Kite String Winder Using Cordless Drill

Here's the final product.

1.Obtain a spool with kite string. I bought one of mine from Amazon and I had another from a long time ago.

2.A method for cutting the spool. I hot cut mine, but you could use a hack saw, coping saw, or sabre saw, etc.

3.Small drill bit. I used 3/32" but anything small will work.

4.A Kleenex and a small nail or piece of wire

5.Plastic epoxy. I used Loctite Plastic Epoxy.

6.A driver bit from a cordless drill or an old hex key cut off at the 90 degree elbow. I ground off the old Phillips head since it was double ended, but you don't have to do that.

7.A paper plate and a small stirring stick for the epoxy.

Cut off the end of the plastic spool. I hot cut mine with a flat soldering iron tip, but you can use a coping saw, hack saw, sabre saw, etc. I marked the end with a Sharpie Marker. The end of the spool is solid plastic, but the inside is hollow. Discard the end piece.

I used the bit to measure on the spool where to drill a small hole through the handle and insert an appropriately sized nail or wire. I drilled a 3/32" hole and used a small nail. I then stuffed about half of a Kleenex into the end of the plastic spool up against the nail. The idea here is to block the handle so the epoxy that is later poured into the end of the handle won't run down inside the entire spool.

1.Mix the plastic epoxy on a disposable paper plate and mix it thoroughly with the stirring stick.

2.Hold the spool vertical. I put mine in a vise.

3.Fold the paper plate and pour the plastic epoxy into the cavity in the handle you have created by putting the Kleenex up against the nail. Don't pour the handle clear full as there will be a displacement of the plastic epoxy when you insert the driver bit.

4.Wait until the plastic epoxy starts to set up. This will help keep the driver bit vertical.

5.Insert the driver bit. IMPORTANT!!! KEEP THE BIT VERTICAL. If you don't, the spool will wobble when you use the cordless drill.

After about 20 to 30 minutes you can take the plastic spool out of the vertical position. Remove the nail or wire holding the Kleenex. Wait a day for the plastic epoxy to completely harden.

I fly my kites using the kite string on the spool often running out 500 feet of flying line.

Flying a kite is good relaxation.

And when it is time to wind the kite in.........................

This makes winding up the string a lot easier.

Wind in slowly at first, then increase speed.

A little physics here.... I can't help myself.

F=ma If you accelerate the drill from zero to a fast velocity there will be a large force created.

THE STRING WILL BREAK!!!!!

START SLOWLY AND THEN GRADUALLY INCREASE THE SPEED.

HAVE FUN!!!