Showing posts with label Make Things with Paper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Make Things with Paper. Show all posts
Tuesday, 14 January 2014
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
The Dart (Paper Aeroplane)
The Dart is a classic paper aeroplane. If you ask people to think about paper aeroplanes, this is the design that will most likely pop into their heads.
The Dart's popularity lies in the fact that it is a very simple paper aeroplane: even young children and monkeys can be taught to make it.
I've provided both photographic and video instructions for this plane. Photographic instructions are towards the top, video instructions at the very bottom.
1. Take 1 piece of A4 paper.
2. Fold the paper exactly in half longways, then open up the folds: this is to create a centre line guide fold so you get all your other folds straight.
3. Now fold along the blue lines so that the flat edge at the top of the paper exactly meets the centre line. You should aim for something that looks exactly like the diagram on the right.
4. Now fold along the blue lines again, so you get something that looks like the diagram on the right. Try to make sure that the diagonal edge of the fold you created now meets exactly with the centre line.
5. Now refold along the centre line, so all the folds you made in steps 3 & 4 are on the outside.
6. Ok, we're almost done! We just need to fold the wings down now.
7. Fold the wing down on the other side and BOOM, you've finished the construction of the main body of the plane! HOWEVER, before you get too excited, remember that almost all planes need to be calibrated before they fly properly. Check out the calibration page whilst you perform you test flights.
The Dart's popularity lies in the fact that it is a very simple paper aeroplane: even young children and monkeys can be taught to make it.
I've provided both photographic and video instructions for this plane. Photographic instructions are towards the top, video instructions at the very bottom.
1. Take 1 piece of A4 paper.
2. Fold the paper exactly in half longways, then open up the folds: this is to create a centre line guide fold so you get all your other folds straight.
3. Now fold along the blue lines so that the flat edge at the top of the paper exactly meets the centre line. You should aim for something that looks exactly like the diagram on the right.
4. Now fold along the blue lines again, so you get something that looks like the diagram on the right. Try to make sure that the diagonal edge of the fold you created now meets exactly with the centre line.
5. Now refold along the centre line, so all the folds you made in steps 3 & 4 are on the outside.
6. Ok, we're almost done! We just need to fold the wings down now.
7. Fold the wing down on the other side and BOOM, you've finished the construction of the main body of the plane! HOWEVER, before you get too excited, remember that almost all planes need to be calibrated before they fly properly. Check out the calibration page whilst you perform you test flights.
The Monkey (Paper Aeroplane)
The monkey is a good, solid paper aeroplane. It can fly far and fast and works pretty well with minimal need for calibration.
1. Start with one A4 or US letter size piece of paper.
2. Fold the piece of paper in half longways along the red line so you get the diagram on the right.
3. Fold one corner down to the centre line.
4. Repeat the same fold on the other side, so you get something that looks like this:
5. Unfold along the centre line, so you have something that looks like this:
6. Fold along the red line so you get something that looks like the diagram on the right.
7. Refold back along the centre line, so you have something that looks like this. It is important at this stage that you fold the right way. The triangular fold should be on the outside, not the inside.
8. Fold one corner down along the red line. If you've got a ruler to hand and you're using A4 paper, use the dimensions in the diagram, if not just try to get it as close as possible .
9. Repeat the same fold on the other side, so you get something that looks like this:
10. Unfold along the centre line again, so you get something that looks like this:
11. Fold the small triangular flap along the red line, so you get the diagram on the right.
12. Refold back along the centre line, so you get something that looks like this:
13. Fold back and forth along the blue line in the diagram a few times to weaken the paper and create crease.
14. The next fold is rather tricky. You must push the little triangle you have created inwards as shown in the following pictures A to D.
15. The paper should now look like this:
16. Now fold back one of the flaps of paper you have created at the front to get the diagram on the right.
17. Repeat this fold on the other side, so you get something that looks like this:
18. Fold one side of the paper along the red line to create one of the wings. You should get something that looks like the diagram on the right.
19. Repeat the fold on the other side to create the other wing, so you get something that looks like this:
20. Fold the wings up, and you're done! However, note that paper aeroplanes do not always fly perfectly on the first time. Click here for details on how to calibrate your paper aeroplane.
1. Start with one A4 or US letter size piece of paper.
2. Fold the piece of paper in half longways along the red line so you get the diagram on the right.
3. Fold one corner down to the centre line.
4. Repeat the same fold on the other side, so you get something that looks like this:
5. Unfold along the centre line, so you have something that looks like this:
6. Fold along the red line so you get something that looks like the diagram on the right.
7. Refold back along the centre line, so you have something that looks like this. It is important at this stage that you fold the right way. The triangular fold should be on the outside, not the inside.
8. Fold one corner down along the red line. If you've got a ruler to hand and you're using A4 paper, use the dimensions in the diagram, if not just try to get it as close as possible .
