Making a sleeved line set by Aerialis Kites

Transcript

1. ›

   A how-to video

   0:02

   Hi kite people, this is Sven from Aerialis Kites, and thank you so much for stopping by the channel today. Are you ready for another tutorial, or rather a how-to video? Because I was thinking: I'm just about to make myself a new set of lines, so why not kill two birds with one stone, making the line set and recording it all, so you'll get to know how to do it yourself. Now, just take a look at this line set. It looks hundreds of hours old and shows significant signs of wear. Yes, there are ways to improve this, but that's not what I want to cover in this video. No, I'm going to show you how to make a brand new set of lines. So let's get started.

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   What you need

   1:02

   So what do you actually need to make yourself a new set of lines? Well, not that much actually, and here's a quick rundown. First of all, I need a spool of quality flying line. In my case I will use this braided Climax Profi line by the German company Alkirch. Then I will be needing a knife like this, two ground stakes or tent pegs, screwdrivers or similar, a permanent marker, a ruler or a tape measure, a wooden dowel or a scrap piece of carbon or glass fiber rod, a lighter, a winder, an elastic band, colored sleeving line, and a sleeving tool. Now, you can actually go ahead and buy yourself a sleeving kit, which includes both the sleeving tool and pieces of pre-cut sleeving line, or you can, as I've done, buy spools of sleeving line in two different colors like this and use an old guitar string for the tool. Whatever suits you best.

3. ›

   Stakes and lengths

   2:45

   But now let's continue outside. In my case, I'm going to replace that worn 10 meter line set of mine. The first thing to do is to put the two stakes down into the ground, with a distance of approximately 11 meters between them. You're soon about to see why I add this one meter extra. With the two stakes pegged down well into the ground, I make a larks head knot at the end of the flying line sitting on the spool and fix it to one of the stakes. Check it out. Now it's time to start walking. Put the wooden dowel through the hole in the middle of the spool, and walk back and forth, making sure to put the line over the stakes while walking. I'm making flying lines for a quad kite, so I must make four lengths. If you are making a set for a dual line kite, of course you need only two lengths.

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   Marking and cutting

   3:46

   Okay, four lengths. Now it's time to find the permanent marker and do some marking. Make sure to put the mark on all four lengths, about half a meter off each stake. This will make sure there are 10 meters of flying line between the markings. Cut all four lines at each of the stakes, and when done, you will end up with four lines of about 11 meters in length.

5. ›

   Sleeving one end

   4:29

   With these four lines laid out, it's time for some sleeving. You will start with sleeving all four lines at one of the stakes. Make sure to sleeve two lines using one color and the other two lines using the other color. Here is how to sleeve. First you cut a 40 centimeter piece off of the sleeving line. I start with this green one. Seal the ends of the sleeving by carefully melting them with a lighter. This will keep the ends from fraying. Fold the sleeving tool in half and push it through the sleeving line, gently. Now take one of your flying lines and insert its end into the eye of the sleeving tool. Now carefully pull the sleeving tool back out of the sleeving, and make sure the flying line is pulled through the sleeving as well. Remove the sleeving tool, and you should end up with a flying line running through the sleeving, like this. Pull the sleeve all the way down the flying line so it aligns with the marking. Pinch your thumb and index finger together at the marking, making sure the fingers grip the end of the sleeving, and use your other thumb and index finger similarly to stretch out the sleeving, like this. Make a loop of the sleeving, like this, and secure it with an overhand knot. When completed, the end of the line should look pretty much like this. Okay, now you repeat this procedure for the remaining three flying lines, and make sure you end up with two pairs of colored flying lines. In my case, one pair with orange sleeving and the other pair with green sleeving.

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   The other end: colours and equal lengths

   7:08

   Let's do the same all over again, but now at the other end of the flying lines. There are a couple of things to have in mind. First, the color of the sleeving: make sure the lines with, in my case, the orange sleeving at one end should have orange sleeving at the other end too, and of course the same goes for the pair of green lines, green sleeving at both ends. This will prevent you from mixing up the lines when attaching them to the kite and the handles. Personally, I use the green lines for the front lines, you know, the upper lines, and the orange ones for the brake lines, the lower lines. You of course go with your own preferences. Second, and this is important, we have to make sure all four lines end up equal in length. Now is when those markings become important again. Select one of your lines. This line will be your template line, and the length of this template line will determine the length of the three other lines. Okay, I go for this one. Just checking the sleeving: okay, it's orange, so I must leave it with the orange sleeving at this end too. The template line is now finished, and here is how I go about sleeving the other three lines. First I put the template line over the ground stake like this, making sure the stake is well into the ground. Go to the other end of the template line, tug it a couple of times and put it on the ground. Select your other orange flying line and put it over the ground stake just like you did with the template line. Go over to the other end and start sleeving the other orange line. Make sure the sleeving aligns with the marking, and this is important, compare it to your template line to nail the exact length.

7. ›

   Testing and finishing

   10:00

   When your pair of orange lines are sleeved at both ends, put your index fingers through the loops like this and pull on both lines. If you detect a difference in length, untie the knot of one of your sleeves, not the template line obviously, and adjust it so the two lines end up exactly the same length. Okay, one pair of lines is good to go. But because we're making a line set for a quad kite, we need to make another, green pair of lines, and how to do that should be pretty obvious by now. Leave the orange lines on that ground stake, put the first of the green lines onto the stake, and repeat the sleeving at the other end, making sure all three lines are equal in length. Finally, you repeat the process for the fourth and final line. Now this is starting to look like a complete quad kite line set, but before we can call it a day, there are a couple of things remaining. First, do yet another length test, and when you're certain all four lines are exactly the same length, secure the sleeving with another overhand knot like this. This will prevent the flying lines from sliding inside the sleeving when flying. Finally, cut off any excess flying line, seal the ends using the lighter, and wind the lines nicely onto the line winder. I like to secure the lines with a piece of an elastic band like this. And voilà, your brand new line set is ready.

8. ›

   An end note

   12:25

   Oh, an end note right here at the end. In my experience, over time most lines will stretch when used, and they tend to stretch differently. So if you find your lines are stretching and becoming unequal in length, all you have to do is untie the sleeving at one end of the line and adjust it so the lines are equal again, and you're good to go. Oh yeah, I know those knots might be somewhat tricky to untie, so prepare yourself with a little patience and you'll be fine. That about wraps it all up. Thank you for watching, and until we meet again, take care, stay safe, and just fly.