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The giraffe project is in need of a retractable head.
I need to be able to extend or retract the giraffe neck and for it stay in place. I had used a similar mechanism in the boxer projects to keep them in position but fancied that it could be made slmpler.
I've come up with this single part which doubles as an outer sleeve and a leaf spring combined into one piece.
The secret is this extra millimeter. Once the parts are folded round and glued together they make a small curve of card which acts as a spring.
If you are a member you can download the parts sheet and try it out. There are only two parts but it works remarkably well.
Fold up and glue the out tube as shown.
Give the spring part a gentle curve, fold up the valley folds then glue the tabs back on themselves onto the end of the tube. The spring is curved along the dotted lines.
Inside view showing the spring in place.
The inner tube is one millimeter smaller than the outer tube. It slides into place inside the outer tube and is free to move back and forth. The spring keeps it in position. The finished result will translate nicely into the giraffe project allowing the head to be pulled up and down and holding it into position.
It occurred to me that a modified version of the slider tube would work well holding an elbow type joint into position. The extendable slider tube would work in the same way as a muscle.
This is a smaller version of the slider tube in the download fitted into an elbow. It needs a little work but could be an interesting project!
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This working bevel gear has been designed as part of my forthcoming Gear Zine. The larger gear wheel has twenty four teeth, the smaller one has sixteen teeth.
Members can download the parts for free from the link at the top of the page, non-members can download the parts for £2.50
Print out the four sheets onto thin card (230 micron / 67lb) Score the dotted lines and cut out the holes before carefully cutting out the parts.
Starting from the end of the bevel ring without the tab, glue the first tab of a tooth piece with matching colour into place.
Work your way along gluing the flats to the grey areas as accurately as possible. A coffee stirring stick is handy for pressing the parts into place.
The first tooth section into place. The next tooth piece glues down overlapping the first.
Work your way round gluing down the tooth sections. Leave the very last section open as shown.
Curve round and glue down the ring then glue the last of the teeth pieces into place.
Repeat this process with the other gear ring.
Assemble the large base plate as shown being sure to note the hill and valley folds.
Glue the axle tube into place so that it is aligned with the top of the centre support pieces.
Fit the gear ring into place gluing it to the eight tabs as accurately as possible. Tweezers are useful for nipping the tabs down.
Assemble the smaller base as shown.
Glue the gear into place on the gear base as shown.
Glue the two axle supports into place then glue the axle tube into the hole.
Roll round the long axle tube so that the edge lines up with the edge of the grey area. Apply glue along the entire length of the flap...
...then roll it round and glue it down. The shorter axle is made in the same way.
Slide the smaller bevel onto the long tube, don't glue it down.
Push the smaller axle into place. Again, there is no need to glue it down.
Glue the two box stiffeners into place on the inside top of the base so that they just touch the hole.
Assemble the base box and glue on the two triangular stops.
Glue on the feet then fit the large gear into the base.
Glue the end piece onto the base making sure that it is exactly at right angles with the base. Fit the second gear into place.
Complete the project by adding the second box end.
That's it! The project is aesthetically quite attractive in its own right but could also be used as the internal drive mechanism for your own project. Have fun!
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Paper Press Ups - Download and make!
Turn the handle on this crank powered model and the paper robot practices his press ups.
Members can download and make the parts for this model for free, thanks for signing up. Non members can download it for £2.50 at the link.
The parts are on four sheets. In the file there is a color version and a line only version. If you are printing the colour version you will need to print each sheet on both sides. Print out the parts on one side, flip the card over and return it to the printer to print the other side. Use 230gsm/67lb thin card for this model.
To make the push rod ends fold over the card to make double thickness card and glue it down. Once the glue is dry carefully cut out the holes.
Then cut out the parts.
Make up the pins by rolling them round so that they end lines up exactly with the triangle arrows then glue down the ends.
Repeat this process with the three pins and the should tube.
Make up the two crank offsets as shown in the picture.
Glue the shorter pin into the short end of one of the crank offsets.
Thread the two push rod ends onto the pin.
Assemble the push rod.
Glue the push rod ends to the push rod making sure that it is kept square to the pin.
Finish off the crank assembly by gluing on he second crank offset then gluing the two longer pins into place making sure to push them completely home.
Glue up the two box sides making right angled tube sections.
Glue in the two box ends.
Assemble the box top stiffener triangle tube and glue it so that it just touches the hinge crease.
The box, ready for the next step.
Fold up the box with the crank in place as shown.
Glue down all the flaps and tabs to complete the box.
Assemble the handle as shown above.
Glue the handle to the crank shaft.
Assemble the upper and then glue the arm side covers into place, use the single and double dots to help with alignment.
Assemble the forearms. Notice that the long tab is a valley fold.
