Kuba's Kite Page - Stelar Delta
Building the Stelar Delta
The original Stelar Delta was built from off-the-shelf
materials because I wasn't expecting it to fly, I was
just trying to build a delta kite. I was lucky though
because I only had to change one thing after the first
flight attempt to get the kite into the air. The
original was built out of garbage bag, K'nex, scotch
tape and duct tape. That model was able to fly in
very weak winds. There is a lot of pressure on the
spreader bar during flight. After I changed the
spreader bar into a hard piece of plastic the kite
was able to fly in most winds.
Materials
- Some sort of cloth for the kite's sail, see the diagram below for
the sizes. If you're short on cash garbage bags work fine too.
- Dowels: Two 85cm and one 63cm. The 63cm one should be strong if you are planning to fly it in strong winds.
- Something to attach dowels. You can use a rubber tube with a
slit through it (see diagram below), or you might be able to just use a
string and tie them together
How to build it...
- Start by cutting out the kite's sail. The diagrams below show the
final dimensions the sail will have, be sure to leave extra material
for making sleeves for dowels on the two outside edges of the kite.
This will vary depending on the thickness of your dowels. Also, the
tail/fin of the kite is shown with two colours. This doesn't really
mean anything, I just find it easier to fly when it's a different
colour.
- The diagram below shows the configuration of the dowels and
where they will be attached. It shows how to attach them using rubber
tubes, but use any method you like. Don't attach them yet.
- Now you should have all the pieces ready. The tail/fin has to
be attached right along the centre of the large triangular sail, in
such a way that it divides the sail into two identical halves. Finish
the sleeves if you haven't done so already and make holes at the point
where the spreader bar has to join the wing bars.
- Insert the dowels and attach them.
- Attach the kite string to the point where the two shorter
sides of the tail/fin meet. You may need to reinforce this point as it
may tear.
- The kite should fly if there is enough wind.
If you have any questions contact me at
kuba@kites.org
This page has been last updated May 3rd 2001
This page is maintained by Kuba Soltysiak kuba@kites.org