12 replies to this topic

[SKYWLKR]

I found a rev I didn't know I even had (so now I have 3 plus a beater that the mesh had been blown out and was given to me), I must have gotten it in a batch of kites from about 6 years ago and never flown because of no handles or line.

It is a hideous color in nylon but the mesh looks great and it is fully framed in the gold "ultra light", I weighed them and they are close to the 2 wrap weights but almost as stiff as the 3 wraps.


EDIT: I just pulled out the blown out SLE I had that was given to me a whie back and it has gold label "ultra light" down tubes and they weight close to what the 3 wraps weigh ...

Any ideas?

Edited by SKYWLKR, 17 August 2009 - 03:16 PM.

[kairusan]

Same as the regular 3-Wrap, I believe. I have a gold-label 3-Wrap center spar that came packaged as such direct from Rev, and I also have a silver-label 3-Wrap center with the three feathers on it. Both are exactly the same in all respects except for the label.

I remember reading somewhere on this board that Rev decided to start using silver labels on some of the spars to save money, but otherwise, nothing was different.

[SKYWLKR]

What is the explanation of the weight diff? It is in the 1/8 oz diff range. I looked again and the down spars on the SLE have swollen ends that look string wraped and epoxied

And the LE sections on the "Found UL" are straight with the wraps getting tighter and down tubes have swollen and wrapped with string ends.

Edited by SKYWLKR, 17 August 2009 - 03:45 PM.

[RevWizard]

"Ultra Light" labeled rods in all cases are 3-wrap rods, unless they where improperly labeled. For the Silver label they have three feathers.
The extra wrapping on the ends was reinforcing for inner ferrules up until a few years ago. I think the carbon wrapping material used then is different to what is is used today in the rods.
The other common wrapped rods are:
2 wrap "Professional Only for the Gold Label and Two feather for the silver label.
4 wrap "Revolution Equipped" for the Gold Label and Four feather for the silver label.
6 wrap "Stiff" only for the Gold label.

The Race and Silver Bullet rods use a totally different carbon wrapping material. It is basically lighter, tougher and much more expensive.

[FortFlyer]

John, Just so you know the new silver labeled 4 wraps are now called "strong" and do seem slightly thicker than normal 1/4" rods but are no different in flex.

[RevWizard]

John, Just so you know the new silver labeled 4 wraps are now called "strong" and do seem slightly thicker than normal 1/4" rods but are no different in flex.

You know, I should look at things like that when I am visiting the factory, which I did again today.
I don't have any of the new silver labeled rods yet.
Now, I have to ask you. Does the new 4 wrap also have 4 feathers on it?

Thanks, John

[Quaddict]

You know, I should look at things like that when I am visiting the factory, which I did again today.
I don't have any of the new silver labeled rods yet.
Now, I have to ask you. Does the new 4 wrap also have 4 feathers on it?

Thanks, John

Yes the new 4 wrap have 4 feathers

[Baloo]

I also wouldnt be suprised (going back to the first post) if over the Years there has been a slight difference in the weight of the rods due to differences and / or advances in available materials.

[kairusan]

This thread may also help shed some light on this subject----or confuse everyone further: http://www.revkites....hp?showtopic=14

[SKYWLKR]

The pair of down rods on the SLE weights about 17 grams ,the other 4 none feruled gold labeled rods in the "UL" are 13 grams.

[RevWizard]

The pair of down rods on the SLE weights about 17 grams ,the other 4 none feruled gold labeled rods in the "UL" are 13 grams.

Are these "down rods on the SLE" the UL rods mentioned earlier?

I don't have access to an accurate scale these days. The earlier REV I rods which are if I recall correctly are 12cm longer then the REV 1.5 rods, weighed as follows.
6 wrap 42 gr.
4 wrap 28 gr.
3 wrap 21 gr.
2 wrap 14 gr.
These all had the reinforced ends.
I have not weighed the later rods comparing them to the earlier rods at the same time.

I found that unless you have a very sensitive and very accurate scale, It is best to take four identical rods at once and weigh them and divide by four.
I also found that often, you can weigh one rod five times and come up with a different weight each time unless you have a really good scale.

[SKYWLKR]

Yes the two gold lable UL from the SLE,

This is a a very accurate scale meant to weight hundredths of a Grain I rounded to the nearest gram as they were not all the same.

So I probably have a set of 2 wraps and a pair of 3 wraps.

[FortFlyer]

I don't think the weight of the rods has as much to do as the flexibility desired by the different wrap count, After talking to Dave H. about the Silver Bullets in Maryland this year he cleared up a lot of things about rod design.

There is no way to consistently make rods the same weight, However getting the desired flexibility is achieved in the wrapping process.

Carbon stock resins can all vary batch to batch, The whole goal is the get them wrapped the right way to achieve the desired effect.

1 rod weighing 12 gr and 1 at 14 isn't going to make the kite fly messed up that's grasping at straws, However if they are in fact mislabeled the weight difference between the 2,3,4 wrap rods are enough to determine the difference.

Better yet to really tell is put them in the LE and see how they bend in time most people can tell what rod they are using just by how they react and flex.

BTW Silver Bullets Frikken Rule,

Some day I'd hope to see a Golden Bullet where the outer edges are more like race rods as opposed to 2 wraps for higher wind range.