Twitch Mouse. An animated model to download and make. Turn the handle and the mouse twitches his cute little nose! Awww!

You can see the mouse in action on this YouTube clip.

Paid members can download the parts for free from the link. Thanks for signing up. If you are not a member you can join in the fun by becoming a member here or by paying £2.50 to download this kit via the shopping cart.

Download the parts and print them out onto thin card. (230gsm / 67lb) There are two version of the model. Colour and un-coloured. The coloured model is printed on both sides of the sheet. Print the front, flip the card, return it to the printer then print the back.

Score the dotted and dashed lines and cut out the holes before carefully cutting out the pieces.

Fold round and glue the cam shaft outer.

Fold over and glue down the cam to make double thickness card. Once the glue is dry carefully cut it out.

Fit the cam to the cam shaft outer lining it up with the grey line.

Roll up and glue down the two round tubes lining up the edge with the points of the triangles.

Fold round and glue together the cam follower.

Glue the flap to the cam follower then wrap it round the short tube and glue it down.

Wrap a small coin (20mm diameter – 4gram weight) tightly in an off-cut of card.

Glue the coin in position on the cam follower.

Assemble the handle in three steps as shown.

Fold round and glue the tabs on the box tops . The triangle tubes are right angled triangles.

Fold the tabs round on the box sides and glue them down making equilateral triangle tubes.

Glue the side to the base. Note that the holes in the sides are closest to the base.

Glue the top into position and glue the box closed.

Hold the square tube in position and push the the circular tube into place. No need to use glue as friction will hold it into place.

Glue the push-rod to the cam follower.

Thread the push rod up through the hole in the box top and glue the cam follower to the front of the box.

Complete the box by gluing the handle into place.

Roll round and glue down the head of the mouse. Glue up the darts in the two ears.

Glue the front legs to the body front.

Glue the two parts of the body back together.

Glue the two pieces of the body together using the grey area for alignment.

Glue on the back legs. Glue the tail to the back of the body.

Glue the head tab to the front of the body. The mouse head will be free to nod up and down.

Turn the handle on the box so that the cam is at its lowest position. Glue the head tab to the push rod so that the head is level or slightly downward pointing.

That’s it! Once the glue is dry, turn the handle and the Twitch Mouse twitches his cute little nose.

There’s a block of cheese to make as well – hey, it is a mouse.