sketch of a
dinosaur, or ancient lizard-like animal, is shown in the upper left with sticks
in place. The framing string is shown as a dotted line. The upper right shows
the construction of a blinking eye. The black part of the drawing represents the
pupil of the eye mounted on a short wire X-X' There is a space cut out of the
iris of the eye Z, so the pupil will spin with the wind. The rest of the iris is
made of greased paper. The central sketch shows a trough-shaped piece of paper
glued to the back of the kite surface to give it stiffness. The lower right
sketch is the head of the monster showing the reinforcements just described at
T, and also slivers or shavings glued on at S. This kite will require a tail.
Perhaps a better way of framing can be worked out. A discussion of
reinforcements is given in the Introduction.
Clip the margin carefully on each side of the sticks as far in as the framing
string, and crease the paper so it will fold over readily without pulling the
string out of place. Clip the paper so none will be pasted to the sticks and paste into place.
Go right
around the kite, and when all sides are pasted, set away in a warm dry place
until dry. Then turn the kite over and finish the paper near the ends of the
sticks by folding and pasting.
Fig. 5:
FRAME OF TWO-STICK KITE, READY FOR PAPERING
The bridle or bellyband is to be attached to the paper side of the kite.
Pull
the stretch out of about 8 feet of string, thread it singly on the needle, and
run it under the wrapping at the upper end of the spine starting from the top.
Pull the string through until about a foot remains.
Run the needle under the
wrapping at the lower end of the spine, starting from the top of the wrapping,
and pull through so a loop about a yard long will be formed. Cut this loop about
8 inches from the bottom of the kite, and tie the short end into a 1/4 inch
rubber band. Pull the string so there is exactly 5 inches between the rubber
band and the place where the string touches the kite.
FIG. 6.
FRONT VIEW OF COMPLETED TWO-STICK KITE
In this and other figures, only a portion of the tail is shown. Note the
elastic bridle.
Secure the lower end with
two half hitches and let the excess string hang free. Tie a knot in the other
string about 8 inches from the end. Tie into the rubber band so the knot will be
about two inches above the rubber. Adjust the loop thus formed to exactly 31
inches. Secure the top with two half hitches, leaving enough string hanging free
for further adjustments. Bring up the string that is below the kite, and tie it
above the knot so the rubber band can stretch about 4 inches before the string
checks its extension. Do not pull too hard on the kite in making these
adjustments, as a broken stick is sure to result.
The object of this kind of bridle is to prevent sudden gusts of wind from
tearing the kite or making it dart violently. It also allows the kite to fly in
various velocities of wind without adjustment and at a slightly higher angle
than without it.
Attaching the horizontal string requires some patience. You should still have
the needle threaded, so proceed as you did for the vertical string, only do not
use the elastic arrangement. Keeping the kite flat, bridle side up, draw up the
vertical bridle by means of a wire hook so the vertex of the angle formed will
be exactly over the spine at a point 5 inches from the top framing string.
Remember the rubber will stretch some, so do not draw tighter than necessary to
give a feeling of firmness.
FIG. 7.
SIDE (EDGE) VIEW OF TWO-STICK KITE
Note the bridle and tow string.
Run the horizontal string through the hook, and pull
taut. Tie a tow string or leader at this place crisscross through the
intersection of the bridle. Secure with a drop of glue. Fix the ends of the
horizontal string to the cross stick with two half stitches, leaving enough
string at each side for further adjustments.
While the bridle described may be criticized by professional kite-makers, it
is satisfactory, easy to adjust, and strong enough for the kites herein
described.
Make the tail either of scraps of paper tied to a strong string at intervals
of a foot, or use festoon decorations. The tail for the above kite consisted of
15 feet of 1 1/2-inch flat festoon tied on singly. Remember a tail is not for
weight as much as it is for air resistance. A string and a stone will not keep a
kite as steady as a bushy or fuzzy tail of much less weight.
Attach the tail with string and glue to the lower end of the spine on the
stick side of the kite. When dry, the kite is ready for use.
Rating Kites
The dimensions and weight of the kite just described, without tail, were as
follows