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A pendulum powered nodding cow for you to download, print out and make. Members can download this project for free, non-members can download the file for £2.50 at the link above.

The file comes with three variations. A line only cow for you to colour, a holstein type cow, shown in these instructions and a Jersey cow. Notice that the second sheet of the two colored cows has both a a front and a back. Print out one side, flip the card over and return it to the printer to print the other side.
Print the sheets onto thin card. (230 micron / 67lb) Score along the dotted and dashed lines then carefully cut out the pieces. This project doesn't need a sharp knife so may be particularly suited to younger people.

Glue the two neck pieces face to face. Make sure you only glue the body of the part together, not the tabs.

Glue the tail into place on the top back of the body.

Fold up and glue together the neck hanger.

Make two parcels from offcuts of card wrapped round a 20mm, 4 gram coin. I used a UK one pence piece for each parcel.

Glue the coin parcels to the end of the neck pendulum. One on each side. It is a little easier to see where the coins fit in the next picture.

Glue the neck hanger to the inside top of the body so that the long end is lined up with the end of the body. (Arrowed)
Glue the neck to the neck hanger as shown above.

Wrap the body round and glue it together so that the neck sticks out of the end.

Fold over the four legs and glue them together to make double thickness card. Once the glue is dry carefully cut out the legs.

Glue the leg stiffeners into place on the backs of the legs. Notice the leg stiffener for the front legs is the one with two crease lines. The stiffener for the back legs has only a single crease.

Glue the back legs into place making sure that they are lined up with each other and vertical. Notice that the top of the legs stick up a couple of millimeters above the top of the body.

Glue the front legs to the body. Stand the cow on a flat surface before the glue is dry and make sure that the legs are level.

Finish off the model by gluing the head to the tabs on the front of the neck piece. Line up the bottom of the chin with the end of the tabs in the position arrowed.

Once the glue is dry moving the model, however slightly, will set the head nodding. Moo!
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Comments
exscaly
I really like the idea of this bobbing cow. It's like replacing plastic cat heads with mere paper. :D Sounds good *bob's head*. :D
DobbyKnits
Ooh! I've an idea for a similar model... A pig... with a "Robin Hood" cap...
He'd be the Sheriff of Nodding Ham! *<)X^D
[COUGH]
Oh! That's terrible lol :-) - RI
robives
cool022883 got the first one within about three minutes of the file going live! Have fun cool022883.
cool022883
thanks rob im sure i will
yes i was waiting for it to go up just so i could be first
btw my name is scott =)
Thanks Scott :-D - RI
cool022883
great model rob
i asked the cow if i did a good job and it nodded yes =0) so i must of done a good job
now you can finish up the apatosaurus unless you see another animal that destracts you =)~
I'm glad it worked! Just about to print out the apatosaurus now - RI
frankenpaper
Nodding Ham is very funny!
Maybe you should do a sway back horse that shakes her head "No!" and call her Negative Nellie.
What do the rest of your fans think?
cool022883
in the amazing paper pets book there is a grumpy goat model that shakes its head no.so maybe that could be your negative nellie lol
Shelley Noble
Gosh this guy is CUTE! Such a clever animated model! Udderly fab! ;-P
Michael cc
This is a nice, funny and quickly to build model. Thanks to Rob. Tip of "Smelter" has inspired me the udder to make moving as a pendulum with some lead bullets as weight. (the unfortunate little calves). To see something more on youtube:
http://youtu.be/sP8cDV6Z7Fw
A Animation later. Oh, can´t upload my limit is used up!
Michael
I have increased your upload limit Michael - can't wait to see your animations! - RI
michael.cc
Here's the animation, Michael
Cool! - RI