Select a sound piece of wood, 3/8-inch thick, 5 inches wide, and about 1 foot long. In each end cut a deep V, the sides of which must be carefully smoothed and rounded with chisel and sandpaper. Nail a wooden rod, 15 inches long and slightly flattened where it makes contact, across the centre of the board, taking care not to split the rod, and clinch the ends of the nails securely. The projecting ends of the rods are held in the hands while the string runs out. The projecting piece, A, which must also be well secured, is for winding in. The winding hand must be held somewhat obliquely to the board to clear the spindle. Winding is much less irksome if a piece of tubing is interposed between the spindle and the other hand, which can then maintain a firm grip without exercising a braking effect.
This kind of winder is unsuited for reeling in a string on which there is a heavy pull, as the hands are working at a great disadvantage at certain points of a revolution.
[Illustration: FIG. 123.—Plan of string-winding drum, frame, and brake.]
A far better type is shown in Figs. 123 and 124. Select a canister at least 6 inches in diameter, and not more than 6 inches long, with an overlapping lid. Get a turner to make for you a couple of wooden discs, 3/8 inch thick, and having a diameter 2 inches greater than that of the tin. Holes at least 3/8 inch across should be bored in the centre of each. Cut holes 1 inch across in the centre of the lid and the bottom of the canister, and nail the lid concentrically to one disc, the canister itself to the other. Then push the lid on the tin and solder them together. This gives you a large reel. For the spindle you will require a piece of brass tubing or steel bar 1 foot long and large enough to make a hard driving fit with the holes in the wood. Before driving it in, make a framework of 3/4-inch strip iron (Fig. 123), 3/32 or 1/8 inch thick, for the reel to turn in. The width of this framework is 1 inch greater than the length of the reel; its length is twice the diameter of the canister. Rivet or solder the ends together. Halfway along the sides bore holes to fit the spindle.
Make a mark 1 inch from one end of the spindle, a second l/8 inch farther away from the first than the length of the reel. Drill 3/16-inch holes at the marks. Select two wire nails which fit the holes, and remove their heads. Next cut two 1/4-inch pieces off a tube which fits the spindle. The reel, spindle, and framework are now assembled as follows:
[Illustration: FIG. 124.—End view of string winder, showing brake and lever.]
Push the end of the spindle which has a hole nearest to it through one of the framework holes, slip on one of the pieces of tubing, drive the spindle through the reel until half an inch projects; put on the second piece of tubing, and continue driving the spindle till the hole bored in it shows. Then push the nails half-way through the holes in the spindle, and fix them to the ends of the reel by small staples. A crank is made out of 1/2-inch wood (oak by preference) bored to fit the spindle, to which it must be pinned. A small wooden handle is attached at a suitable distance away. If there is any fear of the wood splitting near the spindle, it should be bound with fine wire. An alternative method is to file the end of the spindle square, and to solder to it a piece of iron strip in which a square hole has been made to fit the spindle. The crank should be as light as is consistent with sufficient strength, and be balanced so that there shall not be unpleasant vibration when the string runs out fast, and of course it must be attached very securely to the spindle.
What will be the front of the framework must be rounded off on the top edge, which has a wire guide running parallel to it (Fig. 123) to direct the string on to the reel; and into the back are riveted a couple of eyes, to which are attached the ends of a cord passing round the body, or some stationary object.
[Illustration: FIG. 125.—String winder in operation.]
A pin should be provided to push into a hole at one end of the reel and lock the reel by striking the framework, and it will be found a great convenience to have a brake for controlling the reel when the kite is rising. Such a brake is easily fitted to the side of the frame, to act on the left end of the reel when a lever is depressed by the fingers. There should be a spring to keep it off the reel when it is not required. The diagrams show where the brake and brake lever are situated.