Glue the upper and lower arms together. Glue the elbow onto the side of the arm without the square hole.
Roll round and assemble each leg. glue them together.
Assemble the feet.
Glue the feet to the leg. Glue round the long tabs into the leg.
Assemble the foot push bar and glue it into the foot.
Glue the body support to the two grey areas on the legs.
Fold the tab in the top of the box downwards into the box. Thread the foot push bar down through the hole in the top of the box and glue it to the box tab.
Glue the push rod to the end of the foot push bar.
Roll the slip ring round the shoulder and glue it round onto itself so that it is a tight fit but is free to rotate.
Assemble the body box.
Fit the shoulder tube into the box and glue it into place ensuring that the slip ring can still rotate.
Assemble the neck tube then glue it to the slip ring.
Fit the body to the legs.
Assemble the square shoulder pin
Fit the hands into the arms. The thumb should be on the same side as the square hole.
Thread the square pin through the shoulder tube, glue the two arms to the pin.
Glue the palms to the top of the box. Complete the model by assembling the head and gluing it to the neck then gluing on the eyes.
Turn the handle to exercise your robot!
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This project is an incremental improvement to the crank slider mechanism used in the sssnake model. The modified side pieces in the crank make it easy to change the the throw of the crank and hence the range of movement of the push rod.
These three animations show the three included crank sides. Once the model is assemble the throw can't be changed as the parts are glued together so you need to pick the correct size before you complete the model.
Perhaps a later project could include adjustable crank slide length. For now, this project includes crank sides length 8mm, 16mm and 24mm.
Members can download the project for free. Thanks for signing up!
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| 8mm | 16mm | 24mm |
Print out the parts onto thin card. I've used coloured card here.
Score along the dotted lines, cut out the holes then carefully cut out the parts.
Fold the push rod ends in half and glue them down to make double thickness card. Once the glue is dry cut out the holes and then carefully cut out the parts.
Choose the length of throw that you want then glue up the two parts of that size, in this case the 24mm sides.
Glue together the push rod.
Glue the two push rod ends onto the grey areas making sure that they are lined up.
For each of the three pins; roll them round then glue up the end so that it lines up exactly with the point of the arrows and the edge of the grey area.
Assemble the crank shaft as shown in the picture.
The pin with the green arrows is slightly shorter than the other two. It fits in the middle.
Assemble the handle in three steps.
Glue the two square sections up. Fold one section into the other and glue. Roll round the long tab and glue it down.
Fold the tab at the bottom of the box to make a right angled triangle and glue it down.
Glue the two box parts together. Assemble the slider tube, Glue it to the tab in the box lid. Glue one edge of the box lid into place.
Slide the push rod up through the slider tube. Fit the crank shaft through the holes in the side of the box and glue the box round. Glue the box lid down.
Glue the base tabs into place and then glue the four long tabs to the inside walls of the box.
Complete the project by gluing the handle to the shaft. Use this as the starting point for your own character based projects. Send pictures of what you make!
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#truelove and I spent the weekend in Glasgow. Very nice it was too. On the train I treated her to a tasty carrot cake which came in this elegant box.
The package opens out and folds flat for storage but becomes remarkably rigid when folded into a box.
Here it is opened out with the hill and valley folds marked out in pen.
On our return home I transfered the the basic design to an Illustrator file and scaled it to fit on a single sheet of paper.
Here's the layout on screen with colours added.
If you are a member you can download the file at the link at the top and make your own.
Score the dotted / dashed lines and cut out the parts.
Glue the sides at the grey blobs.
Fold in the centre tucks...
... then fold down the lid.
Finish the box by adding cakes!
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The co-axial crank slider mechanism is designed to be a starting point for your own projects. As the handle is turned the outer tube moves up and down 90 ° ahead of the inner tube creating an organic, fluid motion which can be harnessed for your own character designs.
Members can download the parts for free, thanks for signing up! Non-members can download the project for the usual £2.50.
Print out the parts onto thin card (230 micron / 67lb) Score along the dotted and dashed lines and cut out the holes before carefully cutting out the parts.
There are four paper pins that need to be made. Pre-curve the pieces round a pen or pencil then roll them round so that the edge exactly meets the points of the red arrows. Apply glue to the inner surface and glue the pin together.
Make up the two crank centre pieces as shown.
Glue the two crank centre pieces together. Notice that the square holes are facing in opposite directions.
I'm pleased with the new design for the crank sides. They are each made from a single piece of paper and their size and therefore their throw, can be changed very easily. Make up the two crank sides as shown.
I'm planning to create a single crank slider project using this design shortly.
Fold over the push rod ends and glue them down to make double thickness card. Once the glue is dry, cut out the centre holes then carefully cut out the pieces. there are four push rod ends.
