This book is included in the Family Affairs - Children, Parents & Home Economics section.
25 Kites that Fly
NEW YORK: DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC. 1971.
Preface
Some time ago, I was called on to instruct a number of
young women in kitemaking, who, in turn, were to act as
instructors in summer church schools. This book has been
the outgrowth of my lecture-demonstrations.
There are many excellent magazine articles and a few good
books on kitemaking ; but the articles are, for the most part,
hard to find except in the larger libraries, and the books call
for materials not likely to be had outside of manual-training
supply houses or large lumber yards.
Since only the commonest materials are required in
making the kites herein described, it is felt that this book is
not duplicating the efforts of others. It is hoped that this
effort will find favor with the teachers in public and special
schools, with playground instructors, and in particular with
the boys and girls themselves.
L. L. H.
Harvey, Illinois,
April 25, 1929
CONTENTS
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
Chap. I. KITEMAKING IN GENERAL
The Question of Size. Kinds of Kites. Materials and Tools.
Chap. II. PLANE-SURFACE KITES
No. 1. A Two-Stick Kite. No. 2. English Kite. No. 3. A Three-Stick Kite. No. 4. A Six-Point Star. No. 5. A Five-Point Star. No. 6. The Imp. No. 7. Girl With Skipping Rope. No. 8. The Fisherman. No. 9. The Elephant. No. 10. A Balloon Kite.
Chap. III. TAILLESS KITES
No. 11. A Bow or Malay. No. 12. Tetrahedral Kite. No. 13. An Owl. No. 14. A Frog. No. 15. A Shield. No. 16. A Triangular Box Kite. No. 17. A Square Box Kite. No. 18. A Rectangular Kite. No. 19. A Butterfly Kite. No. 20. A Yacht Kite.
Chap. IV. COMPOUND KITES
No. 21. Triangular Box Kite With Wings. No. 22. A Square Box Kite with Wings. No. 23, A Military Kite. No. 24. A Windmill Kite. No. 25. A Cross Kite.
Chap. V. HINTS ON FLYING
Where to Fly. String. Wind. Flying. Adjustments. Winding In.
Chap. VI. KITE ACCESSORIES
A Reel. Messengers. Parachutes. Time Release. A Confetti Shower. Decorations. Kites in Tandem and Teams. Photography from Kites.
Chap. VII. USEFUL INFORMATION
Paste. Glue. Built-Up Sticks. Larger Kites. Tails. To Find the Altitude of a Kite. Records.
INTRODUCTION
In preparing this book of kites, I have tried to make the
directions as complete as possible without needless repetition.
More details are given in the first group than in the
others. After a successful two-stick kite has been made and
flown, attention having been given to the lashing together
of sticks, wrapping of stick ends, papering, etc., further kitemaking
will resolve itself into following the patterns.
There may be better ways of lashing and framing kites
than those given here, and, no doubt, there may be objections
raised to making large kites by these methods. But this book
was designed as a guide to the making and flying of moderate-
sized kites, and it is not planned to treat of knots and
lashings, nor to go deeply into the professional aspects of
kitemaking. On the contrary, everything else is kept subordinate
to the idea of presenting such directions for making
kites that fly as can be carried out, without previous kitemaking
experience, in almost any home.
I have rarely indicated the thickness of the sticks. Unless
specified, the thickness is to be 3/16 inch which is about the
thickness one is able to get from the material described. If
one wishes to make a kite twice as large, it will be better to
double the thickness of the stick instead of doubling the
width. Of course, other material will have to be used, or the
sticks built up as described in Chapter VII.
I have allowed a liberal amount of the stick to project
beyond the margins of the kites. Experience has taught me
that a broken stick is easier to replace than it is to make
extensive repairs in the paper or to repair both stick and
paper. The projecting stick ends save the paper, and do not
render the sticks any more likely to break.
I have recommended slitting the ends of the sticks with a
thin saw to receive the framing string. If no thin saw is at
hand, the sticks may be notched with a sharp knife and
lashed in place as shown in Figure 2.
Some kites cannot be framed entirely with framing string
without using too many sticks. I reduce the number of sticks
to the minimum, and use a dark-colored framing string,
letting it go where it will. A dark-colored string is not noticed
when the kite is flying. If any sticks show, a little ink and
chalk will tone the color of the wood to a tint that will be
little noticed. Of course, there will be places in the kite that
will need stiffening. I use trough-shaped papers like that
shown in the central sketch in Figure 4 for such stiffening,
and if such support is not easily fitted, I use shavings or
slivers of wood glued to the paper as shown in the lower
sketch of the same figure. When the papers or slivers are
dried under moderate pressure, that part of the kite becomes
quite rigid, and but little is added to the weight.
Many methods of tying, stiffening, and trimming will suggest
themselves to the kitemaker after the work is begun.
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