I was introduced to kites by my best friend Bill, Steady Winds, who has built many kites since he started in the summer of 2003. I hung around Bill and his kites for quite a while and was not sure it was for me. I was looking for something specific before I could really get into it. I had seen some websites on traction kites and that intrigued me but it was a bit expensive to buy into it or too complicated to make my own as my first kite.
I had also seen some KAP websites and was interested in it a bit. Then on New Years (2005) Eve, Bill told me he had ordered the Brooxes Finest KAP Kit. (You can read about and see his progress at his site.) That really started getting me looking! Yup, this was something I could get into.
Step #1 - Know what I'm getting into
First off, I had to see what was out there for information. Which is what led to this page being put together. Need to know what I was getting myself into before I jumped too far, too fast.
Step #2 - Build a Kite
Time to build a kite that can carry a KAP rig to the sky. It seems a regular and good choice to use a 6ft Rokkaku for KAP in many conditions. The other common choice is a 16 or 30 sq ft Flowform. Each are fairly easy kites to build, so I am going to start with the Rokkaku using Gary Engvall's plans. Eventually I will probably also build a cuople of flowforms and maybe even a Dopero, which was originally designed for KAP pruposes.
I have been working on coming up with a graphic for my Rok. Bill told me that I can make it plain, but I will eventually kick myself for not doing something interesting.
Step #3 - Buy a Camera
Not wanting to put an expensive digital camera up in the air initially, I will need to buy a digital camera specifically (Ok, mostly) for KAP. Which will mean more research and hunting.
Step #4 - Build a simple KAP Rig
To keep costs down, I am planning to start simple. Build a rig something like Simon Hobard's AutoKAP rig. This will mean no electronics or radios to start with, making it simple and cheap.
I seem to be jumping ahead a bit. I want to build a cradle/rig right away! I have been looking at the local hardware stores for bits and pieces for building a crade & picovet. Here is a list of some of the things I have found:
Item
Cost
Location
Small 1/2" pulleys
$3.92 for 2
Home Depot
1/16x3/4x3" angle aluminium
$6.92
Home Depot
#8 Nylon flat washers
$0.09 each
Home Depot
I have some 1/16" aluminium that was a serving tray that I am planning to hack up for the cradle. Just need to find a way to cut it easily. Tin snips don't to a very straight line. I suspect that I will be scoring it first and then cut it with the tin snips.
Step #5 - Build a more complex KAP Rig
If I make it this far, and am still interested, then I will need to build something more like Brooxes Finest KAP kit myself. This will mean getting a radio transmitter, receivers and servos, or something similar. I was thinking of looking for something to use other than the usual RC Tx/Rx, say a wireless door bell so something like that. Not being very electronic minded (at least not yet) I am not sure if I will persue this avenue.
More steps and updates to appear as I make progress.