A little crafty help from the hive mind
3I’m gonna make a card like this. Because I think it will be a fun card to make and I’ve not made this type yet.
I also want to make a real, working, little kite to go with it. Years ago, Woot sold these little tissue “Mighty Kites” for a buck each. I bought a bunch and I gave all but two away. I’m not paying five bucks each. So, I’m going to try my hand at making one. (Or more.) I have tissue, I have glue. What I don’t have are the little bamboo supports. I need something lightweight and thin. They’re about 1/32" wide.
Just so you can see the size of what I’d like to make, here’s a picture. That’s a regular sized thread that serves as the string. These little kites really fly.
I ordered some bamboo coffee stirrers, but no idea how to slice them to be that thin. Any ideas? Or any ideas what else would be thin and lightweight for this type of project?
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You might be able to find some wood sheets for the cricut. I’m not sure if they’d be thin enough? From what I remember it was almost like thick paper.
As far as the slicing though, an exacto knife and almost shaving it might be the best move
You might try Michael’s for balsa wood dowels or straw might even do the trick like from a cinnamon broom or something like that.
@mike808 I was thinking last night about trying pine needles. If one isn’t strong enough, twist two together and glue them. They’re pretty lightweight.
A broom…good idea.
@lisaviolet The cinnamon brooms might make the kites smell nice too. IIRC, they’re a bit stiffer than the regular ones.
/giphy that’s what she said
@lisaviolet @mike808 Pine needles get brittle over time though.
I’d say look what is used in different railroad and dollhouse scales. There is wood, wire, etc. that is used that might work perfectly.
What else that might work is the plastic “wire” that is used to attach price tags to things. It is strong. You could dye it or paint it.
Maybe?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
https://www.amazon.com/Gmark-Premium-Kokeshi-Toothpicks-GM1034/dp/B01JZ1K06I/
Have you thought of using solid-core copper or aluminum wire? 20 gauge is 0.0320" in dia, which is about 1/32" (0.03125"). the bendy-ness may or may not be a useful characteristic.
@stolicat Copper would probably add enough weight to be undesirable as well.
@ruouttaurmind aluminum is about half the weight of copper, but harder to find.
I think the bamboo splints discussed below is what would work best.
Broomstraws maybe?
Bamboo skewers are about that size.
Correction, they are about 3/32, too big. They would need to be shaved down. I recall that strips like what you need were sometimes called splints.
@werehatrack Splints? Worth a try.
@lisaviolet @werehatrack That looks about right - Google “bamboo splints” or “bamboo strips” and there’s lots of stuff that looks like what you need.
Apparently one use is in laboratory settings, or craft weaving …
Floral wire? It comes wrapped in paper
so it doesn’t look like metal.
Green, brown or white, usually.
https://tinyurl.com/m5jn9s9j
@Kyeh
Not springy enough. Too malleable. And way too heavy.
@Kyeh I have wire for jewelry making…hmmm…
@Kyeh @lisaviolet
Really thin piano wire, about half the thickness of the planned wood, might work. Jeweler’s memory wire is similar, but devilish to straighten first. Short pieces of piano wire are sold at hobby shops, usually in the same area where the balsa wood is stocked. (I seem to recall that it came in 2ft and 3ft lengths.) I suppose you might be able to make full-hard silver work; it’s pretty stiff. Half-hard won’t.
What about toothpicks? Or the longer picks for putting condiments on drinks.
Incense sticks if toothpicks are too short. You can probably get some used one around Chinatown, follow your nose
Well, these coffee stirrers got here yesterday. Not sure what they’re made of, but I have been able to slice off pieces using a paper trimmer. Using a metal straightedge and X-acto knife kind of worked, but the would would slip (it’s very thin). Scissors? Two thumbs down. The paper trimmer, it is!
I’m going to try them out today for making a kite. I’ll let you know how it goes. Fingers crossed!
Thank all of you for your input on this.