Power Kite Forum

For Dave: Spreader Bar - Iron Man edition

indigo_wolf - 31-3-2013 at 07:45 PM

What some folks do when they have too much spare time on their hands.



http://mtnmck.pbworks.com/w/page/26394531/Power%20Kite%20Qui...

I can take no credit for this, except that in the wee hours of the morning, I find myself in some of the stranger corners of the Internet. :wee:

Insomnia is a terrible thing to waste... ;)

ATB,
Sam

bigkid - 31-3-2013 at 08:24 PM

Been thinking about this design for some time now. Still uneasy about a couple of things, but using it would tell for sure.
They show it upside down, not sure it would let go if the kite was directly over head or behind you.
99% of my buggy time is with the kite pulling to the right or left side.
If the kite is up over or behind one shoulder and pulls you out of the seat, not sure it will let go of the strop, looks like it wouldnt let go with out it hanging up on the top that cant turn to face the direction of travel.

Kamikuza - 1-4-2013 at 04:16 AM

Oh myyy... :thumbup:

B-Roc - 1-4-2013 at 04:31 AM

What is the benefit of having something so overbuilt as that? Seems way more costly and complicated than the standard spreader or roller spreader which mostly work just fine.

indigo_wolf - 1-4-2013 at 06:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bigkid
Been thinking about this design for some time now. Still uneasy about a couple of things, but using it would tell for sure.
They show it upside down, not sure it would let go if the kite was directly over head or behind you.
99% of my buggy time is with the kite pulling to the right or left side.
If the kite is up over or behind one shoulder and pulls you out of the seat, not sure it will let go of the strop, looks like it wouldnt let go with out it hanging up on the top that cant turn to face the direction of travel.


A lot of the pictures are side views, so it's hard to tell what they consider the top.

If the inner "L" is supports to be on the bottom, it looks like the strop would be "skinned" free when the roller opens.

I wish there was a better description of why the arm that protrudes up in the open position is so long and has an eyelet.

ATB,
Sam

rocfighter - 1-4-2013 at 06:38 AM

Thanks Sam.
Looking at the pictures it seems the length of the handle is so you can easily one handed close the bail on this bad boy. And the hole is for a quick release strap the grab a hold of to open it. This seems to be a simple 5 point pivot machine that works on the same principle and an old mason jar lid strap but with more actions. Cantilever if you will. Seems almost to simple and yet I find it amazing!! Maybe because it is shiny and I'm a redneck:D
I think they got the idea when they were using there stud tool to put the rhinestones on there jump suit. :wee:

indigo_wolf - 1-4-2013 at 06:40 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by B-Roc
What is the benefit of having something so overbuilt as that? Seems way more costly and complicated than the standard spreader or roller spreader which mostly work just fine.


Overbuilt? Yes.

Why? Why not? Strictly speaking most of the Wichard stuff with kN break strengths could be construed as overbuilt. Not necessarily a bad thing. Better over than under, if one would believe the PL buggy thread.

Expensive? Yeah, more expensive than the vanilla version from column A, but about what a Dynabar was going for.

I am not aware of any roller spread bars with a quick release.

The article quotes $30 in materials with a potential final cost of $100... which I think is kind of optimistic for the amount of machining involved.

Although, it's gear for sailing and not kites, the RWO Quick Release spreader bar is priced North of $115, so spendy but maybe not out of line with the market.



It's not perfect, but for what's ostensibly a first effort for an individual in an educational environment... pretty impressive.

Would like to see more companies thinking that far out of the box.

ATB,
Sam

indigo_wolf - 1-4-2013 at 06:50 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by rocfighter
Thanks Sam.
Looking at the pictures it seems the length of the handle is so you can easily one handed close the bail on this bad boy. And the hole is for a quick release strap the grab a hold of to open it. This seems to be a simple 5 point pivot machine that works on the same principle and an old mason jar lid strap but with more actions. Cantilever if you will. Seems almost to simple and yet I find it amazing!!


That makes sense... just a bit put off by the large protrusion. I could see if being lower profile and more radiused without impacting functionality.

Quote:
Originally posted by rocfighter
Maybe because it is shiny and I'm a redneck:D


Not sure it's a redneck thing... one of my favorite quotes from another forum:
"I'm a man, they are shiny, I want one." :smilegrin:

ATB,
Sam

bigkid - 1-4-2013 at 07:26 AM

If it works on the idea of the long bar withthe hole in it is the part that opens and closes it, that part connyects to the ball, strap, buggy.
I like less corners, and less travel distance to make the kite let go. If the release moves slowly will it open slowly?
I want the kite gone now, might install an explosive charge to speed things up. Hahaha

indigo_wolf - 1-4-2013 at 09:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bigkid
I like less corners


+∞

There's a lot to be said for organic designs.

ATB,
Sam