Introduction: Artistic Composition Using Broken Quadcopter Blades
This is a perfect gift for a rookie quadcopter pilot or for father's day
If you ever tried to experiment with a quad-copter you will also probably experienced a crash.
While usually quadcopters are quite sturdy, their blades are fragile and easily break. In this instructable I suggest you a way of recycling broken quadcopter blades and produce a trophy that you can give as a present to a rookie quadcopter pilot
Step 1: Material List
- 1 ribba frame from IKEA (this picture frame is ideal for this project since it has plenty of space between the back-cover and the mirror)
- 1 broken quadcopter blade
- glue
- acrylic paint
- 1 screw
Step 2: Create the Blade Support
Open the RIBBA frame and take the wood/cardboard back-cover
Find the center of the frame tracing the 2 diagonals with a pencil
Glue a screw to the center of the frame. This screw will be the support of the blade so chose one that fits your blade. I used epoxy glue since it is very strong and dry quite fast (if the material of the back-cover is porous you should chose another kind of glue)
Step 3: Paint the Picture Background
With the acrylic colors paint the back-cover.
To make the screw less visible, paint also the screw head.
I used very bright colors and intentionally un-even brush strokes to make the resulting color more dynamic and less boring.
In the second figure (with red background) I installed a second support since the blade was broken in 2 pieces (see the photo)
Step 4: Add the White Border Layer
The ribba frame comes with a white layer that you can put over your photo to make it look nicer (it actually frames the photo with a thick white border)
We will use this thick white border to highlith both the blade and the backgorund color.
First apply a small layer of glue on the broders of the back-cover (I used a Vinyl acetate glue for wood)
Overlay the white layer and keep it steady for few hours
Step 5: Assemble the Picture Frame
Once the glue is dried screw the blade in position and assemble the picture frame

Participated in the
Father's Day Contest

Participated in the
Craft Contest
2 Comments
10 years ago
I have never got to fly one yet but I know I will go though blades. And I lo es your idea. I have a suggestion for you what about making a clock out of 2 blades? Color the tips of each so you can tell what hands/blades to look at to tell time. I thought how it looked with the drying things on it that it looked retro and the places looked like old ww2 props. I'll give you a vote.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Nice ideas! Next time I'll try an aging painting for a retro look,
For the clock idea I'll definitely try to build one. The weight of the blades should not be a problem since they should be properly balanced.