Lauranyyfan Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 Help.... I can't get the one end cap off. It won't move at all. I'm guessing sand is in there. It's been getting more and more difficult to remove. Once it comes apart, I will stay on top of it to keep it clean. (Cleaner than I thought I was doing ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 sailor99 Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 You could try popping it into very hot water - the plastic should soften and expand, hopefully freeing it enough to ease off. As you say probably dirt and grit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 steveb Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 Sand in the ferrules and end caps is annoying, but smooth beach breezes are worth it. I take one spar out and tap it gently on all of the end caps and it seems to help. Gently twisting will get it off, but you probably will be scratching your spars. I was thinking of adding soft Vinyl end caps over all the hard plastic caps, like on the upper verticals to reduce the amount of sand getting into the works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Lauranyyfan Posted April 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Hello Rev Peeps... I tried your suggestions and even tried using a hair dryer to heat it up. It wouldn't budge for me. I had a friend of mine (marble/brick worker...strong hands ...try to get if off, and he did. I probably loosened it for him . I'll definitely keep cotton swabs with me. That, along with tapping a spar on the end cap as you suggested, will, hopefully, prevent this from happening again. Also, if it starts to get difficult to remove, I know it's a heads up to really clean it, not ignore it. hmmmm live and learn.... Thanks for the help... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 antman Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 that gritty sand can be a pain when gettin into the caps.. when on the beach you can sometimes wet them down .. before the days end ill fly the kite in the water .. that usually helps sometimes .. just rinse it when you get home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 rob Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Hello Rev Peeps...I tried your suggestions and even tried using a hair dryer to heat it up. It wouldn't budge for me. I had a friend of mine (marble/brick worker...strong hands ...try to get if off, and he did. I probably loosened it for him . I'll definitely keep cotton swabs with me. That, along with tapping a spar on the end cap as you suggested, will, hopefully, prevent this from happening again. Also, if it starts to get difficult to remove, I know it's a heads up to really clean it, not ignore it. hmmmm live and learn.... Thanks for the help... this is a problem all us beach flyer get and Colin my friend has come up with one answer to the problem...but first to get that spar out the end cap,find a spar or something smaller then the spar thats stuck and insert it in into the the stuck spar and give it a light tapping from inside it will pop back out ...then wash out your spar and end caps and dry...if you can find some plastic or rubber hose just small then the spar then cut of quarter inch piece and put into hotish water ,push on to spar just on the end and the insert into end cap so that the end cap pushes the rubber the rest of the way up the spar,this will cause a nice tight fit when cooled and will not move so each time you next fly on the beach the sand won't get into the endcap....Its the next item I am putting up on my web page in thekiteden it sould be up in the next couple of days with photos to explain better... opps I just noted that your talking about the LE endcap and I am talking about the uprights bottom endcaps ,still this methord is worth doing as these get stuck as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 steveb Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Flying kites at the beach can cause your kite to wear faster, particularly if there is a light mist or fog and the sand is dry and light. The mist will coat the kite and lines with moisture and the sand will stick to everything like sugar on a cookie. I have lines that I fly at the beach only, as I try to save my 'good' lines. I've found the lines wear faster than when I fly over a lawn. The same goes for the kites- Revs will often wear faster where the sand covered vertical spars rub against the sail, acting like sandpaper. The grit will cause scratches and wear on the spars and end caps too. In spite of the faster wear, you can't beat flying at a beach. I've never flown anywhere with better wind quality. It's worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Lauranyyfan Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Flying kites at the beach can cause your kite to wear faster, particularly if there is a light mist or fog and the sand is dry and light.The mist will coat the kite and lines with moisture and the sand will stick to everything like sugar on a cookie. I have lines that I fly at the beach only, as I try to save my 'good' lines. I've found the lines wear faster than when I fly over a lawn. The same goes for the kites- Revs will often wear faster where the sand covered vertical spars rub against the sail, acting like sandpaper. The grit will cause scratches and wear on the spars and end caps too. In spite of the faster wear, you can't beat flying at a beach. I've never flown anywhere with better wind quality. It's worth it. Indeed it is the best place to fly and the views are great, too. ...boats, waves and strong, broad shoulder guys no shirts ...was I thinking out loud, again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 KiteLife Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 The sticking is par for the course, occasionally. I have a couple techniques that I use... 1. Get a really good grips (with hands) on the cap and the rod, then twist... Think peanut butter jar. 2. Lightly and repeatedly tap (gently whack) one of the vertical spars against the end cap, to use vibration and shake the sand loose. Never had one I absolutely couldn't get off doing either of those, it happens to me very rarely, and I fly in all sorts of @%&$^# places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 antman Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 ive had them stuck before but i have always gotten them off pretty eazly.. i think someone tricked you laura ha ha ha ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 johnnmitchell Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 I've had them stick, but I have always got them off. Some preventative measures for sand flying will "help" to prevent it in the future. - try using a "silicon" rubber tube over the end cap, that closes down tight enough to hold the rod. (silicon is by far the best tubing. Specialty shops for rubber products are the most common place to find it. It is also known as surgical tube, so you could try surgical supplies) - clean your end caps and rods of sand when a cap comes off the rod. Don't simply put it back on. - clean the leading edge pocket of any sand before breaking down the leading edge