Make up the short push rod as shown. Notice the triangular section tube. This give rigidity to the piece.
Glue two of the push rod ends into place using the grey areas for alignment. Push one of the pins through the holes in the push rod ends and make sure that the pin is at 90° to the shaft before the glue dries.
Fit the other push rod ends to the other push rod in the same way.
Glue the ends of the pins into the crank middle as shown. Make sure none of the glue gets onto the push rod ends.
Glue the crank sides and remaining pins to complete the crank shaft.
Assemble the slider tube and glue the slider tube end into place as shown.
Thread the slider tube over the long push rod then glue the tab on the long end of the short push rod between the two tabs on the end of the slider tube.
Fold up and glue down the tabs on the bottom edge of the two box sides to make right angled triangle tubes.
Glue the two box pieces together along one edge. Fold up the box and fit the crank assembly into place.
Fold the box round and glue it closed. Glue down the two flaps on the box base stand the box on a flat surface as the glue dries to make sure that everything is square and flat. Fold the long tabs into the box and glue them down on the inside walls of the box.
Assemble the outer slider tube and glue it to the hinge on the box top.
Assemble the handle in three steps. Glue up the two square tube.
Fold up and glue one tube into the other.
Roll round and glue down the long tab.
Glue the handle to the pin.
Complete the model by threading the lid down over the push rod and gluing it to the box.
This is just the starting point. Use this mechanism to bring your own characters to life!
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A crank slider driven snake. Turn the handle and the snake rocks back and forth. Is it charmed or is it about to strike!? Build your own and find out.
This project is free for members to download - thanks for signing up! Non-members can download the project for £2.50
Print out the parts onto thin card. Note that the three sheets come as a colour version and a line version. the colour version is printed on both sides. Print out one side, flip the card over and return it to the printer then print the other side. Score along all the dotted and dashed lines and cut out the holes before carefully cutting out the pieces.
Fold over the crank shaft ends and glue them down to make double thickness card. Once the glue is dry cut out the centre holes then cut out the pieces. Set them to one side.
There are three paper tubes to make. Each is made from tightly rolled paper. I roll the paper round a chopstick to make a smooth curve. Roll the tube so that the end lines up exactly with the edge of the grey area then glue down the end. Assemble all three tubes like this.
Glue the long push rod together the make a square section tube. Glue the two push rod ends into place using the grey areas for alignment. Fit the longer round tube into the push rod ends and make sure that it is running square to the main push rod before the glue on the push rod ends dries.
Make up the two shorter square tubes and glue one to each end of the round pin as shown. Make sure that they are lined up with each other and the pin remains free to turn.
Glue on the two spacers and the two longer square tubes as shown above. Make sure everything stays lined up!
Glue the two remaining pins into place as shown.
Assemble the handle in three steps. Fold the two square sections and glue them down. Fold and glue one square section into the other. Roll round the long tab and glue it down.
On the two box sides, fold up and glue the triangular section tubes to make right angled triangles.
Glue the two box sides together.
Fold the box round and fit the crank shaft pins into the circular holes in the box.
Glue the box together.
Thread the lid and slider tube down over the main push rod. Glue the lid to the box and then glue the bottom flaps of the box down making sure to keep everything square.
Fold in the four flaps and glue them to the inside walls of the box.
Glue the handle to the drive pin.
Glue the two parts of the snake together.
Complete the model by gluing the small tab on the top of the main push rod to the back of the snake's head and the snake's body to the top of the box.
That's it. I hope your ssssnake looks sssssuper!
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A working paper squeeze box accordion to print out and make. It only plays two notes but hey, it works and it is made from paper!
Members can download the parts for free as usual, non-members can download the parts file for £2.50 from the link above. The file comes as a coloured and no-coloured version.
Print the bellows on to standard printer paper, print out the rest of the parts onto thin card.
Score along the dotted and dashed lines and cut out the holes before carefully cutting out the pieces.
Pre-crease along all the scored lines of the bellows piece.
Glue along the back of the edge opposite the grey edge with a glue stick.
Roll the tube around and glue it together as accurately as possible.
This is tricky so take your time.
Starting on the row below the top end of the tube. Fold one parallelogram with four hill folds round the outside and a valley fold across the centre.
Repeat this process all the way round to complete a row of paralleograms.
Work your way down the tube to the row before the end.
Complete the bellows tube by folding in the ends. Notice that here the hill and valley folds are reversed.
The instructions for the two end pieces are basically the same apart from one minor change. The instructions here are for end 'b'
Make up the tapered blow hole.
Glue on the longer of the two 'b' pieces. This will be the vertical piece. Glue the tab to the grey area on the blow tube.
Glue the second 'b' piece to the grey area to make the horizontal bar.
