Delta Kite Plan

by Alberto Bonati

Version 2.0

Well, this english version  was asked to me from many people.
Sorry for my terrific english, I hope my pictures help you more.

Delta kite is one my favourite kites for the beauty of its flight and its simple construction.
Its jointed structure allows it to have a very elegant flight adjusting its shape to the wind and allows it to make the most of draughts.
3 mt. base-width delta is my favourite kite for kite aerial photography.

In this page I have gathered together most typicals and easy to make construction details.

Delta kite parts (see from below):

a) Wing spars
b) Spine
c) Spreader
d) Keel

Project and materials

All dimension shown in side picture are referred to  2 mt. base-width delta kite, it's possible to make other size kites upscaling or downscaling all dimensions.

To make this delta kite you need:
- Spinnaker nylon for wings and keel.
- Dacron band for wings and spine tunnels and for all renforcements.
- Spars and brass tube for joints, arrow nocks and end caps.
- Sewing thread
- Bridle line
- Soldering iron and a working table

Fabric rolls are generally 1 or 1.5 meters width and for this reason good sizes for delta kite are 2 or 3 mt. of base width as side picture show.
This arrangement keeps fabric weft making homogeneous wings deformation and assuring more stable flight.

It' s very important remember to add  6-7 mm edge all around for sewing pieces togheter and make wing trailing edge.
This edge can be made also with curved shape like 6 mt delta proyect.

An other way to assemble triangles obtained from a square piece of fabric divided by diagonal cut is shown in picture below.

Work sequence

- Cut off all spinnaker pieces : wings and keel
- Prepare dacron reinforcments and loops.
- Prepare dacron bands for wing-spar and keel tunnels sewing end loops ( Fig. A ).
- Make the keel adding dacron hem and sewing reiforcements on  bridle attach point ( Fig. B ).
- Hem wings trailing edge and sew reinforcements on spreader attach point (Fig. C )
- Sew wing-spar tunnels to wings and sew dacron loop for the spreader ( Fig. C ).
- Sew togheter two half wings and keel ( Fig. E. sez. 1-1).
- Sew spine tunnel to the kite( Fig. E).
- Sew reinforcements at wing-spar end inside tunnel ( Fig. B).
- Prepare spars with nocks and caps end and saw off all spars at right lenght.

Construction details

Left side picture show the kite seen from below, that is keel side.

Following pictures will be illustrate some methods to solve the principal kite points.

Fig. A ( Picture A ) show two possible solutions to fix wing-spars to wing-spar tunnel end.

On solution show in Det.1 the spar is threaded inside dacron loop 4) and fastened by a rubber ring 5)   made with rubber water pipe.

On Det.1/a the sparl end with an arrow nock 6) and get on a bungee cord 7) threaded on dacron loop 4).

For both solutions , first of all you need to prepare wing-spars ends as shown on Detail 1/b sewing dacron band doubled for more strenght.

After having made the wings trailing edge according to Fig. A, sez. b-b, simply folding the edge and/or adding a fabric strip as shown, it's possible to sew wing-spar tunnels  to wing sides.

Section a-a in Fig. A show   work sequence : at first you have to make seam 1) on dacron strip to obtain an assembling reference line and then seam 2) and 3),  taking care to draw wing fabric near to seam 1)

Fig. B ( Picture B) show a solution to reiforce wing-spar tunnels where the sparl end.

Dacron band c)  hem all kite wing up its upper top.
It's better to place a rubber end caps e) at spar end and in this point the pocket will be close with a seam f) and reinforced with a dacron piece b)  to avoid to wear out spinnaker fabric.

Width of pocket is to determine according with spar diameter , take care to foresee joint tubes and end caps, it's better to calculate it with some aboundance

Fig. C (Picture C) show a solution to joint spreader at wings that allow to adapt the kite to many kinds of wind.

After sewing dacron reiforces a) at both wing side, it's possible to insert wing-spar tunnel b) and then sewing the dacron loop c).

The spreader has a plastic nock d) and get up a loop chord e) ( no bungee chord in this case) .

Lingthening the loop t it's possible to adapt delta kite to strong winds.

Fig. D (Picture D) show two solutions for bridle attach point to keel that is made with two fabric folds for best resistance.

The one in Det. 2 has the disadvantage of don't allow the kite fly angle.

Det. 1 show a solution where three metallic buttonholes a) allow to change bridle point moving it back with weak winds and putting it forward with strong winds.

These buttonholes are on sale on haberdasher's and availables in many sizes.
It's important to place several dacron layers b) in this very stressed point.

Fig. E ( picture E ) show the spine spar attach point to kite.

Dacron loop b) is sewn like for wing-spar ends on dacron band a) and then spine tunnel is fixed  with two longitudinal seams.

Spine spar end with plastic nock c) and bungee chord d)

Spar diameters to use

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