Tips and tricks for getting the most out of your paper engineering
Check out the Paper Model Tutorial Video here
Cutting Out
Accurately. That's the key. Cut right down the middle of the black line.
Scissors, rather than a sharp knife, work best in most circumstances. If you are cutting a curved line keep the scissors still and steer the work round to ensure an accurate cut.
When cutting out holes you'll need to...
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Cutting Out Concave Shapes
Concave shapes, shapes that curve inwards on themesleves, are slightly more tricky to cut out than ordinary shapes, It can be awkward to steer your scissors round inward curves without creasing and distorting the card you are cutting. Here are a couple of simple techniques to help you cut out...
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Gluing
Water based glue works best with paper models, PVA white glue is ideal.
The problem with water based glue is that it can soak into the paper and make it crinkly. You'll need to use it sparingly.
Spread a thin layer of glue on one surface only. Line up the parts to be joined then nip them closed...
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Making Square Section Tubes
Square section tubes are quite common paper automata models. They are used as push rods, slider tubes and other sorts of linkages. Making long tubes can be especially problematic - it is all too easy to glue the tube with a slight inaccuracy and end up with a twist or bend along its length....
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Measuring up a prototype
Once you've finished your prototype paper model it is time to transfer it to the computer. For me, this is often a mixture of scanning, photographing and measuring. That's where the handy downloadable ruler/protractor set comes in. Print it out onto thin card or paper and cut out your set...
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Scoring
To make sure that your folds are sharp and accurate you'll need to score them. Scoring is the process of making a dent in the card where you want to the fold to be placed.
There is no one specific tool for scoring, the point of a pair of scissors works well, so long as the scissors aren...
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