CRAZY PAPER THING

 How To Make A Crazy Paper Thing: Step By Step Instructions

Download Crazy Paper Thing template (PDF)

If you don’t have a printer, you can still create this bit by hand. Dimensions are

Overall paper: 12cm x 24cm
Individual strip: 12cm x 3cm
Fold lines per strip: 5cm, 9cm

In the image above, the vertical lines are the cut lines, and the horizontal are the fold lines. When you’re done, you should have eight matching strips, measuring 12cm x 3cM                     

  Next, fold each strip along the fold lines. You’ll end up having eight pieces of paper that look roughly like this.

Then, tape each piece to form a triangle like so. In my head, I kept thinking of these guys as “ramps,” as it helped me match what was happening in the tutorial video.

.When you’re done, you should have eight of these guys.

Line them up like so: two columns, four ramps per column. If, like me, it helps to imagine a miniature Excitebike motorcycle jumping over these… feel free.

.Next, take two pieces at a time and add a bit of tape down each ramp. You should end up with four connected pieces, like what’s pictured above.

As a reference, each piece should bend a little, like this.

Almost there! Next up, connect two pieces together with a bit of tape on the back of the ramp.

You should now have two large pieces.

  This part was where I got confused in the video. Take the two columns, and place them side by side in your palm. Make sure the smallest side of the ramp is pointing up, and that both pieces mirror one another.

Add some tape across the bottom two pieces (near the wrist), and another piece of tape across the top two pieces (near the fingertips). Once you’re done, flip the whole thing over You’re ready to play! If all went well, you should be able to do this: 

THE OSCILlATING WOODPECKER

Why doesn't it drop or stop?

Here is yet another clever folk toy that uses science to puzzle and amaze observers. It uses it's potential energy to bob back and forth like a woodpecker. It was redesigned a bit so that even young kids can help make it. The classic version usually uses a tiny spring--as from a pen--but we simply use a rubber band for springyness.

What you need:

1/4" OD clear PVC tubing plastic or drinking straw.

The clear 1/4" tubing is available from any hardware store. It is sold by the foot off rolls. You only need 1" per bird, but get a couple of feet to make a curvy, loopy drinking straw (like a "Krazy Straw"). It is food grade. You can substitute a rigid plastic drinking straw. The thin kind school cafeterias always seem to have are the best.

thin rubber bands

How thin the rubber band is determines--more than anything else--how well the project works. If you are using a rubber band assortment, use the thinnest ones.

white poster board, scissors, tape

The poster board is about as thick as cereal box cardboard. Cereal boxes are one of my favorite things to recycle, but for this little bit use white poster board, which takes coloring well.

Assembly step1

Print the pattern, cut out the body and wings.

Step 2

Cut a 1" piece of tubing or straw, tape

Tape the straw securely into the fold in between the bird halves. The same amount of straw should stick out the top as the bottom. Use three pieces of tape on top of each other to really hold it on

Step 3

Finish assembly and try it out.

Use a tape doughnut to hold the two halves of the body together, and to attach the wings. Cut the thinnest rubber band you can find and thread it through the straw.
To make it go, get the woodpecker toward the end of the rubber band that the head points to. Stretch the rubber band vertically. Make sure your hand is not near your eye, so the rubber band will not snap your eye if it breaks.Shake your hands up and down a few times, then suddenly hold them still. The bird should keep on bobbing... and bobbing...and bobbing all the way down until its potential energy is exhausted.

NOTE:

If the wookpecker won't work, you can experiment with making the diameter of the straw smaller.

To make the diameter smaller, slice the piece of straw lengthwise. The cut edges will overlap a little, decreasing the diameter. Squeeze the straw a little bit so the edges overlap, as shown at right. Tape so it stays overlapped as much as you want it.

 I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know what works and what needs clarification.