Materials A. Sail Material Ripstop Nylon This is the most common material used for stunt kites as well as most single line kites. There are several problems when working with ripstop, including the difficulty of cutting it accurately and sewing it. The advantages are its strength and resistance to tearing. The best way to cut ripstop is with a "heat knife" or soldering iron. Remember to do the hot cutting in a well-ventilated area - the fumes are unhealthy. Ripstop Polyester Ripstop polyester (or ripstop dacron) is becoming more common in the kite world. It's main advantage is higher strength for a given weight. It also stretches less than nylon. Most common brand name is Icarex. Nylon Taffeta Nylon taffeta is often used in single line kites. Taffeta usually isn't coated and the porosity of the fabric adds stability to many kite designs. Tyvek Tyvek is known as plastic paper; it's made of spun-bonded olefin fibers. It doesn't tear easily; non-kite uses include house wrap/vapor barrier and mailing envelopes. There are two commonly available types: 10 and 14. Type 14 is similar to fabric and drapes better. Type 10 is has a smoother, flat surface. Tyvek is inexpensive (you may even find roll ends at construction sites); white; opaque (light won't shine through it the way it does ripstop); can be painted with acrylics, markers, etc.; is good for workshop kites. It can be glued, taped, sewn. Paper The Japanese and other Asians make strong lightweight paper that is often used for making kites. Don't be fooled by "rice paper" which is made for its looks. This paper is often called "washi". Look for paper that is made out of long fibers. Tear a piece of it to see how strong it is (ask before you tear it though). Construction paper, paper bags, and tissue paper have also been used for making kites with varying degrees of success. Plastic Garbage Bags These are inexpensive, can be found in many colors, and are easy to work with. Usually simpler kites (sleds, deltas, and diamonds) are made out of garbage bags, but some people have made complex box kites out of them. Mylar Mylar is usually found as a thin sheet. It can be used in much the same way that paper is used, but it is lighter and stronger than most papers. It's main disadvantage is that once it is torn or cut, it tears very easily. Mylar kites are usually stuck together using tape since mylar is difficult to glue and sewing reduces the strength. B. Spar Material Solid Fiberglass Rods These are flexible, very strong, and inexpensive. They are also fairly heavy. These are often used when flexibility is an asset, such as in dragon kites. Solid fiberglass is also used in many small fighter kites in the cross spar. Fiberglass Flexible, fairly strong, moderately expensive. A typical fiberglass tube with outer diameter of 6 mm weighs 30 g/m. Withstands "unintentional groundwork" better than carbon. For a given radius, these are stiffer than solid fiberglass rods. Poly-carbon Fiber This material is also known as graphite. Stiffer, more expensive, but generally preferred. A typical carbon tube with an outer diameter of 6 mm weighs 20 g/m and has stiffness ("a measure of the ability to resist deflection by a load") 2.5 times that of fiberglass. Again, for a given radius, stiffer than fiberglass tubing. Aluminum Between fiberglass and graphite for flexibility, and less expensive than most graphite. It is far stronger than either fiberglass or graphite. Dowels A good material for beginning kite builders. Arrow shafts These can be found almost anywhere and come in a wide range of materials, including wood, graphite, fiberglass, boron, aluminum, and just about anything else you can think of. Composite shafts If the spars listed don't have the combination of flexibility and strength that a kite requires, combinations of materials can be purchased. However, these tend to be very expensive. C. Line Material Kevlar Spectra The basic cores of most stunt kite lines. These are extremely strong fibers that can vary in breaking strength from 75-1000lb. They are called "zero stretch lines" because they stretch less than 4% of their length before breaking. Kevlar is more sensitive to UV-light than Spectra. One problem with Spectra is that its melting point is so low that friction against ANY other type of line will cause it to melt and seperate. It is still preferred by most stunt kite flyers. Dacron Another polymer, which is often used to sheath the core lines to prevent cutting (most of them are very rough). Braided Dacron is generally preferred by single line flyers. Typical stretch is about 15%. Cotton Not very strong, but light weight and perfect for small kites. Cotton line is often preferred for single-line fighter kites. Fishing line Small kites, a single monofilament line will often suffice, and it is readily available in a great variety of weights. For larger kites, monofilament can be braided into stronger lines. However, this is not suggested for stunt kites, because it allows too much stretch for accurate control.