Repairing a damaged bar

[reyrivera]

I just put new lines and chicken loop plus rope on my slingshot bar, went kiting with my 20 meter kite at the toll Plaza, and my bar end snapped. Turned out the metal sleeve rusted out at the end and just gave out. Switched out a different bar and finished my session.

Got home and repaired my bar. The slingshot bar looks like its made out of metal at the center, pvc pipe and fiberglass filling in the middle, and pvc and a small metal ring sleeve at the end that holds the plastic cap.

Now I have a repaired 19 inch bar, which is actually a good length for all my kites. Everything looks okay except that my bar ends now do not have metal sleeves. The metal sleeves looks like they were put there to hold the screws. Instead, the screws are supported by the existing fiberglass injected inside the bar. I could dig out the fiberglass and put metal sleeves, but I'm not sure if that is worth the time and effort.

I'm wondering if anyone else have cut their slingshot bars similar to what I did below and how long the bar lasted. Anyone else know how other bars are made of?

Metal sleeve at the bar end

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Thanks,
Rey

[dwaynej]

There's a few pro bars floating around priced pretty cheaply... http://www.kiteboarding.com/proddetail. ... ss_pro_bar 17" for $20

[reyrivera]

Thanks for the link. I do havve a spare for a 17 and 15 inch bar set for my small kites. My goal here is try to use my equipment as long as possible, reduce my contribution of non biodgradable materials into landfills.

[sflinux]

Hi Reyrivera,
Inspired by LMG, I cut a windwing bar down to 14" to make a pulleybar. The ends of the bar had what looked like pvc, rolled into what looks like a rolled taco, to hold the screws for the bar ends. I wasn't able to reuse this pvc, but I was able to make a new one by cutting pvc to the right circumference, then heating it up with a heat gun, and sliding it inside the bar.
p.s. Any videos of your strutless kites?

[reyrivera]

Thanks for the tips.

My major kite projects have unfortunately been shelved for now. Kite flies fine now that I have the bridles all sorted out. I just need to grab my sister's gopro to do some recording. I have a redesign and waiting to clear my plate so I can start sewing a new kite.

My time this season has been focused on finishing my house in Concord. Crawl space cleaned, weather proofed, and vented for all seasons. Roof re-inforced, dry rot removed and new planks installed. Took awhile since it was a DIY and waited for inspectors to clear my work. Finally got the roofers to put in my new roof. Just started painting the inside so the house should be ready to sell next Spring so me and wifey can move back coast side.

[victor]

a lot of kite bars are carbon fiber. not sure why. seems like overkill and expensive for something as basic as a stick with a hole in it and some bar ends.

check out the boardridingmaui bars. we don't need no stinking bar ends. i think i saw the protypes were made of bamboo.

[Sonny]

Thanks for the tips.

My major kite projects have unfortunately been shelved for now. Kite flies fine now that I have the bridles all sorted out. I just need to grab my sister's gopro to do some recording. I have a redesign and waiting to clear my plate so I can start sewing a new kite.

My time this season has been focused on finishing my house in Concord. Crawl space cleaned, weather proofed, and vented for all seasons. Roof re-inforced, dry rot removed and new planks installed. Took awhile since it was a DIY and waited for inspectors to clear my work. Finally got the roofers to put in my new roof. Just started painting the inside so the house should be ready to sell next Spring so me and wifey can move back coast side.

I'm surprised that you hired a roofer when you fix your own bars. I roofed my house but I rather buy a new bar. :-)

[Loscocco]

Thanks for the tips.

My major kite projects have unfortunately been shelved for now. Kite flies fine now that I have the bridles all sorted out. I just need to grab my sister's gopro to do some recording. I have a redesign and waiting to clear my plate so I can start sewing a new kite.

My time this season has been focused on finishing my house in Concord. Crawl space cleaned, weather proofed, and vented for all seasons. Roof re-inforced, dry rot removed and new planks installed. Took awhile since it was a DIY and waited for inspectors to clear my work. Finally got the roofers to put in my new roof. Just started painting the inside so the house should be ready to sell next Spring so me and wifey can move back coast side.

I'm surprised that you hired a roofer when you fix your own bars. I roofed my house but I rather buy a new bar. :-)

haha i totally agree with Sonny.. Get a new bar.. it will save you the hassle of a rescue somewhere when it breaks.

[reyrivera]

nah, I'd rather swim in 52 degree water than tar a hot roof on 100 degree humid heat :)

I got all the roof stuff lined up, but started experiencing heat stroke, so I hired an outfit to finish the work. All the permits were in order so all they had to do was come in put the tiles.

Anyway, my neighbor had some extra 9/16 aluminum pipe that he gave me so I went ahead and put aluminum inserts, and sealed it with fiberglass to prevent water going inside the bar, better than buying a new bar.