Rang Thang - Wand, Control Line

Click images
for close-ups.

The third generation wand on the left is made from a Skyshark 5pt tapered carbon tube, epoxied into an 11" length of tubing which in turn is epoxied into a 12" length of tubing with a foam grip. The overall length is 48".
The second generation wand is a 60" by ¼" carbon tube.
The first generation wand (not shown) was made from ½" pvc plumbing pipe. It was too heavy but still functional.
I epoxy brass bushings to the end of the wands. This prevents the line from wearing through the carbon tube. It also prevents poking holes in the kite when catching it on the end of the wand. There's the added bonus of the flange on the bushing hooking the edge of the kite frame for throwing.
The control line is fed through the wand. 10 to 12 feet long with a snap swivel at the kite end and a bit of heavy cord at the other end.

I use one of these at each end of the wand to keep the line from cutting through the tubing.
Ace hardware carries Midwest Fastener brand of specialty hardware. These things are Bronze Flange Bearings, 1/4" ID, 3/8" OD, 1/2" length, 15/32" flange.

Exploded views of the wand.

5PT or 7PT Skyshark tapered rod 40" long.
Glassform FL-414 (OD .414", ID .337") available at GWTW
Glassform FL-505 (OD .505", ID .417")
Foam Grip (ID .5" length 5" - 6")
Bronze Flange Bearings

9" FL-414 nests inside 9.5" FL-505, 1 flange bearing goes into the end of the FL-505. I use epoxy to glue this all together.
The other flange bearing is epoxied to the small end of the Skyshark tapered rod.
Once the epoxy on the above is set. Epoxy the tapered rod into the built up handle. Take care that the tapered rod is held in position while the epoxy sets so that the finished wand is straight.
Be careful in the above steps not to plug up the interior of the wand with epoxy. The control line has to go through there.
Once all the epoxy has set, slide the handle on and thread the control line through the wand.

A finished wand with the control line threaded through it.

Wand Refinements: Stepped the tubing at the handle. Used epoxy to fill in the angle where two diameters meet to smooth out the lines.
In each photo: bottom before, top after.

Control Line Termination
On the top handle the standard line termination.
The line simply comes out the bottom of the wand and a heavier bit of line is attached to keep it from going back into the tube.
For each foot that you pull in the kite gets a foot closer.

On the bottom handle the EBGB termination.
The line comes out the bottom of the wand and then is attached to the wand itself. A heavier piece of line is clipped to the resultant loop. When the heavier piece of line is pulled, the control line slides through the clip.
For each foot that you pull in the kite gets TWO feet closer.

The shuttle line goes across the kite and is attached to opposite sides of the frame.
The control line from the wand is attached with a snap swivel which slides up and down the shuttle line.

Wand & Control Line