Ben Wilson Kite bar

[Laughingman]

Splices are easy enough but I've yet to need one in replacing a depower line. I avoid em when I can because you either have to lock em with stitching or an exit, wrap and re entry that starts to get bulky and kinda defeats the whole purpose. I'm not sure I see how a splice could make the pictured set up any cleaner. As to strength that line is rated over 3000 lbs. You could knot it any way you want and it will still be the strongest link in the whole bar set up.

if you are worried about locking the splice with stitching or an exit you can always use a locking brummel splice loop , the tail with this splice can be shorter since there is really no pull on it and does not need to be stitched or exit/reentered.

[Starsky]

Thanks.

Way better.

[juandesooka]

I was talking to friend about this thread, now become the "How to Splice Lines" topic. He DIYs his own "frankenbars" and my question to him was about the type of lines he uses for this.

I have some grey 5mm and 6mm dyneema from Westmarine and it seems thinner and less dense than what was used originally on bar. He said that when he does up his depower lines, he leaves the tail super long and then embeds it the entire length of the line, basically doubling it up. He uses a guitar strip with a loop on end, as someone pointed out already.

Looking at the former depower line, it appears that is what they have done. It is thicker from the spliced loop, across its 18" length (looks like 6mm), then just before the end it reverts back to normal 5mm. The thick part is from doubling up the long tail.

The other line issue I have is replacing a dynabar replacement rope -- and looking at the old one, I think they may have done that there too.

Perhaps this is overkill, but seems easily done, so why not? Not really much extra time or expense involved.

[Starsky]

Im not sure there is any real advantage to burying a tail the full length of the line. It won't actually increase the wear resistance of a depower line unless the tail is fastened at its end. It will give the line more physical bulk, but as soon as you wear through the outer rope to the point it fails, the inner portion will just slip out .

[Laughingman]

The other line issue I have is replacing a dynabar replacement rope -- and looking at the old one, I think they may have done that there too.

Perhaps this is overkill, but seems easily done, so why not? Not really much extra time or expense involved.

I have never seen a trim line that was spliced for the full length and I have replaced a few..

Dynabar rope... be careful here. You want a solid core rope so that it doesn't flatten out, especially if you have a pulley instead of the plastic slider because once it flattens out it will start riding up on the edge of the pulley and wear out prematurely.

[Seabizzle]

Hi I have BWS kites and bars as well and I have worn through a fair few of the safety bungees which is annoying having to pay and wait for them to be shipped. ( I realise this is a wearable item and no discredit to the brand)

I had asked my local kite repair guy if he would make me one but he said he couldn't do it the same way with the bungee inside. I was wondering if It would work without the bungee just a piece of line with splices at either end. i know the bungee keeps it tight when your depowered but would having just the line create too much more mess ? Or is there any other way I could make a homemade safety bungee?

[Starsky]

Replacing the small stainless ring on the end of the safety line (the one with the bungee in it) below the CL where you clip your leash, with a bigger heavier one, will usually be enough weight to keep any slack below the CL and the lines running through the bar pretty tidy.

Its easy enough to put a bungee in a leader size line, but not really easy to match the "factory" size enough to run reliably through the CL as designed and supplied from the manufacturer. I don't blame your repair guy for not taking on the liability.

I have done a bunch of em in the distal portion of 5th lines leaders, but never in a location that I trust to run trough any narrow portion of a safety system. It's always been above a stopper in the system.

Sorry.

[snowycreek]

If you are going to set up a splice/repair kit for yourself or if you just want to make splicing easier, head into WalMart and pick up a variety of knitting needles, cut them off at about 4 or 5" length on a bit of an angle and you will have a lovely set of fids for a very low price.

I think it was Bushflyer who said, "Learn to splice Dude". I agree. It is very simple. In fact, whenever I show anyone how it's done their comment is invariably: "That's it?? Seriously??"

And, for the record, when I make a sheeting line, I splice the inside line the full length of the line. This has nothing to do with strength but rather to make the line hold its round shape. It also seems to wear a little less when held in the round shape but really, once you learn to splice and find cheap source of spectra/dyneema you will replace your trim line way before you even think about wearing it even close to the point where strength is an issue.

[Seabizzle]

Thanks for the info guys, the larger ring would mean I could also hook in suicide but still be able to release. Or the most simple would just be to pull the slack up when I depower and let it hang out the bottom of the chicken loop. I would definitely want to make sure it passed through the chicken loop housing easily and would run some thorough tests prior to riding with it.

[CRD]

I had the first version of the BWS bar. Really liked it. The problem was the second time I wanted to replace the plastic piece in the center of the bar they quit selling them. After that was worn the center line would get chewed through quick, they quit selling that also.

If anyone has used the new bars. Is it still easy to work on and do you still replace the center plastic piece when worn? How do you like it with the plastic tubing over the line?