Mini / Micro Scale Kite

Going to many kite festivals over the years - while at the Washington DC festival - I saw my first mini kite. This inspired me to make my own mini or micro scale kite. Having made several traditional full scale kites this one was fun finding lightweight materials to match its scale. 

Please note that, I wanted the material to be waterproof so in case it got wet it would still be usable.

Growing up - my parents would say that you could have anything you want, just make it.

Main part of the kite is called the sail

Spars are the rods going horizontal and vertical

Foil Kite Sail from balloon

String 100% polyester thread spool 

SPARS

Sweeping broom plastic bristles 1mm diameter

3 inch horizontal spar 

2 3/4 inch Vertical spar

6 inch door streamer foil

Blue tape

Tail Streamer foil door streamer for the tail

Cardboard for template

Transparent sheet

Paper

Pencils

Marker

Glue super glue gel

Pencils 3X wooden same size to form the bend horizontal spar

Marker - sharpie

scissors

ruler

safety pin

razor knife

Lighter to heat pin to make holes in foil

super glue

I choose a diamond kite design. I was not sure if taking the proportions down to a mini scale would work.

I like to draw up a simple design with dimensions

The weight of my material was my biggest concern. (being to heavy to fly).

I choose foils for the sail & tail - and light weight plastics for spars.

Part of this design requires the horizontal spar to bend uniformly and maintain a bow.

I choose plastic sweeping broom bristles - which I knew would flex and hold up.

I cut pieces from my wife's garage broom, which so far she has not noticed them missing.

Since I did not know what foil would work for the sail, I purchase material in several different types and thicknesses.

I wanted a carboard pattern to be used for repeating the lay out for cutting. - If one material did not work I could quickly use my pattern to cut out a different types.

To make my cutting pattern:

My best approach so far on projects is to take a clear overhead projector sheet, lay it over the paper design

- kite pattern and trace with a sharpie marker.

Cut out the plastic pattern.

Take the plastic pattern and lay it on cardboard (I use cereal boxes)

Cut out the cardboard.

Because of its small size my first trial material was a foil balloon.

a bonus is these come in all sorts of colors and patterns

I had read that it is prone to ripping if a nick was present.

So in cutting I used my cardboard pattern and my razor hobby knife.

I tried to do one complete continues cut per edge.

For the diamond kite, I found a tail is almost always needed to help eliminate kite spinning. So I just assumed even on a mini scale this would be needed.

I ended up using foil again for the tail.

low weight and colorful

To reduce a chance in putting cut nicks in the tail, I found door party ribbons. My sizing and length was just an approximation of 6 inch length.

My thought was that I can shorten the tail.

Laid the broom bristles on the paper pattern and cut to length.

I put colorful foil sail side down.

Using super glue gel

one drop on each end of spar

see photo, I used blue tape to hold down the spars

Same super glue to put tail on the bottom of the kite.

First I set up my bending jig. I did not want to try and pull the string from one end of the spar to the other to put in bow.

Putting bow in the spar.

I cut extra long thread piece to make the knots easier. approximately 6 inches.

Glued one knot on one of the vertical spar end.

I put the sail across two pencils and pushed the center down with the third pencil.

Created a loose knot for the opposite side of the spar

I held it in place to let the glue dry.

The pencil height worked out perfect.

Not sure what the string piece is called that is attached to the vertical spar.

Well anyway 4 holes are needed. two at top and two at bottom

I used a safety pin and a lighter to heat it.

The pin is push thru hot to form the holes.

Please note it was recommended to melt holes instead of just pushing thru the foil. melting avoids the foil from ripping. similar to nicks in cutting the sail.

Second note: I tried skipping this part and just putting the string at the top and bottom of the spar. This did not work for me, the kite could not be flown, it kept spiraling or spinning.

Adding Attachment String to the front of the sail

again I used an extra long piece of string to run from top holes to bottom holes

about 6 inches to start (trim when done)

started with top two holes

I did the old put the end my mouth to wet and tread from front of the sail to the back

brought it around the spar and back out to front

tie a knot no glue used

bottom two holes

repeated the treading process

I kept about a finger distance between the string and the sail

tied second knot - no glue used.

Down To Earth String

I did not cut any length I just left it on the spool

I tied a knot towards the top of the knots on the attachment string.

Well I did not have change my sail material or my tail length.

This gave me a great big smile

Hopefully I can get to my next kite, which is a micro multi sail on one vertical spar with a circular tail.

See design on left of the drawing board of image provide.

this is very new to me, I could not find information or plans for micro kites in any of my kite books or on the line.

if anyone gets this far and has some information please let me know.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VIEWING MY INSTRUCTABLE