Welcome to my NPW Pages!
Hi, guys!! Thanks
for visiting!
You apparently share the passion, or curiosity,
about an inexpensive, easily built, and fun kite that can serve many areas.
It's a great buggy "engine" (if you're not interested in
competition), a hard taskmaster of an exercise machine, (kill 2 birds with one
stone~) and all around fun kite to fly.
Because of the low cost, you can build several and match nearly any wind
condition. No packing up any more in either light or strong winds, you can
still fly!!
A whole new world was open to me when I completed
my very first 2 NPW’s. After building
those first two, I discovered the Serger type sewing machine, and was off on a
trek that included different and very unconventional ways of putting the NPW’s
together to save building, sewing, and bridling time. Many flying buddies and
friends goaded me into putting something together on how I did the construction
(Web-Page-wise) for other builders... So
I did… I joined forces with some of the best math men out there for help with
bridling. And… we’re still learning –
and improving.
Below you will find links for tips and
hints. There is a link for construction,
sewing, and bridling, I even include the new Cascade Bridle. There’s how to articles, comments by others
on the eNPW5, and info on the new and exciting NPW9b I came up with. Find info
on how to make inexpensive flying lines and handles for the smaller NPW's and
winders, and so on.
I hope this page is a help to the newcomers
as well as the highly experienced. EMail
me if you've any questions about what's covered here. I don't claim to be a
super authority on NPW's, but I have built a few... several, in fact, and
learned a lot!! (The info index is a bit further down….)
Also, within this site you'll find a link to one of the largest
collections of NPW or Nasa Parawing pictures on the net~ (many of which I have
blatantly snitched from web pages, (private, and commercial sites alike) in the
interest of saving YOU time and effort locating them. I also have others from folks gracious enough
to share them.) You can click here for
"The Gallery"
to see the NPW5 Gallery, or click “The NPW9b Gallery
“ if you’re just looking for NPW9b pix.
If, by
any chance YOU have a suggestion about materials used, sewing styles, bridling,
or ANYTHING that you think might help our creed, by all means, eMail me and I
will incorporate it in the next editions of tips 'n' tricks"....
Below is an index with short explanations of what
each section deals with. Some sections cover bits of info duplicated in other
sections, but each goes into more specific details than the other. I claim not
to be an author or publishing person either, so please bear with misspelling,
incorrect grammar, and a bit of blue language
occasionally. Just get what you can for your sake out of my miserable attempts
at HTML to help the NPW crowd!!
NPWBill's Tips, Tricks,
Hints & Pix
(Click on the underlined blue headings on the left for the links to
more info.)
- Making a simple bridling board. One that will last for years.
- Marking and measuring the shroud lines.
- How to go about making the primary shroud lines simply
and accurately.
- Gathering the shrouds for the bridle harness.
- Making special ties for the harness... it's not a regular
Lark's Head!
- Tying the shrouds to the sail using loops.
- Points to Ponder- 2 lines or 4.
- Adding a pair of tie-offs for the bridle harnesses.
- Final addendum to 2 and 4 line flying.
- Cut to the Cascade Bridle: Click here: Cascade
- Insights to using 4 lines and brakes.
- Making adjustments to the "A" brake lines I
use.
- New inroads to bridling… flattening the eNPW5
- Making your own wire loops or "Fids."
- Getting the wire loop into the shroud or cord.
- Pulling the cord back through and out.
- A discussion of using
- Layout using a glass underlay or mirror, and soldering
iron.
- Sewing panels together using a regular machine, a Serger
and a Cording Foot.
- Hot cutting the darts and sewing them.
- Sewing down the resultant "flap" or seam from
the serger.
- Serger use pointers.
- Sewing a folded dart and a hot-cut dart.
- Attaching parachute cord to the nose section.
- Melt-stick-sew method of attaching nose “T” ties.
- Sewing on nose “T”
ties after sticking them to the sail.
- Several ideas and pix.
- A simple PVC winder that won't warp.
- I've made some, copied some and have pix of some.
- Several types and Styles
- Clear plastic.
- P.V.C.
- Wood & Broom Handles.
- Sewing machine info about the Cording/Piping and Walking
foot.
- Pix of each type for both standard machines and the
serger.
- An excellent note on different types of feet for sewing
machines.
Convention Aside…
- A bit about the new “9b” and how it got started.
- Thanks to those of whom helped make it possible.
- The new NPW9b “vulture”.
- Links to some of the best NPW9b sites around.
- Want one? Links to
executable programs showing to make you own of ANY SIZE!
- The Gallery… (Go right
to it!) The
NPW9b Gallery
And, finally, a most heartfelt thanks to
Peter DeJong and A&F ( http://www.xs4all.nl/~pdj/nasaplan.htm ) for the
wonderful executable Windows compatible program for sizing and bridling the
eNPW5 NasaWing Kite that got me started!
Not forgetting Andrew Hook for the excellent Cascade bridle help,
Jacques Bayman, JP Gleyzes and Tom White (the “tweaking master”) for the math,
and Larry Green (“The Wizard,”) either.
I could also mention several other
gentlemen for helping develop the NPW9b, but that’s another page and another
website- several, in fact. Thanks a
million, guys!!
Thanks
for looking… Best of Luck!!
BillP NPWBill@cox.net
May the wind always BE at your back!!
You
might check out my other kite site dedicated to Dad for his taking his son kite
flying- here's the link: JustMyStuff I deal with several kinds of kites and stuff
here.