Introduction: Papercraft Faceted Ram Template
My Instructible is inspired by krummrey's faceted deer, I followed his steps and added some tips based on my experience making these papercraft. I did spent a lot of time creating the template, making it more user friendly by resizing to US Letter size print outs.
Please donate to support my next projects if you feel so inclined. I am not selling them on etsy because I want others to enjoy this papercraft template for free but if you feel generous today, please do donate $1 to support me so I can shut my hubby up for wasting my time. ;)
Attachments
Step 1: Find the 3D Model on Thingiverse
First is to find a 3D model that you like. I found this pretty faceted Ram so I can skip the clean up step and go straight to unfolding.
This is what I got and a shout out to the model maker Gedelgo http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:729718
Download the file and open in Pepakura Designer. You can download the software online for free.
Drag and drop the file into Pepakura.
Step 2: Unfold in Pepakura
*I only know enough Pepakura to do this project so please correct me if you have better ways to do these tasks. I played with it for about an hour before actually working on this template*
You will need to answer several questions to position your model, it is petty self explanatory. For ease of use, try to make the front of the model to face you.
Then Click Unfold.Now it should look like a big impossible to fold mess.
Step 3: Basic Settings
Now Lets change the papersize by clicking File>> Print & Paper settings
Choose A4 if UK and Letter if US. Then choose Vector print.
If you like the small flap, you will need to go to settings and play with it to make it look like the normal small flaps again.
Then set the desired size by going 2D Menu >> Recalculate Parts Layout>> Manual, enter the desired height. This Template is 500 mm (50cm) in height.
Enable check overlapping parts.
Step 4: Make the Cuts
Now its time to cut the triangles into smaller pieces so it fits the papersize. a few things to note:
1. Few cuts mean fewer glue and moving parts, less time to finish the model
2. Too few cuts mean a big piece which is very difficult to fold and tricky to glue
3. If you want to make a 2 tone model, you have to make the cut symmetrical and group those parts together. This can be achieved by clicking on the triangles on the right and it will show up as red on the model.
Keep cutting until you are done, overlapped pieces will show up in red on the right hand side.
Tips: To rotate the model, use the arrow keys, to zoom in zoom out the triangles, use mouse scroll
Print using Cutepdf. I don't think you can save unless you buy the full version but you can print it out.
Ta-da! Now you have youe own template!! =D
Read on for assembly tips.
Step 5: Assembly Time
This is a pain to assemble but it is so worth it (and addictive). a few tips are:
1. I buy soft poster board from dollar tree and cut them into letter sizes for my printer. I think those are $0.65 for a big piece and gives me 6 letter size cardstock.
2. manual feed on your printer, if it comes out curled, try to see if the back of the printer can pop open. It looks wrong but i left that open, the card stock comes out on the back straight instead of going through those rollers
3. If you don't have a laser cutter like me, switch between scissors and box knife to reduce fatigue (and boredom)
4. I use gel super glue to prevent runoff, double sided tape does me no good.
5. There are some tight flaps or flaps that you keep putting the glue on and still don't stay in place, I use a band-aid method to stabilize the joints (see picture). Just take a strip of cardstock with super glue and glue it perpendicular to the joints. It works for fragile flaps and gives more support. I added a "Band-aid" on every flap at the horn/face connection.
6. For unstable parts like Krummrey's Moose head, try stuffing the head with pocket air or packing material to beef up the support structure to it won't collapse.
7. I have shown the Valley folds and mountain folds in the picture. Given that you print the pattern on the wrong side of the paper.
Have Fun with your project! Donate if you think my efforts worth $1 to you. :)
