Welcome to our Kite Making Workshop web page. One of the things my wife Maggie and I do is visit various groups and teach people how to make simple kites. We have led workshops in everything from pre-schools to elderhostels, assisted living centers, summer camps, birthday parties, and corporate retreats.
Our criteria for workshop kites is they need to be easy to make, but fly well in a variety of wind conditions. We have two long time favorites. Probably the kite that we have made the most of is the trash bag Eddy Kite.
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What distinguishes an Eddy kite from its cousin, the Diamond Kite, is
that the two sticks are the same length. Also, it has no bridle to adjust,
merely a single tow point. The cross stick has a permanent bend, or dihedral.
It is made from simple materials: Garbage bag makes the sail. Two eighth inch diameter 21" dowels make the frame. We bring strapping tape (pre-cut to length) to attach the sticks to the sail, and cellophane tape to help anchor the sticks in place, and string to fly the kite. Even the flying string is pre-knotted to make its installation easier. |
Downsides: The Trash Bag Eddy kites fly very well in a wide variety of wind conditions. But, because they are trash bag, they don't survive rough handling very well. When they are grabbed, the sail tends to stretch, and then they fly in circles. Also, if they get wet, the 'bent' stick straightens out, the kite loses dihedral, and becomes very unstable in the sky. They also don't fold-up or break-down for transport. They often become all stretched out on the School Bus ride home.
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Sled Kite? Why would anyone name a kite a Sled? Well, the kites are very flexible and roll up for easy transport. Their original inventor, William Allison of Dayton, Ohio, called them 'Polymorphic Kites'. Later, Frank Scott made some changes to the original Allison design. Frank Scott wanted to call the kites Flexible Flyers. But that name was already being used by a company making snow sleds . . . Hence the name, Sled Kite. |  |
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We like the Sled Kite for kids because it is very forgiving of mistakes made building the kite, and very forgiving of rough handling. At every event where we have made these kites, they all flew like champs! |
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Each workshop includes the material (plastic or tyvek) pre-cut
to the shape of the kite.
All sticks, tape, parts and string needed to complete the kite are
included.
With the Tyvek Sleds, we even bring crayons to decorate them!
Also included is 200 feet of string for flying the kite.
As part of the workshop, we can also do a presentation on why kites fly, and what to do when they don't. We bring different kinds of kites, explaining what makes each one different and what one kind of kite might do better than another kind of kite.
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Fees:
Our normal fees, within 100 miles of Cranston, Rhode Island, USA:
$200 to appear, and $3 for each kite made.
Farther away, we'll negotiate the fee. We have done these workshops in Florida
and Indiana, so distance is not necessarily an obstacle.
Contact us: E-mail: gengvall@cox.net.
Phone (401) 942-3606
Home page: http://members.cox.net/gengvall/
