Downloads

The plans are provided on this web site as Adobe PDF files (you will need Acrobat Reader to print them). They are available in 3 sizes, A4, A3 and Letter. The Firecrest v2 plans are also provided as Foilmaker files for your information. However, I would suggest that you still use the PDF downloads as they are far more efficient on paper usage and since the center section of the kites all share the same rib and skin shapes, you save on templates. Download the size most suited to your printer/paper and then print them and stick the resulting pages together carefully. You will find that there is a blank border all around the pages. Trim one side so that you can accurately place the sheets together. The plans are designed to be stuck onto sheets of hardboard, typically 2ft by 4ft or 2ft by 6ft. but you could just as easily use stiff cardboard (not corrugated card as it is not possible to cut that accurately).

Once stuck to the correct sized board, cut the templates out using a jigsaw or a band saw, if you are using hardboard. Use a good sharp knife, such as a Stanley Knife, if you are using card. I find it best to cut the templates out roughly and then cut each template out accurately. Finally, sand the edges of the templates to remove the roughness from the saw cuts. You must also cut cross-vents. I use a 60mm hole saw but you could use a smaller one if you wanted to (but do not go below 45mm diameter). If cutting the templates out of cardboard, find a convenient-sized circle and cut around it. I have started to add a grid of lines on each of the pages to assist in sticking the sheets together. These are 200mm apart vertically and horizontally.

NOTE: The templates do not include a seam allowance, as I always cut out my fabric using a hot soldering iron and a Teflon cutting wheel. You could use a wooden or "fiber" washer as long as it will withstand the heat. You could also mark out the seam allowance using a washer as a spacer and then use scissors to cut out the ribs and top-surface panels. Allow between 6mm and 10mm of seam allowance (10mm is recommended).

To get Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here.
To get CosmoPlayer (required to view VRML files), click here.
To get FoilMaker (required to view KTE files), click here.

To download the files below, right-click over the link and select "Save target as".