Glue the top of the blow-hole to the box next to the slot arrowed. Note that it glues onto the side of the slot that has the largest area.
Glue the side of the blow hole to the side of the box along with the side tabs on the vertical and horizontal pieces. Make sure you line up the ends of the horizontal and vertical pieces with the edge of the box arrowed.
Fold up and glue the sides of the box.
The second box 'a' is basically the same but the horizontal piece is fitted slightly higher up in the box closer to the slot.
Fold down and glue into place the lids of the two boxes. Once the glue is dry you can test them by blowing through the holes in the sides. If they are not sounding clearly make sure that the centre of the blow hole lines up with the opposite end of the slot.
Glue the bellows to one box.
Glue the second into place. Let the glue dry completely.
Complete the project by gluing the handles into place.
Pull and push the ends to make the whistles sound!
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Three seven tooth pinions surrounding a fifteen tooth central gear. This project is from the Gear Zine (coming just as soon as I've finished all the projects it contains!) The project demonstrates the use of small pinions made from double thickness 2D card.
The file of parts is free for members to download, thanks for signing up! Non-members can download the parts for £2.50. Print out the parts onto thin card. (230 gsm / 67lb) The first two sheets work well if printed on coloured card. The remaining two onto white card. Score along the dotted and dashed lines and cut out the holes before carefully cutting out the parts.
Join the two rim parts together using the grey area for alignment. Make sure that they are straight.
Start from one end, gluing the teeth to the grey areas on the rim.
Use the black arrows to help with alignment.
Glue the next section of teeth over the top of the last piece of the previous teeth.
Glue all three sections of teeth to the rim leaving the very last piece unglued.
Glue the rim closed then glue down the last tooth piece.
Make up the wheel inner as follows:
Glue the two triangular stiffeners to the grey areas across the centre of the wheel. Repeat the process with the second wheel.
Glue the two wheels back to back with the stiffeners running perpendicular to each other.
Fold up and glue together the axle. Thread the axle into place.
Fit the wheel into the rim and glue the twelve tabs into place.
Fold the pinion pieces in half and glue them together to make double thickness card. Make sure that you don't glue the centre tabs down.
Once the glue is dry, carefully cut out the gear and fit the axle into place.
Fit the axle alignment piece into place top and bottom. Use the grey lines for alignment.
Assemble the two base parts as shown.
Push one base piece into the other pushing it home completely. Glue the two flaps down to hold the two parts together. Glue the four legs onto the base.
Roll up the four pins so that they fit snuggly in the square axle tubes.
Fit the pins into the axle tubes.
Complete the model by fitting the pins into the holes in the box. Turn the centre gear and the outer pinion gears spin quickly!
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Two interlocking gears, one with eleven teeth, one with nineteen teeth. This project is from page one of the gear zine. (coming soon)
Rather than printing out in colour this project is intended to be made using coloured card. You will need three sheets of white card and three sheets of different coloured card. Follow the directions on the download as to which sheet of card matches with which page.
Score all the dotted/dashed lines and then cut out the holes before carefully cutting out the pieces.
Start by constructing the 19 tooth wheel.
Join the two rim pieces together. Make sure that they are accurately aligned. The edges should be one long straight line.
Starting from the end without the taper, glue one of the teeth pieces to the first grey area as shown.
Work your along the rim gluing the lower part of the teeth (between the dotted lines) to the grey areas. Use the black arrows to help with alignment.
When you get to the end of the strip glue the start of the next strip onto the top top of the end of the last strip.
Work your way to the end of the rim. Don't glue down the very last tab.
Roll round and glue together the ends of the rim using the grey areas for alignment.
Complete the rim by gluing the free end of the teeth into place.
Glue the two stiffeners across the centre disks using the grey area and the edge of the square hole for alignment.
Fold round and glue down the stiffeners to make right angled triangle sections. Repeat this process with the other disk.
Thread the axle into place using the grey arrow for alignment.
Glue the two disks back to back with the cross pieces perpendicular to each other.
Fit the centre disk into the wheel rim. Locate the tabs with the edge of the rim and glue them down.
Roll the pin tightly so that it just fits into the axle tube. Glue the end down.
Thread the pin into place to complete the gear wheel.
Repeat this process to make the smaller gear.
Assemble the support box.
Glue the three legs to the grey areas, two on one side, one on the other.
Complete the gear by carefully threading the pins through the holes in the box and meshing the two gears together.
Here is the top view.
In the photography for the gear zine I used a support box made from the same color card as the backing card so as to emphasise the gears.
Turn one gear the the other gear is turned by the interlocking teeth. Notice that the gears turn in opposite directions. The larger gear turns at 11/19 the speed of the smaller gear.
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With thanks to Urmish who pointed out that the large gear has nineteen teeth, not twenty one as I had originally stated. Oops!
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