Miniature Diamond Eddy Kite
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Dimensions (2 7/8" W X 3" H) (73mm W x 76mm H)
Colors Colors And Designs As Shown/Custom Decoration Available.
This isn't a true Eddy Kite. The proportions are wrong to be a real Eddy. The major reason
the proportion was changed, was to get it to fly with a single bridle point attached at the
cross-spar.
I make these with an imported Japanese tissue that is the strongest and lightest I have found.
It weighs only 0.3 ounce per square yard (10gm/sq.meter) and has very minimal bleed with a
variety of inks.
The back side shows the corner reinforcements, and
bamboo spars.
I split the bamboo by hand, trying to get it small,
strong and flexible.
The cross-spar is steamed, curved and dried to hold
it's shape, even if the kite is stored in a book. That
eliminates the need for a tensioning line across the
back to hold the dihedral.
Laziness is the true Mother Of Invention.
For flying line, I use a monofilament that all but disappears when the kite's being flown,
requiring extra attention to keep people from walking into the line.
Which brings us to flight! These are perhaps a curiosity while they are sitting on a shelf,
but are a novelty, when flying!
Flown outdoors, they require less wind (a breeze, really) than larger kites. I put about
thirty feet of line on each winder, which is enough to get them well off the ground.
They can also be flown indoors by letting out a length of line and walking across the room,
or attaching the line to the end of a dowel, or yardstick and pulling it back and forth through
the air in front of you. One thing to keep in mind for indoor flying is to let out less line than
the length of your arm, or the stick to which you attach the line.
These are packaged in a hinged, reusable and recyclable clear plastic box with flying
instructions on the inside label. They are completely assembled with flying line, winder
and tail. Ready to fly!