9. Repeat the same fold on the other side, so you get something that looks like this:
10. Unfold along the centre line again, so you get something that looks like this:
11. Fold the small triangular flap along the red line, so you get the diagram on the right.
12. Refold back along the centre line, so you get something that looks like this:
13. Fold back and forth along the blue line in the diagram a few times to weaken the paper and create crease.
14. The next fold is rather tricky. You must push the little triangle you have created inwards as shown in the following pictures A to D.
15. The paper should now look like this:
16. Now fold back one of the flaps of paper you have created at the front to get the diagram on the right.
17. Repeat this fold on the other side, so you get something that looks like this:
18. Fold one side of the paper along the red line to create one of the wings. You should get something that looks like the diagram on the right.
19. Repeat the fold on the other side to create the other wing, so you get something that looks like this:
20. Fold the wings up, and you're done! However, note that paper aeroplanes do not always fly perfectly on the first time. Click here for details on how to calibrate your paper aeroplane.
The Spyder (Paper Aeroplane)
Spyder paper aeroplanes are beautiful to look at. They can also fly pretty well. Although you're unlikely to break any records with this design, if they're well made, you can get some decent 10-15 metre flights out of them.
The Spyder is also a good paper aeroplane for performing aerodynamic experiments, as it has a front set of wings (called canards), as well as a back set. You can experiment with tweaking this wings indepedently to see what different effects they have on the paper aeroplane's flight pattern.
1. Take one A4 piece of paper.
2. Fold the piece of paper exactly in half longways, then unfold. You will use the crease you have created as a guide line in future steps.
3. Fold the corners at one end of the paper so they meet the centre line.
4. Fold the tip of the plane back so it meets the points where the other folds cross.
5. Now refold along the centre line, so that the folds you have made in steps 2-4 are on the outside.
6. Fold along the yellow line on one side of the paper as shown in the diagram on the left. You should get something that looks like the diagram on the right.
7. Repeat the fold on the other side.
8. Fold along the yellow line on one side of the paper. If you've got a ruler handy, use the dimensions as shown in the diagram. If not, just use your best guess. You should aim for something that looks like the diagram on the right.
9. Repeat the fold on the other side.
10. Now fold up along the yellow line on one side of the paper. It is possible to fold the entire length of paper in one go; however, sometimes it is easy to do it in two stages, as show by the marks A and B in the diagram.
11. Repeat the fold on the other side.
12. Uncrease along the centre line so the plane is flat.
13. Fold inwards along the yellow lines.
14. Refold along the centre line, so that the folds you made in Step 13 are on the inside.
15. Now we're going to fold down both the front and back wings on one side of the plane. It's possible to fold both at once, but you can also do one at a time.
16. Repeat the fold(s) on the other side. You should end up with something that looks like this.
17. Flip the paper aeroplane on to its back. It's now time to fold the fins.
18. Flip the plane back over and behold! You're done! Tell your friends. But do not celebrate too hard, lest you forget that almost all paper aeroplanes need to be calibrated before they fly properly. Click here now for instructions on what to do!
The Spyder is also a good paper aeroplane for performing aerodynamic experiments, as it has a front set of wings (called canards), as well as a back set. You can experiment with tweaking this wings indepedently to see what different effects they have on the paper aeroplane's flight pattern.
1. Take one A4 piece of paper.
2. Fold the piece of paper exactly in half longways, then unfold. You will use the crease you have created as a guide line in future steps.
3. Fold the corners at one end of the paper so they meet the centre line.
4. Fold the tip of the plane back so it meets the points where the other folds cross.
5. Now refold along the centre line, so that the folds you have made in steps 2-4 are on the outside.
6. Fold along the yellow line on one side of the paper as shown in the diagram on the left. You should get something that looks like the diagram on the right.
7. Repeat the fold on the other side.
8. Fold along the yellow line on one side of the paper. If you've got a ruler handy, use the dimensions as shown in the diagram. If not, just use your best guess. You should aim for something that looks like the diagram on the right.
9. Repeat the fold on the other side.
10. Now fold up along the yellow line on one side of the paper. It is possible to fold the entire length of paper in one go; however, sometimes it is easy to do it in two stages, as show by the marks A and B in the diagram.
11. Repeat the fold on the other side.
12. Uncrease along the centre line so the plane is flat.
13. Fold inwards along the yellow lines.
14. Refold along the centre line, so that the folds you made in Step 13 are on the inside.
15. Now we're going to fold down both the front and back wings on one side of the plane. It's possible to fold both at once, but you can also do one at a time.
16. Repeat the fold(s) on the other side. You should end up with something that looks like this.
17. Flip the paper aeroplane on to its back. It's now time to fold the fins.
18. Flip the plane back over and behold! You're done! Tell your friends. But do not celebrate too hard, lest you forget that almost all paper aeroplanes need to be calibrated before they fly properly. Click here now for instructions on what to do!
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