rods. As I said, this will only help keep the end caps from locking to the rods or the rods locking together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Lauranyyfan Posted May 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Hi Rev Peeps... After yesterday's fly my purple people eater needs a serious bath. John M, the leading edge space is full of sand...I figured out how to do the slides across the sand (inverted when it's just "parked" and I need to move it over)...perhaps not the best thing in the world to do...but, it's helpful in certain situations... As far as the silicon tubing, do you mean place a piece over the end caps as a cover, so to say? I guess the piece should be maybe a half inch longer than the caps? Ant, it's my not so strong fingers...I guess... although I did loosen it up for a friend of mine (he has strong hands)...to get the rod out. I really couldn't move it at all; 3 different sessions of several attempts and nothing until "strong hands" came along. I've packed cotton swabs to get in there and wipe out the gunk and I'll do what you guys suggest, too. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 johnnmitchell Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Hi Rev Peeps...After yesterday's fly my purple people eater needs a serious bath. John M, the leading edge space is full of sand...I figured out how to do the slides across the sand (inverted when it's just "parked" and I need to move it over)...perhaps not the best thing in the world to do...but, it's helpful in certain situations... As far as the silicon tubing, do you mean place a piece over the end caps as a cover, so to say? I guess the piece should be maybe a half inch longer than the caps? Yes! as a cover over the cap extending over the rod by about 10-12mm(about 0.5in). As for sand in the LE pocket remove the rods and shake it all out. If you got a water hose hand use it to wash it out. If the sail was near or in salt water wash it off at the same time. The later keeps the sail from stinking when packed away for a bit. Shake all the sand out of all for the rods and either blow out, wash out or using another means to clean out all of the end caps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 fortflyer Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 A friend of mine uses surgical tubing to stop the sand from getting in the end caps. He gave me a zip lock with a few dozen pieces about 5/8" the stuff is soft and flexible and what he does is slides it over the rod puts on the end cap then wiggles the tubing over the end cap and rod where they meet kind of like a little boot. I rarely fly in sand as my field is 20ft from the ocean but a full lawn, but they do work nicely the few times I have had to use them, they can be used on the 1/4" LE and the wingtips very nicely. He calls them end cap condoms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Lauranyyfan Posted May 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 A friend of mine uses surgical tubing to stop the sand from getting in the end caps.He gave me a zip lock with a few dozen pieces about 5/8" the stuff is soft and flexible and what he does is slides it over the rod puts on the end cap then wiggles the tubing over the end cap and rod where they meet kind of like a little boot. I rarely fly in sand as my field is 20ft from the ocean but a full lawn, but they do work nicely the few times I have had to use them, they can be used on the 1/4" LE and the wingtips very nicely. He calls them end cap condoms ...and who says we don't fly safely . I'll work on getting my "condums" this week. It's an important piece as I almost exclusively fly at the beach. Mind you, I'm not complaining; but that sand gets into everything. So far, I haven't gotten the nerve to skim the water. Eventually, I would love to be able to fly it in the water like JB's video from the B series. That is amazing to watch; almost hard to wrap my brain around the concept! So, for now, I don't have to worry about smelly Revs, just sandy and gritty ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 johnnmitchell Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 ...and who says we don't fly safely .I'll work on getting my "condums" this week. It's an important piece as I almost exclusively fly at the beach. Mind you, I'm not complaining; but that sand gets into everything. So far, I haven't gotten the nerve to skim the water. Eventually, I would love to be able to fly it in the water like JB's video from the B series. That is amazing to watch; almost hard to wrap my brain around the concept! So, for now, I don't have to worry about smelly Revs, just sandy and gritty ones. When you start playing with the water first, try a lake where there are no waves. If it has to be the ocean try flying perpendicular to the waves. I would also suggest using your toughest rods because the others might pop early. If you dump your REV pull it out slowly and gently. If it starts to bury under sand or hang on a rock, stop pulling and fetch it out by hand. Washing the REV after a sea water excursion is a good idea unless you can stand the smell of dead fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 sailor99 Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 If it starts to bury under sand or hang on a rock, stop pulling and fetch it out by hand.Right - so trying flying in the North Sea isn't such a great idea then Shiver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 johnnmitchell Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 That's the chances you take when you fly in ice water. Either you go in and get it or you will most likely retrieve it broken. I remember quite well the North Sea off Denmark in June. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 sailor99 Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 Broken it is then John! Luckily I am off to Monaco in a couple of hours when the sun shines and the sea is warm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 johnnmitchell Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 Broken it is then John! Luckily I am off to Monaco in a couple of hours when the sun shines and the sea is warm! I shall be at the Red Bull Air Races tomorrow in San Diego where it also warm and sunny. I will be on the bay but plan to stay dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Lauranyyfan Posted May 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 Too bad, no where exotic for me, just to the beach almost in my backyard... not so bad...should be partly sunny and 70 ... to the smelly dead fish. I've had a few SLK's go into the salty drink...definitely hosed them down...yuk!!! It'll be quite awhile before I attempt water Revving. Have a great and safe time wherever your travels take you all. Hope the sun & wind gods are watching out for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Lauranyyfan
Help....
I can't get the one end cap off. It won't move at all. I'm guessing sand is in there. It's been getting more and more difficult to remove. Once it comes apart, I will stay on top of it to keep it clean. (Cleaner than I thought I was doing
).
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